MY VERDICT
While the Surface Book brings many technological
innovations to the laptop space, its greatest strength is that it's just an
all-around terrific device.
PROS;
- Futuristic design
- Unrivaled display
- Seamless tablet separation
CONS;
- Battery life falls well below promises
- Major updates are still in tow
During its short tenure as a hardware
maker, Microsoft has become the de-facto trailblazer for Windows-running
devices. It all started with the lofty promise that its Surface tablet could
replace your laptop. We were skeptical about it three years ago, but after
the Surface Pro 3, Microsoft nearly perfected the formula
and showed veteran computer manufacturers how hybrids should be made.
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We’ve ranked only the best laptops you
can buy in 2017
Now, Microsoft introduces the Surface Book as the 'ultimate
laptop'. Like the Surface tablets before it, this laptop takes a unique spin on
the notebook format that's been around for over 40 years. Between the 3:2
aspect ratio, 13.5-inch screen and its practically-trademarked 'dynamic
fulcrum' hinge, there isn't any machine on the planet like the Surface Book –
and then, with the touch of a button and a gentle tug, it becomes a tablet.
It all sounds like an amazing idea on paper, and with the added
"Holy cow, Microsoft made a laptop!" factor, the Surface Book sounds
like a thoroughly amazing device. Let's see just how well Redmond made good on
the hype.
Recent developments;
Two years on, Surface Book buyers are unlikely to have
experienced buyer’s remorse. That’s because, even now we still haven’t received
a proper sequel to Microsoft’s very first laptop. Nevertheless, there has been
a fair amount of rumor spillage over the last few weeks.
For instance, a machine resembling
the Surface Book was shown off in an Intel reel teasing
its latest processors. Outfitted in an unprecedented black finish and sporting
the controversial fulcrum hinge, the video suggests the 8th-gen processors are
“designed for what’s coming next,” perhaps alluding to an imminent Surface Book 2 announcement.
Given the initially disappointing return rates of
the original Surface Book recently disclosed by Microsoft, it only makes sense
that a sequel is right around the corner. Even so, this rate went down to 10%
from 25% seven months after launch, indicating a speedy recovery for the
convertible. As it approaches its second anniversary, though, a follow-up is
still past due.
Design;
If a tear in the space-time continuum were to suddenly rip open,
two things would fall out: the Terminator and then the Surface Book quickly
tumbling to the Earth behind it. From the snake-like hinge, the flat design and
even down to the washed-out silver color of this laptop, everything about it
just seems like it came from the future.
Milled from two solid blocks of magnesium, the Surface Book
feels sturdy and has a most minimalistic style unto its own.
From keyboard deck to the palm rests, the entire interior of
this laptop is one flat surface of metal, save for the large space reserved for
the glass touchpad. Similarly, the screen lid is made of one uninterrupted
slate of magnesium, with its only extra flourishes being a mirror-finished
Windows logo in the center and a rear-facing camera.
Along the chiseled sides, you'll find two flat edges that start
from the top of the display and terminate at the tip of the palm rest. That's
not the only seamless transition.
Unlike most other convertible devices, the screen and base
sections share nearly the same thickness and weight. Without the foreknowledge
that the display can actually detach, the Surface Book looks like one
continuous device, thanks to the hinge.
Mind the
gap;
At the midpoint of the Surface Book, there's a piece of
connective tissue that Microsoft calls the dynamic fulcrum hinge. On top of
simply gluing the screen and keyboard base together, it's this key piece that
makes the whole device work.
Rather than folding flatly, the hinge basically coils into
itself, leaving a noticeable gap between the screen and keyboard when the unit
is closed. When opened, this same part rolls out and actually extends the base
of the laptop, which in turn helps extend the support base for the tablet
portion of the Surface Book (called the Clipboard).
While a traditional notebook display might weigh half a pound at
most, the top section of the Surface Book weighs 1.6-pounds, because it contains
all the necessary parts to act as a standalone tablet. As such, the hinge has
been reinforced and contains extra mechanisms, not unlike the Lenovo Yoga 900's
watchband-style hinge to keep it in place.
Surface Book is solid as a rock, and you can even pick up it by
the display and shake it about without worrying about the whole thing falling
apart. On a flat surface, the screen is held steady in place and even stays put
when you have it in your lap.
The only times the screen wobbles are
when I'm poking at it with my finger or the Surface pen, but that really comes
with trying to operate a touchscreen on any laptop.
And to address the concerns of the gap left in the middle of the
system. Yes, there is a substantial open space in the middle of the system when
it's closed. No, dust and other bits of nasty will not slip into the interior
anymore than with a standard laptop, unless you're a particularly messy person.
After a week of using the Surface Book religiously, I can run my finger against
the inside edge of the hinge and not find a single speck of dust.
Another plus side of having a laptop that doesn't close
completely flush is you'll never find any oily outlines of the keyboard
imprinted on the screen. It's a design element that also eliminates the need to
seat the keyboard into a recessed area. Instead, the keys on this laptop sit
flush with the keyboard deck.
The keyboard itself offers a splendid 1.6mm of key travel that
caps off with a satisfying thwack when you bottom out the keys. The trackpad is
equally as enjoyable, with it's glass laminated finish. For the first time
ever, I found myself interested in using the three-finger multi-gestures to
rotate through windows and reveal the desktop.
While this is a tiny element of the Surface Book, few – if any –
other Windows notebooks on the market today offer such a tight tracking
experience.
Mobilizing the desktop;
The Surface Book's other signature trick is the screen can pop
off the base with just the tap of a button. Technically, Microsoft is coming
late to the 2-in-1 laptop game with various devices being able to do the same,
including Acer's Switch family, Toshiba's Click notebooks, some HP devices and
the list goes on.
However, no one has made a system as seamless as the Surface
Book.
Undocking and attaching the Clipboard is nearly as seamless as
the Surface Book's design. After either pressing the eject button on the
keyboard or the virtual button in the taskbar, the screen will blink off for a
second and then notify you it's safe to detach the screen with one quick tug.
's a neat feature that allows me to quickly show a friend
something cool or when I want to read a digital comic book without having to
lug the whole laptop around. But it didn't really click with me until I
realized how easily it lets me bring my entire PC to another place without
having to disconnect my external monitor, keyboard, mouse, Xbox controller and
all my other peripherals at home
It's the coolest mechanic since the
saucer separation of the Enterprise-D. What's more, it leaves open a door to
expandability. Because the Clipboard is compatible with all
Surface Book keyboard bases, not just the one it shipped with,
Microsoft could theoretically come out with future upgrades could be done
through new bases
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