Microsoft Surface Go 3 is faster than ever, still surprisingly affordable

Microsoft has today launched a sweeping refresh of its Surface line of computers. Amongst the new updates is a refresh to its smallest tablet, with Microsoft debuting the Surface Go 3 as an update to the Surface Go 2.

Overall, it's not a mind-blowing revamp, but you can expect faster chipsets across all the new models within the Surface Go 3 range. The base model jumps to a faster Pentium Gold 6500Y, with the premium model getting a quad-core 10th-generation Core i3. Microsoft claims that this will deliver a 60 percent speed increase, though it's impossible to gauge the impact of these boosts until benchmark tests are performed further down the line.

• Microsoft Surface Duo 2 folding smartphone was also announced today
• Microsoft Surface Pro 8 gains a 120Hz screen and Thunderbolt 4

Design-wise, the Surface Go 3 is identical to its predecessor bar its innards. The new Intel processors should make the Surface Go perform better in day-to-day handling, especially when juggling multiple applications that can otherwise choke performance. Whether or not the better chipsets amount to a 60 percent increase in speeds in practical terms still remains to be seen, but it should make the device a better and out-and-out performer for the average user.

Users can choose from either 4GB or 8GB of RAM options – and you’ll certainly want to consider 128GB or 256GB SSD storage add-ons to avoid being stuck with the 64GB storage in the base model Surface Go 3. Once again, don’t expect any of the newly-announced Surface Pro 8’s bells and whistles: the 1,920 x 1,080 screen and single USB-C port cut rather lackluster figures, but then this is a budget-geared device starting from $400.

If you need more power, then you'll want to opt for the $630 Core i3 model with 8GB of RAM and 128GB SSD. It's not an insignificant price increase, but it should bring a lot more day-to-day usability if you'll be juggling multiple tasks on the device. 

You're unlikely to see the Surface Go 3 topping the best tablets list anytime soon, but it looks to be a fully serviceable slate for most users, perhaps more suited to students inside of our best student tablets rundown.