Microsoft Surface Book 2, Intel i5, 8GB, 256GB SSD, PGU-00001 Review

Microsoft Surface Book 2, PGU-00001 

The latest 2019 March release Microsoft Surface Book 2 (PGU-00001) is promoted as the most powerful and robust Surface Book laptop and tablet so far.  It will work especially for the business and leisure travelers that need or want a high power machine that happens to be slim and lightweight and with very long battery life at the same time.

Surface Book 2 comes with a high speed Intel i5 CPU, generous amounts of memory and SSD type storage and an advanced graphics performance from the dedicated NVIDIA GTX 1050 GPU (GTX 1060 for the 15″ machine) for your day-to-day work and entertainment on the computer. It also has the Intel HD 620 graphics for more simple daily graphics tasks. You can stay very productive when you’re out and about, away from the office or home and use it in one of the four versatile modes.

It has a modern Intel i5 processor at 1.76GHz speed, 8GB DDR3L SDRAM memory, 256 GB Flash Memory Solid State Drive for size and snappy performance to open files, start and turn off the machine swiftly and the Windows 10 Pro operating system. The impressive “up to17 hours of battery life” from its two lithium polymer batteries would have to be the longest we have experienced so far and will depend on the tasks you perform on the machine. It is also the best Surface Book for gaming and you’ll be able to play some of the most current and demanding games of 2018-2019.

Surface Book 2 is available in 13.5″ and 15″ sizes and you have a portable and powerful studio on the go that lets you be creative wherever you are. The 13.5″ display has a maximum screen resolution of 3000 x 2000 pixels (267ppi) with IPS panel for great viewing angles, brightness, colors, black levels and contrast ratio. You have the PixelSense display that is built to work with the Surface Pen, Surface Dial and touch functionality. The Surface pen is not included in the price and you can purchase it separately in one of the colors of platinum, cobalt blue, burgundy or black .

The connectivity options include the 802.11 ac type wireless for faster internet and better coverage, an SD card reader, 1 x USB-C port for display port (the only Surface Book with one), output power, USB and charging, 2 full size USB-A ports, and the magnetic Surface Connect port for data and power. You are recommended to use the original Surface Connect charger that comes in the box. It has two webcams with the rear webcam with 12MP resolution. The 8GB memory is fixed and can’t be upgraded later, but should be more than adequate for most users. There is no HDMI port and would have been nice if Stylus was included in the price.

The 13.5-inch Surface Book 2 weighs only 3.38 pounds despite all the power, performance and very high resolution display and measures 12.3 x 9.1 x 0.9 inches. So it is compact and lightweight and very much suitable for business and leisure travels. This machine offers up to 4 times more power than the previous Surface books, a more powerful dedicated graphics card, up to 17 hours of battery life in regular use and the redesigned Dynamic Fulcrum hinge that makes it feel more stable and a more user-friendly experience- easier opening. The battery life will naturally be shorter than 17 hours in demanding tasks like gaming or video editing. Matte body that is made of machined magnesium that doesn’t collect fingerprints is nice and convenient. It comes with a year of warranty and a decent customer support for when you need assistance.

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