manny castro yes and I personally prefer the 13.5 inch version which the razor blade don’t have, it’s just more dynamic and portable; which I guess everybody likes to be 🙂 Dynamic !
I had a meeting on Monday in Singapore and my Surface Pro 2018 dropped from a table onto a cement floor and shattered. I called Microsoft and asked them where I could take it to get it serviced. The guy on the phone told me not to worry about that. They would replace the device with a brand new one for a fraction of the cost of a new device. I paid for it online via CC and they arranged for my laptop to be picked up by a courier and my new Surface Pro to be delivered within 5 business days....the whole process took less than an hour. I've been an Apple heavy user since 2008 and made the switch to Microsoft Surface last year because I felt it was more productive in my business environment. With how they handled the broken device, I can say I would find it very difficult to move back to Apple. Job well done Microsoft.
Matoo wait what no way, do you have to send your old one back if not I'm gong to buy one "drop it" and get another one for free (I won't actually do this but I am just curious
My experience with Microsoft support/customer care: Purchased a Surface Pro 5 (i7/16GB/1TB) online, unit arrived with a cluster of dead pixels. Not thrilled, knowing there's nothing that can be done about that. I took it into a Microsoft shopfront, the tech replaced the device on the spot for me, no pushing for receipts or warranty. Just "Here's your replacement device, have a great day". Really surprising and positive experience, makes it easy to recommend their products with service like that.
About your 2nd complain - the Hinge. You didn't mention it, so I assume that you don't know but the design of hinge was not to make it fancier. It has very practical functions. Your main machine, ie cpu, ram, memory, cooling are all in the tablet section (screen), so it is way heavier than just screens. If you had traditional hinge, your screen would overweight the base and fall over. So that is the reason why they have come up with this hinge design. It unwraps and makes the base surface area bigger, so that your Surface device is balanced and not going to fall over. I am SBPB owner. Absolutely love the device.
This. I own the first gen surface book since it came out, and I have to say that anyone who is scared about the hinge probably has never owned a surface book because after using it for so long, it continues to surprise me with its durability. Anything that has gone wrong so far for me has only been software issues.
Well, getting rid of heat is a bit problematic for my case of usage. I use SurfaceBook with dock. I have a monitor connected, so I don't need the SurfaceBook's screen. If I use the machine closed, the hot air will blow to the screen and heat the whole machine up. So I have to open the Surface for heat to dissipate properly. So if you use the Surface's screen - then cooling is ok. But if you use the Surface closed - then there is no cooling at all.
@@dastanabilev but then they probably thought about that and decided that would be better than having vents on the side and bottom that can get blocked if you use it as a laptops
I will just say that I went to the Microsoft Store for support (there are 2 in LA) and they offered me snacks and a drink and let me play with the Surface Studio while I waited. Then completely replaced my device with a brand new one with no questions asked. Probably the best support experience I've ever had. Also, Microsoft devices get a year warranty included in the purchase price. So you don't have to pay extra for Apple Care.
I really fell in love with my SB2 when I went out shooting for a day and then edited the entire thing right there on the spot. Its my baby. I love her so much.
I have accidental damage coverage on mine. One day I forgot to zip my laptop bag and as I was putting it in the truck the Surface Book 2 flew out and smacked the ground. It still worked perfectly fine, but I did damage the corners that it landed on. All I did was put a ticket in with Microsoft support, within 2 days they sent me a new one. I wiped my old one and shipped it back. It was GREAT and super easy.
@@yacobz the warranty covers it. If you have had your device for lore than 1 year they wont cover but the way they do it its probably the safest customer support during that year
The hinge is great. You don't need to worry that some dirt between the screen and the keyboard will scratch it, which is a common problem is standard "flat hinge" clamshell laptops. Some even get scratched with the keyboard itself. The Surface Book hinge makes ma actually less worry about the device, and it's something I'd like to see everywhere
That's how I feel about it. I've had my own issues, and have seen a lot of MBPs that have permanent screen damage from the trackpad and keyboard touching the screen, and it happens from just being in a case in a bag.
I have an original refurbished surface book, and the hinge works fine except for the fact that someone probably jolted it to one side, as one of the detach things is a bit dodgy
Thanks for this video. As a longtime macuser and filmeditor I am very interested in the surface book, but there are two things that still keep me from switching: 1) the size (especially adding the powerbrick) does concern me for traveling and 2) unfortunately it is still not possible to encode Apple Prores on PC. In addition to this the whole advertising world in Germany is based on Apple, so there might be further downsides for me down the line by switching to PC. That being said, I am really unhappy with Apple (for a couple of years as a matter of fact and it seems they are getting worse every single year). If my budget allows it I might get a Surface book as a secondary computer in the future.
If you work in advertising you will be the coolest kid in the block with the book. Working in tablet mode in an office is a must since I bought the book. Makes basic laptops seem worthless to me ever since.
The power brick is small and light compared to the apple one. You'll notice an immediate improve in the keyboard. The only thing I don't like about it is the weight, I personally don't like the weight but it's what every ultrabook weighs.
@@nitsuj6801 for people who don't use it in tablet mode there is no (in my opinion) reason why you would buy a surface book. There are a lot it cheaper and better laptops
@@dagmar0904 I wouldn't say cheaper and better. The surface book 2 is a hard laptop to beat and if you're looking for a laptop with as good specifications as it for cheaper you wont go far. Its only competitors are really the razer blade stealth, high end mac books and Dell xps 13. The razer blade stealth with a worse gpu is more expensive than the surface book 2. A macbook just comes down to whether or not you like mac products and the dell xps laptops have a better gpu but cost a lot more. Tbh even if you will never use tablet mode which is extremely unlikely its still worth it. I did lots of research for a laptop as good but with no tablet mode and I didn't find anything cheaper. And I'm talking about the surface book 2 with i7, 8gb ram, 1050 gpu and 250 ssd. With that being said, i wouldn't recommend the surface book 2 if your'e are not getting the i7 processor.
I’m a surface book owner and absolutely baby my device. Unfortunately the screen cracked, not sure if it’s due to heat as it gets very hot, or if it’s where the glass touches the base due to the hinge angle but it’s definitely had no smacks. Microsoft wanted over £500 to fix the issue. I love the laptop, but this is definitely something I would be aware of.
The same thing happened to me - the changer on the base contacted the glass when I closed it and cracked the screen. Microsoft said no matter what happens, if the screen is cracked, the warranty is void. I’d only had the laptop for 6 weeks when this happened... I’m really upset.
Apparently it's not that uncommon. Quick look on any of the surface blogs and you'll see other people have had the same issue. Annoyingly, a lot of them have had it fixed for free when they took their laptop into a microsoft store. The quote to fix it is insane.
The problem with the headphones jack location can easily be solved by routing the headphones wire behind the screen around the back and to the left side of the laptop. No more dangling wire over the keyboard or mouse.
Most headphone wires are about 4 ft or longer and should give you plenty of slack to comfortably work on the SB. Though I use BT headphones most of the time, I've also experimented with routing my wired headphones behind the screen and did not have any issue at all. Now, if you're the type that likes to lean back in your chair a lot, then I can see this being a problem.
To your last concern: There are Microsoft stores everywhere! And their customer service is great! I have had a few issues in the past with my sb and they just gave me a new one! I have the sb2 15" now. And I love it, It's great! I use it for illustration, animation 2d/3d, coding, and even vr through mixed reality with my Samsung hmd headset. It just works!
I have one of these and agree with all these points. The other issue with the hinge is that it makes it really easy for crumbs and debris to get in between and I'm having to clean off every time I open it. As an artist I otherwise love it!!
Any professional digital artist or zbrush user knows that drawing on a glossy surface is really not ideal, wacom kinda gets this, hence the matte screen that they have. I want to see Microsoft release a version with either a matte screen or screen protector.
Andrew Sala when I bought the surface book first gen (close to it's first release date) the only company that was selling screen protectors for the model was photodon and they charged around £50 for a frosted matte screen protector similar to that found in the cintiq companion/ mobilestudio, for a product marketed towards professionals you'd expect MS to take some cues from wacom. Drawing on smooth glass does not feel good and smudges.
@@narcellius its still a laptop. Its for creatives TOO but the pen is much more focused in note taking and interaction with the OS than drawing so dont ask for what you will not get. I do think an included screen protector is the ideal solution since the product is so expensive. But even if not thalere are options out there
I’m glad I’m not the only person who has a problem with the connection between tablet and keyboard. Although the connection is very sturdy it doesn’t seem sturdy at all and often scares me into thinking my laptop is broken just because the two pieces don’t fit flush together or I can see the connecting pieces. Obviously it’s a small critique as long as it works well but I can’t help but have a minor panic attack every time I take the screen off and think I’ve ruined my laptop
I have a surface book 2, and the warranty is really good, I had a yellowing screen issue, and got it replaced within a week and a half, considering that I don't live in the States, it was super quick and no charge on replacement device!
4:02 I always use a USB-c to headphone Jack adapter on my 15 inch and it works perfectly. Except if you want to charge it with the wire at the side of the laptop
Nice video! I live in the DC MD region and we have a Microsoft store with the same support that Apple has. You should see if they have one in your area.
Your last point about Support is really off base. Microsoft has incredible, world wide support. Additionally if you are within the US or Canada you can visit one of 112 stores and have certified technicians assess your device and either repair or replace them.
For the headphone problem you can buy dongles for like $3 to convert the audio jack into a usb. They should of put the audio jack on the tablet, but lower, as in almost to the bottom of the screen so atleast it wouldn’t look weird
That moment when he said GTX 1060 is just a desktop graphics. The only problem while playing high end games would be thermal throttling from my guess. Its just a gaming laptop without the fans.
The fans are actually great. I believe that there are 2 fans on the base where the dGPU rests and it cools mine perfectly. Also has the bonus that those fans only have to cool the GPU, since the CPU and it's fans are in the tablet part. Only problem I've encountered with cooling thus far is that sometimes the GPU fans wont kick it. Which is solved by detaching/retaching the tablet to the base.
Solid video as some others have stated - Microsoft store, also the hinge is pretty bullet proof... I have have puty surface book one through some abuse and the hinge is still as solid as the day I got it. Final negative... If you are using the GPU at full capacity... (Gaming), it will drain the battery whole plugged in. It uses 120 watts but only comes with a 90watt charger. So gaining looks great, but it's really designed for bursts of graphics as you would use for graphic design or video editing. I can play a blizzard game for about an hour and a half while plugged in before my battery goes critical and it shuts off the GPU. That being said, still the best laptop out there, looking forward to getting the surface 2
Good review. And great work on your channel. Keep it up 👍 I want to get one but it is so expensive. Have to keep watching videos until I can justify to myself.
Nice video thanks. What did you pick this over the Surface Pro? As clever as this is it looks like an over large tablet, same for the 13" model and if people never use it as a tablet why did you get one?
OH. MY. GOD. Not only do you have the same setup as I do (I don't draw but I'm a total creative head) but everything that you talk about I could feel and relate and yes the hinge can be scary especially for me because I run and jump around with that thing in my bag. Luckily nothing happened so great engineering and I think they talked about it not being a problem (breakage and stuff). I don't remember where but I remember specifically googling it like will I need to take extra care of my book 2? So no worries there. Also I love the video everything from your color grading to profile selection to presentation. Keep doing the good work! It's amazing. ♥️
bruno - if power is loss it can be recharged by charging the power cable to it. For some reason many owners don't know that the Tablet can also be charged separatedly. I have mine connected to power when using in bed for example, without the base attached.
Hey! So I actually just spent $1999 for the Surface Book 2 because I was in dire need of replacement laptop for college! The laptop shipped super quickly and arrived yesterday afternoon. I endes up going with the 15 inch 256GB, 16GB RAM with Intel i7! After I got the laptop fully updated I powered it off and shut the laptop. I noticed that there was a reasonably subtle sort of crackling/crinkling sound from the hinge when ever I shut or open the laptop screen. Is this normal for the computer and is it something I should worry about while my 90 day warranty from microsoft is still in effect? I just need to figure out if this is a normal thing and if I have to worry about the noise causing damage to the hinge over time? I'd totally appreciate any advice or similar experiences from you guys! Thanks for all your content!!
I got a Surface Book 2 15" when it was released end of 2017. Since then it was replaced three times. The first one had horrible thermals going up to 100C and then throttling to 400 MHz. Replacement I received was new in the box but after some months had an issue with the hinge where the keyboard, trackpad and NVidia GPU would intermittently disconnect when the screen moved. The third was a refurbished device and had similar thermal issues as the first one. Basically whenever the Intel iGPU was under load like during a Twitch stream or Skype video call the CPU would thermal throttle down to 400-800 MHz. Tomorrow I'll receive the fourth device. I already dread finding out what's going to be wrong with this one. That said, when it works it's one hell of a device. Really good performance, although I never use it as anything other than a laptop. However my next device won't be a Surface Book again. On the plus side, hardware replacement is always really easy and takes four days from the day I print the UPS label and hand in the broken device to the day I receive the replacement.
im at my 3rd device too. The display of my first device got yellow on the sides after running for a few minutes, the second one looked like a construction worker used it plus had bright spots on every side of the display when everythng is dark (for example when turning it on). The 3rd device has exactly the same problem with the bright spots, a row of pixels on the top randomly start to flicker and i cant detach the tablet by pressing the keyboard detachement button (the light stays red for multiple minutes). The thing is i dont even know if its worth it to send it in because the next one will probably have problems as well, which is pretty sad considering the price of the device... I dont know how its in the States with proper Microsoft stores but here in Germany its a total disaster
My 4th device has the same thermal issues with the iGPU. I now found a pretty reliable way of checking for it, even without external tools. I set the device to best performance, with power attached. I start Chrome and open a Twitch stream (twitch for some reason is more taxing than UA-cam, maybe because of the Chat). I then open the Camera application and let it run in parallel. In Task Manager you can monitor the CPU and GPU load. Usually once GPU load approaches 90-100% the CPU will clock down to 400 MHz and depending on the situation stay there for a while, even if the CPU has load on it and would need to go higher. On my 4th device what I found now is that if I use Intel's XTU to undervoltage the CPU/Cache by -90mV and the GPU by -50mV the lowest the CPU will clock to is 1.2GHz even under 100% GPU load. It's just sad that I have to do that in the first place.
It's like ~$300 for 2 yrs max on accidental damage protection through Microsoft Complete. Really wish could extend it to 3 or 4 since it has 0 repairability.
About the support from Apple. Have you ever seen an Louis Rossmann video? They do a good job in showing how bad the customer service for apple devices actually is. For example Not supplying replacement parts, the extreme exclusion of 3rd Party repair shops and how little they care about the data. (Got no idea how it looks on Microsofts side tho)
I think wen it comes to the hinge I personally think that your looking for flaws in the design because I had my surface book in my back pack with multiple heavy items in my back and the hinge is really strong however wen it comes to the jack lead placement I think your a 100% correct it should be on the bottom corner of the screen
The main problem with the surface book is that it is near unrepairable. That would be okay if it was not prone to such a high failure rate, get a dell xps 13 2 in 1 or hp spectre instead
Pranav Bhusari you can call microsoft to get replacement and paid just few hundred dollars. unlike apple that refuse user damage and told you to get a new one
They have Microsoft stores and no questions asked warranties without a deductible. Wish it was a simple $100 per year so you're covered for longer than just the 2 years they offer
The size of the trackpad is lowkey a dealbreaker for me. When my MBP dies I'll likely get the Razer Blade 15 since I'm a gamer. I did want to try the SB2 for Lightroom tho... I also don't know if I'd really need the portability that this beauty offers.
I'm not quite sure what you mean by not getting fan noise on the Surface Book 2. Mine doesn't really make noise if you are just browsing the web or using office but as soon as you start taxing the machine the fans spin up really loud. If I play Minecraft for about 30 seconds the fans spin up and are pretty loud. Great machine but when you are taxing it it is not quiet by any means.
Thanks for using a black pen now I know how it will look with my black surface mouse and SB2..... didn't get a pen with the laptop, waited for my next pay day haha.
5:06 you make a good point though there is a Microsoft store in all most every major city apple has 2-4 in the same city and 1 in all cities in the west
At 1:50 you had editing software open on your computer...what’s the name of the software you use for pictures and video? I like how your footage looks a little cinematic and very smooth
Couldn't make it through the first part of this video where Jack said there are a lot of small little things to do on an iPad before you can get "that seamless integration" and I can't agree with him since there is nothing more than logging into your iCloud and restoring or downloading apps just like on any other tablet. This is a minimum requirement. Also this is a 2 in 1 where iPad is a tablet, not a fully fledged OS. Maybe Apple will reconsider and make the iPad pro an OSX machine which would be awesome but until then, iPad and Surface are not in the same ballpark.
I have the Surface Book first gen. Only problem I've ever had with it is an expanding battery, with no way to replace it; I had to replace the whole laptop.
@@megagaming7290 I have seen online that the Surface Book 2 batteries can bulge too, but Microsoft has made it easier to fix/replace. The first gen is nearly impossible to fix, and is a pain to replace through Microsoft.
@@megagaming7290 Don't get me wrong, I would still recommend this device (SB2). I use the SB1 for everything from gaming to editing to drawing, it's an all-around great PC. I would just recommend taking better care of the battery. I usually left mine plugged in and running for days at a time (basically using it as a dektop) which is terrible for a laptop.
It's over one year old, and I'm not sure if I want to get the surface book 2, because they might be making a surface book 3 soon, so I might get the surface pro 6 instead, since that just came out.
Worst feature: Planned obsolescence when the battery gets weak. And a cirquitry that basically bricks it, should you let the batteries go flat just once.
Jack, can you answer this question for me? Nobody seems to be able to answer this (what should be fairly simple...) question: If I remove the top screen, can I plug-in/connect the keyboard base to a separate TV or computer monitor? Basically using the base as a super portable PC. Thanks man!
You can buy the Surface Dock and hook up dual monitors keyboard and mouse ethernet and sound and still have a few open USB ports. Then the magnetic connection on the side turns it into a desktop.
I've had my 2015 surface book for four years and the hinge never was weak or easily damaged and I've treated it like crap the last 2 years. It's been thrown around into drawers and everything.
have you noticed a very high pitch noise coming from this laptop when it is plugged in? Im having this issue and it often annoys me when im trying to sleep as its on my desk. I cant find anything online about it.
Considering Apple's history of ripping off their own consumers, I'd say whatever support they are providing is merely a marketing gimmick and you'd do better finding a local technician you trust.
I wonder all this time later if you regret what you said about the hinge in your comparison with Apple since nobody seems to have a problem with it and it never proved to be something that breaks down at all. It ended up being something that was well made.
Can anyone help me with my SB2, It slipped off my desk at school and then i discovered a dent in my laptop, y’all think it could get fixed or anything ?
Surface Book 2 or Razer Blade 15, which would you pick?
Jack Junior surface face book 2 its a pc tablet and laptop at once .
manny castro yes and I personally prefer the 13.5 inch version which the razor blade don’t have, it’s just more dynamic and portable; which I guess everybody likes to be 🙂 Dynamic !
Surface Book 2 would be perfect with thunderbolt 3
Kevin W. I totally agree
i'll go for surface always... for that tablet....
I had a meeting on Monday in Singapore and my Surface Pro 2018 dropped from a table onto a cement floor and shattered.
I called Microsoft and asked them where I could take it to get it serviced. The guy on the phone told me not to worry about that. They would replace the device with a brand new one for a fraction of the cost of a new device. I paid for it online via CC and they arranged for my laptop to be picked up by a courier and my new Surface Pro to be delivered within 5 business days....the whole process took less than an hour.
I've been an Apple heavy user since 2008 and made the switch to Microsoft Surface last year because I felt it was more productive in my business environment. With how they handled the broken device, I can say I would find it very difficult to move back to Apple. Job well done Microsoft.
Did you have insurance/protection plan for it? If not I would be pretty impressed.
happened to me with my surface book 2, it was 500$ but what he fails to mention is the fact that they refund the 500$ at the end
Matoo wait what no way, do you have to send your old one back if not I'm gong to buy one "drop it" and get another one for free
(I won't actually do this but I am just curious
People People you don't need to send your old one back but if you have an accidental damage serial
Evan Sullivan nope that was the thing that amazed me about the whole deal
My experience with Microsoft support/customer care:
Purchased a Surface Pro 5 (i7/16GB/1TB) online, unit arrived with a cluster of dead pixels. Not thrilled, knowing there's nothing that can be done about that.
I took it into a Microsoft shopfront, the tech replaced the device on the spot for me, no pushing for receipts or warranty. Just "Here's your replacement device, have a great day".
Really surprising and positive experience, makes it easy to recommend their products with service like that.
Sounds like a paid comment
@@vasmajority45 yours sounds like a paid seed of doubt comment.
About your 2nd complain - the Hinge. You didn't mention it, so I assume that you don't know but the design of hinge was not to make it fancier. It has very practical functions. Your main machine, ie cpu, ram, memory, cooling are all in the tablet section (screen), so it is way heavier than just screens. If you had traditional hinge, your screen would overweight the base and fall over. So that is the reason why they have come up with this hinge design. It unwraps and makes the base surface area bigger, so that your Surface device is balanced and not going to fall over. I am SBPB owner. Absolutely love the device.
This. I own the first gen surface book since it came out, and I have to say that anyone who is scared about the hinge probably has never owned a surface book because after using it for so long, it continues to surprise me with its durability. Anything that has gone wrong so far for me has only been software issues.
Well, getting rid of heat is a bit problematic for my case of usage. I use SurfaceBook with dock. I have a monitor connected, so I don't need the SurfaceBook's screen. If I use the machine closed, the hot air will blow to the screen and heat the whole machine up. So I have to open the Surface for heat to dissipate properly. So if you use the Surface's screen - then cooling is ok. But if you use the Surface closed - then there is no cooling at all.
I like when people know a lot about something
@@dastanabilev but then they probably thought about that and decided that would be better than having vents on the side and bottom that can get blocked if you use it as a laptops
I will just say that I went to the Microsoft Store for support (there are 2 in LA) and they offered me snacks and a drink and let me play with the Surface Studio while I waited. Then completely replaced my device with a brand new one with no questions asked. Probably the best support experience I've ever had. Also, Microsoft devices get a year warranty included in the purchase price. So you don't have to pay extra for Apple Care.
If you buy from costco they extend it to 2 years :)
I really fell in love with my SB2 when I went out shooting for a day and then edited the entire thing right there on the spot. Its my baby. I love her so much.
I have accidental damage coverage on mine. One day I forgot to zip my laptop bag and as I was putting it in the truck the Surface Book 2 flew out and smacked the ground. It still worked perfectly fine, but I did damage the corners that it landed on. All I did was put a ticket in with Microsoft support, within 2 days they sent me a new one. I wiped my old one and shipped it back. It was GREAT and super easy.
is accidental damage coverage something that microsoft offers, or did you find it elsewhere?
@@yacobz the warranty covers it. If you have had your device for lore than 1 year they wont cover but the way they do it its probably the safest customer support during that year
The hinge is great. You don't need to worry that some dirt between the screen and the keyboard will scratch it, which is a common problem is standard "flat hinge" clamshell laptops. Some even get scratched with the keyboard itself. The Surface Book hinge makes ma actually less worry about the device, and it's something I'd like to see everywhere
That's how I feel about it. I've had my own issues, and have seen a lot of MBPs that have permanent screen damage from the trackpad and keyboard touching the screen, and it happens from just being in a case in a bag.
I have an original refurbished surface book, and the hinge works fine except for the fact that someone probably jolted it to one side, as one of the detach things is a bit dodgy
Thanks for this video. As a longtime macuser and filmeditor I am very interested in the surface book, but there are two things that still keep me from switching: 1) the size (especially adding the powerbrick) does concern me for traveling and 2) unfortunately it is still not possible to encode Apple Prores on PC. In addition to this the whole advertising world in Germany is based on Apple, so there might be further downsides for me down the line by switching to PC.
That being said, I am really unhappy with Apple (for a couple of years as a matter of fact and it seems they are getting worse every single year). If my budget allows it I might get a Surface book as a secondary computer in the future.
If you work in advertising you will be the coolest kid in the block with the book. Working in tablet mode in an office is a must since I bought the book. Makes basic laptops seem worthless to me ever since.
You van also charge over the USB C
The power brick is small and light compared to the apple one. You'll notice an immediate improve in the keyboard. The only thing I don't like about it is the weight, I personally don't like the weight but it's what every ultrabook weighs.
I have had this laptop a month and I love it, yet I never realized there was a headphone jack on the top right of the tablet piece. Great video! lol
I love the hinged. It literally feels like a book.
I would like that the surface book 2 came with the pen included
Reyese 13 U find the pen useless unless u are like an artist and require tablet mode a lot
@@nitsuj6801 for people who don't use it in tablet mode there is no (in my opinion) reason why you would buy a surface book. There are a lot it cheaper and better laptops
@@dagmar0904 I wouldn't say cheaper and better. The surface book 2 is a hard laptop to beat and if you're looking for a laptop with as good specifications as it for cheaper you wont go far. Its only competitors are really the razer blade stealth, high end mac books and Dell xps 13. The razer blade stealth with a worse gpu is more expensive than the surface book 2. A macbook just comes down to whether or not you like mac products and the dell xps laptops have a better gpu but cost a lot more. Tbh even if you will never use tablet mode which is extremely unlikely its still worth it. I did lots of research for a laptop as good but with no tablet mode and I didn't find anything cheaper. And I'm talking about the surface book 2 with i7, 8gb ram, 1050 gpu and 250 ssd. With that being said, i wouldn't recommend the surface book 2 if your'e are not getting the i7 processor.
I love the hinge - I like the gap/vent too. But the hinge mech is probably why the headphone jack (which is his first negative) is where it is.
I think you forgot you can take your Surface to a Microsoft Store if you have an issue. Great video though!
T B yeah i made this already 3 times bc it got broke
I’m a surface book owner and absolutely baby my device. Unfortunately the screen cracked, not sure if it’s due to heat as it gets very hot, or if it’s where the glass touches the base due to the hinge angle but it’s definitely had no smacks. Microsoft wanted over £500 to fix the issue. I love the laptop, but this is definitely something I would be aware of.
Ben Fisher should have gotten warranty
Everett Martell I had, it wasn’t covered by warranty. Also no Microsoft Store in the UK to actually talk to another human about it.
Ben Fisher it should have been though
The same thing happened to me - the changer on the base contacted the glass when I closed it and cracked the screen.
Microsoft said no matter what happens, if the screen is cracked, the warranty is void. I’d only had the laptop for 6 weeks when this happened... I’m really upset.
Apparently it's not that uncommon. Quick look on any of the surface blogs and you'll see other people have had the same issue. Annoyingly, a lot of them have had it fixed for free when they took their laptop into a microsoft store. The quote to fix it is insane.
The problem with the headphones jack location can easily be solved by routing the headphones wire behind the screen around the back and to the left side of the laptop. No more dangling wire over the keyboard or mouse.
Still annoying. I use Bluetooth headphones because of this.
Most headphone wires are about 4 ft or longer and should give you plenty of slack to comfortably work on the SB. Though I use BT headphones most of the time, I've also experimented with routing my wired headphones behind the screen and did not have any issue at all. Now, if you're the type that likes to lean back in your chair a lot, then I can see this being a problem.
To your last concern: There are Microsoft stores everywhere! And their customer service is great! I have had a few issues in the past with my sb and they just gave me a new one! I have the sb2 15" now. And I love it, It's great! I use it for illustration, animation 2d/3d, coding, and even vr through mixed reality with my Samsung hmd headset. It just works!
The reason it's called a Surface Book is because of the Hinge.. lol
Plus the Headphone jack's placement is probably because of the wire lock mechanism
I have one of these and agree with all these points. The other issue with the hinge is that it makes it really easy for crumbs and debris to get in between and I'm having to clean off every time I open it. As an artist I otherwise love it!!
The hindge is designed to have a gap to allow for enough airflow when the laptop is used in tablet mode, with the keyboard attached.
Any professional digital artist or zbrush user knows that drawing on a glossy surface is really not ideal, wacom kinda gets this, hence the matte screen that they have. I want to see Microsoft release a version with either a matte screen or screen protector.
Vincent Osboune they sell matte screen protectors for all the products look it up
Andrew Sala when I bought the surface book first gen (close to it's first release date) the only company that was selling screen protectors for the model was photodon and they charged around £50 for a frosted matte screen protector similar to that found in the cintiq companion/ mobilestudio, for a product marketed towards professionals you'd expect MS to take some cues from wacom. Drawing on smooth glass does not feel good and smudges.
i like the glossy feeling
I thought about this too till I received mine
The pen has a rubberized tip which gets rid of glide pretty nicely
@@narcellius its still a laptop. Its for creatives TOO but the pen is much more focused in note taking and interaction with the OS than drawing so dont ask for what you will not get. I do think an included screen protector is the ideal solution since the product is so expensive. But even if not thalere are options out there
I’m glad I’m not the only person who has a problem with the connection between tablet and keyboard. Although the connection is very sturdy it doesn’t seem sturdy at all and often scares me into thinking my laptop is broken just because the two pieces don’t fit flush together or I can see the connecting pieces. Obviously it’s a small critique as long as it works well but I can’t help but have a minor panic attack every time I take the screen off and think I’ve ruined my laptop
I have never heard anybody feeling uneasy with the hinge, I think it feels so solid I would never think about it breaking...
I have a surface book 2, and the warranty is really good, I had a yellowing screen issue, and got it replaced within a week and a half, considering that I don't live in the States, it was super quick and no charge on replacement device!
4:02 I always use a USB-c to headphone Jack adapter on my 15 inch and it works perfectly.
Except if you want to charge it with the wire at the side of the laptop
Pro-tip: write the 5 things in the video description with their timestamp links
the hinge though different is for my art purposes is grate because it acts as a comfortable grip
Nice video! I live in the DC MD region and we have a Microsoft store with the same support that Apple has. You should see if they have one in your area.
Great Video Going to get my Surface Book 2 next month.
J2THEON did u buy it , if so please share your experience
Your last point about Support is really off base. Microsoft has incredible, world wide support. Additionally if you are within the US or Canada you can visit one of 112 stores and have certified technicians assess your device and either repair or replace them.
I'm buying the surface-book-2 tomorrow.
GamingTechReview which confriguration?
Christoph Hazy 256 GB 15 inch gtx 1060 with quad core i7 and 16gb ram. I got the dial and pen.
GamingTechReview i have tbe 13 inch gtx 1050 with 256Gb and the Pen
GamingTechReview do you like your SB 2? Is the Dial worth the money?
Christoph Hazy Tge dial is nice. Makes it easier to use.
First! Love your channel, very clear and well made videos🔥
Nice video, I like the editing and use of camera angle plus the background and information for sure, thumbs up and subscribe button hit.
For the headphone problem you can buy dongles for like $3 to convert the audio jack into a usb. They should of put the audio jack on the tablet, but lower, as in almost to the bottom of the screen so atleast it wouldn’t look weird
That moment when he said GTX 1060 is just a desktop graphics. The only problem while playing high end games would be thermal throttling from my guess. Its just a gaming laptop without the fans.
The fans are actually great. I believe that there are 2 fans on the base where the dGPU rests and it cools mine perfectly.
Also has the bonus that those fans only have to cool the GPU, since the CPU and it's fans are in the tablet part.
Only problem I've encountered with cooling thus far is that sometimes the GPU fans wont kick it. Which is solved by detaching/retaching the tablet to the base.
Microsoft replaced my Surface Book because I literally smashed it because of minecraft and I lied to drop it from my roof.
Solid video as some others have stated - Microsoft store, also the hinge is pretty bullet proof... I have have puty surface book one through some abuse and the hinge is still as solid as the day I got it. Final negative... If you are using the GPU at full capacity... (Gaming), it will drain the battery whole plugged in. It uses 120 watts but only comes with a 90watt charger. So gaining looks great, but it's really designed for bursts of graphics as you would use for graphic design or video editing. I can play a blizzard game for about an hour and a half while plugged in before my battery goes critical and it shuts off the GPU. That being said, still the best laptop out there, looking forward to getting the surface 2
Good review. And great work on your channel. Keep it up 👍 I want to get one but it is so expensive. Have to keep watching videos until I can justify to myself.
Nice video thanks. What did you pick this over the Surface Pro? As clever as this is it looks like an over large tablet, same for the 13" model and if people never use it as a tablet why did you get one?
OH. MY. GOD. Not only do you have the same setup as I do (I don't draw but I'm a total creative head) but everything that you talk about I could feel and relate and yes the hinge can be scary especially for me because I run and jump around with that thing in my bag. Luckily nothing happened so great engineering and I think they talked about it not being a problem (breakage and stuff). I don't remember where but I remember specifically googling it like will I need to take extra care of my book 2? So no worries there. Also I love the video everything from your color grading to profile selection to presentation. Keep doing the good work! It's amazing. ♥️
the hinge is all metal woven with bolts inside like a terminator's hand. it very sturdy and durable
Before i see this video i did not know you can install the tablet the other way round.
Dont lose graphics power or battery while on tablet mode. Love this thing
bruno - if power is loss it can be recharged by charging the power cable to it. For some reason many owners don't know that the Tablet can also be charged separatedly. I have mine connected to power when using in bed for example, without the base attached.
I'm on the verge of buying this. Every video I watch convinces me its the beast it makes itself out to be.
You're going to be big! Great video!
Hey! So I actually just spent $1999 for the Surface Book 2 because I was in dire need of replacement laptop for college! The laptop shipped super quickly and arrived yesterday afternoon. I endes up going with the 15 inch 256GB, 16GB RAM with Intel i7!
After I got the laptop fully updated I powered it off and shut the laptop. I noticed that there was a reasonably subtle sort of crackling/crinkling sound from the hinge when ever I shut or open the laptop screen. Is this normal for the computer and is it something I should worry about while my 90 day warranty from microsoft is still in effect? I just need to figure out if this is a normal thing and if I have to worry about the noise causing damage to the hinge over time? I'd totally appreciate any advice or similar experiences from you guys! Thanks for all your content!!
OMG SURFACE BOOK 2 AND GOOGLE PIXEL 2 THOSE ARE LIKE THE BEST THINGS OUT THERE
A very nice video !
Thanks, I subscribed.
💜 from France
I got a Surface Book 2 15" when it was released end of 2017. Since then it was replaced three times. The first one had horrible thermals going up to 100C and then throttling to 400 MHz. Replacement I received was new in the box but after some months had an issue with the hinge where the keyboard, trackpad and NVidia GPU would intermittently disconnect when the screen moved. The third was a refurbished device and had similar thermal issues as the first one. Basically whenever the Intel iGPU was under load like during a Twitch stream or Skype video call the CPU would thermal throttle down to 400-800 MHz. Tomorrow I'll receive the fourth device. I already dread finding out what's going to be wrong with this one. That said, when it works it's one hell of a device. Really good performance, although I never use it as anything other than a laptop. However my next device won't be a Surface Book again. On the plus side, hardware replacement is always really easy and takes four days from the day I print the UPS label and hand in the broken device to the day I receive the replacement.
im at my 3rd device too. The display of my first device got yellow on the sides after running for a few minutes, the second one looked like a construction worker used it plus had bright spots on every side of the display when everythng is dark (for example when turning it on). The 3rd device has exactly the same problem with the bright spots, a row of pixels on the top randomly start to flicker and i cant detach the tablet by pressing the keyboard detachement button (the light stays red for multiple minutes). The thing is i dont even know if its worth it to send it in because the next one will probably have problems as well, which is pretty sad considering the price of the device...
I dont know how its in the States with proper Microsoft stores but here in Germany its a total disaster
My 4th device has the same thermal issues with the iGPU. I now found a pretty reliable way of checking for it, even without external tools. I set the device to best performance, with power attached. I start Chrome and open a Twitch stream (twitch for some reason is more taxing than UA-cam, maybe because of the Chat). I then open the Camera application and let it run in parallel. In Task Manager you can monitor the CPU and GPU load. Usually once GPU load approaches 90-100% the CPU will clock down to 400 MHz and depending on the situation stay there for a while, even if the CPU has load on it and would need to go higher. On my 4th device what I found now is that if I use Intel's XTU to undervoltage the CPU/Cache by -90mV and the GPU by -50mV the lowest the CPU will clock to is 1.2GHz even under 100% GPU load. It's just sad that I have to do that in the first place.
It's like ~$300 for 2 yrs max on accidental damage protection through Microsoft Complete. Really wish could extend it to 3 or 4 since it has 0 repairability.
Flufflebut Agree, 2 years on device like this is too little.
i love everything about the surface book
I wish that the sad card slot was in the screen , because it’s unusable when you remove the screen and for an artist that’s a killer.
Ashley Such a great idea, wish you work for Microsoft!!!
Also having a kickstand on the surfacebook would be nice.
About the support from Apple. Have you ever seen an Louis Rossmann video? They do a good job in showing how bad the customer service for apple devices actually is. For example Not supplying replacement parts, the extreme exclusion of 3rd Party repair shops and how little they care about the data. (Got no idea how it looks on Microsofts side tho)
learned a lot here in may 2019 thanks still
Would you still recommend it now? Like, j don't know if the surface book 3 is coming in the next time...
I think wen it comes to the hinge I personally think that your looking for flaws in the design because I had my surface book in my back pack with multiple heavy items in my back and the hinge is really strong however wen it comes to the jack lead placement I think your a 100% correct it should be on the bottom corner of the screen
I have the 13" model and its great
This is like the Perfect laptop (and overpowered for me) but the price is pretty stiff
The main problem with the surface book is that it is near unrepairable. That would be okay if it was not prone to such a high failure rate, get a dell xps 13 2 in 1 or hp spectre instead
It isn´t prone to high failure rate.
Pranav Bhusari you can call microsoft to get replacement and paid just few hundred dollars. unlike apple that refuse user damage and told you to get a new one
For the first 2 years the product its perf3ctly guarded by MS warranty. Theyll replaece acessossories and the laptop itself it somewhat damaged
Editing is beautiful! :D
Seestern what does he use
Support is great. The Microsoft store just replaced my surfacebook with no issues
They have Microsoft stores and no questions asked warranties without a deductible. Wish it was a simple $100 per year so you're covered for longer than just the 2 years they offer
2:15 that's a nice animation
The size of the trackpad is lowkey a dealbreaker for me. When my MBP dies I'll likely get the Razer Blade 15 since I'm a gamer. I did want to try the SB2 for Lightroom tho... I also don't know if I'd really need the portability that this beauty offers.
I'm not quite sure what you mean by not getting fan noise on the Surface Book 2. Mine doesn't really make noise if you are just browsing the web or using office but as soon as you start taxing the machine the fans spin up really loud. If I play Minecraft for about 30 seconds the fans spin up and are pretty loud. Great machine but when you are taxing it it is not quiet by any means.
Thanks for using a black pen now I know how it will look with my black surface mouse and SB2..... didn't get a pen with the laptop, waited for my next pay day haha.
5:06 you make a good point though there is a Microsoft store in all most every major city apple has 2-4 in the same city and 1 in all cities in the west
Background displayer is nice!!!
At 1:50 you had editing software open on your computer...what’s the name of the software you use for pictures and video? I like how your footage looks a little cinematic and very smooth
Couldn't make it through the first part of this video where Jack said there are a lot of small little things to do on an iPad before you can get "that seamless integration" and I can't agree with him since there is nothing more than logging into your iCloud and restoring or downloading apps just like on any other tablet. This is a minimum requirement. Also this is a 2 in 1 where iPad is a tablet, not a fully fledged OS. Maybe Apple will reconsider and make the iPad pro an OSX machine which would be awesome but until then, iPad and Surface are not in the same ballpark.
I have the Surface Book first gen. Only problem I've ever had with it is an expanding battery, with no way to replace it; I had to replace the whole laptop.
hello, Is this problem on the surface book 2 as well or is it just on the first one?
@@megagaming7290 I have seen online that the Surface Book 2 batteries can bulge too, but Microsoft has made it easier to fix/replace. The first gen is nearly impossible to fix, and is a pain to replace through Microsoft.
+Reed Markowitz Ah ok, thanks for me letting me know, I'll have to think more about getting this one.
@@megagaming7290 Don't get me wrong, I would still recommend this device (SB2). I use the SB1 for everything from gaming to editing to drawing, it's an all-around great PC. I would just recommend taking better care of the battery. I usually left mine plugged in and running for days at a time (basically using it as a dektop) which is terrible for a laptop.
It's over one year old, and I'm not sure if I want to get the surface book 2, because they might be making a surface book 3 soon, so I might get the surface pro 6 instead, since that just came out.
Would you recommend 13.5 inch or 15 inch?
I just bought the 13.5” book 2 for $350. Lol
Worst feature: Planned obsolescence when the battery gets weak. And a cirquitry that basically bricks it, should you let the batteries go flat just once.
Jack, can you answer this question for me? Nobody seems to be able to answer this (what should be fairly simple...) question:
If I remove the top screen, can I plug-in/connect the keyboard base to a separate TV or computer monitor? Basically using the base as a super portable PC. Thanks man!
James Hope no. The base is not an independent computer.
You can buy the Surface Dock and hook up dual monitors keyboard and mouse ethernet and sound and still have a few open USB ports. Then the magnetic connection on the side turns it into a desktop.
Should I get this or the surface pro 6?
Have you had issues with the screen cracking like all those negative reviews?
Niiiice b-roll footage, Jack!
I liked the review, but that background music and strange noises kind of kills the focus of watching it.
I've had my 2015 surface book for four years and the hinge never was weak or easily damaged and I've treated it like crap the last 2 years. It's been thrown around into drawers and everything.
Can I use a USB C monitor (for example LG 34UC99) with this machine? Is the Surface Book 2 charging while it is connected to the monitor?
If it had a LTE sim slot, I'd buy it.
I wish one of the best features was an actual magnetized tablet cover so I could use it as advertised.
Can this tablet edit 4K video relatively smoothly? Color graded?
If you get a chance, could you also review the Surface Laptop i7 8gb RAM Graphite Gold please?
David C he’s not made of money
how is it apple approach? and why would they copy Apple? does any Microsoft product resembles any apple product?
not about how it looks, but how they present their premium products.
@@aliburney4072 are they doing it from the beginning or from a specific product?
Isn't the battery life really bad when you disconnect the tablet portion?
Ethan Hardy yes because there are two batteries, one in the key board and one in the actual tablet
have you noticed a very high pitch noise coming from this laptop when it is plugged in? Im having this issue and it often annoys me when im trying to sleep as its on my desk. I cant find anything online about it.
What Apple Watch strap are you wearing?
Can you please tell me how many ventilation fans does the 15 inch model has?
Considering Apple's history of ripping off their own consumers, I'd say whatever support they are providing is merely a marketing gimmick and you'd do better finding a local technician you trust.
The jack could be in the bottom side.
And how is the writing with it?
What's the price for the 15 in with graphics card?
can you dual boot(Linux and windows ) with surface book2?
Can you place your palm as you write on the laptop? I would use it for writing notes for school.
Yes you can but it depends on the program you are using. Onenote has this feature.
Does it have SIM tray?
I wonder all this time later if you regret what you said about the hinge in your comparison with Apple since nobody seems to have a problem with it and it never proved to be something that breaks down at all. It ended up being something that was well made.
i decided to buy surface pro 7 or book 2
Hey, what’s the track in the background?
Bro when u buy a 3000 bucks laptop u don't buy a wired earphone. U buy a wireless earphone
Can anyone help me with my SB2,
It slipped off my desk at school and then i discovered a dent in my laptop, y’all think it could get fixed or anything ?
Woow looking beautiful