Mated with Chrome OS, a lightweight operating system that’s faster than Windows and Mac OS, the Snapdragon 7c was speedy enough for web browsing, productivity tasks, and media consumption. HP is the first to use the SoC in a Chrome OS detachable tablet, and it promises good if not great performance.
The Chromebook x2 11 is built around a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c system-on-chip (SoC), including an 8-core ARM-based processor and a Qualcomm Adreno 618 GPU. However, the HP does offer optional 4G LTE connectivity for always-connected internet.
The Surface Go 3 has up-to-date Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5, while the Chromebook x2 11 is a step behind with Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5. The Chromebook x2 11 has two USB-C ports (one of which is used for charging), a 3.5mm audio jack, and a microSD card reader, while the Surface Go 3 has one USB-C port, a Surface Connect port that charges the tablet, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a microSD card reader. Inking is more robust in Windows 11, but the pens worked well on both platforms.Ĭonnectivity is light on both tablets. Both tablets also support active pens, and one of the Chromebook x2 11 configurations includes the pen, while the Microsoft Surface Pen is a $100 add-on. They both provided precise control over the multitouch gestures provided by their operating systems and quiet yet clicky buttons. The touchpads on each detachable keyboard were very good and similarly sized. At the same time, there are two add-on options for the Surface Go 3, the $100 Type Cover and the $130 Signature Type Cover with very comfortable and colorful Alcantara fabric. The keyboard is included with the Chromebook x2 11.
The Surface Go 3’s keys have a light, snappy feel that’s precise and consistent, while the Chromebook x2 11’s keys are loose, lack precision, and have a loud, clanky sound when typing at full speed. Both keyboards have minimal spacing and small keys, but the switch mechanism on the Surface Go 3’s Type Cover is heads and shoulders above those on the Chromebook x2 11’s keyboard. They look a lot alike, but they couldn’t be more different in their performance. Microsoft Surface Go 3 Mark Coppock/Digital Trendsīoth tablets have snap-on detachable keyboards that attach via pogo pins and can be propped up at an angle for more comfortable typing. It works as well as the Surface Go 3’s kickstand once it’s attached, but it’s not nearly as convenient. The Chromebook x2 11’s kickstand is an awkward add-on that magnetically attaches to the tablet’s back. It pulls out from the center and extends to a wide angle, allowing the Surface Go 3 to lay almost flat on a surface. However, the Surface Go 3’s kickstand easily accounts for the thickness and weight, which is built-in and works exceptionally well.
The HP is just slightly thinner at 0.3 inches versus 0.33 inches and just slightly heavier at 1.23 pounds versus 1.2 pounds, even though it uses aluminum rather than lighter magnesium. The Chromebook x2 11 has smaller bezels, which allows it to fit a larger 11-inch display into a chassis that’s almost the same size as the Surface Go 3’s with its 10.5-inch display. They’re not impossible to tell apart up close, but they look quite similar from the front and at a distance. Both have rounded corners, while the Chromebook x2 11 has sharper edges than the Surface Go 3’s rounded edges. The Chromebook x2 11 is silver, while the Surface Go 3 is what Microsoft calls Platinum, a matte silver-gray compared to HP’s shinier color. Frankly, there’s little difference in the build quality between these two tablets - they’re as good as any tablet on the market and better than most.Īesthetically, they’re also similar. The Surface Go 3 is crafted from CNC machined magnesium and Gorilla Glass 3, and it, too, is solid. It’s a solid device with no flexing, bending, or twisting. The Chromebook x2 11 is constructed from CNC machined aluminum and Corning Gorilla Glass 4.