Best overall
The Surface Pro 8 will be the better choice for most people overall, as its stronger specs, battery life, and port selection make it ideal if you want a top-notch user experience. With that said, the Surface Go 3 is much more affordable and is also more capable than its predecessors, making it an excellent alternative.
For
- Better CPUs and graphics
- More RAM and storage
- Longer battery life
- Better ports
Against
- Much more expensive
- No microSDXC reader
Best budget
The Surface Go 3 is an incredibly affordable alternative to the Surface Pro 8 that packs a solid amount of power into a small, compact package. The Surface Pro 8 will still be the better choice if you don't mind paying premium for excellent specs, a longer-lasting battery, and better ports, though.
For
- Much less expensive
- Has a microSDXC reader
Against
- Worse CPU and graphics
- Less RAM and storage
- Shorter battery life
- Worse ports
We ultimately feel that due to its impressive specs, battery life, and port selection, the Surface Pro 8 will be the better choice overall for most people in this matchup. Don't overlook the Surface Go 3 if you need something less expensive, though, as the third iteration of Microsoft's 10-inch mini PC is the mightiest one yet.
Surface Pro 8 vs. Go 3: Power or affordability?
The primary difference between the Surface Pro 8 and the Surface Go 3 is the power of their specs. The Surface Pro 8 is the winner in this regard by far, as its 11th Gen Intel processors and integrated graphics are much better than the Surface Go 3's budget-friendly hardware. The Surface Pro 8 also comes with significantly more options for RAM and SSD storage capacity. Additionally, the Surface Pro 8 also comes with cutting edge Thunderbolt 4 ports and a battery that lasts five hours longer, making it the more flexible device overall.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Surface Pro 8 | Surface Go 3 |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel i3-1115G4Intel i5-1135G7Intel i5-1145G7Intel i7-1185G7 | Intel Pentium Gold 6500YIntel i3-10100Y |
| GPU | Intel Iris GraphicsIntel Xe Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics 615 |
| Memory | 8GB16GB32GB | 4GB8GB |
| Storage | 128GB SSD256GB SSD512GB SSD1TB SSD | 64GB eMMC128GB SSD256GB SSD |
| Display | 13-inch 2880x1920 (267 PPI) PixelSense Flow touch display | 10.5-inch 1920x1280 (220 PPI) PixelSense display |
| Audio | Dual speakers with Dolby Atmos | Dual speakers with Dolby Audio Premium |
| Biometrics | Windows Hello-compatible camera | Windows Hello-compatible camera |
| Ports | 2x Thunderbolt 41x Surface Connect1x 3.5mm headphone/mic combo | 1x USB-C1x Surface ConnectmicroSDXC card reader1x 3.5mm headphone jack |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6Bluetooth 5.0LTE (optional) | Wi-Fi 6Bluetooth 5.0LTE (optional) |
| Battery | Up to 16 hours | Up to 11 hours |
| Dimensions | 11.3 x 8.2 x 0.37 inches | 9.65 x 6.9 x 0.33 inches |
| Weight | 1.96 pounds | 1.2 pounds |
| Price | Starts at $1,100 | Starts at $400 |
The Surface Go 3 has a few advantages of its own, however. It's much less expensive than the Surface Pro 8 is, which makes it an excellent alternative for people on a budget. The Surface Go 3 is also significantly more capable than previous Surface Go devices, which means that its performance is expected to be quite good even though the Surface Pro 8's will be much better. The Surface Go 3 also comes with a microSDXC card reader that you can use to add additional storage.
Surface Pro 8 vs. Go 3: Which should you buy?
Both the Surface Pro 8 and the Surface Go 3 look fantastic, and we expect both of them to end up being some of the best Microsoft Surface PCs available. With that said, we feel that the Surface Pro 8 will be better for most people since it has significantly better performance, battery life, and ports for peripherals or accessories. It may be more expensive, but it's also more versatile — especially since the new Surface Pro Type Cover includes a slot for the Surface Slim Pen 2 for charging and storage.
The Surface Go 3 isn't a device to scoff at, however, especially since it features snazzy new Intel CPU options that significantly outperform previous Surface Go processors. They may be weaker than the Surface Pro 8's 11th Gen offerings, but they're still pretty good for general computing. And when you consider that the Surface Go 3 only costs about a third of what the Surface Pro 8 does, it's clear to see why it's an excellent budget alternative.
For other great options, check out our roundup of the best 2-in-1 laptops and best Windows laptops.
Truly premium
The Surface Pro 8 will be the better choice for most people overall, as its stronger specs, battery life, and port selection make it ideal if you want a top-notch user experience. With that said, the Surface Go 3 is much more affordable and is also more capable than its predecessors, making it an excellent alternative.
The little guy
The Surface Go 3 is an incredibly affordable alternative to the Surface Pro 8 that packs a solid amount of power into a small, compact package. The Surface Pro 8 will still be the better choice if you don't mind paying premium for excellent specs, a longer-lasting battery, and better ports, though.
