Surface Book 2 Delivers Big Power Boost With Intel Core i7 Processor

Microsoft’s Surface Book is widely viewed as a versatile computer that can serve as a workhorse for business users or consumers who want a high-powered general-purpose hybrid PC. The new Surface Book 2 takes several cues from its predecessor, including the hybrid design that allows it to be used as a notebook or a tablet. But the Surface Book 2 is getting a power boost from the eighth-generation “Coffee Lake” Intel Core i7processor and Nvidia GeForce GTX graphics. Microsoft is also adding a model that has a 15-inch diagonal screen and a battery that provides nearly a full day of life. Read on to learn more about Microsoft Surface Book 2.

Like its predecessor, Microsoft’s Surface Book 2 is a hybrid device with four configurations. It can be used as a standard notebook or, with help from its special hinge design, flipped around and used as a tablet. It also can be propped up in two different ways for watching video.

The Surface Book 2 has two screen sizes: a 13.5-inch model featuring a 3,000-by-2,000-pixel resolution and a 15-inch version with 3,240-by-2,160-pixel resolution. Both screens have 10-point multitouch support and 3:2 aspect ratios. They’re not the highest-end displays on the market, but they should do fine.

Microsoft is offering different processor options depending on the customer’s budget. At the lower end is the seventh-generation Intel Core i5, which has up to a 3.5GHz clock speed. Also available is the eighth-generation Intel Core i7 with four cores and up to a 4.2GHz clock speed. The Intel Core i5 is only available in the smaller, 13.5-inch version.

Graphics performance inside the Surface Book 2 should be stellar, thanks to the computer’s support for the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 or 1060 GPUs, available as an upgrade. The Intel UHD Graphics 620 comes standard in the Surface Book 2.

The promised battery life for the Surface Book 2 is impressive. According to Microsoft, the batteries will offer up to 17 hours of video playback before they need to be recharged. It’s worth noting that Microsoft’s battery life test was done on an Intel Core i5 version with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

The Surface Book Pro 2 ships with Windows 10 Pro Creators Update 64-bit, which should appeal to corporate users and consumers alike. The machine also comes with a 30-day free trial of Office 365.

Microsoft has packed other high-end components in the Surface Book 2, including support for 802.11ac WiFi and Bluetooth 4.1 LE. The computer can be configured with up to 16GB of onboard memory, and Xbox Wireless is available in the 15-inch model so users can play games with their Xbox controllers.

Microsoft didn’t slouch on security in the Surface Book 2. The computer comes with a TPM 2.0 chip for securing the machine and support for Windows Hello, a face sign-in feature that aims to make it more difficult for hackers to access user content.

There’s no shortage of ports in the Surface Book 2. The device ships with two USB 3.0 ports and one USB-C. There’s also an SDXC card reader and two Surface Connect ports. Collectively, the ports should allow users to attach storage drives, monitors, simple accessories and more to enhance productivity.

Microsoft doesn’t plan to release its Surface Book 2 models until Nov. 16. However, the company will begin taking orders for the machines Nov. 9. Prices will vary depending on the features users want, but the 13-inch model will start at $1,499 and the 15-inch model will start at $2,499.