The Surface Go 3 looks like Microsoft’s next best cheap laptop

Microsoft is giving the Surface Laptop Go a well-needed spec bump.

Announced alongside the new Surface Studio 2, the updated Surface Laptop Go 3 is billed as the company's latest cheap laptop for those who can get away with a little less.

Built around a 12.4-inch PixelSense display and a minimalist design that echoes the look of the mainline Surface Laptop, the Surface Laptop Go 3 is powered by a 12th Gen Intel Core i5 processor, 256GB of storage and up to 16GB of RAM. It hasn't got the graphical grunt or processing power found in more expensive Surface devices, but there's still plenty to like here.

Aside from these under the hood tweaks, the Surface Laptop Go 3 is almost identical to its predecessor. The sides of the student-friendly laptop even feature the same complement of ports. That list includes a single USB port, one USB C slot, a headphone jack plus a spot for Microsoft's Surface Connect cable.

As for the differences, battery life sounds like it'll be the biggest one. According to Microsoft, the Surface Laptop Go 3 should be good for around 15 hours of usage off a single charge.

Other boxes being ticked here include support for Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1, Dolby Atmos speakers and a 720p webcam. Even if none of these are particularly cutting edge, they're definitely nice to have in a laptop that's aimed towards the lower end of the market.

In Australia, the Surface Laptop Go 3 will be available from 3 October 2023 at a starting price of $1,429.