Surface Book 2
But despite an appetizing list of hardware specs, Microsoft's first notebook didn't arrive without its fair share of hiccups. There were some issues surrounding the 'Dynamic Fulcrum Hinge', including a gap that's formed when the laptop is closed. Also, the Clipboard tablet portion of the device has a low battery life, and the pricing is rather steep on the higher end.
So you can tell that we're not the only ones already clamoring for Microsoft to improve on an already promising formula. Enter the (would-be) Surface Book 2, a device so highly anticipated that some people are already fabricating leaks just to egg Microsoft on.
Cut to the chase
- What is it? The would-be second Surface Book device
- When is it out? Current rumors point to early 2017
- What will it cost? Likely as much as - if not a bit more than - the current Surface Book
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Surface Book 2 release date
Naturally, Microsoft has yet to officially announce the Surface Book 2 given that the original launched less than a year ago. However, it's easy to speculate that a follow-up is in the works and could release at the same time as Microsoft's second Redstone update (RS2).
Moreover, it would make sense with the release frame (and the array of technical issues still persisting on the current Surface Book) to launch the new model with Intel's next-generation Kaby Lake processors.
With the 14-nanometer chips from Intel having just shipped, offering native USB 3.1 Type-C and Thunderbolt 3 support in addition to featuring up to four cores as the default configuration and better CPU/GPU performance.
It's unclear whether Microsoft plans to capitalize on its recently launched Xbox Play Anywhere program with any of its upcoming Surface Book hardware. However, 2017 would be the perfect time to bring out an additional gaming-focused configuration complete with, say, a GTX 1080 .
We'll see what happens as we get closer to the Surface Book 2's purported release.
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What we want to see
For as much as we've been smitten by the Surface Book, firmware issues aside, there will always be room for improvement. (That would be the case even if it had earned top marks from us.)
From the screen size and resolution to the hardware inside, we have a few ideas for how Microsoft could craft an even better Windows 10 tablet.
An even better screen
The latest Intel Kaby Lake processors will undoubtedly be needed to power the rumored, higher-definition screen that's slated for the Surface Book 2. The current model sports a 13.5-inch display with a 3,000 x 2,000 (267 ppi) resolution that's backed by an integrated Intel HD Graphics 520 GPU.
The new model may utilize the same-sized screen but offer a 4K resolution: 3,840 x 2,160. This rumor is aligned with public information we've seen about Intel's Kaby Lake architecture, which will supposedly include a better graphics architecture that improves playback of 4K video and 3D graphics.
With a higher resolution should come a better way to actually detach the screen from the keyboard (which may be getting an upgrade itself). That's one of the biggest complaints surrounding the current Surface Book unit: the hinge's locking mechanism featuring Microsoft's "muscle wire."
This scheme not only requires electricity to work, but that users must press and hold down a key until the hinge lets go of the tablet. It's software-based, too, meaning the process could be hampered by an unforeseen glitch in the system.
Thus, the Surface Book 2 needs a functional hinge that allows the keyboard to be detached whether the device is on or off.
surface book 2
We need more power
Of course, with an increased screen resolution comes the need for more power. The "Kaby Lake" architecture supports processors with a thermal envelope of up to 95 Watts (W), which isn't too shabby, meaning it shouldn't be a battery hog with increased performance.
But the Surface Book 2 will need better battery support overall, as the original provides a 4-hour battery in the Clipboard and an 8-hour battery in the base (based on our tests). Customers will want to use the Clipboard on its own, and its current battery will likely not provide those 4 hours when watching 4K content.
An improved battery would also be needed to support a built-in recharge dock for the Surface Pen. The current device is powered by a standard AAA battery, but a patent reveals that Microsoft is shooting for a stylus with a built-in rechargeable battery.
This is a rather old patent, but it wouldn't be surprising nonetheless if the company pushed forward with a rechargeable Surface Pen for the Surface Book 2, even more so given Microsoft's current focus on providing better stylus support in Windows 10. The new pen will supposedly feature an LED indicator light and a power button.
More power might also be needed for an updated, discrete GPU option, too. As previously stated, the current model has an option for a Nvidia GeForce graphics chip based on the "Maxwell" architecture, which has a thermal envelope of up to 75W. Upgrading to Pascal would only require more juice to operate.
What would make the Surface Book 2 really shine is if it were to be VR-ready. That means installing additional ports into the current configuration that merely includes two USB 3.0 ports, a mini DisplayPort and an SD card reader.
The missing ingredient here is the required HDMI 1.3 port supporting a 297MHz clock by way of a "direct output architecture." That means the external video output pumped through the HDMI port cannot be locked to the laptop's integrated GPU.
surface book 2
A race to beat its new rivals?
Despite a good deal of talk about when the Surface Book 2 will be released and what it will contain, there were several reports (with dodgy reliability) speculating that the device - along with the Surface Pro 5 - would be released this summer alongside theAnniversary Update .
Of course, the AU is here and a Surface Book 2 didn't arrive in time to beat Apple's MacBook Air 2016 and MacBook Pro 2016 to market. Again, given the Surface Book and Surface Pro 4 are still young, releasing follow-up models this soon was unlikely to begin with.
That's it for now. There are probably a few easter eggs hiding in the Windows 10 Insider Preview builds that we haven't caught yet in terms of hardware. Microsoft's plans for Redstone 2 are seemingly rather big, and throwing in new devices shouldn't be totally out of the question.
We're still betting on an early 2017 release for Surface Book 2, but we'll have to play the wait-and-see game as 2016 draws to a close. In the meantime, you might be tempted by steep discount to the original Surface Book.
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