Unless Apple re add the soul of the mid 2014 macbook to the current gen, this will be my next laptop purchase , if I have 2k + to spare and in need of a notebook replacement.
No freaking way!! I waited for your Surface Book 2 review forever!!! I watched your hands on like 8 million times!!! You actually made a review!!! Nice!! You had the best hands on!!!
I'm kind of sick of the argument that the Surface Book 2 is overpriced. MacBook Pros are similarly expensive, and don't really match the engineering and features the SB2 has. I've owned a MBP 2017, which was a great machine, but it had an inferior keyboard, no touch screen, no SD card reader, no Xbox wireless support (minor but still!), no tablet mode, inferior GPU, no USB A ports, less battery, and in my opinion, a very nice yet boring design. In favour of the Mac, it does have full thunderbolt 3 support - which for me is the only thing I'm disappointed with in the SB2. I think the touch bar was fun for a few days, but then it started to seem stupid to me... I'd rather real function keys and a touchable display, Apple. Honestly, the Surface Book 2 is very nearly the perfect laptop. I've also had a Dell XPS 15 briefly, which is exceptional value for money, but honestly put the XPS beside a SB2, or a MBP, and it will take 1 second to spot the cheaper machine (but its still awesome, don't hate on me, I still think the XPS is unbeatable value!) Premium quality comes at a premium price. Hyundai have some nice affordable cars, but hell if I can afford a Tesla, then I'll buy the Tesla.. f*ck the Hyundai! If MBPs and SB2s were the same price as Dell and Lenovo laptops, then nobody would buy a Dell or Lenovo. Well, maybe Dell and Lenovo employees... But you get the point :-) So I'll say it again - premium quality comes at a premium price. The SB2 cost me a lot of money, but it's the machine I stuck with, after trialing a few. It's the best computer I've ever owned. No regrets so far! (Obviously we can't give the same praise to the SB1, which was plagued with issues - the SB2 runs exceptionally well thankfully. Well done Microsoft!)
Yes, except for international market outside U.S. It can 40% higher in price (U.K., Australia, Asia) even with official region sale and there is barely even support for replacing/warranty, at least not as good as the widely supported MacBooks. The fact that battery replacement is not even possible makes it a onetime investment for many (SP3, Surface Laptop).
René Kulik How?? The keyboard and inferior design, yes. But everything else - touchscreen, tablet mode, better GPU, better battery, USB A etc etc aren't subjective unless you're someone who likes a short battery life and lack of features.
Charlie Kilby-Pollard I would not want a touchscreen on my laptop, as the screen would get dirty very quickly, I don't care about a tablet mode, the battery is not really better, and 4 thunderbolt 3 ports are light years better than the IO on this. I own the MCPro 2017 and love USB-C, because it is much more convenient than the IO on my old computer (2009 MCPro). The GPU is better on the Surface, but the processor is less powerful and it doesn't support an external one. In five years, I will still be able to have a top-of-the-line GPU with an external enclosure, but surface owners will be stuck with a GTX 1060 with no way to upgrade it. Also, the MacBook pro is thinner, more elegant, more refined and overall much nicer. The Surface book looks cheap, while the MacBook looks streamlined and modern.
Haven't started the video yet, but I gotta say I love how laptops like the Surface book, the HP Spectre, Google Pixelbook, etc all have a nice clean look to them. I wish gaming laptops looked more like those laptops instead of being clad with red accents and over-the-top decorations ^^ Anyways, on to the video! ^_^
TechPassion I would love a gaming laptop that looked like my XPS13, since the looks are what sold me on this beast, but the lack of a good GPU does hurt sometimes (I can still play my favorite games without a problem!)
Robin Rai yeah its quite the beast, but ya just gotta hunt for a sale or a refurbished model cuz these things are damn pricey, price makes total sense, this is like a full powered workstation that can fit in your goddamn backpack, but still, pricey
That is something as important as how large are the bezels of a Laptop.. useless marketing. Unless you have only one hand you won't notice the difference.
One thing about Microsoft that absolutely destroys a ll laptop makers out there is the company's standard of webcam quality and microphone quality. No laptops out there do it better than Surface.
I had said this before and will say it again.. In a world where phones cost $1000, this does not feel as bad (pricing wise).. Especially when you remember that this will easily last you a few years.. Whereas you will most likely change your phone in an year or two..
Wow that must be the best built in webcam I've ever seen. It seems like FBI is becoming more demanding. Next we'll have tri-camera laptops, with telephoto and wide angle lenses so that no details escape those who are wathcing. On a serious note, having "portrait mode video" on laptop webcams would be cool, specially if you need to make a skype videocall but your room is all messy
Just put a piece of tape over it but Im sure there are Satellites and military drones that can see inside people's houses. So it really doesn't matter. You might as well buy a surface book or buy what you want and enjoy it dude. As long as you have a really good VPN to make it harder to find your machine you should be fine.
+Mx Jonson It has a superb webcam because it has a lot more space than the typical laptop thus space for a bigger thicker sensor. Most laptops have very thin lids since most of the components are at the bottom, so very little/thin space for a webcam thus shitty webcams. The surface book top tablet is as thick as most flagship smartphones so it's no surprise it can fit a good sensor.
I considered the SB2 before landing on the HP Spectre 13t. Here is the thing though. I don't begrudge those buying (and spending) to get the best. Whether is it is the SB2, the MBP, or the Pixelbook, if you want the ultimate experience on your platform, go for it. But if you don't game, process video, or rarely use anything other than laptop mode, I might try and talk you out of it just to save you some cash.
Great video. I had the Gen 1 Surface Book and, being an early adopter, had to endure the initial bugginess and growing pains. Through the almost 2 years of ownership, I've discovered that I rarely needed to separate the screen and finding apps that allow for the use of the pen was more problematic than just pulling out a piece of paper and writing. The thing with MS is that they promise the world and only half of it works. I've found that with Windows, the Band (discontinued), the Invoke (which is extremely limited in what it can do), and their now discontinued Windows Phone platform. All of which I've had and had to abandon. So when the Surface Book 2 came out, I went to the MS Store and wasn't "wowed". The siren call of Apple called me over and while they don't promise the world, they deliver on what they do promise and now my tablet talks to my phone that talks to my watch and all talk to my laptop. Life is good again.
Great video Michael! Just one thing... It would have been useful if you reviewers had pointed out that Microsoft didn't included TB3 for a specific reason. If you want a U-series Intel cpu with a GTX 1060 and an NVME drive, there are no pci express lanes left for Thunderbolt. Too geeky maybe to include in the video, but it always looks like Microsoft designers are forgetting to include something just because they can't be bothered to create the "perfect" machine. Are you planning to keep the SB2?
I own the first surface book bought it over a year ago... I still live off of it for school and work. No buyers remorse there. I love it but yeah it cost more than my gaming desktop I built. It was a good buy for me but maybe not for everyone. (Ps I was in school for animation) I animated on the surface out of class on Adobe animate, ran it very well.
Aadin Heals same. I'm a computer science student. Cost an arm and leg but a great investment for a device that can do a lot. Decent GPU for AI development and gaming. The ability to make notes or doodle is also great. Lastly, I feel like the windows 10 updates over the past year have vastly improved the product too.
I love the SB2. I bought the same model your reviewing and I LOVE it. I also bought the high end Surface Pro 2017 which is also a great machine. Kills my wallet but love both machines. Love your videos Michael. You have the best review videos on TH-cam period. On a side note, I am a portable battery geek and I gotta tell you I just picked up Batpowers 40k portable battery and it does a killer job charging my surface products. Also have the omnicharge 20 battery which is the most flashy and fancy battery out there. Love to see you do reviews on those guys. Keep those videos coming Michael. Thanks for all you do.
Lovely video as usual. To the last question from your video, I'm sticking to my Lenovo laptop with HD touchscreen, 16gb ram and 256GB SSD which cost me just $750 5 months back. Thanks Microsoft for allowing all companies to build laptops on Windows platform. Gives us so much choice including your own laptops.
Love the review! You are one of the best reviewers on youtube that is honest and not downplay things that should get way more credit than what it does.
Great review! It was concise and informative. I bought my surface book 2 back in December last year. I got top specs with the 15” model, but I had to get the 500gb storage because the price was already so high. With warranty and student discount it came to $3,000 total, however as an architecture student who is rendering 3D models and multitasking, the professional design and specs in this device make it worth the buy for me. Switching from Mac has not been easy, but having a magnetic charger and no dongles makes the switch worth it to me.
I bought the base 15" model of the Surface Book 2 and I have never looked back. It's the first laptop i've bought that I plan on keeping for more than 4 years, because of how amazing the hardware is
I’ve been waiting for this video - although I am only 1 minute in, the quality is excellent. Also, could we see a collab between you and snazzy labs? You know you’re insane when you like the video before watching it.
Hats off to Ur Creative Presentation and d Tech Details ofcourse..!! Big fan from India.. I juss wonder why u hvnt got a million subscribers yet coz ur quality work deserves a lot more than that..!!
I have the origial SB. I tend to use mine in front of my dual monitors flipped over and lowered all the way, the angle makes it really nice for 'drawing' i mark up drawing in the pdf editor and use CAD on the monitors above for my own drawings. The size isn't awkward for me as I never try to use it fully as a 'tablet' more as a drawing pad and therefore would love the 15" size.
I think when i upgrade in a year or so this will be my upgrade. perfect ports, amazing battery, amazing screen, amazing build, unique looks, awesome specs, and i can use the detachable screen for presentations or mobile media consumption or drawing graphs/pyramids etc instead of whiteboards. I have an XPS 15 now, which i do love but this seems like the logical next step up. I would be with a 13 inch macbook right now if Apple hadnt fucked up the newest one in 2016. I bought my XPS 15 right after i watched the keynote, because i originally had been waiting two years for the updated macbook and was extremely disappointed.
Come now, no mention of the chronic disconnection issues due to the flimsy hinge port? I ditched the SB1 13" for a SB2 hoping the hinge redesign might have resolved that, but no. Mere wobble of the hinge will sever the base from the clipboard momentarily. Any software requiring the GPU is subject to crash. Hope you don't need to change the volume or bump the table. This, even after feverishly cleaning the contacts. Great a machine as it is, this is a maddeningly obvious design flaw.
Thanks for the review. I got the Dell XPS15 after my faithful Microsoft Surface Pro 3 died and I didn't see the repair as worth the price. Pretty happy with it.
I wanted the SB but it took forever for it to come to Sweden, so I waited and hoped for SB2. And I got the 13 inch about a month ago - and I love it. For me it is the perfect machine, its silent as a ninja, versitile, powerful and beauiful to look at.
I have the Surface Book 2 13" mainly because I couldn't wait until the 15" version gets released in germany but also I read that even the original charger can't charge the 15" version indefinitely with heavy usage. Did you experience something like that? Also, very nice video!
Hey how did you get that joystick to work? I think I have the same one, but I can't get it to work with minecraft, and that's the only pc-game I play. Kind of a pity.
Great review bro. Im still not use to Microsoft and their own laptops. lol Im still using my HP Envy 360 from 2014. It still gets the work done for me. Still you always drop good videos. Great work Mr Mobile. Please stay mobile for us.
Well done Mr Mobile. Still rocking a rMBP from 2015 but it's got the ports I need and the new MBPs just aren't for me. Might take a hard look at whatever they have next, but the Surface line is legit.
Please Advice Can we or Should we keep our Laptops plugged in ? or drain its battery to 0% & then charge it i have regular use not much gaming I have Microsoft Surface Book 2
I really love your reviews and the great work you do here awesome stuff. And for someone that was really thinking about buying a 2017 Macbook Pro (that's me), I started to reconsider. Also, great to see a product I use (NordVPN) sponsoring your videos, makes me feel really good and safe about my decision :)
I just wish people would do reviews months after buying the machine. I really want to know if the surface book 2 is reliable and will likely last me more than a couple of years. How much it will be to repair the battery when it dies, ect... I know it only came out less than 6 months ago but it's something I worry about because I LOVE the look of this laptop. I know that other peoples worries have been about the coil wire sound and the insides of the machine getting a 1/10 for repairability. (both of which are also mine)
Depends what you're looking for. For me this is perfect. I do a lot of scientific computing in Matlab and Mathematica which not only makes use of the 8 threads but also the CUDA cores. I do a lot of 3D rendering using Redshift which is a GPU renderer which uses.. again CUDA cores. And I'm also an experimental physicist so it's helpful to be able to take the tablet portion into a dark lab and makes notes. Perfect for my use case!
Didn't get one in for review, but it's 70Wh for the smaller one. Windows Central has the review of the 13" here: www.windowscentral.com/surface-book-2-13-review
Oh okay. Thanks for the link (I forgot that I even read that article, it was so long ago). Well, 70Wh is impressive. By the way, this was a nice and comprehensive review of the SB2. Keep it going!
Cool John Tzountzouris. I have old Surface Pro 3. Son of a gun gets noisy at times but I like the device. It's pretty strong; I dropped it once from a few meters but it still works well.
I agree - the 3:2 aspect ratio is growing on me. I just wish they made a regular laptop version of it. I personally have no need for a removable screen.
Wish the screen had a hinge like the pros so when u use it as a tablet u can have it stand up. Otherwise the usability of the tablet mode is less useful
well, I just recently bought my macbook pro 15" so I will be sticking with it a little longer I hope. I miss my surface, though. I really do. But the processor was just too weak and it does not run sketch, sadly
Good review. However what you don't point out is that the Microsoft surface series have had major reliability issues. Several friends and colleagues of mine have had surface books ... And encountered all sorts of hardware problems.
The first generation was indeed pretty rough at release, but it's my understanding that they were largely fixed by the time the Performance Base came out last year. Is that incorrect?
I love the Surface line - I've owned the Surface 3 and I currently own and use as my one-and-only laptop a Surface Pro (2017). They're both great devices, but I'm not going to lie, the screens on both had quality control issues. The Surface 3 had yellowing and severe backlight bleed. The Surface Pro has a brilliant screen but it has an annoying band of backlight bleed across the bottom of the screen. The quality issues are real.
Sometimes I can't see how MrMobile can give such good quality without monetizing all his videos; I get that Sponsors are a big help, But Michael; I'm pretty sure we'd all be damn happy to sit through an ad if we knew that it helped you out 💀💯
Hey Michael, thank you for this great review, it helped me a lot during my decision process! :) May I ask, do you think the SB2 can handle Cubase? I want to compose orchestral film music and I've heard, at least 32 GB RAM are recommended. However, the SB2 "only" has 16 GB. Do you think it will be a problem? Should I wait until the SB3 will be released (whenever this will be)?
Can someone help me in here ...I got a week to decide.. I am going fr surface book 2 , but with lowest specs fr 1000k ... is it worth it ?? Or should I go for some other laptop , its fr laptop use , reading books and stuff + a little bit of gaming in free time + taking notes on laptop .. is it worth it ??
It’s good for stream gaming, podcast, and graphic design? I’m just very picky when dropping 1000 bucks lol. And I feel like every time I buy something, the next newer better version comes out a week later
I was blown away by the front facing camera the quality is pretty good, i could safely say that it is the best camera I've ever seen on a laptop, I still don't understand why expensive laptops have mediocre cameras when phones these days look almost as good as a DSLR.
If microsoft can make the SB3 with just a sliiightly larger touchpad, two usb-A’s and two USB-C’s, I don’t see anything remotely close that could touch that laptop. Bonus points if they make it matte black like the pro and laptop.
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Unless Apple re add the soul of the mid 2014 macbook to the current gen, this will be my next laptop purchase , if I have 2k + to spare and in need of a notebook replacement.
ohk
What was the USB A to C cable you used? :)
can I charge the surface book with a Anker PowerCore Speed 20000?
That cable came with the FrontRow Camera I reviewed a while back. Haven't been able to find a standalone version!
"You know, PRO things"
SAVAGE
WisMicYal11 speeders lol
WisMicYal11 that was perfect
No freaking way!! I waited for your Surface Book 2 review forever!!! I watched your hands on like 8 million times!!! You actually made a review!!! Nice!! You had the best hands on!!!
Saad Kidwai same here;")
I'm kind of sick of the argument that the Surface Book 2 is overpriced. MacBook Pros are similarly expensive, and don't really match the engineering and features the SB2 has.
I've owned a MBP 2017, which was a great machine, but it had an inferior keyboard, no touch screen, no SD card reader, no Xbox wireless support (minor but still!), no tablet mode, inferior GPU, no USB A ports, less battery, and in my opinion, a very nice yet boring design.
In favour of the Mac, it does have full thunderbolt 3 support - which for me is the only thing I'm disappointed with in the SB2. I think the touch bar was fun for a few days, but then it started to seem stupid to me... I'd rather real function keys and a touchable display, Apple. Honestly, the Surface Book 2 is very nearly the perfect laptop.
I've also had a Dell XPS 15 briefly, which is exceptional value for money, but honestly put the XPS beside a SB2, or a MBP, and it will take 1 second to spot the cheaper machine (but its still awesome, don't hate on me, I still think the XPS is unbeatable value!)
Premium quality comes at a premium price. Hyundai have some nice affordable cars, but hell if I can afford a Tesla, then I'll buy the Tesla.. f*ck the Hyundai!
If MBPs and SB2s were the same price as Dell and Lenovo laptops, then nobody would buy a Dell or Lenovo. Well, maybe Dell and Lenovo employees... But you get the point :-)
So I'll say it again - premium quality comes at a premium price. The SB2 cost me a lot of money, but it's the machine I stuck with, after trialing a few. It's the best computer I've ever owned. No regrets so far! (Obviously we can't give the same praise to the SB1, which was plagued with issues - the SB2 runs exceptionally well thankfully. Well done Microsoft!)
You're absolutely right buddy
Yes, except for international market outside U.S. It can 40% higher in price (U.K., Australia, Asia) even with official region sale and there is barely even support for replacing/warranty, at least not as good as the widely supported MacBooks. The fact that battery replacement is not even possible makes it a onetime investment for many (SP3, Surface Laptop).
Nearly every argument you told why the surface 2 is better than the MacBook Pro is subjective.
René Kulik How?? The keyboard and inferior design, yes. But everything else - touchscreen, tablet mode, better GPU, better battery, USB A etc etc aren't subjective unless you're someone who likes a short battery life and lack of features.
Charlie Kilby-Pollard I would not want a touchscreen on my laptop, as the screen would get dirty very quickly, I don't care about a tablet mode, the battery is not really better, and 4 thunderbolt 3 ports are light years better than the IO on this. I own the MCPro 2017 and love USB-C, because it is much more convenient than the IO on my old computer (2009 MCPro). The GPU is better on the Surface, but the processor is less powerful and it doesn't support an external one. In five years, I will still be able to have a top-of-the-line GPU with an external enclosure, but surface owners will be stuck with a GTX 1060 with no way to upgrade it. Also, the MacBook pro is thinner, more elegant, more refined and overall much nicer. The Surface book looks cheap, while the MacBook looks streamlined and modern.
Haven't started the video yet, but I gotta say I love how laptops like the Surface book, the HP Spectre, Google Pixelbook, etc all have a nice clean look to them. I wish gaming laptops looked more like those laptops instead of being clad with red accents and over-the-top decorations ^^
Anyways, on to the video! ^_^
TechPassion I would love a gaming laptop that looked like my XPS13, since the looks are what sold me on this beast, but the lack of a good GPU does hurt sometimes (I can still play my favorite games without a problem!)
yeah, aero 15x is perfect for gaming and productivity... and it's cheaper (and more powerful) than the SB2 if you don't need a convertibile
TechPassion this windows laptop is in all technicality a gaming laptop
I definitely agree only the specs would make a gaming laptop and not the looks.
There's a few with this clean look but insanely expensive
I think you should put a but more emphasis that this tiny thing has a blooming 1060 in it which is insane
Robin Rai yeah its quite the beast, but ya just gotta hunt for a sale or a refurbished model cuz these things are damn pricey, price makes total sense, this is like a full powered workstation that can fit in your goddamn backpack, but still, pricey
Not for that price.
Well, I mean, its prices match up with the MacBook Pro?
Minh Nguyen Yeah but that's not a good thing.
yeah the neext xps15 will be as powerful half price.... and 32gb ram 2tb ssd upgradable
Something I won't understand ever is why opening a laptop one handed is so important...?
oh it is! If you've used previous laptops that require two hands to be opened it is just so pleasing to open a laptop with just one hand :D
Being able to open it with one hand is probably the reason why it's wobbly.. but don't tell them that cause it's SO important;p
That is something as important as how large are the bezels of a Laptop.. useless marketing. Unless you have only one hand you won't notice the difference.
Agreed, for me it's not at all. Apple did a good job of brainwashing people to think that it is
Kent Purdy how is that related...
One thing about Microsoft that absolutely destroys a ll laptop makers out there is the company's standard of webcam quality and microphone quality. No laptops out there do it better than Surface.
They are pretty good. The microphone array is also very good on my Surface Pro (2017). Maybe something to do with Skype certification?
Yes, almost all USB webcams are Skype certified, but the Thinkpad T410 is the only one I've ever seen advertised in a laptop outside the Surface line.
That Apple roast was subliminal but savage as the same time, brilliant.
Surface Book 2= surface pro+surface laptop+ xboxonex+ battery pack= beast;")
I had said this before and will say it again.. In a world where phones cost $1000, this does not feel as bad (pricing wise).. Especially when you remember that this will easily last you a few years.. Whereas you will most likely change your phone in an year or two..
Wow that must be the best built in webcam I've ever seen.
It seems like FBI is becoming more demanding. Next we'll have tri-camera laptops, with telephoto and wide angle lenses so that no details escape those who are wathcing.
On a serious note, having "portrait mode video" on laptop webcams would be cool, specially if you need to make a skype videocall but your room is all messy
+1 for Portrait Mode Video on webcams.
Edge detection with video probably wouldn't be as good, but if it's just for hiding your messy room, it's fine.
Just put a piece of tape over it but Im sure there are Satellites and military drones that can see inside people's houses. So it really doesn't matter. You might as well buy a surface book or buy what you want and enjoy it dude. As long as you have a really good VPN to make it harder to find your machine you should be fine.
+Mx Jonson It has a superb webcam because it has a lot more space than the typical laptop thus space for a bigger thicker sensor. Most laptops have very thin lids since most of the components are at the bottom, so very little/thin space for a webcam thus shitty webcams. The surface book top tablet is as thick as most flagship smartphones so it's no surprise it can fit a good sensor.
Out of all the surface book reviews , this one stands out the most!
The voiceover , filming and the review itself is Everything 👊👌
Michel, you could tell me to die with that voice and I'd unconditionally oblige.
I considered the SB2 before landing on the HP Spectre 13t. Here is the thing though. I don't begrudge those buying (and spending) to get the best. Whether is it is the SB2, the MBP, or the Pixelbook, if you want the ultimate experience on your platform, go for it. But if you don't game, process video, or rarely use anything other than laptop mode, I might try and talk you out of it just to save you some cash.
Voice and script 🔥
Sanam Madhikarmi yeah! 😍😍😍😍😉
Amazing editing as always 👏
You deserve more subs my friend
How this channel doesn’t have at least a million subs is beyond me. Michael you’re excellent, I follow you for years mate 👍🏻
Great video. I had the Gen 1 Surface Book and, being an early adopter, had to endure the initial bugginess and growing pains. Through the almost 2 years of ownership, I've discovered that I rarely needed to separate the screen and finding apps that allow for the use of the pen was more problematic than just pulling out a piece of paper and writing. The thing with MS is that they promise the world and only half of it works. I've found that with Windows, the Band (discontinued), the Invoke (which is extremely limited in what it can do), and their now discontinued Windows Phone platform. All of which I've had and had to abandon. So when the Surface Book 2 came out, I went to the MS Store and wasn't "wowed". The siren call of Apple called me over and while they don't promise the world, they deliver on what they do promise and now my tablet talks to my phone that talks to my watch and all talk to my laptop. Life is good again.
Nice experience from the other side! Thanks for sharing. (And I've heard those horror stories about the early days of SB1. I don't envy you that.)
You're the only youtuber whose video's i love to watch over and over again... Thanks for these..
Great video Michael! Just one thing... It would have been useful if you reviewers had pointed out that Microsoft didn't included TB3 for a specific reason. If you want a U-series Intel cpu with a GTX 1060 and an NVME drive, there are no pci express lanes left for Thunderbolt. Too geeky maybe to include in the video, but it always looks like Microsoft designers are forgetting to include something just because they can't be bothered to create the "perfect" machine. Are you planning to keep the SB2?
Man, your video’s are already my favourite for years now. I really like the way you give us information. Keep on going :)
I own the first surface book bought it over a year ago... I still live off of it for school and work. No buyers remorse there. I love it but yeah it cost more than my gaming desktop I built. It was a good buy for me but maybe not for everyone. (Ps I was in school for animation) I animated on the surface out of class on Adobe animate, ran it very well.
Aadin Heals same. I'm a computer science student. Cost an arm and leg but a great investment for a device that can do a lot. Decent GPU for AI development and gaming. The ability to make notes or doodle is also great. Lastly, I feel like the windows 10 updates over the past year have vastly improved the product too.
How good is the drawing experience
Pikslzplit The not so retro fagita yah he is not the most helpful for this....watch mobile tech review
Would you recommend the first surface book for students taking notes?
Great machine with little flaws. Amazing work, MS. And amazing video as usual, Mr. Fisher.
Quality in Mr. Mobile's videos never cease to amaze me, even after so many years. Thank you!
I love how Honest Mr Mobile is
It's a MrMobile Video. No matter what is being reviewed.. I'm always gonna watch it. The best reviewer on TH-cam. Period..
I love the SB2. I bought the same model your reviewing and I LOVE it. I also bought the high end Surface Pro 2017 which is also a great machine. Kills my wallet but love both machines.
Love your videos Michael. You have the best review videos on TH-cam period.
On a side note, I am a portable battery geek and I gotta tell you I just picked up Batpowers 40k portable battery and it does a killer job charging my surface products. Also have the omnicharge 20 battery which is the most flashy and fancy battery out there. Love to see you do reviews on those guys.
Keep those videos coming Michael. Thanks for all you do.
Thanks for the support (and the tip)!
Lovely video as usual. To the last question from your video, I'm sticking to my Lenovo laptop with HD touchscreen, 16gb ram and 256GB SSD which cost me just $750 5 months back.
Thanks Microsoft for allowing all companies to build laptops on Windows platform. Gives us so much choice including your own laptops.
This thing doesn't just have any graphics card, it has a Nvidia GTX 1060 which is insane that's desktop level graphics.
Mrmobile should seriously have like at LEAST 1.5 million subs like what the hell he is such a good TH-camr
Love the review! You are one of the best reviewers on youtube that is honest and not downplay things that should get way more credit than what it does.
Awesome video, awesome music, awesome editing. As always. I never miss one of your videos
Hey Michael! Curious to ask and know, against the Dell XPS 13, what Surface product would be the most equivalent to it?
"You know, PRO things!"
THE SHADE OF IT ALL! LOVE IT LOL
The quality of your videos and style of delivery are 2nd to none. Well done sir.
Great review! It was concise and informative.
I bought my surface book 2 back in December last year. I got top specs with the 15” model, but I had to get the 500gb storage because the price was already so high. With warranty and student discount it came to $3,000 total, however as an architecture student who is rendering 3D models and multitasking, the professional design and specs in this device make it worth the buy for me. Switching from Mac has not been easy, but having a magnetic charger and no dongles makes the switch worth it to me.
Ha, just yesterday I was looking around for your full review and couldn't find it anywhere. Great video, perfect timing!
Crisp and Fun .My go to feel good tech reviewer since 2013.Keep up these fun reviews.Fingers crossed for 1mill 2019!
I bought the base 15" model of the Surface Book 2 and I have never looked back. It's the first laptop i've bought that I plan on keeping for more than 4 years, because of how amazing the hardware is
I’ve been waiting for this video - although I am only 1 minute in, the quality is excellent. Also, could we see a collab between you and snazzy labs? You know you’re insane when you like the video before watching it.
Micheal giving out content like Unbox Therapy gives out smartphones. Oh wait.
Oh yeah that iphone "giveway"
Just got mine. 15” 1TB and I absolutely love it.
im going to get one in about 2- 3 years when the price gets down a bit to my price range. My current laptop is the Surface Pro 4 and its pretty good!
Have you had any problems with it???
Hats off to Ur Creative Presentation and d Tech Details ofcourse..!!
Big fan from India..
I juss wonder why u hvnt got a million subscribers yet coz ur quality work deserves a lot more than that..!!
On the March to 1 million subs. Keep it up man
I have the origial SB. I tend to use mine in front of my dual monitors flipped over and lowered all the way, the angle makes it really nice for 'drawing' i mark up drawing in the pdf editor and use CAD on the monitors above for my own drawings. The size isn't awkward for me as I never try to use it fully as a 'tablet' more as a drawing pad and therefore would love the 15" size.
INSTANT LIKE for Tie Fighter and Joystick - now . To continue watching the rest of the review :-)
This is the kind of contect that I like. Keep it up!🙋🏿
I think when i upgrade in a year or so this will be my upgrade. perfect ports, amazing battery, amazing screen, amazing build, unique looks, awesome specs, and i can use the detachable screen for presentations or mobile media consumption or drawing graphs/pyramids etc instead of whiteboards.
I have an XPS 15 now, which i do love but this seems like the logical next step up. I would be with a 13 inch macbook right now if Apple hadnt fucked up the newest one in 2016. I bought my XPS 15 right after i watched the keynote, because i originally had been waiting two years for the updated macbook and was extremely disappointed.
Which Surface Dock is compatible with the Surface Book 2? I'm seeing conflicting responses, even from Microsoft. Thanks, Tony.
Come now, no mention of the chronic disconnection issues due to the flimsy hinge port? I ditched the SB1 13" for a SB2 hoping the hinge redesign might have resolved that, but no. Mere wobble of the hinge will sever the base from the clipboard momentarily. Any software requiring the GPU is subject to crash. Hope you don't need to change the volume or bump the table. This, even after feverishly cleaning the contacts. Great a machine as it is, this is a maddeningly obvious design flaw.
Thanks for the review. I got the Dell XPS15 after my faithful Microsoft Surface Pro 3 died and I didn't see the repair as worth the price. Pretty happy with it.
I wanted the SB but it took forever for it to come to Sweden, so I waited and hoped for SB2. And I got the 13 inch about a month ago - and I love it. For me it is the perfect machine, its silent as a ninja, versitile, powerful and beauiful to look at.
Great video. Please do the review of Lenovo yoga 920..@mrmobile
I have the Surface Book 2 13" mainly because I couldn't wait until the 15" version gets released in germany but also I read that even the original charger can't charge the 15" version indefinitely with heavy usage. Did you experience something like that? Also, very nice video!
Buying this in 2020 for 1000 bucks.
Exactly what am looking for but I can't decide on which one. My budget is also 1000 but I don't live in the US 😟☹️
Hey how did you get that joystick to work? I think I have the same one, but I can't get it to work with minecraft, and that's the only pc-game I play. Kind of a pity.
Great review bro. Im still not use to Microsoft and their own laptops. lol Im still using my HP Envy 360 from 2014. It still gets the work done for me. Still you always drop good videos. Great work Mr Mobile. Please stay mobile for us.
Well done Mr Mobile. Still rocking a rMBP from 2015 but it's got the ports I need and the new MBPs just aren't for me. Might take a hard look at whatever they have next, but the Surface line is legit.
Please Advice
Can we or Should we keep our Laptops plugged in ?
or drain its battery to 0% & then charge it
i have regular use not much gaming
I have Microsoft Surface Book 2
15 inch version not available in Europe 😭
What is better for casual useing and collage? this surface or that hp bezelless laptop?
This guys voice fits in so good!!
I really love your reviews and the great work you do here awesome stuff. And for someone that was really thinking about buying a 2017 Macbook Pro (that's me), I started to reconsider. Also, great to see a product I use (NordVPN) sponsoring your videos, makes me feel really good and safe about my decision :)
can I charge the surface book with a Anker PowerCore Speed 20000?
Needs to be USB-PD (Power Delivery) compliant. And I'd go for a bigger pack than 20,000.
Mr mobile, do you use that blue yeti to record or a different microphone? Love your videos. Thank you.
Not sure if I should get the 1TB 13.5“ Version or the 512GB 15“ version...
I don't think you mentioned in the video that the model you were using cost $3,299!!! Amazing kit though.
Ugh true - 3-video weeks make me miss the basics sometimes.
I got 15 inch with 256 ssd for $2200 with a student discount.
I bought the 15" with the 512 ssd for $2899... the ~$400 difference M$ charges just for storage increases is painful.
I just wish people would do reviews months after buying the machine. I really want to know if the surface book 2 is reliable and will likely last me more than a couple of years. How much it will be to repair the battery when it dies, ect... I know it only came out less than 6 months ago but it's something I worry about because I LOVE the look of this laptop. I know that other peoples worries have been about the coil wire sound and the insides of the machine getting a 1/10 for repairability. (both of which are also mine)
Depends what you're looking for. For me this is perfect. I do a lot of scientific computing in Matlab and Mathematica which not only makes use of the 8 threads but also the CUDA cores. I do a lot of 3D rendering using Redshift which is a GPU renderer which uses.. again CUDA cores. And I'm also an experimental physicist so it's helpful to be able to take the tablet portion into a dark lab and makes notes. Perfect for my use case!
Uhmmm..... I am guessing the 80Wh battery is only in the 15-incher? How is the battery life on the 13-inch one?
Didn't get one in for review, but it's 70Wh for the smaller one. Windows Central has the review of the 13" here: www.windowscentral.com/surface-book-2-13-review
Oh okay. Thanks for the link (I forgot that I even read that article, it was so long ago). Well, 70Wh is impressive. By the way, this was a nice and comprehensive review of the SB2. Keep it going!
Thanks!
I have the new fanless i5 Surface Pro with cobalt blue type cover, surface pen and arc mouse and I couldn't be happier!
Cool John Tzountzouris. I have old Surface Pro 3. Son of a gun gets noisy at times but I like the device. It's pretty strong; I dropped it once from a few meters but it still works well.
3:2 screen is really awesome: high enough to work comfortably without frequent vertical scrolling. 16:9 are just too narrow.
I agree - the 3:2 aspect ratio is growing on me. I just wish they made a regular laptop version of it. I personally have no need for a removable screen.
Wish the screen had a hinge like the pros so when u use it as a tablet u can have it stand up.
Otherwise the usability of the tablet mode is less useful
is it worth it over the surface book 1 considering I can get an i7 for like $1500
How do you take this great clips where you write on the keyboard with both hands? Are you holding the camera with your teeth for that? :D
I've been eyeing the Spectre x360 15 inch model. That will probably be my next upgrade. I'm still rocking the 13 inch 2015 edition.
Whats better, a surface book 2 (i5, 8gb ram) or a surface book 1 (i7,16gb)? I'm an animation student :
Yes! I been waiting for this review! Thank you MrMobile!
I'm looking at getting the 15 inch variant in the near future. I have the original SB and that 15 inch screen seems to be the sweet spot for me.
Its Mrmobile addiction again.....
Loved it
well, I just recently bought my macbook pro 15" so I will be sticking with it a little longer I hope. I miss my surface, though. I really do. But the processor was just too weak and it does not run sketch, sadly
Good review. However what you don't point out is that the Microsoft surface series have had major reliability issues. Several friends and colleagues of mine have had surface books ... And encountered all sorts of hardware problems.
The first generation was indeed pretty rough at release, but it's my understanding that they were largely fixed by the time the Performance Base came out last year. Is that incorrect?
MrMobile [Michael Fisher] www.theverge.com/platform/amp/2017/8/14/16142490/microsoft-surface-consumer-reports-memo-return-rates
The flickergate on surface pro 4 is spilling a lot of ink right now.
I love the Surface line - I've owned the Surface 3 and I currently own and use as my one-and-only laptop a Surface Pro (2017). They're both great devices, but I'm not going to lie, the screens on both had quality control issues. The Surface 3 had yellowing and severe backlight bleed. The Surface Pro has a brilliant screen but it has an annoying band of backlight bleed across the bottom of the screen. The quality issues are real.
gyozakeynsianism Hi,Surface 3 or do you mean Surface Pro 3?Because a lot of people refer to the Pro 3 as Surface 3.
Mr mobile thanks so much to send us "Ramadan Kareem". It was so kind from you
Ramadan kareem for you too. Thanks so much
Sometimes I can't see how MrMobile can give such good quality without monetizing all his videos; I get that Sponsors are a big help, But Michael; I'm pretty sure we'd all be damn happy to sit through an ad if we knew that it helped you out 💀💯
This has to be the best review of the Surface book 2 that i've seen so far.
Hey Michael, thank you for this great review, it helped me a lot during my decision process! :) May I ask, do you think the SB2 can handle Cubase? I want to compose orchestral film music and I've heard, at least 32 GB RAM are recommended. However, the SB2 "only" has 16 GB. Do you think it will be a problem? Should I wait until the SB3 will be released (whenever this will be)?
Can someone help me in here ...I got a week to decide.. I am going fr surface book 2 , but with lowest specs fr 1000k ... is it worth it ?? Or should I go for some other laptop , its fr laptop use , reading books and stuff + a little bit of gaming in free time + taking notes on laptop .. is it worth it ??
What did you end up getting?
It’s good for stream gaming, podcast, and graphic design? I’m just very picky when dropping 1000 bucks lol. And I feel like every time I buy something, the next newer better version comes out a week later
I was blown away by the front facing camera the quality is pretty good, i could safely say that it is the best camera I've ever seen on a laptop, I still don't understand why expensive laptops have mediocre cameras when phones these days look almost as good as a DSLR.
Best reviewer out there, keep up the good work man 👌
If microsoft can make the SB3 with just a sliiightly larger touchpad, two usb-A’s and two USB-C’s, I don’t see anything remotely close that could touch that laptop. Bonus points if they make it matte black like the pro and laptop.
I've been waiting for this review. I love your videos!
That owl lock screen 💕☺️
Three MrMobile videos in a week? Best week ever!
-Also because logan paul got blocked by youtube lol-
Mx Jonson dude that's so cool to cross out those words,how u do that ? And yes that jerk is blocked
-to cross words- start and end a sencente with this symbol: -
*to bold text* start and end a sencente with this symbol: *
_to make italic text_ start and end a sencente with this symbol: _
Mx Jonson let me try sir. : - hi how r u sir : -
Mx Jonson :-how r u sir?:-
Mx Jonson - how r u sir -
I love my SB 2. One of my main selling points was the On Screen Dial Support!
Seems like it would take up a lot of screen realestate though.
JayJapanB it really doesn’t.
Only PCs I'd buy at the point are the HP Spectre X360, ThinkPad X1 Carbon, and Surface Book! Great video!
Are you going to review the Fitbit Ionic you're wearing?
hey Michael, will you review the 12 inch MacBook (2017)?
Could you possibly share a link or method to play Tie Fighter? I really miss that game.