Microsoft set to take on cheaper iPads, to launch $399 Surface Go tablet

The Surface Go is still more expensive than the cheapest iPad, but the Go tablet is compatible with professional features, like the detachable keyboard, that are missing on the entry-level iPad

Microsoft Corp. is going for the low-end of the personal computing market with a smaller, cheaper Surface Go tablet that takes on Apple Inc.’s cheapest iPads.

The Surface Go has a 10-inch screen, about the same size as the entry-level iPad. At $399, the device is $400 cheaper than the current Surface Pro tablet, but has slower Intel Corp. processors and about four hours less battery time, Microsoft said. The new tablet weighs 1.15 pounds, far lighter than existing Surface products. It goes on sale from August 2 with Wi-Fi connectivity. Cellular versions are coming later.

Like Microsoft’s earlier devices,