Microsoft today debuted the new Surface Book 2, a sequel to 2015’s Surface Book which packs more power and comes in a new size. The designs haven’t changed much other than a few tweaks here and there, but basically, the entire inside of the machine has changed.
For starters, the new Surface Book 2 includes 8th Gen Intel Core i processors up to an i7 paired with up to 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and discrete Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 or 1060 graphics. Microsoft says the new Surface Book is “up to five times more powerful than the original and is twice as powerful as the latest MacBook Pro.” The company has even improved the battery life of the machine to “up to 17 hours of video playback.” The company notes this is 70% more than the MacBook Pro.
As for displays, not much has changed in this department. The baseline Surface Book 2 sports a 13.5-inch PixelSense 3000×2000 display, but there’s now a new 15-inch 3240×2160 screen option which weighs around a half pound more. As always, each display is detachable from its base so you can use it in tablet mode without lugging around a keyboard.
For ports, Microsoft is going the 2017 route by including a USB-C port on both the 13- and 15-inch Surface Books. There’s also 2 USB-A port, a Surface connector, headphone jack, and full-size SD card reader which seems to be disappearing nowadays. A 5MP webcam sits at the front while an 8MP shooter is on the back. The devices also support Windows Hello login using the front-facing camera alongside Dolby Atmos audio while using headphones.
Microsoft touts the new 15-inch Surface Book 2 is perfect for gaming as it includes built-in Xbox Wireless Controller support. The discrete Nvidia GeForce graphics should also aid in powering many of today’s titles such as Destiny 2 and Forza 7. The company says the machine can handle games at 1080p at 60 frames per second and, in some cases, match the power of the Xbox One. And of course, the new Surface Book can also power Windows Mixed Reality headsets.
The 13.5- and 15-inch Surface Book 2 will go up for preorder on November 9th and will launch November 16th. The devices will start at $1,499 and $2,499, respectively.
2 Comments
You must log in to post a comment.