Surface Book 2
 | |
| Developer | Microsoft |
|---|---|
| Product family | Microsoft Surface |
| Type | 2-in-1 PC |
| Generation | 2 |
| Release date | November 16, 2017 |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Pro |
| CPU | 13.5": Intel Core i5-7300U dual-core processor, Intel Core i7-8650U quad-core processor 15": Intel Core i7-8650U quad-core processor |
| Memory | 13.5": 8 or 16 GB LPDDR3 RAM 15": 16 GB LPDDR3 RAM |
| Storage | SSD: 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB |
| Removable storage | Full-size SD card slot (supports SDXC cards) |
| Display | 13.5": 13.5 in (34 cm), 3000×2000 (267 PPI) LCD 15": 15 in (38 cm), 3240×2160 (260 PPI) LCD |
| Graphics | 13.5": Intel HD Graphics 620 or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 with 2GB of GDDR5 RAM 15": NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 with 6GB of GDDR5 RAM |
| Sound | Stereo speakers, dual microphones, headset jack |
| Input | Keyboard, touchpad mouse, stylus pen, sensors: accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, ambient light, Surface Dial |
| Camera | 5.0 MP front, 8.0 MP rear 1080p HD video recording |
| Dimensions | 13.5": 12.3 inches (31 cm)(length) 9.4 inches (24 cm)(width) 0.51 to 0.90 inches (1.3 to 2.3 cm)(depth) 15": 13.5 inches (34 cm)(length) 9.87 inches (25.1 cm)(width) 0.568 to 0.90 inches (1.44 to 2.29 cm)(depth) |
| Mass | 13.5": i5: 3.38 pounds (1,530 g) i7: 3.62 pounds (1,640 g) 15": 4.2 pounds (1,900 g) |
| Predecessor | Surface Book |
| Website | Surface.com |
| This article is part of a series on |
| Microsoft Surface |
|---|
The Surface Book 2 is a 2-in-1 PC designed and produced by Microsoft, part of the company's Surface line of personal computing. It was unveiled on October 17, 2017[1] and released on November 16, 2017. Starting on November 9, one week prior to the release date, consumers were able to place a pre-order through Microsoft's website. It succeeds the Surface Book released in October 2015.[2]
Features
Hardware
Like the Surface Book, the Surface Book 2 is shipped with a keyboard. It contains two USB 3.0 Generation 1 ports, a USB-C port, 3.5mm headphone jack, full-size SD card slot on the left and two SurfaceConnect ports (one in the tablet, one in the base).[3] The front camera contains an infrared sensor that supports logging in with Windows Hello.
| Surface Book 2 Configuration Options | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price Tier (USD) | Size | CPU | Integrated GPU | RAM | Internal Storage |
| 1,199 | 13.5" | Intel Core i5-7300U (2.6 to 3.5 GHz) | Intel HD 620 | 8 GB | 128 GB |
| 1,499 | 256 GB | ||||
| 1,999 | Intel Core i7-8650U (1.9 to 4.2 GHz) | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 | |||
| 2,499 | 16 GB | 512 GB | |||
| 2,999 | 1 TB | ||||
| 2,499 | 15" | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 | 256 GB | ||
| 2,899 | 512 GB | ||||
| 3,299 | 1 TB | ||||
Software
Surface Book 2 models ship with a pre-installed 64-bit version of Windows 10 Pro and a 30-day trial Microsoft Office suite. Windows 10 comes pre-installed with Mail, Calendar, People, Xbox (app), Photos, Movies and TV, Groove, and Microsoft Edge. With Windows 10 the Tablet mode is available when the base is detached from the device. In this mode, all windows are opened full-screen and the interface becomes more touch-centric.
Accessories
The Surface Book 2 is backward-compatible with all accessories of its predecessor model, such as the Surface Pen. Unlike the previous Book, the Surface Book 2 supports Surface Dial.
Reception
The Surface Book 2 received broadly positive reviews, being compared favorably to Apple's Macbook Pro line.
Devindra Hardawar of Engadget said of the 15-inch model, "The Surface Book 2 is exactly what we've wanted from a high-end Microsoft laptop. It's powerful, sturdy and its unique hinge doesn't come with any compromises."[4] Hardawar also directly compared the Surface Book 2 to Apple's Macbook Pro saying, "It's the closest a PC maker has come to taking on the MacBook Pro, both in style and substance."[5]
Tom Warren, of The Verge, also gave the Surface Book 2 positive notice, praising its performance, keyboard, and trackpad. However Mr. Warren expressed some reservations about the hardware being largely the same as the previous version, noting "I’d still like to see Microsoft refine the design more to address the hinge and screen wobble fully, and pack in a better power supply. It’s surprising to see the same design after two years, and I was expecting bigger refinements and changes."[6]
Issues
When the power scheme is tuned to "best performance" and continuous GPU stress is imposed, the 15-inch Surface Book 2 can have higher power consumption than what the charger can deliver, draining the battery in the process and making it unsuitable for long GPU intensive workloads, like games or any other GPU intensive application.[7][8]
It should be noted however, that this issue is only found on the 15-inch Surface Book 2. Mark Coppock of Digital Trends pointed out that the Surface Book 2 is a powerful computer that can also provide a good gaming experience rather than a dedicated gaming machine, remarking, "In the end, this [battery drain issue] doesn’t change our impression of the Surface Book 2 at all. As we noted in our review, the machine is a creative powerhouse that can provide a very good gaming experience. You can run AutoCAD, Sketchup, and other demanding creative applications all day long, but if you want to engage in 24-hour gaming competitions, then you’ll want to buy a dedicated gaming machine instead."[9]
Timeline
| Timeline of Surface devices |
|---|
Sources: Microsoft Devices Blog Microsoft Store
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References
- ^ "Surface Book 2 release date, price, news and features". TechRadar. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
- ^ Brown, Aaron (October 17, 2017). "Microsoft Surface Book 2: UK price, release date, specs, and features". Express.co.uk. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
- ^ "Microsoft unveils Surface Book 2, promising double the power and speed of Apple MacBook Pro". GeekWire. October 17, 2017. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
- ^ "Surface Book 2 review: Microsoft gets closer to the 'ultimate laptop'". Engadget. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
- ^ "Surface Book 2 review: Microsoft gets closer to the 'ultimate laptop'". Engadget. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
- ^ "Microsoft Surface Book 2 review: beauty and brawn, but with limits". The Verge. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
- ^ Microsoft confirms Surface Book 2’s power problem - The Verge
- ^ Microsoft confirms Surface Book 2 battery drain problems while gaming | TechRadar
- ^ "Yes, the Surface Book 2 can drain its battery while gaming, but does it matter?". Digital Trends. November 22, 2017. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
