That's because, even for a low-cost laptop, you should be looking for an Intel Core i5 or equivalent processor, 8GB or 16GB or RAM and 128GB or 256GB of storage. As outlined in my recent guide to buying a budget laptop, the old $500 limit to what we'd consider 'budget,' has been pushed up closer to $700. My thinking on budget laptops has changed, pushed by inflation, supply shortages and the increase in work-from-home and remote school scenarios. You can't change the RAM or CPU, however, as far as I can tell. It also has a decent level of repairability, with the ability to change the SSD and battery, among other parts. Microsoft says the new version is greener, which works in its favor, with 30% post-consumer recycled plastic. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many laptops have finally moved to full HD webcams, with 1,920x1,080 resolution, so I don't think this will become my main Zoom (or Microsoft Teams!) meeting device. The webcam is still a lower-res 720 model, but Microsoft says software tweaks give it better color accuracy and noise reduction. That includes the meh resolution of 1,536x1,024, but it's also a touch screen, and pretty bright and clear for a budget laptop.

The screen size and resolution, weight, port selection and the overall design on the new Surface Laptop Go 2 are the same as the original version. Especially for a budget laptop, that's fine, but keep in mind, most new laptops have more recent 12th-gen Intel chips, so this is a full generation behind. Windows 11 is the OS, replacing Windows 10 S ( remember that?), and the CPU goes from a 10th-gen Intel Core i5 to an 11th-gen Intel Core i5. At least you get 128GB of storage now, but still the same 4GB of RAM. The first is that we're now starting at a little more, at $600. The new 2.0 version makes a few changes, but maybe not enough. Read more: How to Buy a Budget Laptop The more things change…

At the time, I suggested that the middle-ground $700 version, with 8GB RAM and 128GB SSD, was the only configuration that made sense as a budget laptop.

The big issue it had was that the base model, despite an appealing price, was stuck with an unappealing combination of 4GB of RAM and a scant 64GB of solid state drive storage. It ended up as a $550 laptop with a 12.4-inch screen and a 10th-gen Intel Core i5. The original Surface Laptop Go tried to take the all-over excellent design of the Surface Laptop, one of my mainstream favorites, and strip it down for budget buyers.

Microsoft surface pro laptop go