Surface Go 2 could arrive soon with longer battery life, faster Wi-Fi speeds

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We expect the Surface Go 2 to launch in the coming weeks

(Image credit: Laptop Mag)

If Microsoft doesn't release the Surface Go 2 in the next few weeks, then we've lost all faith in rumors and leaks. All signs are pointing to the imminent release of a 2nd Gen budget tablet, which could happen alongside the Surface Book 3.

So far, rumors about the upcoming detachable tablet have been pretty tame. However, a second FCC filing suggests the Surface Go 2 could deliver in areas where we're hoping to see improvement, namely, battery life. 

Spotted by Windows Latest, the FCC filing describes a "portable computing device" with a model number linked to the Surface Go 2 with LTE support. While the Surface Go 2 isn't expected to support 5G (that's still a premium feature), it will provide Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) connectivity thanks to its Wi-Fi 6 AX200 adapter. 

Surface owners will be happy to know the Surface Go 2 will support the latest Wi-Fi standard for years to come, even if the benefits aren't felt right away. To get the full benefit of Wi-Fi 6, you need the right hardware (router) and fast internet speeds. 

Surface Go 2 battery life improvement

A more immediate impact felt by the addition of WI-Fi 6 is improved battery life. As TechRadar notes, the wireless standard adds Target Wake Time technology, which means the Surface Go 2 won't need to be constantly listening for a signal. Instead, it will only receive a signal when its Wi-Fi adapter needs to transmit data. 

This could be one way the Surface Go 2 improves its battery life over the previous generation. That is, if it does at all. After the Surface Pro 7, we lost faith that Microsoft's newest Surface products will always be better than the previous versions. 

One of our biggest complaints with the original Surface Go was its poor endurance, at 6 hours and 6 minutes. Microsoft can't afford for that runtime to drop any further. 

As for when we'll see the Surface Go 2, that is still a moving target. Given these FCC filings and other credible rumors, we're probably looking at a May or June unveiling. 

Phillip Tracy
Phillip Tracy

Phillip Tracy is the assistant managing editor at Laptop Mag where he reviews laptops, phones and other gadgets while covering the latest industry news. After graduating with a journalism degree from the University of Texas at Austin, Phillip became a tech reporter at the Daily Dot. There, he wrote reviews for a range of gadgets and covered everything from social media trends to cybersecurity. Prior to that, he wrote for RCR Wireless News covering 5G and IoT. When he's not tinkering with devices, you can find Phillip playing video games, reading, traveling or watching soccer.