The lack of ports almost scared me away but the build quality and internals were enough for me to go with it. It's perfect for productivity work and that's what I need.
@Jin amarasinghe No you can't. It is only a laptop and can't be separated from the keyboard. If you want a tablet look at the android ones or the Surface Pro 6. The Surface Pro 6 is a tablet and can also be a small laptop if you buy the keyboard and a drawing tablet if you buy the pen.
I recently got this for my wife, since I already have a Surface Book (1st gen) and she needed something for work/home. Comparing it to the Surface Book, I would break it like this: - Display: while having a tad less resolution and a tad less brightness (just one brightness step of difference in the windows setting), the display feels just as good as the one on the Surface Book. And for some legacy apps, the resolution might be even better with compatibility for text and button sizes. - Sound: the Book has, IMO, very clear and adequate set of speakers, that allows me to enjoy movies, youtube and music on a room, however, during the day when the noise near my home is annoying, my Surface lives on the 90% audio settings so I can properly hear the content, this is not a major letdown, specially since the little space the speaker have inside the tablet, but something to consider. As for the Surface Laptop 2, the loudness is definitely twice of that of the book, and the bass, as mentioned in this video, is actually present which is surprising for this kind of laptop. I have unscientifically measure the volume of each and they are comparable when the SB is at 80~90% and the SL2 is at around 40%. Now the bass makes it more enjoyable for movies and music, but no so much for youtube videos, commentary and the likes. - Keyboard & Trackpad: I would consider this part to be on equal footing... and it all comes down to your personal feeling towards having metal or fabric as your palm-rests. Both will eventually smudge, my SB already have some marks from dust or tiny dents and the SL2 will probably wear down overtime, just enjoy it during its lifetime and don't worry to much about this. As for the typing and tracking experience is, IMO, the best on Windows. - Battery life: its about on par with each other... my Surface Book has already about 15% of battery capacity degradation, due to a couple of years of constant use, 3D modeling heavy programs that causes heat when rendering, and many cycles... (over 500) However with ~84% of its design capacity, it still lasts me around 7 hours of RUclips, over 10 hours of local video playback. As for the laptop is early to tell, but it seems to last the entire workday of my wife while using it for Office suite apps, PDF, emails and such. - Cameras: is no contest, the SL2 has a good camera when you compare it to the 98% of other windows laptops out there, however the SB and the SP line have better cameras (front and rear) with higher MP count. The rear camera is actually useful for me in lectures and classrooms when taking notes and you want to take a picture of some demonstration or the whiteboard, should have been present on the SL2. I would personally recommend both of those Surface Lines, along with the Pro for anybody looking for a tablet first device, and while they are not perfect, specially with certain quality and design defects, they are a pleasure to use. Also it is great to only have one company to deal with, when you need assistance.
Just ordered one, the 3:2 display and general haptic of the device convinced me. Although the Surface connector is a slick all in one solution the lack of USB-C and MicroSD Card reader is a shame.
I just don't understand how people see u . U are the best reviewer and I can see your passion with what u are doing. Keep it up man. I am your biggest fans
I love my Surface Laptop 2, and not adicted to USB-C as others; but i will miss it once in a while. But Mini Displayport to HDMI/Display adapter and a USB hub is basically all i need. I don't use the card reader.. and with the rest basically being positive, it's an absolutely joy to use for work and chill. I recommend. I got the 512GB/16GB edition, and it's a compact good quality powerhouse!
Other than charging and faster data speeds with ssds, what does usbc give you that display port and usb and surface connect and docks do not? And the magnetic charger is to good charges faster and pops out if tripped over. Microsoft does sale a usbc dongle for $80, not sure what limitations it has? Now if you are talking thunderbolt 3 using the usbc port, than I am with you.
Tigerex966 my gripe is with the Display Port. Keep the regular USB along with the magnetic charging if they wanted to and replace the Display Port with Type C.
lol nobody cares about usbc, because mostly people want to plug a monitor in, and an extremely small fraction of monitors use it but those cost in the thousands sooo
bought base model at $700 i5 128gb SSD 8gb of RAM recently Loved it.... however without Thunderbolt to I can't hook my laptop to an EGPU to do some video editing. Not having that feature turns this to a toy for me..... Love it, especially at $700 price, but it killed it for me. my iPad pro can even video edit... It can edit video fast as well with Lightroom.
Great review! I'm considering this laptop but there's the hp spectre x360 13 2018 that's about to be released this month. Please review that laptop! It has some design choices that sets it apart from the usual ultrabooks.
Thank you, you are one of the best reviewer on RUclips after seeing this. You don't try to down play the Surface like other youtubers. This is an amazing device, Microsoft is winning.
Would this be a better laptop than the Dell XPS 13 for school? I'm a computer science major so I'll be doing coding.. It's either between The Microsoft surface laptop 2, Dell XPS 13 or LG Gram.. Lmk guys I'll be buying soon Thanks in advance
When using my s pen i can only use the buttons to take picture of screen. touch the screen or writing on it does not work. Do you have a video that address the setup of doing this
Honestly, the repairability is pretty much on the same level as the more recent MacBooks. They're both built so no one can access the hardware easily, so repairing it would be a massive inconvenience.
good review! andrew did you also experience an audible keyboard buzzing noise on the surface laptop 2 while playing videos starting at a medium volume (50% +)? cause I got mine yesterday and when I watched tutorials some of the buttons vibrated audible, which is, in my opinion, unacceptable for such an expensive device.
I got the original laptop version 1 and not the Surface 2 but paid a flat $500 for the 8GB RAM/256 SSD. That said, trying to find a docking hub that just clips on without having to use a cable is a HUGE PROBLEM! Considering the plethora of inexpensive cabled adapters out there, has anyone found one that simply snaps onto the side thus providing everything nominally required? Please help me as being somewhat bed-ridden from spinal cancer complications, I don't have the income resources to pay stupid prices for what costs pennies on the dollar to build (I sold hi-end consumer electronics for 25-years and kinda know the game). Any takers on helping a guy find a rare item? In advance, many thanks!
first time i'be watched something from your channel and i have to say you've done a great job or reviewing the product. im getting myself a surface book 2 the top tier model for about $720 = R10 000 in south african rand
Great videos! . I have just subscribed to your channel and I think the reviews are very extensive and professional. What I would have liked to know with both the Surface laptop 2 and the Lenovo Yoga C930 is what the Abobe color spectrum range is?
Great review. Would you recommend this or the new Macbook Air (I know you probably don't have the Air yet)? I want something thin and light, mainly for productivity and light multimedia use (RUclips and streaming music).
Yeah, it holds up well, especially the i7 model, it’s a great business / productivity machine, I run visual studio on mine, and other high utilisation. Software and it’s faultless!
Another great review, Andrew. Not interested in a Windows device but always enjoy hearing what you have to say. Not very into cars, particularly one so high priced! Probably will skip that review and leave it for the car nuts! Besides, at my age I am more interested in battery operated scooters that would help me get around! Kidding, sort of.
@@andrewmarcdavid you're welcome. Awesome review btw. I would definetely get this but I'm happy enough with my first gen. If next year they add USB C I'll upgrade for sure.
So basically I have to wait for the Surface Laptop 3. I was fully prepared (as I think most people were) to throw my money at Microsoft for this update, desperately waiting for this laptop to have USB-C or Thunderbolt... of which it has neither. God damn it Microsoft. I'm still going to wait, but why did you have to make me wait another year? Or maybe even two?
no access to change the battery, no usb-c for external battery use, no way to use eGpu; it is disposable after 3 years.... better wait for the next Gen
even a single usb c thunderbolt 3 port could allow external storage, display and graphic card be used at once. useful for turning it into a workstation.
@@uxyraze4471 true only my phone has usbc I prefer the regular USB and a separate magnetic charger I hope they Keep that magnetic charger even if they get usbc in the future. That way you will not lose a usbc port when you need to charge and you have 2 ways to charge and usually dedicated chargers are much faster My disappointments was no thunderbolt since this has no dedicated GPU and for a pro low latency audio interface No dedicated graphics Even a cheap 2 GB media nd 150 would be nice No upgrading the ssd for security when you sell the laptop No changing the battery when it starts to die No upgrading the memory at a later date Apple and Microsoft upgrade prices are insane on memory and storage 2_ 4 times retail and you cannot sell the base memory and ssd you are giving up in return Its double dipping$$$$$$ ouch they just get to use it for free in the next computer on the assembly line The hinge should allow the display to go all the way back I think they should. Have really increase the cooling even more so I fix gives this a 0 out of ten for repairs and upgrades because you essentially have to destroy the keyboard to open it and virtually everything is glued or soldered into place That's even lower than apples closed soldered and glued down laptops This is a much better buy than the MacBook Air or MacBook unless you simply must have osx thunderbolt or usbc
That's interesting, your mother really liked the video. And by the way, she asked when are you planning on moving out of her basement. Ding Dong? What a stupid name.
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
The lack of ports almost scared me away but the build quality and internals were enough for me to go with it. It's perfect for productivity work and that's what I need.
@Jin amarasinghe No you can't. It is only a laptop and can't be separated from the keyboard. If you want a tablet look at the android ones or the Surface Pro 6. The Surface Pro 6 is a tablet and can also be a small laptop if you buy the keyboard and a drawing tablet if you buy the pen.
@Jin amarasinghe You can search up Microsoft store and view the surface book 2 and the others and compare them to see which one is better for you.
I decided to go with this instead of a new MacBook Pro, I am so happy I got it . I absolutely love it !
I recently got this for my wife, since I already have a Surface Book (1st gen) and she needed something for work/home.
Comparing it to the Surface Book, I would break it like this:
- Display: while having a tad less resolution and a tad less brightness (just one brightness step of difference in the windows setting), the display feels just as good as the one on the Surface Book. And for some legacy apps, the resolution might be even better with compatibility for text and button sizes.
- Sound: the Book has, IMO, very clear and adequate set of speakers, that allows me to enjoy movies, youtube and music on a room, however, during the day when the noise near my home is annoying, my Surface lives on the 90% audio settings so I can properly hear the content, this is not a major letdown, specially since the little space the speaker have inside the tablet, but something to consider. As for the Surface Laptop 2, the loudness is definitely twice of that of the book, and the bass, as mentioned in this video, is actually present which is surprising for this kind of laptop. I have unscientifically measure the volume of each and they are comparable when the SB is at 80~90% and the SL2 is at around 40%. Now the bass makes it more enjoyable for movies and music, but no so much for youtube videos, commentary and the likes.
- Keyboard & Trackpad: I would consider this part to be on equal footing... and it all comes down to your personal feeling towards having metal or fabric as your palm-rests. Both will eventually smudge, my SB already have some marks from dust or tiny dents and the SL2 will probably wear down overtime, just enjoy it during its lifetime and don't worry to much about this. As for the typing and tracking experience is, IMO, the best on Windows.
- Battery life: its about on par with each other... my Surface Book has already about 15% of battery capacity degradation, due to a couple of years of constant use, 3D modeling heavy programs that causes heat when rendering, and many cycles... (over 500) However with ~84% of its design capacity, it still lasts me around 7 hours of RUclips, over 10 hours of local video playback. As for the laptop is early to tell, but it seems to last the entire workday of my wife while using it for Office suite apps, PDF, emails and such.
- Cameras: is no contest, the SL2 has a good camera when you compare it to the 98% of other windows laptops out there, however the SB and the SP line have better cameras (front and rear) with higher MP count. The rear camera is actually useful for me in lectures and classrooms when taking notes and you want to take a picture of some demonstration or the whiteboard, should have been present on the SL2.
I would personally recommend both of those Surface Lines, along with the Pro for anybody looking for a tablet first device, and while they are not perfect, specially with certain quality and design defects, they are a pleasure to use. Also it is great to only have one company to deal with, when you need assistance.
Just ordered one, the 3:2 display and general haptic of the device convinced me. Although the Surface connector is a slick all in one solution the lack of USB-C and MicroSD Card reader is a shame.
I just don't understand how people see u . U are the best reviewer and I can see your passion with what u are doing. Keep it up man. I am your biggest fans
Thanks Man!
@@andrewmarcdavid is there any other way to communicate with u? Email maybe?
You can dm me in Twitter. Best way.
I love my Surface Laptop 2, and not adicted to USB-C as others; but i will miss it once in a while. But Mini Displayport to HDMI/Display adapter and a USB hub is basically all i need. I don't use the card reader.. and with the rest basically being positive, it's an absolutely joy to use for work and chill.
I recommend.
I got the 512GB/16GB edition, and it's a compact good quality powerhouse!
I don’t understand how in 2018/2019 a Display Port is more important than having a Type C instead. That could be a deal breaker for many of us
Other than charging and faster data speeds with ssds, what does usbc give you that display port and usb and surface connect and docks do not?
And the magnetic charger is to good charges faster and pops out if tripped over.
Microsoft does sale a usbc dongle for $80, not sure what limitations it has?
Now if you are talking thunderbolt 3 using the usbc port, than I am with you.
Tigerex966 my gripe is with the Display Port. Keep the regular USB along with the magnetic charging if they wanted to and replace the Display Port with Type C.
lol nobody cares about usbc, because mostly people want to plug a monitor in, and an extremely small fraction of monitors use it but those cost in the thousands sooo
ok, i get it, but full usbc is a $79 dongle away, microsoft is doing like apple there which is not good.@@24bit-176khearts
bought base model at $700 i5 128gb SSD 8gb of RAM recently
Loved it.... however without Thunderbolt to I can't hook my laptop to an EGPU to do some video editing. Not having that feature turns this to a toy for me.....
Love it, especially at $700 price, but it killed it for me.
my iPad pro can even video edit...
It can edit video fast as well with Lightroom.
What colour did u guys get? I’m looking into sandstone or black?
Holy molly that is the most stunning laptop i've ever seen.
really appreciate you putting the color in the title. I don't know where else I could've gotten that information.
I dont care for usb c.. i just wanted built in card slot..
Great review! I'm considering this laptop but there's the hp spectre x360 13 2018 that's about to be released this month. Please review that laptop! It has some design choices that sets it apart from the usual ultrabooks.
You from India?
finally a great review that covered everything i wanted to know about the laptop ,thanks just subscribed
Thank you, you are one of the best reviewer on RUclips after seeing this. You don't try to down play the Surface like other youtubers. This is an amazing device, Microsoft is winning.
You deserve far more likes as the way you reviewed it's far better than others
U almost covered all the specs very impressively
Thanks really appreciate it 👊
Would this be a better laptop than the Dell XPS 13 for school? I'm a computer science major so I'll be doing coding.. It's either between The Microsoft surface laptop 2, Dell XPS 13 or LG Gram.. Lmk guys I'll be buying soon
Thanks in advance
I like your review style, very positive somehow
I got to give it to him, his review is very good. It told me everything I need to know.
When using my s pen i can only use the buttons to take picture of screen. touch the screen or writing on it does not work. Do you have a video that address the setup of doing this
Tell PLZ of what is the central circle icon on 9:19?
Is this worth getting over the Surface 3? I love the burgundy colour
I’ve heard some troubling things about the lack of repairability. Any thoughts on this, Andrew?
Honestly, the repairability is pretty much on the same level as the more recent MacBooks. They're both built so no one can access the hardware easily, so repairing it would be a massive inconvenience.
good review! andrew did you also experience an audible keyboard buzzing noise on the surface laptop 2 while playing videos starting at a medium volume (50% +)? cause I got mine yesterday and when I watched tutorials some of the buttons vibrated audible, which is, in my opinion, unacceptable for such an expensive device.
Nice detailed review. Definitely not meant for the pen offering.
Cannot take notes or draw for long on this due to its angle limitation.
One of the best reviews, thank you.
Love the review! Straight to the point! No bs.
Thanks! I really appreciate it!
Hi Andrew,
What will be better to buy, Laptop2 or Pro6?
Thanks
Sonia
I have been an mac user for years. Now I am changing my laptop to the microsoft line. This due to price and keyboard.
You mentioned the 2 gets warm on the bottom from a 15 min video, does the 1st gen also get warm? Or is this only an issue on the 2nd gen?
I got the original laptop version 1 and not the Surface 2 but paid a flat $500 for the 8GB RAM/256 SSD. That said, trying to find a docking hub that just clips on without having to use a cable is a HUGE PROBLEM! Considering the plethora of inexpensive cabled adapters out there, has anyone found one that simply snaps onto the side thus providing everything nominally required? Please help me as being somewhat bed-ridden from spinal cancer complications, I don't have the income resources to pay stupid prices for what costs pennies on the dollar to build (I sold hi-end consumer electronics for 25-years and kinda know the game). Any takers on helping a guy find a rare item? In advance, many thanks!
Gm man I hope you get your hands on the oneplus 6t
Another solid review. I have the 1st gen model and its fantastic. My advice would be to get the surface dock as well.
Please review the Lenovo carbon x1 extreme
Thanks
first time i'be watched something from your channel and i have to say you've done a great job or reviewing the product. im getting myself a surface book 2 the top tier model for about $720 = R10 000 in south african rand
I am a huge fan of microsoft too
Please compare with macbook pro 2018 which should be to buy..?
Thanks
Can you review the Acer switch 7 tablet. It's not getting much love.
Great review and good editing too... you will soon be one of big tech youtubers.
Thanks I really appreciate it!
Hi, I am contemplating which to buy between this and the macbook pro 13" i5. I am not a mac user and all of my laptops before were all windows.
isn't the macbook way more expensive?
Does it have a fan or is it passive cooled?
Would love one with ryzen 7 for that sweet vega igpu
Great review and what a nice looking laptop. Now they need to make the Surface Book 2 in black!
Surface Book in Black would be awesome
Can the pen be attached magnetically on the side of the laptop like the Surface Pro 6?
Ye it can
Great videos! .
I have just subscribed to your channel and I think the reviews are very extensive and professional. What I would have liked to know with both the Surface laptop 2 and the Lenovo Yoga C930 is what the Abobe color spectrum range is?
Great review. Would you recommend this or the new Macbook Air (I know you probably don't have the Air yet)? I want something thin and light, mainly for productivity and light multimedia use (RUclips and streaming music).
Based on specs alone this is more powerful.
Good job on the review. Been a huge fan of the Surface Laptop and looks as if the Surface Laptop 2 is a worthy successor.
What's the background music used in this video?
Hey I loved your review!
I'm Looking for a 13 laptop for Music Production. I would like it had a Touchscreen. DO you have any sugestion?
Surface Book 2 is the perfect choice for you.
Good choice
@@hungtrumno Thanks for the suggestion! Do you know how much it costs and maybe other alternatives to it?
If you would choose between this one and Thinkpad x1 carbon? Which one you will choose?
I choose this due to the 3:2 display and how it feels in your hand. Wish it had the the trackpoint of the Lenovo keyboard though...
U don’t mention the price??
How much would be
Would you say this is still a solid choice late 2019? Pretty good discount going now
How much are you getting it for?
1000 for the 256 ssd
I would wait for Surface Laptop 3, which is technically the same price. It’s coming out on Oct. 22
don't care about the type-c, my last macbook was pain in the ass with the dongle... now i can finally use my harddrive without anything dangling!
Is it still worth buying this in 2020?
Yeah, it holds up well, especially the i7 model, it’s a great business / productivity machine, I run visual studio on mine, and other high utilisation. Software and it’s faultless!
Another great review, Andrew. Not interested in a Windows device but always enjoy hearing what you have to say. Not very into cars, particularly one so high priced! Probably will skip that review and leave it for the car nuts! Besides, at my age I am more interested in battery operated scooters that would help me get around! Kidding, sort of.
Thanks Carmen as always for watching.
Love it
Scooters are rad and fun
Can I do vedio editing on this I5 device for my RUclips vedios
Varun Tandon you can!
The fingerprints are actually due to different materials on the laptop versus the Pro.
Thanks for the info. That is what I have heard as well.
@@andrewmarcdavid you're welcome. Awesome review btw. I would definetely get this but I'm happy enough with my first gen. If next year they add USB C I'll upgrade for sure.
Congratulations on your new car, 🔥🔥 🔥 content as always
how is the i5 with RAW editing in lightroom?
Can you charge the surface pen with the laptop(magnetic charge on sides)?
No. Hopefully they will introduce that in the next version.
@@andrewmarcdavid okay thanks!!!
Can we use it as enng design
Will the keyboard stain over time?
The last version didn't stain on my unit so pretty good in terms of durability
Only if a pig eat on it
Great review as usual! This is indeed a great laptop! Keep up the fantastic work!
Thanks Tim I really appreciate it!
Help plssss. This or Asus Zenbook 14 (UX433) ?
Is it possible to get 128gb and black? Can’t find it anywhere
Black color option comes in 256GB and above
Andrew Marc David aw damn, thanks for the info though
What type of Windows does it come with?
10
Is the black available in 128gb version??
Not in my country Canada.
So basically I have to wait for the Surface Laptop 3. I was fully prepared (as I think most people were) to throw my money at Microsoft for this update, desperately waiting for this laptop to have USB-C or Thunderbolt... of which it has neither.
God damn it Microsoft. I'm still going to wait, but why did you have to make me wait another year? Or maybe even two?
that jacket was more badass 👍
Great review sir! Definitely worth the time watching it. Subscribed for more videos like this :)
Thanks! I really appreciate it!
if only Microsoft added at least 1 USB C Thunderbolt 3 port. Would be much more useful when using it in a workstation setup.
If you had to choose between this and the Surface Pro 6, which would you choose and why?
Slight edge to the Surface Pro 6 because of its versatility
Nice review
The Best's review. 🇧🇷
Awesome Review Man!
no access to change the battery, no usb-c for external battery use, no way to use eGpu; it is disposable after 3 years.... better wait for the next Gen
ElectroMac74
Aren’t most devices disposable after 3 years? This isn’t exactly a computer for power users. The Surface Book is more along those lines.
Shared as usual...oops from the wrong RUclips account, but the comment will still work!
i love surface devices..
No usb c is a deal breaker for me
And then they will tell that Surface is a Burning Platform without sales ...
No usb type c thunderbolt, that's a deal breaker
What would you use the usbc for that makes it a deal breaker?
Just curious?
even a single usb c thunderbolt 3 port could allow external storage, display and graphic card be used at once. useful for turning it into a workstation.
Nice one T. If it hand thunderbolt 3 I would be all over it
This is a stunningly beautiful laptop
same, or even thunderbolt 2 for me, although that would take away about 10% of a egpu performance.
r u from scotland yard ? 😏😎❤️
No USB-C... It's almost offensive
Unsurprisingly not everyone has made the transition to USB C yet.
@@uxyraze4471 true only my phone has usbc
I prefer the regular USB and a separate magnetic charger
I hope they Keep that magnetic charger even if they get usbc in the future.
That way you will not lose a usbc port when you need to charge and you have 2 ways to charge and usually dedicated chargers are much faster
My disappointments was no thunderbolt since this has no dedicated GPU and for a pro low latency audio interface
No dedicated graphics
Even a cheap 2 GB media nd 150 would be nice
No upgrading the ssd for security when you sell the laptop
No changing the battery when it starts to die
No upgrading the memory at a later date
Apple and Microsoft upgrade prices are insane on memory and storage 2_ 4 times retail and you cannot sell the base memory and ssd you are giving up in return
Its double dipping$$$$$$
ouch they just get to use it for free in the next computer on the assembly line
The hinge should allow the display to go all the way back
I think they should. Have really increase the cooling even more so
I fix gives this a 0 out of ten for repairs and upgrades because you essentially have to destroy the keyboard to open it and virtually everything is glued or soldered into place
That's even lower than apples closed soldered and glued down laptops
This is a much better buy than the MacBook Air or MacBook unless you simply must have osx thunderbolt or usbc
Cool
Design no
The knife next to the reviewed device makes me cringe every time
No need to worry, I am a trained professional🗡
I don’t even know how this video got on my recommend list but boy, it’s so bland it’s sleep inducing
That's interesting, your mother really liked the video. And by the way, she asked when are you planning on moving out of her basement. Ding Dong? What a stupid name.
*whipped*
@@andrewmarcdavid that's the way to treat your viewers. Way to go. Not subscribing and leaving a dislike because yeah you are a little bleh
@@fthahim that's great news!
@@fthahim don't let the door hit you on the way out!
Gaming bad nah it plays gta 5 like a prooooo
Black laptops....so 1990s