Surface Go vs. (the canceled) Surface Mini: Two tiny Microsoft tablets face-off

I'll exist the first to admit that no-one was request for this comparing, simply when the opportunity arose for usa to compare the new Surface Become with the canceled Surface Mini, I only couldn't say no.

Every bit a brief reminder, the Surface Mini is Microsoft's original tiny Surface that unfortunately never released. Featuring a vii.5-inch screen, this was going to be a Surface device aimed more at inking and media consumption, rather than productivity work. A lot has changed since 2022, which is well-nigh telling when comparing specifications.

See Surface Go at Microsoft

Category	Surface Mini	Surface Go
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 800	Intel Pentium Aureate 4415Y
RAM	1GB or 2GB	4GB or 8GB DDR3
Storage	32GB or 64GB eMMC	64GB eMMC or 128GB SSD
Display size	seven.5-inch Affect	10-inch Touch
Display resolution	1440 x 1080 4:3 aspect ratio 240 ppi	1800 x 1200 3:2 aspect ratio 216 ppi
Graphics	Adreno 330	Intel HD Graphics 615
Ports	Micro USB microSD menu reader 3.5mm audio	USB-C 3.1 microSD bill of fare reader 3.5mm audio Surface Connect
Biometrics	N/A	IR photographic camera
Battery	N/A	Upwards to nine hours
Dimensions	8 inches x 5.five inches 10 0.35 inches	nine.6 inches x 6.nine inches x 0.33 inches
Weight	0.8 lbs	i.15 lbs

Surface Go vs. Surface Mini: Differences galore

Although both the Surface Mini and Surface Go are primarily tablets, the Surface Become is much more. It's also a laptop thank you to its ability to attach a keyboard and write documents and stuff. The Surface Mini can't practice that, making information technology a device primarily for consumption. At eight inches, that's not a surprise.

A lot of people have wondered about the size of the Surface Become. With its screen beingness and so small, how could anyone exist productive while using it? The Surface Go is only almost the smallest you can become on a laptop-fashion device before information technology's no longer a productive workspace. The Surface Mini didn't accept a keyboard cover considering it was just too small for a keyboard. There's no comfy mode to fit a full-size keyboard on a device that'south 8 inches in size.

This is the canceled Microsoft Surface Mini in photos

Because of this, the Surface Mini and Surface Go are devices that target two very different markets, or they would accept. The Surface Become is more for students, some workers, and people who need to get stuff done. The Surface Mini was a device purely for consumption, inking, and maybe doing some very light editing in Word using the on-screen keyboard.

The Surface Go is patently more powerful due to its newer specifications. Surface Mini featured an older ARM processor with at most 2GB RAM. In 2022, 2GB RAM is not doable. Some fifty-fifty retrieve 4GBs is cutting information technology shut to unusable, simply since the Surface Mini ran Windows RT at the fourth dimension, 2GB would've been fine.

The kickstand on the Surface Mini is also non equally flexible as the 1 on the Surface Go. The Go's is only similar the Surface Pro's stand, with its 165-caste hinge mechanism. The Surface Mini's is the aforementioned one found on the Surface 3, which is locked to just three positions.

The Surface Mini as well uses a different textile for its body than the Surface Go. The Get uses magnesium, whereas the Mini uses a more cloth-y material. It feels great in the manus, but like a Moleskine journal.

Surface Go vs. Surface Mini: Size matters

In regard to size, the Surface Mini is obviously smaller. It'due south also a device designed to exist used in the portait orientation. That's very different from all other Surfaces on the market, which are designed and marketed primarily in the landscape orientation.

The Surface Mini would've been an excellent device for taking out with y'all when you just wanted to take notes on the railroad train or in an office, or watch a picture show when on the become.

Surface Go review

For a mini Surface tablet to fifty-fifty have a gamble at competing, it would need a amend tablet mode experience to go with it. Correct now, Windows x is non great on devices that are primarily tablets, which is likely the reason backside Microsoft's insistence on calling everything a laptop.

That'southward why Microsoft is capitalizing more on the productivity side of things, because Microsoft has that in the pocketbook. The smallest you tin can really go while maintaining productivity status is around ten inches, so the Surface Get nails that right on the head. The Surface Become is the Surface Mini we've always wanted. If Microsoft goes any smaller, it might too recall about doing a phone.

Run across Surface Become at Microsoft

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