Microsoft has introduced a lower-priced Surface Laptop, called the Surface Laptop Go. Priced at $549/£549, the 12.4-inch laptop will be available from today and will ship in late October. 

At this price point, it will go up against numerous mid-range competitors and Google Chromebooks like the Pixelbook Go

Microsoft's Surface Laptop and Surface Book lineup has always been distinctive but hasn't really been associated with the lower to mid-range of the market. But, having introduced a lower-priced Surface Go tablet (to sit underneath the Surface Pro), it's now repeating the same trick with the laptop range and this will sit under the 13-inch Surface Laptop 3. 

Again it's a touchscreen laptop with PixelSense display and full-size keyboard. Unlike the Surface Go tablet, the Laptop Go doesn't skimp on power, with a quad-core Intel Core i5 chip, 16GB of memory and 256GB of SSD storage powering things along (it's 10th generation Core rather than the newer 11th generation, though). 

Microsoft is citing 13 hours of battery life for the device, while there's a 720p HD webcam, Dolby surround sound audio and the laptop is available in three familiar finishes - Ice Blue, Sandstone and Platinum. Plus Microsoft says the device has both USB-A and USB-C ports for flexibility - though the company stubbornly refuses to dump the Surface Connect connector, which is also present here. 

Microsoft Surface Laptop Go - i5, 8+128GB

Amazon

Microsoft has also updated the Qualcomm-powered Surface Pro X - there are now three new colours for the Signature Keyboard: Platinum, Ice Blue and Poppy Red.

Microsoft Surface Pro X

Plus there are several new accessories for the Surface range: 

  • Microsoft Designer Compact Keyboard
  • Microsoft Number Pad
  • Microsoft 4K Wireless Display Adapter
  • Microsoft Bluetooth Ergonomic Mouse