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Microsoft is a bit of an enigma in the PC space. There is no doubt that they offer stunning hardware, but after being the first PC maker to use the Intel Skylake platform, and after being burned by the energy management issues that had the chipset, they have been more careful with their offers since. With their somewhat unusual launch windows, this may mean they will be using older hardware for longer. This was the case for Surface Book 2 when it was launched in 2015. The Core i7 model came with the 8th generation Intel Core processor, meaning Kaby Lake Refresh, which means quad-core compared to Kaby Lake's core. However, the Core i5 model comes with a dual-core Kaby Lake i5-7300U processor, which means that it displays a considerable performance delta compared to the higher-level model – far greater than the one we typically see in a Core i5 to Core i7 comparison.
Microsoft Surface Book 2 | |||||
13.5 No GPU | 13.5 GPU | 15 (model reviewed) | |||
CPU | Intel Core i5-7300U Double heart with hyperthreading TDP 15W with 2.6 to 3.5 GHz and 3 MB cache Intel Core i5-8350U Quad-Core with Hyperthreading | Intel Core i7-8650U Quad-Core with Hyperthreading 1.9 to 4.2 GHz 8 MB of TDP 15W cache | |||
RAM | 8GB LPDDR3 | 8-16 GB LPDDR3 | 16 GB LPDDR3 | ||
GPU | Intel HD 620 | Intel HD 620 + NVIDIA GTX 1050 2GB | Intel HD 620 + NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB | ||
Storage room | 256 GB NVMe | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB | |||
Display | 13.5 "PixelSense 3000×2000 3: 2 sRGB Touch and Pen enabled | 15 "PixelSense 3240×2160 3: 2 sRGB Touch and Pen enabled | |||
Networking | 802.11ac 2×2: 2 866 Mbps maximum Bluetooth 4.1 Marvell AVASTAR | ||||
l & # 39; Audio | Stereo speakers (front panel) Dolby Audio Premium | ||||
Drums | 23 Wh (tablet) plus 46 Wh (base) | 23 Wh (tablet) plus 52 Wh (base) | 23 Wh (tablet) plus 63 Wh (base) | ||
Xbox Wireless | No | Yes | |||
Right side | Surface Connect USB Type-C 3.1 Gen 1 with USB power supply Headphone jack | ||||
Left side | 2 x USB 3.0 Type-A SD card reader | ||||
Dimensions | 312 x 232 x 13-23mm 12.3 x 9.14 x 0.51-0.90 inches | 343 x 251 x 15-23 mm 13.5 x 9.87 x 0.57-0.90 inches | |||
Weight | 1.53 kg 3.38 lbs | 1.64 kg 3.62 lbs | 1.90 kg 4.2 lbs | ||
Cameras | 8.0 MP Rear camera with autofocus 5.0 MP front camera with 1080p video Hello IR Windows Camera | ||||
Price | $ 1149 – $ 1499 | 1999 $ – 2999 $ | $ 2499 – $ 3200 |
Without any fanfare, Microsoft has begun offering a quad-core Intel Core i5-8350U in the 13.5-inch Surface Book 2 option, taking the price range used by the i5-7300U dual-core processor. For the moment, the dual-core is still available and enjoys a discount of 200 to 1299 dollars. In addition, the dual-core model can also be used with a 128GB SSD, further reducing the price to $ 1149. This is a significant price decrease from the original retail price of $ 1,499.
The Surface Book 2 is one of the best laptops on the market, offering a combination of utility and performance that can not be compared to any other device. The i5 quad-core update is a welcome addition, but the real question is why it was not delivered with it to begin with.
The updated Surface Book 2 is available on the Microsoft Store.
Source: Windows Central
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