It's been over a week since I got my new computer (13.3" with I7 processor) so I've done most of the things I tend to do with it and watched a bunch of video reviews with different tips. I've had time to check whether the reviewer identified negatives matter to me.
A consistent criticism was the screen in terms of resolution and/or brightness - everyone thought the AMOLED was great for colour. When I see a low-resolution criticism I get the smallest screen size available; this has worked well for me in the past and continues to do so. I have a large monitor I connect to if I want more desktop space but I've found I don't use it. The screen is just that bit bigger than the Surface Go so I can comfortably work on it with the documents open that I want and not be frustrated with the screen I have to work with. I noticed a lot of reviewers tried it out in bright sunshine. I ALWAYS sit in the shade so it was bright enough for me to use. I suppose following an instructional video in the sun would be annoying but I would be unhappy in that scenario anyway. I find it distracting to look at myself anyway, other people say I look fine when using the webcam. Lighting is picky but, again, I'm likely to be inside with decent lighting since I'm a casual user.
One thing I really like about the Surface is a separate power slot and with 3 USB C ports, I can easily have a hub and keep the 360 charged. And speaking of charging, a common topic was battery life. No way is there 20 hours battery life unless it's thrown in a bag without being turned off. What I need is a device I can work away from home for half a day for with part of the time spend connected to a TV for presenting. And even that is more of a want than a need. I don't work where there is no power outlet and I have a charger in the bag I use to take it places.
I've started doing more colouring using PENUP in tablet mode and 13.3" is the perfect size for that. There isn't a lot of issue with stray touches and the included pen works really smoothly. Also, I'm not particularly artistic but it's fun to mess with the different pen styles. I used the 360 in tent mode once got nervous about abrading the screen edge so I doubt I would use it that way. Edges scuff easily.
Another criticism was the sound quality. I'm used to tablet speakers that are front-facing so having them on the bottom seems like a strange design choice but I only use external speakers when I'm alone at home. Since I have a huge mouse pad so the speakers sound ok when it's on my desk and I have a BT speaker I can use. I'm more likely to use buds or even an external speaker if I'm that concerned.
My real concern was the keyboard. All computers in Canada come with a multi-lingual keyboard which means the small left side shift key. This keyboard is surprisingly comfortable to use, way better than the attachable keyboard for the Surface Go. Maybe because of the key travel or something. The keys also have a lot of labels which is funny and not as distracting as I expected (yes I do look at the keys). The touchpad is ok but I wouldn't use it unless I forgot my mouse...which would only happen once before I bought one to live in the travel bag.
Verdict - This is the system I was looking for when I got the Surface Go. A portable form factor that can be used as a tablet or with a keyboard. I will never take it places without it being in its own sleeve, even if I was putting it in a backpack, so I don't worry about losing the pen or needing to carry a charger. I mostly use it for Office if or just browsing. I do want to use it for simple video editing - since I currently do that on my phone I don't foresee a problem. I also plan to try using it for Fusion 360 which I haven't used before so that could be interesting😂
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