Microsoft Surface 2018 Latest News, Release Date: $399 ‘Surface Go’ Tablet to Arrive in Stores Next Month

Microsoft finally unveiled its long-time rumored 10-inch Surface table on Monday. Officially called “Surface Go,” the new product is set to be released next month.

The Surface Go has been the subject of many information leaks in the previous months leading to its official announcement on Monday. So far, the majority of rumors checked out with the real features, design, and specifications of the compact Surface tablet.

The 2018 addition to the Microsoft Surface product lineup obviously adopted the familiar design features of its bigger predecessors. Aside from being a 10-inch tablet, the Surface Go is visually similar to other, more expensive Surface 2-in-1 tablets. For example, it also sports the staple built-in kickstand, allowing the tablet to be placed in a lot of different ways convenient to its user.

However, reports note that Microsoft added some very small design tweaks on the Surface Go tablet. The Verge noted that the 10-inch device sports much rounder corners compared to other Surface products.

Rumors are also true that the Surface Go carries a price tag that starts at $399. This means that the Microsoft Surface 2018 tablet could be the company’s entry-level product. On the other hand, this might also be another way for Microsoft to provide computers and devices with just enough specs for students without hurting their pockets.

Another indication that the Surface Go tablet is aimed at students for minimal tasks is the fact that it arrives with Windows 10 S as its operating system. The Windows 10 S is Microsoft’s streamlined version of the standard Windows 10 that lets a computer boots faster and use less power.

Aside from the built-in kickstand, Microsoft also applied other familiar Surface features to the new tablet. This includes a screen with 1800 x 1200 pixel resolution and 3:2 aspect ratio, a camera on the front side that supports facial recognition authentication, and the Surface Connector hub for charging and porting the tablet to a bigger monitor. There is also a dedicated USB-C 3.1 port that can also be used for charging and connecting the Surface Go to external video projectors and other screening devices.

Meanwhile, for the Surface Go to be a complete 2-in-1, customers will have to purchase its keyboard separately, which costs at least $99. Customers can configure their Surface Go tablet with 4GB or 8GB RAM and 128GB or 256GB storage.

Microsoft now accepts pre-orders for the Surface Go. But shipping will start on Aug. 6.