Sketchup Web App for Surface Go

SketchUp for Web SketchUp Go
1

Hello,

I was thinking of buying a Microsoft Surface Go to carry around and I was wandering if the Web app will run on it?

If anyone has one, please let me know! Thanks!

2

The SketchUp web app requires a modern web browser with WebGL2 support (and some WebGL extensions), which is nowadays normal for most browsers and devices, with Chrome and Firefox being recommended.

Be aware that the Surface Go comes with the “S mode” of the Windows operating system.
For Microsoft, this means that it opens the future for modern touch-friendly Windows apps (UWP, x86 & ARM) and puts an end to some heavy old legacy (Win32, x86-only). For users, this means you can only install apps from their store (“S”) that use the Edge browser rendering engine. So on “Windows 10 S” you won’t be able to install for example SketchUp Pro (desktop), Firefox, Chromium/Chrome.

On the good side, the device you have in mind has an Intel processor (compatible with more apps) and the S mode can (for now) still be disabled, allowing you to access more apps in case you ever need to.

I don’t have the device, but I would try to find out:

  • Does Intel® HD-Graphics 615 have any issues with WebGL support as needed by SketchUp?
    Although not a powerful workstation graphics processor, Intel chips usually work just as well as others, but not for 100% of users.

    → It is likely to be fine, but you should research a bit, or try the web app on a device in a shop.

  • Does the latest Edge browser engine have a correct and sufficient implementation of the WebGL standard as needed by SketchUp?
    Microsoft has improved their compatibility with web standards so that the latest browser is “almost” on par with the competition, but tends to be behind. Furthermore, Microsoft is going to discontinue developing their own browser engine and change the Edge browser to use the Chromium engine behind the scenes, from which the Surface Go will possibly (???) benefit through updates.

    → SketchUp for Web works on the Edge browser (although not advertized as “recommended”), and in case issues would appear, you can disable the S mode and install Firefox/Chrome.

3

I use Parallels on my Mac for Windows testing. It tends to have the same sort of issues that an under powered PC would have. I certainly had to uncheck Use fast feedback! The SketchUp team specifically say they don’t support virtual machines.

Even with that counting against me, the web app works fine in Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. It doesn’t work in IE11. The page doesn’t even load in Safari because of a security issue. But as you’re likely to be using Edge, that worked best out of my tests.

A related thing, using the touch features isn’t fully supported, but it’s amazing how well the page works on my iPad, especially when I have the keyboard attached.

Overall I would be hopeful of the web app working well on Surface Pro. When you take a look at machines you’re interested in, why not try about the page to see how it goes.

4

Hello,

Thanks for your help!

One question though, does the web app run on an iPad?

5

Yes !