Microsoft Surface Go 4 review: This new iteration is not built for creatives

A device that tries to be both a laptop and a tablet but ends up doing neither particularly well.

Microsoft surface go 4 tablet screen
(Image: © Paul Hatton)

Our Verdict

The Surface Go 4 hasn’t really moved on from its predecessor. Sure, it has a new processor and a different type of storage, but neither amount to any serious improvements in performance. The lack of any substantial power makes it unworkable as a laptop for almost all creatives and the clunky Windows interface lets down an otherwise great design. Microsoft has gone big on improvements for business users but that does nothing to provide a device that will bring joy to most of the creative world.

For

  • Premium design
  • Portable
  • FHD webcam

Against

  • Lacking performance
  • Expensive extras required

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Now at iteration 4, here is the Surface Go. This release marks a clear shift for Microsoft away from the consumer market and towards business users. Our reviews of the Surface Go 2 and the Surface Go 3 clearly show that this line of portable hybrid laptop tablets are just not cut out for creatives like graphic designers and are barely sufficient for digital artists. They benefit from portability but lack the necessary power to do much with them.

The Surface Go 4 suffers from many of the same problems that the previous versions did. In essence, I don’t think it quite knows what it is and in attempting to be both a laptop and a tablet it ends up doing both pretty badly. The Surface Go 4 might appear to be a more budget option for people but once you’ve purchased the Type Cover and the Surface Pen you’re quickly moving out of that category.

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