The Surface Go 3 might be the most affordable Surface product, but the low power, short battery life and thick bezels expose why it’s so cheap. It does have the best webcam at this price, which means it’s a great choice for anyone that has a lot of video calls.

Excellent webcam, Lightweight and easy to carry, No bloatware

Super short battery life, Appalling performance, Type Cover not included, Thick bezels

Microsoft’s Surface Go 3 is the best budget Windows 2-in-1 tablet, but its performance and value are a bit below expectations for a third-generation product that competes against Chromebooks and the Apple iPad.

Low starting price, Lightweight, Sunny display with vivid colors, Windows Hello webcam with 1080p video support, Integrated kickstand, SD card reader for easy storage expansion, Long battery life

Keyboard cover not included, Only one USB-C port, Optional extras pump up price quickly, Disappointing computing performance, even with Core i3 upgrade

The things I do like about the Surface Go 3 are its bright and colorful display, and the Surface Pen, though it will set you back an additional $99. If you want to use it as a laptop, then you have to shell out another $129 for the Surface Go Type Cover.

Bright and colorful display, Solid speakers, Good build quality, 1080p webcam

Poor battery life, Weak performance, Accessories sold separately

“The affordable Microsoft Surface Go 3 isn't a performer, but it still finds way to delight.”

Versatile form factor, runs Windows 11, centered camera for video chat

Battery life could be better, and Windows 11 isn't exactly a tablet OS

From what I can tell, Microsoft intends the Surface Go 3 to be sold to two kinds of customers: kids and IT professionals who need a tiny computer when they’re out in the field. I’m in the third category of potential customers: people who love tiny computers.

Small and light, Windows 11 looks nice, Multi-user support

Bad battery life, Keyboard cover too flimsy, Too expensive

The Microsoft Surface Go 3 makes the Surface Go 2 look like a fluke. Just like the original Surface Go, the new model's battery life disappoints. Its performance is also troublesome, and will be a let-down for multitaskers.

Colorful display, Solid design and durability, Excellent webcam

Battery life is much shorter than the Go 2, Performance is no better than the Go 2, Optional Type Cover keyboard is cramped, Heavier than competing tablets

The Surface Go 3, which Microsoft unveiled in late September, is an exceedingly well-built tablet, with a lovely screen and strong kickstand.

The Surface Go 3 remains quite unrivaled, since there are hardly any Windows convertibles with such small displays. This device class is now dominated by Android and iOS tablets. Microsoft's small convertible is more versatile with the new Windows 11, but you should not expect too much because the...

sturdy housing, Display with very accurate color representation, Wi-Fi 6 & microSD, silent operation, optionally with LTE

low power, PWM flickering, mediocre battery life, only 1x USB-C

The Surface Go 3 looks nice, feels great and has a lot of potential as a mini tablet that offers a full Windows 11 PC experience. But it is hindered by slow chips with inconsistent, laggy performance and a poor battery life.

Pros: slim, light, good screen, great kickstand, decent speakers, USB-C, Windows Hello, full Windows 11 Home, microSD card reader, wifi 6, Bluetooth 5.

Cons: slow, inconsistent performance, short battery life, no USB-A ports, £100 keyboard essential but not included, Windows 11 not fully baked, comparatively expensive.