Microsoft Surface Book 2 (13.5", i7, GTX 1050) Convertible Review

There are basically two different models. The least expensive Surface Book 2 with the older Core i5-7300U (Kaby Lake) has two native processor cores and is easier to cool, so the tablet is a bit slimmer (2 mm/~0.08 in) and lighter (~100 grams/~3.5 oz). It also lacks the discrete GPU inside the keyboard unit, so all the graphics are handled by the integrated processor GPU HD Graphics 620. The three more expensive SKUs use a combination of the new Core i7-8650U (Kaby Lake-Refresh) with four processor cores and the dedicated GeForce GTX 1050 with 2 GB GDDR5-VRAM inside the keyboard unit, which is actively cooled via fan. Otherwise, the three SKUs differ only in terms of memory and storage, but the additional charges are substantial.

Our test model is the SKU with the new Kaby Lake-R processor and the GTX 1050 GPU for 2249 Euros ($1999). We will obviously check how the new version compares to the first Surface Book with the GTX 965M. Searching for other competitors is still a problem, especially in this price range. Similarly sized convertibles use the same processors, but are usually limited to integrated graphics solutions. Lenovo's Yoga 920 is such a device. Alternatives with less GPU power are Microsoft's own Surface Pro 4 or Surface Laptop. The Apple MacBook Pro 13 is certainly on the short list of potential buyers as well. If you require more GPU performance in a convertible, you will usually have to end up with a 15-inch system. Both the Razer Blade as well as the Gigabyte Aero 14 are exceptions with 14-inch screens, but they are conventional laptops with a bigger focus on gaming capabilities. We also include the brand-new Eve V in the comparison charts.

It is hard to spot a difference when the Surface Book 2 is sitting next to its predecessor. The changes are mostly limited to the internals, including the so-called Fulcrum hinge. The device is great to touch thanks to plenty of metal (magnesium alloy). This is definitely a premium product, which is supported by the stability and build quality. We did not find any flaws in our particular test model.

The most important part of a convertible is the hinge, which is surprisingly firm. It can even hold the tablet in place at very small angles (see picture below). However, the weight of the tablet still takes its toll, because it bounces quite a lot when you make touch inputs. The hinge also produces a slight mechanical sound when the individual parts touch. It is not a creaking or squeaking sound, so it is not really annoying.

The connection between the tablet and the keyboard unit is extremely solid, and can only be disengaged via a button. Once you press the button, a wire is heated and the connection disengages. This results in an audible clicking sound, but it is quieter than before. There is still a gap between the tablet and the keyboard when the display is closed, so dirt or objects could enter during transport. It is, however, unlikely that the display opens accidentally. There is a magnetic connection between the two parts, and you also need both hands to open the lid.

Unlike other convertibles, the maximum opening angle is limited. You have to remove the tablet section and turn it if you want to turn the display by 360 degrees. The system is a bit top heavy as a laptop, but the situation is not as bad as on the Porsche Design Book One, for example. It is still comfortable to use on the lap. The tablet itself is comparatively light at just 711 grams (~1.6 lb), and you will be pleasantly surprised when you hold it for the first time.

Many modern and slim devices are often equipped with microSD readers or even waive card reader completely. Unfortunately, Microsoft has equipped the Surface Book 2 with a full-size SD reader, and it is also a very fast module. Photographers will be happy, because we determine transfer rates of more than 230 MB/s in combination with our reference card from Toshiba (Exceria Pro UHS-II SDXC 64 GB), and pictures are copied at about 160 MB/s to the laptop. About one third of the memory card sticks out of the chassis, so it is not really suitable as a permanent storage expansion.

Microsoft once again uses a dual-band wireless module from Marvell (Avastar Wireless-AC). The 2x2 adapter has a maximum transfer rate of 867 Mbps and supports all common standards such as 802.11ac as well as Bluetooth 4.1. Our practical test with the router Linksys EA8500 determines ~500 Mbps. This is okay, but the Surface Book 2 is at the bottom of our comparison group. Still, we did not experience any problems during our review period; the connection was always stable and we did not notice any range issues either. Integrated LTE is unfortunately still not available.

The camera equipment has not changed compared to the predecessor. The quality of the two lenses is decent, and you will only notice picture noise in low-light situations.

The security equipment is rather basic with a Trusted Platform Module (2.0) and Windows Hello for the login, but it is entirely sufficient for a consumer device.

We were surprised by the box content, because you only get the convertible, a 102-W power adapter as well as some service leaflets. The first generation was shipped with the Surface Pen, which is now an optional extra. It is a new version with 4096 pressure levels and other improvements, but you will have to pay 110 Euros ($99.99). Both the Surface Dial for 110 Euros ($99.99) and the Surface Dock for 230 Euros ($199.99) are already familiar. Unfortunately, Microsoft limits the choice of accessories due to the absence of Thunderbolt 3.

It is basically impossible to maintain the Microsoft Surface Book 2. The SSD is a regular M.2-2280 drive, which could be replaced, but the iFixit teardown showed that this is a very complicated procedure for private users and requires special tools. You should consider how much storage space you need before you purchase the Surface Book 2.

Despite the high price, Microsoft offers only a one-year warranty period with a Bring-In service. Please see our Guarantees, Return Policies & Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

The Surface Book 2 gets average scores in the PCMark 8 Work & Home tests, but it performs really well in the Creative test as well as the new PCMark 10. All comparison devices are equipped with capable processor and fast SSDs, so there is not a big difference when it comes to the subjective performance impression. We were still impressed by the quick boot times of the Surface Book 2, because you can start to work after a few seconds.

We experienced only one issue during our time with the device. The touchscreen did not work after we undocked the tablet. However, we could just reattach the tablet and restart the system. Everything else worked just fine, including the graphics switching between the tablet and the discrete GeForce GPU inside the keyboard unit.

Benchmarks are one thing, but the actual gaming tests are obviously more important. The GTX 1050 is a mainstream GPU and can handle modern games at medium up to high details. You have to experiment a bit with the resolution though. The native resolution is usually too challenging, and the 3:2 aspect ratio either results in a stretched picture or black bars in the 1080p setting. Many modern games support suitable resolutions, so you have to check how they perform. We start the section with our “Witcher 3” test (one hour). There is no performance drop, so prolonged gaming sessions should not be a problem.

So how does the GTX 1050 perform compared to other GPUs, especially the 4 GB version of the GTX 1050? Not bad, because the Asus ROG Strix GL703VD is usually only a couple of percent ahead and the more powerful processor has to be considered as well. The Asus ZenBook Pro UX550VD on the other hand falls behind the Surface Book 2, so the smaller VRAM is currently not a big constraint.

All in all, there are no surprises here and you can usually play all modern games at high settings. Only very challenging or poorly optimized games such as “Assassin's Creed Origins” require lower settings. More benchmarks for the GTX 1050 are listed in our tech section.

We have added a little extra section here, because the Windows power settings have a major effect on the fan noise of the Surface Books 2. There is only one power plan left since the Creators Update: Balanced. However, there is a new performance slider in the battery options. It has three levels on mains: Recommended (left), Better Performance (middle), Best Performance (right). We obviously perform our benchmarks and gaming tests with the Best Performance setting. However, as soon as you stress the GPU, the fan in the keyboard unit will be very audible at up to 49 dB(A). This is annoying and hard to tolerate without headphones. We wanted to see how the Surface Book 2 performs with the other two profiles and recorded both the frame rates as well as the noise levels.

The two lower power levels have a significant effect on the noise levels. 36 or 37.8 dB(A) and sometimes even less is much more tolerable, and the fan murmur is very even. The performance reduction is very small at the same time, and you can only really notice a difference in low or medium settings depending on the game. Our benchmarks are running for only a few minutes at a time, so we also checked whether there are any long term effects. The “Witcher 3” test (see Gaming Performance) run for an hour was fine with the Best Performance setting, so we repeated it with the quieter Recommended setting:

We see a significantly lower CPU clock (~4 GHz vs. ~1.4 GHz on average) as well as a slightly lower GPU clock (1493 vs. 1277 MHz on average), but they only have a small effect on the average frame rate (18.6 vs. 17.1). Most games depend mainly on the GPU performance, so there is no reason to listen to loud fan since the performance is also steady with the lower power settings.

We have already talked about the massive effect of the power settings on the noise levels when you stress the dedicated GPU. It almost instantly spins up to 49 dB(A) with the Best Performance setting during benchmarks and when you play games, which is extremely annoying thanks to the high frequency of the small fan. The situation is much more pleasant with the other two power modes. We were able to record five different levels: 30.2 dB(A), 31.4 dB(A), 33.4 dB(A), 36 dB(A), and 37.8 dB(A). You are usually within the last three levels during gaming (as long as you avoid Best Performance). This is obviously audible, but the fan murmur is very steady and not annoying. Even prolonged gaming sessions are possible without headphones.

The passive cooling solution of the tablet usually enables an almost silent system in practice as long as you do not stress the dedicated graphics card. There is coil whine at 30.2 dB(A), but there are once again differences between the performance settings. The coil whine is much quieter on battery as well as the two lower performance settings (Recommended, Better Performance).

Passive cooling in combination with decent performance utilization of the processor – we expected very high surface temperatures. However, that is not the case. Basically, the case does not warm up at all while idling, and it depends on whether you stress the CPU or the GPU (or both) under load. The rear of the tablet warms up only slightly during everyday tasks, and the keyboard unit stays cool. We can never measure more than 40 °C (~104 °F) during gaming, and about 43 °C (~109 °F) during the stress test. Overall a really good performance considering the passive cooling solution. The first diagram shows the tablet, the second one the keyboard unit.

The two stereo speakers are sitting at the upper two corners of the tablet and direct the sound towards the user. The quality is decent, even though the maximum volume is not very high at 74 dB(A). Still, this is entirely sufficient for some video or web radio playback. The measurements also show a decent performance for the Surface Book 2 with balanced mids and high tones. The lack of bass is not surprising, so action movies and music lack power.

The headphone jack provides an almost noise-free signal, but the position is not perfect. The cable will always hang around in front of the display or above the keyboard when you use the Surface Book 2 as a laptop. We also connected our Bluetooth headphones and did not experience any problems.

Frequency Comparison (Checkboxes select/deselectable!)

There have been multiple reports about problems with the power delivery of the larger 15-inch model, because the power adapter cannot provide sufficient power under load, so the batteries discharge. Microsoft seems to be aware of the problem and mentions the new performance slider. However, there is supposed to be an internal control to avoid a full discharge of the batteries. We were very eager to see whether the smaller Surface Book 2 has similar problems.

Unfortunately, the answer is yes. We were surprised to find a 102-W power adapter in the box (similar to the previous generation) since the official specifications from Microsoft list a 95-W adapter. We measure up to 100.3 W during gaming and the stress test, so the power adapter should just be sufficient. However, the batteries repeatedly discharged and recharged again during the benchmarks, because the power consumption always fluctuates a bit. This continuous discharging/charging cannot be healthy for the batteries. The solution is – as with the emissions – the new performance slider in the battery options:

The Surface Book 2 consumes more power than the previous generation, but you have to consider the new quad-core processor as well. The convertible is average in idle scenarios; the bright and high-resolution display takes its toll. We were surprised by the fluctuation between 0.006 W and 4.8 W during standby, which results in a high average consumption of 0.76 W. The fluctuation is also noticeable when the device is turned off, but the range is smaller at 0.005 to 0.5 W (0.15 W on average).