What you need to know
- Microsoft has postponed plans to ship an ARM powered Surface Go this year.
- The device was going to feature a Qualcomm 7c-based processor.
- Instead, Microsoft will now ship a refreshed Surface Go with an Intel N200 chip.
Earlier this year, I reported that Microsoft was working on a new Surface Go that would ship with an ARM processor for the first time, with plans to launch the product this fall. Unfortunately, my sources now tell me that device, codenamed Tanta, has been postponed, and will instead be replaced with a refreshed Intel powered Surface Go for commercial customers.
I hear the upcoming Surface Go will be powered by an Intel Processor N200 CPU, which is a new line of chips that serve as a replacement for Intel’s entry-level mobile series of processors. The device will be more powerful and efficient than the current Surface Go 3, which is powered by an Intel Core i3-10100Y in the top-end configs.
The new Surface Go will be similar to the previous model but feature a more repairable internal layout with replaceable components, similar to the recent Surface Pro 9 and Surface Laptop 5. In fact, all of Microsoft’s future Surface PC devices will be more repairable going forward, I’m told.
It’s unclear why Microsoft has opted to postpone the ARM-powered Surface Go 4, but my sources say it’s likely to do with the Surface Go’s heavy focus on commercial customers, many of which may not be ready to adopt Windows on ARM fully. I’m told a future Surface Go with ARM is still planned, but it’s currently unknown when it will ship.
I hear the upcoming Surface Go will be primarily targeted at business and education customers, similar to the Surface Pro 7+ when that product launched in 2021. This might mean the upcoming Surface Go is branded “Surface Go 3+” instead of Surface Go 4, though that isn’t 100% confirmed just yet.
Microsoft is planning to launch the new Surface Go alongside two other Surface PCs this fall. Those include the Surface Laptop Studio 2 and Surface Laptop Go 3, both of which will feature updated specs and focus on AI capabilities. I’ll be sure to share more about Microsoft’s fall hardware plans in the coming weeks.
