Test Microsoft Surface Book 2 15

Microsoft Surface Book two xv-inch

MSRP $1,499.00

"Microsoft's Surface Book 2 is the virtually technically impressive laptop we've always tested."

Pros

• Keen keyboard and touchpad
• Versatile, and low-cal when used equally a tablet
• Sharp, loftier-contrast, pixel-dense touchscreen
• Splendid operation in all areas
• Unparalleled battery life

Cons

• Brandish's color accurateness could be better
• Battery discharges at load even when plugged in
• Extremely expensive

This review is for the 15-inch versions of Microsoft's Surface Book two. If you're looking for the Microsoft Surface Book 2 13-inch, go here.

The original Surface Book was a testament to Microsoft's engineering experience. It took the concept proven past the Surface Pro — a touchscreen Windows device, with digital ink back up — and pushed it to the limit with a larger thirteen-inch display, more powerful processor, and discrete graphics. The visitor was proud of what the original Volume had achieved, every bit evidenced by its $1,500 price tag.

That pride is still visible in the Surface Book two. Microsoft was so happy with the Surface Book, in fact, that it decided to change as petty as possible. At a glance, the sequel looks almost exactly like the original, with one optional exception: Size.

Yes, that's correct: You can gild a Surface device with a 15-inch screen. The larger version of the Surface Book 2 starts at an even more expensive $ii,500. That nets you an Intel 8th-gen Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, a 256GB solid-state bulldoze (SSD), and Nvidia GTX 1060 graphics. Our top-tier review model came with a 1TB SSD, which bumped the price upward to $iii,300.

Obviously, there's no concession for upkeep buyers here. The hardware in this organization is quick, and you're expected to pay up. Here'south why recall this it's worth every penny.

Play information technology once more, Panos

Describing the blueprint of the Surface Book 2 means describing the Surface Book, because the two are entirely the same. Like its predecessor, the Surface Book two has a hefty metal chassis coated in a professional, elegant matte silverish coat that tries very, very hard to distinguish itself from the silvery of Apple'southward MacBook line. Information technology succeeds, yet it also looks rather plain. The Surface Book 2 can turn heads at a meeting, but if it does, information technology won't be thanks to the paint.

The Surface Book 2 instead makes an impression with the same "dynamic fulcrum" hinge found on the original. It looks a bit like a watchband or the arm of a Jetson's robot, and information technology contains the hardware that lets the screen detach entirely from the base. The compromise, though, is that the hinge doesn't swing the screen shut like every other laptop known to human. It folds over instead, leaving a gap at the rear end of the laptop.

Y'all may already accept an opinion of the hinge, and if so, the Surface Book two won't change your listen. It's the same equally before even on the larger 15-inch version. If you lot're unfamiliar, then you should be warned the hinge makes the Surface Book 2 thick when airtight, and invites the slim chance of an object getting wedged between the base and display, possibly scratching the latter. Microsoft is unapologetic about this — the hinge does a groovy chore of balancing the heavier-than-usual display portion that houses the main components. However, the Surface Pro is for users who want extreme portability, while the Surface Volume 2 is amend for an occasional jaunt.

The Surface Volume 2 can turn heads at a meeting, but if information technology does, it won't be thank you to the paint.

The ultimate do good of the hinge is that the screen detaches completely, which is unique. Large 2-in-1s are rare to brainstorm with, and all serious competitors, like the Lenovo Yoga 920 and HP Spectre x360 xv-inch, employ a 360-hinge that does not disassemble the base of operations. Using the Spectre x360 15-inch equally a tablet means holding 4.iv pounds aloft. The Surface Book 2 lets y'all remove the base along with its weight, and then you lot're holding just 1.7 pounds in tablet style.

While the swivel has obvious benefits, it's not perfect. The screen is firmly, physically held in place, so it tin can only exist removed later pressing a button. While the mechanism is solid, it'south not always smooth and tin take a few moments to activate. There's likewise no kickstand on the tablet half, and then the screen must be held when used independently. You can flip the screen around and re-attach it to the base, but that'south non as practical or flexible every bit a born stand.

Ane surface area where the Surface Book 2 isn't so futuristic is connectivity: matter its size, it comes with ii old-school USB-A 3.0 ports, a USB-C port without Thunderbolt 3, and the usual Surface Connect port (either of which tin can be used to accuse), though the included charger only connects to the latter.

An SD card reader and a headphone jack round out the ports, with the latter establish on the tablet. That makes using a pair of headphones in laptop mode awkward because the string is suspended high above your desk. You lot won't find any USB ports on the tablet potion, either.

While this might not sound like many options on a 15-inch two-in-ane, it's actually on par with the HP Spectre fifteen x360 with the exception of Thunderbolt 3 support that enables enhanced display support and eGPU connectivity. Most premium 15-inch laptops, like the Apple MacBook Pro 15 with Affect Bar, do no better, though there are exceptions similar the Dell XPS fifteen that adds Thunderbolt 3 to its assortment of legacy ports. There are certainly laptops of this size that offer much better connectivity, simply they're typically mobile workstations that are much heavier. If you want the flexibility of a ii-in-1, y'all'll have to get used to dongles.

Tap it, touch it, ink it

Typing on the Surface Book 2 feels a lot like typing on the previous Surface Volume — right down to the size of the keyboard. While the 15-inch model has more infinite, it opts non to include a numpad. We like that decision, as we prefer a spacious and centered key layout, merely accountants should exist warned.

Key experience is great with good travel, a linear feel, and a firm yet forgiving bottom action. Yous shouldn't take issues touch-typing at high speeds from the moment you lay hands on the 2-in-1. There'due south even gobs of palmrest space, and so those with large hands won't experience cramped.

We're less enthused nearly the keyboard's backlighting. Three levels of lighting are available and they provide a good variety of options, from dim to excessively bright. The lighting doesn't filter evenly through the keys, however, and some light leak is visible from underneath the summit row. That'southward not a huge problem, only it detracts from the luxury of the device in a way not evident on Apple'southward MacBook Pro.

The touchpad, though large enough, feels a bit small given the size of the two-in-1. We'd like to see information technology better fill the massive space below the keyboard. That said, what'due south there works well. It'southward Windows Precision Touchpad-compliant, of class, then it can support all the many bear upon gestures found in Windows 10. That includes the ability to open tab management with a three-finger swipe or move back and forth between pages with a horizontal swipe of two fingers. We also liked the integrated left/correct buttons. They actuate with a satisfying click, offering better feedback than the norm.

Of form, you lot tin can also tap the brandish. Microsoft has engineered the screen and so that it's bonded closely with the drinking glass, reducing the visible gap between it and the LCD below it. The 15-inch screen on our review unit of measurement offered plenty of space to swipe and tap, yet the bezels are no thicker than on Apple's MacBook Pro or HP'due south Spectre x360. We're happy to see that. Withal, the sheer size of the larger Volume 2 must exist remembered. A tablet this large will never experience piece of cake to handle.

You may capeesh the size, though, when you pull out the pen. The screen offers all kinds of room for writing. It's fifty-fifty large enough to human action as a miniature Surface Studio when the tablet is laid flat on a tabular array. Nosotros doubtable that even the smaller Volume ii will experience slap-up — though, the credit goes to the precise, well-balanced Surface Pen and Windows x, which has made massive leaps in digital ink quality. The pen works in virtually every text field, in all Part applications, and in the Windows Ink Workspace, which appears at the press of a button on the Pen. That provides plenty of chances to ink without downloading a unmarried 3rd-party app.

The Windows x inking ecosystem is so complete we never needed to utilize software that wasn't built by Microsoft. Your mileage will vary depending on what yous practice — designers and artists will need, at the least, their suite of pick – just you can certainly brand practise with what'south bundled if you lot just intend to take notes and markup web pages.

In that location is one trouble, however. You won't find the Surface Pen in the box. It'south non included with the Surface Volume 2, and so you lot must pay another $100 to enjoy information technology. We don't agree with this decision, and would rather encounter the Pen included with every Surface Pro and Book device. Not only because of the value, but likewise considering Microsoft insists that digital inking is an important role of the Windows 10 experience. With the Surface Book 2, at least, we'd agree — if you plan to buy information technology, you should program to buy the Pen.

The display is almost too vibrant

The 15-inch touchscreen on the Surface Volume 2 offers three,240 x 2,160 resolution in a 3:ii aspect ratio. While not quite 4K, it does cram 260 pixels into every inch, which is more than enough to offer a perfectly precipitous image. If you notice a pixel or jagged edge information technology's the fault of software, not the brandish.

Past Surface devices take proven there's more than to a display than pixels, equally the family includes some of the best screens available on Windows laptops and 2-in-1s. The Surface Book ii carries that torch, and even throws a bit more fuel on the flame – perhaps likewise much.

The Surface Volume 2's boilerplate color error came in at 3.96. Lower is better in this examination and the best devices, like the Apple MacBook Pro, can limbo under a value of ane. The Surface Book two's relatively loftier reading seems due to overblown colors across the board. Everything looks too bright, likewise vibrant. It'south non unappealing to the naked eye, but it's not accurate and may throw off photographers, video editors, and other professionals

Colour gamut was but okay, besides, striking 95 percent of sRGB, and 71 per centum of AdobeRGB. That's on par with the Lenovo Yoga 920, yet well behind the Apple MacBook Pro and Dell's XPS 15 2-in-ane.

The great contrast ratio, paired with over-diddled colors, translates to an exceptionally sharp, crisp prototype.

Contrast is some other story, however. Our test measured a ratio of 1410:1 at the display'south maximum brightness. That result, which matches the original Surface Book, is nearly the best nosotros've always recorded from a laptop lacking an OLED brandish — a rare option not found on whatsoever of the Surface Book two's directly competitors. Only the XPS 15 2-in-one is meliorate, and that's not by much. Maximum brightness came in at 428 nits, which is slightly behind the MacBook Pro and XPS 15 ii-in-i, simply defeats most other laptops and 2-in-1s. Black levels, meanwhile, proved much darker than the norm, layering incredible item into dark images and movies.

While we're surprised the Surface Volume 2'due south colors aren't truer to life, we can't say information technology's unattractive. The great contrast ratio, paired with over-diddled colors, translates to an uncommonly sharp, crisp image. Information technology looks all-time when fed high-resolution, high-contrast content, like video of a dusk or fireworks at night.

Sound matters as well, and a laptop with a 15-inch screen is large enough to deliver stiff audio — and the Surface Book 2 is no exception. Its beefy stereo sound has no trouble filling a mid-sized room with music. The book can become so loftier, in fact, that the Surface Volume 2 has trouble containing it. You lot can feel the vibrations when belongings the tablet, and odd reverberations tin can be noticed at certain frequencies. The problem can be avoided by turning volume a notch down from its highest setting.

Intel'due south new processor makes the Surface Book 2 await good

Intel'south new Core i7-8650U processor arrived in our review unit, and it felt custom-made for the Surface Book 2. Information technology served excellent multi-core performance alongside surprisingly moderate power draw thanks to sipping only 15 watts of power.

GeekBench 4 showed the benefit of the new processor. While the unmarried-core score of 4,547 is but 12 percent ameliorate than the original Book, the multi-core score of 13,900 represents an 85 per centum bump over its predecessor. The Surface Book 2 too scored well in Handbrake 0.ten.5, where information technology transcoded a 4K trailer from h.264 to h.265 in about 12 minutes. Doing the aforementioned with the Surface Book took about 27 minutes — over twice as long.

That's not to say the Surface Book 2 lacks competitors, notwithstanding. The slightly smaller Lenovo Yoga 920 beat Microsoft's organization past a slim margin in every processor benchmark, and while the last HP Spectre x360 15-inch we tested did not have the new 8th-gen Intel quad, current models practise. We expect they'd at least give the Surface Volume 2 a fight. Only the Kaby Lake-G processor in Dell'due south XPS 15 2-in-1, a 45-watt part, beat out the Surface Book two in this test.

Microsoft new system is only on par with most of its competitors, then, just besides far and away quicker than its predecessor, and whatsoever other 2-in-1 defective the new Intel hardware. The same holds true on our Handbrake test that converts a 420MB file to H.264, where the Surface Book 2 took second identify to the Yoga 920. The 8th-generation Core-U processor is a major leap forward for demanding software, and the Surface Book 2 reaps the benefit of information technology.

We do need to make a note hither of an issue with the Surface Book two'due south power supply, which isn't powerful plenty at 95 watts to supply all the juice needed by the CPU and GPU when they're running at total speed. That means that if y'all're performing tasks like video encoding or high-end gaming, the Surface Book two can start pulling ability from the batteries to make upwards for the power supply'southward deficiency. Eventually, the system will throttle performance to maintain battery, and the additional discharge and accuse cycles tin cut into the battery's lifespan. Keep this limitation in mind when y'all're considering the Surface Volume two for the highest-performance needs.

Beyond the CPU, the base of operations Surface Book ii comes with a modest 256GB solid land drive, but our review unit of measurement was upgraded to 1TB. It's entirely responsible for the bump in price from $two,500 to $three,300, as every other component on the 15-inch version is already maxed out in the "basic" configuration. Let'southward see what spending $800 on an SSD gets yous.

Wow. While the price of the upgrade is difficult to tolerate, the performance is top-tier, delivering read speeds of ii.8 gigabytes per second. The HP ZBook 14u G4 is the simply Windows laptop that bests the Surface Book 2, although the XPS 15 2-in-1 comes pretty close, and most competitors struggle to offer even half its speed. Write speeds are weaker at 1.2GB/s, simply that's still plenty to beat our comparison group.

Don't call it a gaming laptop, but it can game

Microsoft'due south hope of upgraded performance has rung true so far, with big gains in both processor and difficult drive speeds. At present, we come to the cerise on top of this silicon sundae — the GPU. The 15-inch Book 2 comes with an Nvidia GTX 1060, while the 13-inch model has the GTX 1050.

These are the exact GPUs you'd expect to detect in an entry-level gaming laptop. Does that mean the Surface Book 2 is a sleeper gaming rig? Permit's take a closer look.

While its functioning can waver from benchmark to criterion, the Surface Volume 2 xv-inch more often than not scores solid results. In Deus Ex: Mankind Divided it hit about forty frames per second on Loftier detail at 1080p resolution, and it delivered 46 FPS in Civilisation 6at Ultra detail and 1080p.

These results absolutely are competitive with some other newcomer to the 2-in-one gaming space, the Dell XPS 2-1, which scored 33 FPS in Deus Ex at high graphics detail. A true gaming laptop like the Acer Predator Helios 300 – which nosotros also tested with a GTX 1060 — can vanquish Microsoft's Surface Book 2, however, as it achieved 52 FPS in Deus Ex with settings on Loftier at 1080p resolution.

While this performance is skilful news for gamers, nosotros practice urge caution. Microsoft uses a custom driver for the GTX 1060, instead of the standard Nvidia driver, and it can cause issues. 1 of our exam games,For Honor, failed to load properly on our review unit. The resolution of the three:two display tin can also cause trouble. While it should work with almost games, bugs can appear. For case, Civilisation Half-dozen frequently opened in a window when we launched it at any resolution below the Surface Book 2'due south native, whether we wanted information technology to or not. Battlefield 1, meanwhile, turned in performance results below the expected, and it suffered foreign stuttering in pre-rendered cutscenes.

Yep, you tin game on the Surface Book two, merely that's not what it'southward designed for and you'll run into limitations

Equally you lot can encounter in our result graphs, you tin install an Nvidia driver if you choose to – and we saw no downside or malfunction as a result. Installing the Nvidia driver improved performance, slightly to significantly, depending on the game. Information technology also banished many of our initial problems. For Honor ran without issue, and Battlefield 1 no longer stuttered. Even with the Nvidia commuter installed, however, performance was not ever in pace with the Acer Predator, though it and the Surface Volume 2 accept the aforementioned GPU. Every bit we noted above, the power supply is the culprit. The bombardment can discharge in heavy gaming to compensate — particularly when the power plan is at "Best Operation" setting – merely information technology's not plenty to keep gaming at full speed for hours at a time. Besides, remember that the GPU is in the base of operations, so it's not available in tablet way.

So yes, y'all tin game on the Surface Book 2, and performance is much ameliorate than a typical two-in-1 device. Merely don't expect framerates on par with a GTX 1060-equipped gaming laptop.

Tape-setting battery life in laptop style

Our review unit'southward 15-inch screen, of grade, makes the Surface Book 2 even more difficult to tote. Hither, though, Microsoft deserves some credit. The larger model is exactly every bit thick equally its smaller peer, and less than a pound heavier. The leap in weight is substantially less than HP's Spectre x360 fifteen-inch, which gains 1.v pounds over its little brother. And retrieve, the Surface Book two has a detachable tablet. When removed, the tablet alone weighs but ane.7 pounds.

The existent story, though, is the battery. Microsoft has blessed the fifteen-inch model with an outstanding 90 watt-hours of juice. That'south carve up between the tablet and base of operations — the former packs 23 watt-hours, and the latter has 67. Combined, it's a ton of raw battery to throw at a miserly Intel bit, and spectacular endurance is the effect.

The web browsing test is the existent star. That benchmark, which browses through a loop of real websites until the bombardment gives out, ran for simply over 15 and a one-half hours on the Surface Book two — by far the best result we've seen from the test. The Yoga 920 lasted just over eight hours, and we idea that was a adept result when information technology came in. Our video loop test, which replays a 1080p trailer of The Avengers until the bombardment gives out, saw the Surface Volume 2 through over 20 hours. That exceeds the 17 hours quoted by Microsoft.

The Book 2 can last nether heavier load, too. Nosotros saw half dozen hours and twoscore minutes of life in our Basemark exam, which loops a heavy-load browser benchmark. That's also a tape setter, and it once again defeats the competition. Lenovo's Yoga 920, and HP'southward Spectre x360, both came in short of iii and a half hours.

Pecker Roberson/Digital Trends

Nib Roberson/Digital Trends

While the fifteen-inch Surface Book 2 is a true marathon auto, the split bombardment means its excellent longevity is only available in docked use. The tablet portion accounts for but a tertiary of the overall wattage, so bombardment life is drastically reduced when the brandish is separated from the base. On its own, the tablet managed to suffer 83 minutes in the Basemark loop, a bit more than four hours in the spider web browsing loop, and nearly six hours of 1080p, locally stored video.

Those results seem acceptable, as the tablet is as well big to be considered an iPad or Surface Pro replacement. We don't retrieve you lot'd desire to employ it alone for more a couple hours. Withal, most other tablets, including those running Windows, terminal hours more than. The Surface Volume 2 is a laptop that can sometimes piece of work as a tablet, not the other manner around.

Our Take

Microsoft's Surface Book two is the most technically impressive laptop we've ever tested. Information technology'due south beautiful, powerful, portable, and versatile. It'south as well expensive at $2,500 to kickoff – and $three,300 equally-tested — merely, given everything bachelor here, the company would be a bit daft to sell it for less.

Is in that location a better alternative?

Practise you care for a 2-in-i, or not?

If you do, and so the Surface Volume two has few competitors. Dell'south XPS 15 2-in-i is a natural competitor. It'south also a decent system that performs well in many scenarios and will save you a few bucks. The screen does non detach, even so, and its game performance and battery life are less impressive.

Lenovo'south Yoga 920 is another option, and comparable to both the xiii-inch and 15-inch Surface Book 2, as its 13.9-inch screen splits the deviation. Information technology's an extremely competent system, and much less expensive, simply the Surface Book two is quicker and lasts longer on a accuse.

Those who don't care for a 2-in-1 may compare the Surface Volume 2 to a multifariousness of choices, from the Apple tree MacBook Pro xv with Touch Bar to the excellent Dell XPS 15 notebook. Many of these will offering superior processor operation, but the coin is flipped when GPUs are compared, and these more conventional options can't match the Surface Book 2's flexibility.

How long will it terminal?

The Surface Book ii should last at to the lowest degree five years, thanks to its powerful hardware and contemporary features. We do wonder well-nigh the long-term reliability of the swivel machinery, considering Consumer Report's remarks about the Surface brand's reliability, but we accept no testify it'll pose a trouble. The 1 year of warranty coverage might be manufacture standard, but as usual we wish it was longer.

Should you buy it?

Yes. In that location's a lot to love about the Surface Book 2, and very little to complain about. The system aced many of our tests and was a joy to bear 24-hour interval-to-day. That latter part is of import. It's a powerful 2-in-one built for serious work, but it'southward also fun off the clock. We can recommend not but to people who demand a mobile workstation, or just people who want a tablet with pen support, but also to those who just want the very best Windows device sold today – and don't mind paying to get it.

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Source: https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-surface-book-2-review/

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