Microsoft introduced on Tuesday the new Surface Book 2. The second generation of the Surface laptop lineup is here with twice the power of the latest MacBook Pro, and five times the performance of the first Surface Book. It starts at $1,499 and it ships this November.
The tech giant was hit by the media last August when Consumer Reports found that several Surface devices, including the original Surface Book, presented issues after just two years of use. The agency dropped its recommendation for products in the lineup and now Redmond hopes to earn back consumers’ trust.
Microsoft will soon roll out the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, and the new Surface Book 2 will exploit this new software experience with cutting-edge hardware. The laptop has the power of a desktop in a portable body, so let’s see what we’re in for.
Proud to announce the most powerful Surface laptop. Built for the future, so you can create the future #SurfaceBook2 https://t.co/xeLaHuBUOe
— Panos Panay (@panos_panay) October 17, 2017
Microsoft Surface Book 2: Specs and design
The new Surface Book 2 comes in an all-magnesium body with a sleek silver finish that has become the signature of the Surface lineup. It comes in two sizes: 13.5 inches and 15 inches.
The 13.5-inch PixelSense Display on the smaller laptop has a 3000 x 2000 (267 PPI) resolution, while the larger 15-inch device features an upscale 3240 x 2160 display (260 PPI). Both have a 3:2 aspect ratio and support 10 point multi-touch G5.
Intel provides the computing power for the Surface Book 2, and it brings their new 8th generation chips to the table for enhanced performance. The 13.5-inch model can pack a 7th Gen i5 or an 8th Gen i7, while the larger of the two is powered only by the newer Core i7-8560U.
Storage starts at 256 GB SSD and can go up to 1 TB. RAM ranges between 8 GB and 16 GB, and users can choose between Intel HD Graphics 620 paired with the i5 processor on the smaller Surface Book or a separate NVIDIA GTX 1050 GPU. Those who want the 15-inch model get NVIDIA’s GTX 1060 by default.
Microsoft Surface Book 2! New 15-inch version has a quad-core Intel processor and Nivida GTX 1060 for gaming. USB-C! https://t.co/OkqWEFbABs pic.twitter.com/DWFn9zlS4f
— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) October 17, 2017
Microsoft Surface Book 2: Features
Microsoft claims both version of the Surface Book 2 can withstand up to 17 hours of video playback on a single charge. One of the laptop’s biggest selling points is that it works as a 2-in-1 device, meaning you can detach the screen to use it as a tablet. The display alone lasts up to 5 hours when you use it on its own.
The second-gen Book comes with one USB-C port, 2 USB 3.1 ports, an SD card reader, a headphone jack, and two Surface Connect ports that should suffice to meet anyone’s needs once plugged to a Surface Dock.
Both models have a front-facing 5 MP camera with Windows Hello face sign-in support, and a 1080p, 8 MP camera on the rear. The two are also compatible with the Surface Dial, in case you plan to use the laptop for creative stuff.
The 15-inch Surface Book 2 is US only for now sadly
— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) October 17, 2017
Microsoft Surface Book 2: Price and release date
The 13.5-inch Surface Book 2 starts at $1,499 and can go up to $2,999 with top specs. Similarly, the 15-inch model starts at $2,499 and tops at $3,299 with the best options Microsoft can offer. You can preorder either of them on November 9 and you should receive them by November 16.
Source: Microsoft
