Surface Laptop Go can go many places, but how about the dark?

Best answer: The Surface Laptop Go does not have a backlit keyboard. However, it's still great — and the Surface Laptop 3 13.5 is a strong backlit alternative if you need it.

• Compact and affordable: Surface Laptop Go (From $550 at Microsoft)
• Stronger and backlit: Surface Laptop 3 13.5 (From $1,000 at Microsoft)

Why the Surface Laptop Go is still worth getting

The lack of a backlit keyboard on the Surface Laptop Go is disappointing for people who like to work in the dark but don't let that downside sway you away from considering the device. Armed with a 10th Gen Intel i5-1035G1 processor, competent Intel UHD Graphics, and up to 8GB of memory, the Surface Laptop Go is quite capable considering its low price and footprint. The 12.4-inch 1536 x 1024 display looks pretty good too, which is always great to see (ha) on a laptop. The resolution is a bit low, but for day-to-day use, it's perfectly fine. You can get up to 256GB of storage, too, and the laptop also supports Wi-Fi 6, which is the new Wi-Fi standard that boosts network speed and stability.

In terms of physical design, the Surface Laptop Go is awesome. With dimensions of 10.95 x 8.10 x 0.62 inches and a weight of 2.45 lbs, it's the lightest and smallest Surface Laptop device out there, making it perfect for travel. It also comes with a USB-A, USB-C, 3.5mm, and Surface Connect port for excellent peripheral support. While unfortunately not backlit, the keyboard is very comfortable to use, and it even comes with a nifty fingerprint reader. Overall, the Surface Laptop Go is easily one of the best Surface PCs.

The little guy

Surface Laptop Go

From $550 at Microsoft From $550 at Best Buy

Size doesn't tell the full story

Despite its small size and cost, the Surface Laptop Go packs quite a punch. The lack of a backlit keyboard is unfortunate, but it's not a huge issue by any means.

If backlighting is important

If you need a backlit keyboard, we recommend checking out the Surface Laptop 3 13.5, which is a larger, more capable, and more expensive Surface Laptop. With its more impressive 10th Gen Intel i5-1035G7 / i7-1065G7 CPU options, larger and higher resolution 13.5-inch display, and higher maximum RAM of 16GB, the Surface Laptop 3 is positioned as more of a traditional laptop rather than a compact and "fun-sized" one like the Surface Laptop Go is. That being said, it's not difficult to take around with you, and the keyboard is backlit impressively, making the Surface Laptop 3 an excellent alternative to the Surface Laptop Go if you need a device with a backlit keyboard.

Backlit alternative

Surface Laptop 3 13.5

$1,000 at Microsoft $1,000 at Best Buy

The next step up

The Surface Laptop 3 13.5 is a larger, more capable, and more expensive Surface Laptop compared to the Surface Laptop Go. It also features a backlit keyboard, ideal for people who work at night or in the dark.