Microsoft Surface Book 2: At First Glance
The Microsoft Surface Book 2 line up is one of the coolest pieces of tech that has been around for some time. Its first model seemed to have been overhyped with promises of never-seen-before performances.
However, the release of this new model is a materialization of the promises that were made. Microsoft delivered a killer machine while retaining its previous unique design.
Microsoft Surface Book 2 is technically the MacBook Pro for Microsoft. It’s a hybrid 2-in-1 laptop that comes in two different sizes- 15-inch and 13.5-inch.
Microsoft Surface Book 2: Design, Dimension, and Weight
The Microsoft Surface Book 2’s build quality certainly meets expectations. Its design is just as spectacular as that of its predecessors.
It is sleek, cool to touch, and clean, with a smooth magnesium silver alloy finish. The Microsoft Surface Book 2 is something you would be terrified to drop.
The laptop is well-crafted with a soft textured magnesium body. Even at that, it feels very solid no matter where and how you hold it.
Moreover, it doesn’t look much different from its previous model to the untrained eye. But then, its 13.5-inch display makes it a little bit taller.
Other than that, it still has the magnesium chassis and the unique fulcrum hinge that makes it look like a book when closed. Its screen still wobbles, but not as much.
The 13.5-inch model measures 312 x 232 x 13-23 mm and weighs 1534 g, while the 15-inch model measures 312 x 232 x 15-23 mm and weighs 1905 g. Both laptops are thin and relatively light.
However, when you convert it to a tablet, Microsoft Surface Book 2 is one of the lightest tablets.
On the other hand, the keyboard and trackpad are very nice and are both awesome to use.
However, the laptop’s speakers are a bit poor. It distorts at high volume, lacks base, and doesn’t get loud enough.
Lastly, its port selection includes 2 USB Type-A 3.1 Gen 1, 1 USB Type-C 3.1 Gen 1, a headphone jack, 2 surface connects ports, and an SDXC card reader.
It score a 9 in this design review for its unique and excellent build.
Microsoft Surface Book 2: Processor (CPU) Performance
With its various CPU configuration options, the Microsoft Surface Book 2 has a lot of raw power. Microsoft Surface Book 2 features the 8th generation Intel CPU offering it a significant performance boost.
With its processor, it is great for productivity and even for photo and video editing. The laptop’s processor does really well at everyday tasks.
Moreover, Microsoft Surface Book 2 is fast enough for intensive graphical tasks. This signifies a clear boost in performance from its previous model.
As long as it stays cool – which it almost always does – it handles computational operations and video editing perfectly.
The Microsoft Surface Book 2 scores a point of 9 for its processor performance.
Microsoft Surface Book 2: Memory (RAM) Performance
Microsoft Surface Book 2 comes with either 8 GB or 16 GB 1866 Mhz LPDDR3 RAM. This is enough memory for regular usage and casual gaming.
However, the 8 GB RAM might be insufficient for individuals that perform memory-intensive tasks. Although the 8 GB RAM works well for general computing tasks, it can be frustrating for professionals who carry out very intensive graphical tasks. The 16 GB is recommended for this purpose.
Nevertheless, it still has plenty of power for multitasking. It operated without lagging with 30 tabs opened in Chrome, one video streaming on YouTube, and a document being edited.
Overall, Microsoft Surface Book 2 has the capability to handle most tasks you can dare to throw at it. Though its performance with highly graphical-intensive tasks may be limited, it does well nevertheless.
The Microsoft Surface Book 2 scores an 8 in this review for its good RAM performance.
Microsoft Surface Book 2: Storage Options and Performance
The Microsoft Surface Book 2 comes in different Solid-state drive storage options. It offers 256 GB, 512 GB, or 1 TB PCle SSD.
Microsoft Surface Book 2 features the popular Samsung PM961 PCle Solid-state drives. Microsoft’s choice to make use of the SSDs means that saving files will be fast enough for improved productivity.
In terms of its drive speed, it achieved an average read speed of 2,500 MBps and an average write speed of 1,200 MBps. These are fast enough for daily operations.
Also, the Microsoft Surface Book 2 transferred 4.97 GB of mixed media files in 2 seconds at the rate of 203.6 MBps.
In conclusion, it scores a 9 in this review because of its sufficient storage performance and options.
Microsoft Surface Book 2: Graphics Card Performance
Like its CPU configuration, Microsoft Surface Book 2 also offers a series of configuration options in terms of the graphics card. It uses the GTX 1060 discrete GPU.
In terms of gaming performance, the Microsoft Surface Book 2 is great. The laptop’s GPU, GTX 1060 delivers a decent performance.
You can run old title games at native resolutions. It can also run almost any highly intensive game at 1080p setting.
Surprisingly, it performs almost as well as the Acer Predator Helios 300 in terms of gaming. Even though it wasn’t advertised for gaming purposes, it does well at gaming.
On gaming performance tests, it ran Overwatch at 60 FPS in 1080p setting. It also played Apex Legends and Black Ops 4 at about 50-60 FPS.
However, while it may run both high-end and low-end games considerably well, serious gamers might want to go for a full gaming laptop. It scores an 8 in this graphics card review because it exceeds gaming expectations for a non-gaming laptop.
Microsoft Surface Book 2: Battery Life and Performance
Microsoft equipped Surface Book 2 with a 69.0 Wh Lithium-ion battery.
The laptop can last you all day with its keyboard base panel attached. It lasted up to 13 hours with continuous browsing and screen brightness above medium.
However, with the screen off – the laptop in tablet mode, it doesn’t exceed 3 hours 30 minutes. If you want to use it in tablet mode, you might want to keep your charger around.
Moreover, battery life also depends on the intensity of your usage. Above all, the battery life is impressive when you consider its large screen.
It scores a 9 in this review for its long battery life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is. Microsoft Surface Book 2 is perfect for a graphics designer. It is one of the best laptops you can get for design purposes. Although it might not look like it, It is very fast and powerful thanks to its processor. its screen can be detached and used as a tablet. It can also be flipped around, enabling you to draw at comfortable angles.
The Microsoft Surface Book 2 can run both old games and new highly intensive games. However, to get the best gaming experience with highly intensive games, you might have to tweak the game settings.
The Microsoft Surface Book 2’s high-end graphics card and support for Xbox controllers also make it suitable for gaming. It is one of those portable laptops you can play games on.
The Microsoft Surface Book 2 does not come with the Surface pen. You will have to purchase the Surface pen and other accessories separately.
The Microsoft Surface Book 2 is a touchscreen. It can also be detached from its base (to turn it into a tablet), making it very versatile and one of the best 2-in-1 laptops available.
Conclusion
Overall, the Microsoft Surface Book 2 is a solid machine for everyday tasks. However, its price tag is a bit expensive because its performance is a bit similar to the base model Apple MacBook Pro.
Nonetheless, its unique design, excellent display, and 2-in-1 functionality is a cool change from the traditional laptop.
It is a great laptop I would recommend for creatives and professionals.
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