The Surface Book was one of the most powerful Surface devices available on the market in its category. Microsoft advertised it as "The laptop that can handle your biggest demands. Surface Book 3 brings together powerhouse performance and high-end graphics in a robust book that can also turn into a tablet or a portable studio." 

Launching in May of 2020, it was well-loved by Surface enthusiasts and offered a Windows competitor to the MacBook Pro while also giving all of the best perks of being a tablet. This was at the height of the pandemic but missed the work-from-home buying frenzy that emptied most computers off store shelves. Our Surface Book 3 15-inch review came with a great recommendation but noted, like several other reviewers, that Microsoft was playing it safe, and this was more of the same as the results from the previous Surface Book 2 review. 

With all of that in mind, let's look at some of the best features of the third iteration of the Surface Book, understand what happened to it, and whether it's worth using in 2023.

Back in 2021, Microsoft confirmed (via TrustedReviews) that it had discontinued the Surface Book line of products and replaced it with two devices, both warmly received by the team here at Windows Central: the Surface Laptop Studio and now the recently released Surface Laptop Studio 2. But for me, having the ability to detach the screen and use it as a stand-alone tablet is more appealing than having the adjustable angle screen as the Surface Studio line provides. I add my voice to the rest of the Surface fandom, saying Microsoft should revive the Surface Book.

My journey to the Surface oasis

Let’s get to my thoughts on the Surface Book 3 in 2023. I decided to dip my toes into the Microsoft Surface pool and am blown away by the Book 3. From its dual modes to performance and quality-of-life features, I’m officially converted to the Surface faithful.

I began this new role at Windows Central to learn more about Microsoft Surface products. I went down the rabbit hole of trying to understand the past decade-plus of products that have spanned several categories and iterations. I decided it would be beneficial to grab an older surface product to initiate myself into the order of well-deserved fans that the Surface product line enjoys.

In this process, I kept coming across the sentiment that the Surface Book was sorely missed. I found several comments across videos and forums like “R.I.P Surface Book.” So, I decided to see if I could find one.

Luckily, I could pick up a refurbished Surface Book 3 from Amazon for a surprisingly great deal at the time and looked at the specs. A 10th Gen Intel Core i5 with 8GB of RAM didn’t blow my socks off, but I knew that it would be more than sufficient for research and writing up articles in Word, and I wanted to get my hands on the legendary Surface Book keyboard and try it.

How the Surface Book 3 holds up in 2023

Wow, the keyboard does not disappoint. I have several mechanical keyboards, MacBooks, and iMacs, and none of those can compare with the perfect travel distance, slight touch, and responsiveness of the Surface Book 3 keyboard. Having an adjustable backlight is a great plus as well.

Looking at the screen, it's simply fantastic. This is my first time using a 3:2 aspect ratio screen, and I never want to switch back. The extra real estate is excellent, especially while reading articles and managing multiple windows simultaneously. The resolution at 3000 x 2000 (267 PPI) also looks impressive, offering an outstanding PPI and incredible clarity. The touch screen itself is responsive and accurate. I am waiting for a Surface Pen to arrive so I can test out my hand at some sketching, but based on the general consensus around the web, I'm sure it will be a top-class experience. 

I took the chance to update the Surface Book 3 to Windows 11 over the weekend, and it honestly feels faster and more responsive than it did with Windows 10. It gives the device a "next-gen" feel (even though it came out in 2020.) Boot-up is quick, and Windows start-up time is nothing noticeable. 

Compared to my desktop rig running an i7 12700k, I'm not noticing a huge difference in performance between the Surface Book 3's 10th Gen Intel Core i5 versus the 12th Gen Core i7. Still, I'm also not pushing the Surface Book 3 through benchmarks or video editing.

Just for fun, I installed Valorant and gave it a try. Unfortunately, I couldn't get the game to perform even close to playable on the Intel Iris Plus graphics, but I could run some smaller games without an issue. That being said, this laptop isn't meant for gaming, and for the tasks I am throwing at it daily that relate to my actual workflow, it handles them like a champ. 

My only main drawback so far, with a few weeks of use, is the speakers. They definitely aren't on par with most laptops, but this can be forgiven since they are basically coming from a tablet. Overall, I'm in love. Surface Book 3 is the best laptop I have ever owned regarding ease of use, comfort, and helping me get work done. 

A great gateway into the Surface brand

I realize that for around the price that I paid for this refurbished Surface Book 3, I could have likely bought a device with better specs, but If I had gone for a 3-generation old Surface Pro or an old Surface Laptop, I don't think I would have been as excited for the future of the Surface brand as I am now.

And sure, with the recent exit of Panos Panay, the head of Microsoft Surface since its creation, things are looking more uncertain than ever in the last decade for the future of the Surface. Still, as a newcomer, I hope that Microsoft can listen to consumers and continue to find a place in the market to offer unique and exciting experiences for old and new fans. 

Should you pick up a Surface Book 3 in 2023? This was the best gateway into the Surface brand for me, and I plan on using it as a daily workhorse for my work here at Windows Central. Its 2-in-1 nature and the ability to quickly flip to a tablet form factor give it incredible flexibility to meet my needs.

If you have never had the pleasure of using the Surface Book, I think it will go down as one of the most unique and fun devices released by Microsoft, and for me to get to use and experience its great consumer-forward features was worth the price of admission even if I was three years late. 

With the rise of Thunderbolt and desk docking stations, it’s not uncommon to see more people use their personal laptop as their only computer. But the display of a laptop is significantly lower than a desktop display, meaning you’re always looking down at an angle.

Kensington’s new SmartView Organizing Laptop Riser (K50825WW) — which also won a 2022 Red Dot Design Award — solves that problem by putting the laptop’s display up at eye level, ensuring all-day comfortable computing.

Developed in partnership with Microsoft and meeting the Design for Surface standard, any laptop can benefit from this riser. Still, Surface owners will want to give it an even closer look.

I’ve been using it for the last week, and here is what you need to know about it.

Kensington SmartView Organizing Laptop Riser: Price and availability

The Kensington SmartView Organizing Laptop Riser is now available from Kensington directly with a two-year warranty for $79.99 and partner retailers.

There are no options for configuration.

Kensington SmartView Organizing Laptop Riser: Thinks I liked

A laptop riser is a simple accessory: It puts the laptop at eye level like a desktop monitor. Since the keyboard is too high, you presumably use Bluetooth or a wired one instead. With a desktop dock connected, you also get more ports for a mouse, external storage, a high-performance webcam, or a premium microphone.

This riser from Kensington can fit any laptop that is 16-inches or smaller, but it’s made with Surface devices (like Surface Book, Laptop, Laptop Go, and Laptop Studio) in mind.

There’s not much to the Kensington SmartView Organizing Laptop Riser itself. Open the box, and pull out the various parts, including the base, the neck, and the laptop riser itself. The base and neck were attached via three hex screws using the included hex wrench, and assembly took two minutes.

The stand is a combo of aluminum alloy and steel with a sturdy feel and some weight at 3.9lbs (1.78kg). The bottom has a rubber grip, so there is no sliding on the desk. The metal is painted white, which gives a clean, minimalist look, especially for those who don’t like standard bare aluminum or black-painted laptop risers.

The color-coded neck is to be used with the instruction manual, where you can measure your hand size. Whatever color zone your hand falls into is where you should mount the riser in one of five positions for optimal viewing. The riser fits in with a stem and can be moved without needing tools.

The top of the riser has large rubber feet at the front and back, which helps keep the laptop in place and prevents sliding. It also allows a small gap between the riser and laptop to enable air circulation, which is suitable for non-Surface laptops with bottom-fed air ventilation.

On the rear is a headphone hook mount. Drop your headphones onto the hook when you’re no longer in a meeting for safekeeping.

The bottom of the riser has a fabric-covered cutout built for placing any modern dock, including Kensington’s SD5750T, Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma, or ones from other companies like Dell (see our best Thunderbolt 4 docking stations). At the rear is some cable management to properly channel the dock’s power cord for tidiness.

If you don’t have a Thunderbolt dock, you could use the cutout for things like your smartphone or any other accessory for quick access.

For this review, I used the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio. While you could just put the Laptop Studio on the riser like any laptop, it was more fun to reverse the computer and flip the display backward. By doing so, the Surface Laptop Studio’s screen is now a significant 9-inches closer to your face, a nifty trick that no other laptop can do (besides Surface Book).

Connecting an external keyboard and mouse and the flexibility to move the riser closer, you now have an ergonomic and pragmatic desktop setup.

Kensington SmartView Organizing Laptop Riser: Thinks I didn’t like

While the rise is easy to pop in and out for toolless repositioning, I wouldn’t mind a locking mechanism to hold it in place. There’s a bit of wiggle with the riser where I’d prefer something a bit firmer.

You also must be careful if you put any closed laptop down on the riser and have it pushed too far back. When you open the laptop’s lid, the moving lid’s bottom edge begins to protrude, and it could scrape against the riser’s stem. Placing the laptop on the riser with the display already in an open position is best to avoid this.

While the raised rubber pads do offer some ventilation, I think a design with grill lines or holes on the riser platform would make more sense for laptops with bottom-feeding ventilation. Granted, this accessory is mainly positioned at Surface devices, which do not have bottom ventilation making the point moot, and regular laptops can still pull in air from the bottom sides.

Also, unlike many laptop risers on the market, Kensington’s does not slope at an angle downward. This really isn’t a huge issue, but because Kensington (and Microsoft) didn’t opt for front “hooks” to keep the laptop in place, it is a unique design.

Kensington SmartView Organizing Laptop Riser: Competition

Laptop risers are a dime a dozen on Amazon, but none quite match what Kensington offers here, which may help explain the $80 price tag (no doubt discounted for business bulk orders).

The Besign LSX3 Aluminum Laptop Stand is just $28 on Amazon but lacks any dedicated area for a docking station, cable management, or headphone mount. Its height is adjustable but lacks the SmartFit system for “finding the most ergonomic height for your Surface laptop screen,” like Kensington.

The LIFELONG Ergonomic Laptop Stand ($59) uses a hinge mechanism for height adjustment, which can be cumbersome, but gets the job done. Again, it omits any dedicated area for a docking station, cable management, or headphone mount.

The Tounee Laptop Stand ($65) offers a unique (and perhaps gimmicky) 360-degree swivel hinge in addition to going up to a very high 21-inches, which is good enough to make it a pseudo-standing desk. It also does not have any area for a dock, headphone hook, or cable management.

Kensington SmartView Organizing Laptop Riser: Should you buy?

You should buy this if …

• You want a proper and official laptop rise for Surface
• You want more than just a generic riser
• Design and looks are important
• You work in an office or have a serious desktop setup

You should not buy this if …

• You want something cheaper

The Kensington SmartView Organizing Laptop Riser is a solid piece of kit. It is simple to set up, the SmartFit system is clever, and I liked the added cable management features, rear headphone hook, and space for a dock at the bottom.

Sure, there are other more affordable options on Amazon that all look the same. But the Kensington riser is more interesting between the off-white aesthetic, being made for Surface, and value-added features.

This observation is especially true if you own a Surface Laptop Studio or Surface Book where reversing the display is an option.

What you need to know:

• Microsoft recently celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the Surface family of devices.
• Our readers rated the Surface Pro as their favorite device, beating out the Surface Book, Surface Laptop, and every other piece of hardware from the Surface lineup.
• The Surface Laptop SE, Surface Hub, and Surface RT were the least favorite devices among our voters.

Microsoft's Surface family of devices recently had its 10-year anniversary. To commemorate the occasion, we took a look at the Surface lineup from a wide range of angles. Our executive editor Daniel Rubino, Xbox editor Jez Corden, and senior editor Zac Bowden ranked every single Surface from the last decade. We also reached out to our readers to rank Microsoft's Surface family.

While our editors took a look at every edition of each device, our poll was more general. We pitted lines of Surface hardware against each other. The Surface Pro earned the top spot, receiving just over 32% of the vote. The second-place device, the Surface Book, wasn't especially close, bringing in just 12.8% of votes.

The Surface Laptop SE (0%), Surface Hub (.0.43), and Surface RT (0.79%) rounded out the bottom three spots.

Interestingly, the Surface Book received more votes than the Surface Laptop Studio. While the Surface Laptop Studio serves as a successor to the Surface Book, the two devices have different form factors and approaches. The Surface Book allows users to detach its display to use it as a standalone tablet. This increases the number of postures the Surface Book can be used in but limits how powerful the PC can be. In contrast, the Surface Laptop Studio has a hinge that lets people flip it into different modes, all while keeping the display attached to its base. As a result, the Surface Laptop Studio is the most powerful Surface device to date.

Make sure to check out our other coverage of the 10-year anniversary of Surface:

• What’s the point of Surface? 10 years on
• 10 years of Surface: What we want to see next
• 10 years of Surface: The highs and lows of Microsoft's personal computers
• How 10 years of Surface inspired a wave of 2-in-1s
• Why I haven't bought a Surface PC (and probably never will)

I've been a Surface Book user since the first one was unveiled back in 2015. I dabbled with the Surface Laptop a bit in 2017, but ultimately found myself back with the Surface Book form factor when push came to shove. There's just something about that design that I couldn't get away from; the magnesium finish, the sharp 3:2 display, the hinge, all of it when put together made a laptop that I couldn't help but love.

Unfortunately, the Surface Book was not a perfect product. Its unique design came at the cost of an imbalanced product that was very top heavy and not all that powerful in the CPU department considering its position in the Surface product portfolio. It was essentially a Surface Pro that could detach from a real keyboard deck and GPU packaged in a unique chassis, but was that worth the trade-off in CPU performance?

Because the "brains" of the Surface Book were in the display portion, Microsoft was thermally limited in the kind of chips it could put in there. This ruled out the Surface Book line for many potential buyers looking for something with more power that a Surface Pro under the hood. If the design of your product is limiting its potential growth, then that design isn't sustainable.

And that's exactly what we've seen happen with the Surface Book and the introduction of the Surface Laptop Studio. Surface Book 3 was a real letdown for me, as it was the point in which I was expecting Microsoft to finally figure out how to make the Surface Book a true Surface for power users, and not a glorified Surface Pro with a GPU.

I even tried to replace my desktop with a Surface Book 3 and Surface Dock 2 setup, but after two weeks I was back using my desktop because the CPU just couldn't keep up with some of the tasks I'm required to do in my workflow. Anything that taxed the CPU for longer than a few minutes would see the Surface Book throttle to the point of it being unusable. It even happened as I was hosting the Windows Central Podcast.

In fact, the 13.5-inch Surface Book 3 doesn't even have a fan for the CPU, which should tell you everything you need to know about how fit for purpose the Surface Book 3 was for power users. The answer is it wasn't, and that was becoming a problem for me and I'm sure many other potential buyers looking for a "MacBook Pro" alternative in the Surface line.

So it comes as no surprise to me that the Surface Laptop Studio ditches the ability to detach the display entirely. I assume the detachable nature of the Surface Book was a selling point for only a very small subset of users, because I certainly never utilized it. The selling point for me over a Surface Pro or Surface Laptop was the dedicated GPU and larger, higher-resolution display. It was not the detaching screen.

With that in mind, I know there are people out there who did in fact buy the Surface Book because its display could detach. Those people will be disappointed by the Surface Laptop Studio, but outside of that specific use case, I think the Surface Laptop Studio is an upgrade in pretty much every way. It does the Surface Book line justice and is deserving as a successor to that product line. Here's why.

It's still a unique laptop

Just like the Surface Book, the Surface Laptop Studio embraces unconventional beauty. That's sort of what Surface does best. The Surface Book's hinge was a design choice that many questioned at first, but over time people grew to love it. The same will happen with the Surface Laptop Studio's weird double-layered design which sees the keyboard deck sitting above a smaller base.

I also think the Surface Laptop Studio does a better job at switching between postures. Surface Book required you to detach, flip around, and reattach if you wanted to use it in any mode other than laptop. On Surface Laptop Studio, you just pull the display forward and you're good to go in less than a second. It keeps you in your flow and doesn't get in the way of your work.

I can tell you that I've used the Surface Laptop Studio in stage mode this past week more than I ever detached the Surface Book in the six years I've used one.

I'm also here to tell you the keyboard and trackpad on Surface Laptop Studio is leaps and bounds better than the Surface Book, and the Surface Book had a pretty good keyboard and trackpad. The keyboard on Surface Laptop Studio might be the best laptop keyboard I've ever put my hands on. It's tactile, clicky, responsive, and so satisfying to use.

The trackpad is now haptic enabled too, so it no longer physically moves. Some may like this change, others not so much. I personally love it, and the different levels of intensity really let you dial in the kind of click you want. The Surface Book's trackpad was a little small, and VERY loud compared to the Laptop Studio, and other Surface devices for that matter.

There's other little design changes that I really like on the Surface Laptop Studio that make using this device feel better than the Surface Book. The bezels are thinner with rounded corners, which looks really modern compared to the Surface Book. The feet underneath are also much more pronounced and grippy, whereas the Surface Book's feet are basically non-existent.

And I really like how the Surface Laptop Studio maintains its magnesium finish. Surface Pro and Surface Laptop have switched over to using recycled aluminum, which is fine, but magnesium is a "Surface" thing that I think makes it stand out amongst other laptops, so I'm glad it's still here on Surface Laptop Studio.

Regarding ports, the Surface Book probably has the more favorable selection of port options. But it also misses out on Thunderbolt 4, which I think is a huge upgrade for any device. Surface Laptop Studio only has two TB4 USB-C ports, compared to the Surface Book's two USB-A ports and single USB-C port. The Surface Book also has an SD card reader, which I know is a must-have for those who deal with video.

Thunderbolt 4 on the Surface Laptop Studio enables the ability to do things such as attach an external GPU, giving it more graphical power if the 3050 Ti inside isn't cutting it for you. That's not something you can do on the Surface Book, which is forever limited to the GPU is has on the inside.

Better specs (and room to grow)

Then there's the specs story. Already, the Surface Laptop Studio is at an advantage, finally having a CPU that can be taxed for long periods of time without throttling. It's sufficiently cooled, and the chip itself is able to draw more power as a result. It is still a 4-core CPU, but this design allows for Microsoft to put in even more powerful chips in the future.

The Surface Book was backed into a corner due to its design, but that's not the case with Surface Laptop Studio. It would be very easy for Microsoft to make a 15- or 16-inch Surface Laptop Studio in a year or two with true 6- or 8-core processors inside. That would have never been possible with the Surface Book's design.

In the GPU department, it's a mixed bag. The 3050 Ti in the Laptop Studio trades punches with the GTX 1660 Ti Max Q in the 15-inch Surface Book 3, but it outright beats the GTX 1650 in the 13.5-inch Surface Book 3, which I'd argue is a more accurate comparison to make. The thin bezels on Surface Laptop Studio make this device feel more like the 13-inch Surface Book than the 15-inch one.

And that comes back to how I think it's likely that Microsoft will make a more powerful 15- or 16-inch version in the future, because this new design leaves the door wide open to meaningful processor and GPU upgrades down the line. It's a sustainable design, unlike the Surface Book's that quickly found its limit.

On to the display resolution, which is the only other area outside of ports that the Surface Book still wins out in. Surface Book's display is beautiful, and in my opinion, one of the best you can find on a laptop. It's a very high resolution with a PPI of 264. Surface Laptop Studio has a lower resolution and a PPI of 201, which, to me, is a noticeable difference.

That's not to say the Surface Laptop Studio's display is bad, because it isn't. It's still an amazing display with great color accuracy, and the 120Hz refresh rate makes the slight resolution downgrade totally worth it. But there's no denying that the Surface Book's display looks sharper when compared side by side.

There are also a couple of hidden benefits to the lower display resolution that I don't think many have realized. The lower resolution helps prolong battery life, which when paired with a 120Hz refresh rate is super important. But the other thing that this lower resolution does is change the display scaling of Windows to 150%. Surface Book's display scaling is at 200%, which is great, but Windows isn't good at switching between display scales when docked to external monitors.

Most 4K monitors these days are scaled at 150%, so moving a window between a 4K monitor and the Surface Book's display would require Windows to resize that app on the fly, which can make text and icons look blurry and often cause all kinds of UI bugs to pop up over time. Surface Laptop Studio doesn't have this problem, because its default scaling is also set to 150%, just like most external monitors.

Overall, I really think the Surface Laptop Studio is a better Surface Book in most categories. Sure, its display isn't' as crisp and ports not as rich, but outside of that, the Surface Laptop Studio is the preferred device over the Surface Book any day of the week. It just feels nicer to use. As I sit in front of both, the Surface Laptop Studio is just nicer, and that's important too.

Be sure to check out our full Surface Laptop Studio review if you're interested in benchmarks and a more in-depth look at the hardware. Also be sure to check out our best Windows 11 PCs roundup if you're interested in what new hardware you can get with Windows 11 support.

Microsoft's Surface Book 3 remains one of the most unique laptops available, with effectively no real competition. There are very few convertible 2-in-1 laptops that support inking and have such a powerful GPU. While this latest version does not mess with the formula, it's easy to lose sight of how powerful this laptop has become since it first debuted in 2015.

But how does Surface Book 3 fair on its own merits as a mobile, convertible workstation? Surprisingly well. While some will criticize Microsoft for not even making minor changes to the chassis, it's also easy to appreciate just how amazing this laptop is with the right silicon.

Pricing on Surface Book 3 has not shifted much since its release in June 2020 as it holds steady at $1,400 for the entry-level 13.5-inch model, though Microsoft periodically has better savings on the higher-end models. There is no Surface Book 4 arriving for 2021, and this laptop likely won't be refreshed until sometime in 2022 at the earliest, making it a safe purchase today.

TL;DR for 2020

Microsoft Surface Book 3: What's new and specs

While a lot of focus is on the refreshed CPU and GPU for Surface Book 3 (both 13.5-inch and 15-inch models), there are quite a few other updates to the internal hardware that complete the overall package. Here is a condensed list of what changed between Surface Book 2 and Surface Book 3:

The larger charger — now at 127 watts versus just 102 previously — may seem minor, but it matters a lot. When maxing out Surface Book 2 for CPU and GPU, say during video gaming, it was possible to drain the battery while plugged into the wall. The new 127-watt charger fixes this problem.

Surface Book 2 could only be purchased with 16GB of RAM max, but developers and engineers demanded more. With Surface Book 3 15-inch, 16GB is now the lowest model, and it is only available in one of the four models, with the other three being 32GB configurations.

Wi-Fi 6 (ax) is standard these days in most new laptops, so it being here is not remarkable. But since Intel is the predominant maker of Wi-Fi 6 laptop chips, it is an excellent move away from Microsoft's previous supplier Marvel. The Marvel Wi-Fi hardware was a problem in the past with instability issues for some users.

Here is a full spec comparison between Surface Book 2 and Surface Book 3.

The SSD used for storage is also now faster, as the benchmarks below reveal. You can also now top it off at 2TB instead of just 1TB with Surface Book 2.

Surface Book 3 15 Consumer

Surface Book 3 15 Commercial

The wire mechanism that controls the display detaching is reportedly two times faster and quieter than Surface Book 2, a minor change. While it is difficult to judge the speed difference, it is quicker than Surface Book 2.

Don't mess with a good thing

Surface Book 3 15 design

There is nothing new with Surface Book 3's design compared to Surface Book 2. While one could argue Surface Book's iconic and future-forward design is unmatched, it would have been nice to see some minor changes, akin to Surface Laptop 3, which at least gained a larger trackpad.

The magnesium chassis of the Surface Book 3 15 is stable, smooth, and very durable. Since there is no paint — unlike the Surface Laptop in various colors — there is only concern over light scuffing rather than paint scratches. There are no creaks or weak points due to the unibody design. That also means, however, there are no entry points for repairs on the Surface Book 3 nor any way to upgrade internal components.

The claim to fame with Surface Book is the ability to press a release button on the keyboard that separates the display from the main laptop body. Microsoft achieved this by putting all the PC innards — CPU, RAM, storage, Wi-Fi/Bluetooth, and some battery — into the display, while the base acts as a larger battery and houses the full NVIDIA GPU. It's a fantastic feat of engineering; no other laptop has this design.

The display removed from the base can act as a standalone PC tablet with about an hour of battery life. It can also be reversed to bring the screen closer to the user (when watching a movie) or lay down flat ("studio mode"), which simulates a drafting table. It's not a practical design when compared to laptops with simple hinges, but it also means Surface Book 3 does more than every other convertible.

I wouldn't, however, describe Surface Book 3 as rugged. The power and volume keys are located on the top of the display, making sense for the tablet portion. But this design leaves those critical buttons exposed and prone to damage. It is also possible to dent the chassis, especially the top display half, where there is some empty space. The fulcrum hinge, which expands the base of the laptop when opened, has not changed from its predecessor. There is still the iconic "gap" when the Surface Book is closed, giving the device its book-like shape. The display can also be opened one-handed and is easy to do with the massive front notch.

At 4.2 pounds (1,905 grams), the Surface Book 3 15 is below the average weight for 15-inch laptops with touch displays and discrete graphics.

As a tablet, the Surface Book 3 15, while a bit large to hold one-handed, weighs 1.8 pounds (817 grams). Considering there is a full, quad-core Core i7 processor with (up to) 2TB of storage and 32GB of RAM behind that display, the tablet is quite remarkable.

For ports, Microsoft provides the bare minimum for a competitive experience. Two Type-A (USB 3.1 Gen 2) ports flank the left side along with a full SD card reader, both of which are becoming rarer. On the right side is a single Type-C (USB 3.1 Gen 2) port with Power Delivery, display out (DisplayPort 1.4), and it can be used to charge the Book 3 slowly. Near that Type-C port is the Surface Connect port for charging, data, and connecting to Surface Dock 2 for port and display expansion (up to two 4K displays at 60Hz).

As expected, there is no Thunderbolt 3 with Surface Book 3, with security concerns being one of the reasons why, according to Microsoft.

A delight to behold

Surface Book 3 display and inking

Microsoft did not improve upon the 3240 x 2160 PixelSense LCD touch display for Surface Book 3. It still has a 1600:1 contrast ratio and 3:2 aspect. There is no anti-reflective layer, making this display quite glossy. Likewise, there is no support for HDR or Dolby Vision, which is disappointing. There is no difference in color calibration, either, with 97 percent sRGB, 72 percent AdobeRGB, and 72 percent DCI-P3 in our tests. While these results are good, nearly every other premium laptop in this range has similar or even better scores.

Brightness peaks at 411 nits with the display set to 100 percent, and it can reach as low as three nits at the lowest end. For comparison, the MacBook Pro 16 gets a comparable 420 nits of brightness. Microsoft provides an auto-brightness sensor, which was disabled for these tests. And like all other Surface PCs, it has the controversial "adaptive contrast" function, which can be disabled with an Intel utility.

Inking is also the same as Surface Book 2, with 4,096 levels of pressure and tilt support. There is a mere 21-millisecond latency thanks to Microsoft's custom PixelSense Accelerator chip, which works with its $99 Surface Pen.

In the upper bezel of the display sits a 5MP front-facing camera with dual microphones capable of 1080P video in Microsoft Teams, Skype, or Zoom calls. Surface Pro X, Surface Go 2, Surface Pro 7, and Surface Book 3 easily have the best cameras around on any laptop. That camera area also houses the Windows Hello infrared facial recognition system, like all other Surface PCs. Instant-on, the ability to resume quickly, is also excellent.

Some will lament the "thick" bezels of Surface Book 3, which have not changed in years. That's somewhat fair, but since the display can be used as a tablet, those bezels help with usability. When using Book 3 as a laptop, the bezels never bothered me, nor did I notice them.

Best typing

Surface Book 3 15 trackpad and keyboard

Microsoft's Surface line nearly always has the best keyboards and trackpads for Windows PCs, and that holds especially true with Surface Book 3.

Not much has changed with the Book 3's keyboard, which is a good thing. Key travel is still 1.55mm, which is deep compared to many other laptops. The all-silver and metal keys are excellent at hiding dirt and oil. Typing is roomy, quiet, and features exceptional response and return metrics. Due to the 3:2 display aspect, there is plenty of room for your palms and wrists to rest on the keyboard deck (although if you wear a watch or bracelet, it may scrape up against the chassis). Three-stage backlighting (manually enabled via F1) lets you type in the dark.

There are some very minor alterations to Book 3's keyboard. On the F4 and F8 keys, there are now little tactile nubs for better detection, likely for accessibility reasons. The top-row function keys also have had a few features moved around, similar to what we saw on Surface Go 2.

Microsoft makes a superb trackpad, and there is little to complain about with the Book 3's. It is glass, smooth, uses Microsoft Precision drivers, and it has a very good (and quiet) click to it. Microsoft did not make the trackpad larger for this year, as it did with Surface Laptop 3. Right now, the trend is exceptionally large trackpads, which, when combined with excellent palm rejection, give users what they want. Why Microsoft could not even bother with this simple modification is baffling.

Dolby Atmos

Surface Book 3 15 audio and speakers

Two speakers flank the display on Surface Book 3, which are nicely hidden in the somewhat large display bezels. The speakers are about 4/5s of the way up and are front-facing, delivering audio that lines up nicely with your ears. Again, no other laptop does this, as they typically all have speakers in the keyboard base. But with Surface Book 3, since the display becomes a detachable tablet, they must be in the top half.

New this year are some software enhancements with Dolby Atmos. While users cannot adjust its properties, Dolby Atmos provides much better spatial performance with the two speakers letting it "surround" you. When combined with the well-tuned speakers of Book 3 and their position, watching movies or a YouTube video is quite an experience.

However, Surface Book 3 is missing a subwoofer for deeper bass. With only two speakers, Microsoft has less range than systems with four speakers, and as a result, audio is not nearly as rich as some other laptops.

Much power

Surface Book 3 15 performance, battery, and heat

So far, this review has been mostly a recap of Surface Book 2 with some minor modifications. But the heart of this hardware refresh is the CPU, GPU, and SSD, which, when combined, make Surface Book 3 the most potent version to date.

The new, but commonly used, 10th-Gen Intel Core i7-1065G7 is nothing particularly exciting. This version of the quad-core 15-watt processor gets a somewhat higher Thermal Design Power (TDP) setting that temporarily boosts to 25-watts. That doesn't make this Core i7 any faster than other Ultrabooks. It does mean that as long as the system's heat is being adequately dissipated, Book 3 can maintain extended turbo performance.

Geekbench 5

Geekbench 5.0 (CPU) (Higher is better)

Geekbench 4

Geekbench 4.0 (CPU) (Higher is better)

PCMark

PCMark 10

GPU

Geekbench 4.0 CUDA (higher is better)

SSD

CrystalDiskMark (Higher is better)

.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX-1660 Ti is an interesting choice. While Microsoft eschewed using a more modern RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design, the GTX 1660 Ti, by comparison, gets about 15 percent less performance — minus any ray-tracing ability compared to it. When likening to Surface Book 2's GTX 1060, the newer GTX 1660 Ti is about 20 percent faster. None of those numbers are impressive on their own, but when you toss in 32GB of LPDDR4X RAM and a slightly faster SSD, you get excellent performance.

I was able to play DOOM Eternal (PC) at native resolution (3240 x 2160) and high graphics, while getting 57 to 60 frames per second (FPS). But Surface Book 3's performance is also very much dependent on how cold (or hot) your room is during strenuous and prolonged usage of the CPU and GPU. A more realistic DOOM Eternal experience in a 70 degrees Fahrenheit (23 degrees Celsius) area is ~ 60 FPS but at a lower 1872 x 1248 resolution with graphics presets on high.

On Destiny 2, playing at 2500 x 1600 on medium presets also yields an auspiciously fun 60 FPS. The popular game Rocket League can be played at 1620 x 1080 with high-quality settings and SMAA anti-aliasing while still easily hitting 60 FPS (V-Sync).

To be clear, Microsoft does not call Surface Book 3 a gaming laptop, and in no way would I classify it as such. Microsoft does claim Surface Book 3 is the best Surface for gaming, which is bolstered by the native Xbox wireless controller support found in the 15-inch model. That ability lets you get haptic vibration and wireless audio over the controller (so you can plug headphones into it).

I can tell you that gaming on Surface Book 3, including the just-released Minecraft Dungeons, is excellent. This laptop though, is still better suited for someone who likes to game on occasion versus all the time. The thermals are just not there for sustained 60 FPS if you want to leverage the full display resolution. (Dropping to full HD, however, is very doable.)

On 3DMark's Time Spy Stress Test, which loops through Time Spy 20 times, Surface Book 3 earned a 99.4 percent passing rating for FPS stability.

Estimating battery life is tricky, as it depends on how bright you run the display and how much of that GPU you use. Microsoft claims an extra half hour of usage with the new 10th-Gen Intel processor. Using the Windows 10 battery report, I ranged from seven to 10 hours of regular usage. Considering the potential power of Book 3, these are great results.

But battery reports and real-world experiences are one thing, and synthetic tests are another. PCMark 10's battery rundown test (which loops through running Office, web pages, video conferencing and work apps) revealed a stark contrast between Surface Book 2 and Book 3 (both Core i7, 15-inch models at 45 percent display brightness):

PCMark 10 Battery (Modern Office)

Some of that difference is likely attributable to the newer 10nm CPU platform used with Surface Book 3 (versus the previous 14nm one), and increased efficiency from the LPDDR4x RAM. Of course, were you to lean on that GPU, those high battery numbers would drop.

Finally, heat and fan noise are quite good. The fan rarely kicks on (if at all) during normal usage, and when it does, it is comparatively quiet with little of the "hiss" that older Surface products were known for. Having the CPU behind the display in a vertical orientation is useful for heat dissipation compared to jamming it under the keyboard with horizontal fan vents.

Temperatures peak at around 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) behind the display near the center, while the base is a bit lower around 102 degrees Fahrenheit (39 degrees Celsius). These temperatures are in the normal range and never too hot to touch or uncomfortable in your lap. Impressively, after gaming for 20 minutes while playing DOOM, Surface Book 3 cooled down, and the fans turned off in just a minute.

What else is out there?

Surface Book 3: The competition

The Surface Book 3 is a one-of-a-kind laptop. It's a 2-in-1, but it's not a tablet first, laptop second. It's a laptop first, with the ability to remove the display and use it as a tablet, and there really isn't anything else out there like that at the moment. Including the fact that the Surface Book 3 has a dedicated NVIDIA GTX 1650 or 1660 Ti in the base, the Surface Book 3 quickly becomes the most powerful 2-in-1 with a GPU on the market.

The only close comparisons you can make are to products that aren't 2-in-1 devices, like the Dell XPS 15 with its 10th generation 6-core processors and NVIDIA graphics. Or, you could compare it to Microsoft's newest Surface Laptop 4, as the company is now touting that as its most powerful laptop.

The Surface Laptop 4 features Intel's 11th-generation or AMD Ryzen 4000 chips, up to 32GB RAM, 1TB storage, and is available in a range of colors. The newer chips are certainly more powerful than those found in the Surface Book 3, but the Surface Laptop 4 still only has integrated graphics. The Surface Book's GPU will blow the Surface Laptop 4 out of the water.

That said, if you're the kind of person who is only looking at the Surface Book to use as a laptop, maybe the Surface Laptop 4 is a better buy. You get more for your money, and even though you don't get a dedicated GPU, the integrated GPU on the Laptop 4 is actually pretty good. If you do need to do GPU work or need to detach the display or use inking, the Surface Book 3 is still the one to get.

If it ain't broke …

Surface Book 3 15 feels a bit old but is still one of a kind

Enthusiasm around Surface Book 3 has been tempered compared to previous Surface devices. With a design going on five years old, it is easy to look at the under-the-hood changes with some disappointment. At the very least, some advancements around display color accuracy, HDR, anti-reflective coatings, or a larger trackpad would have gone a long way to keeping Surface Book 3 fresher in 2020.

Besides the older technology criticism with the display, trackpad, and the lack of richer bass for audio, I also still occasionally had the tablet-detachment mechanism fail when activated. A message popped up and said, "Latch failed to open," although I could still remove the display from the lower half. The audio also began to crackle when playing a YouTube video and detaching the tablet as well but went away after the process was complete.

The fact is, there is no other laptop in the world that does what Surface Book can do. This conclusion is more valid for the 13-inch model as there are very few Ultrabooks in that range that also have a beefy discrete GPU (Razer's new Blade Stealth comes to mind). Plus, Microsoft gives you a choice between a 13.5-inch model or a larger (and slightly more powerful) 15-inch option.

None of that would matter, however, if Surface Book 3 was a lousy laptop. But it's not. At all. That GPU is good enough to do some serious gaming, but it is even better for developers, architects, designers, scientists, or anyone who needs to do more work than a standard Ultrabook allows for. Developers will benefit from that 32GB of RAM, while engineers will appreciate the new NVIDIA Quadro option. Battery life is also better than average for this category.

Typing, the web camera, audio, Windows Hello, and even that small-ish trackpad are still best compared to other laptops in this class.

However, I would not mind seeing Microsoft embrace AMD's latest Ryzen Mobile 4000 processors to deliver even more power. Questions remain on thermals, pricing, and just how much redesign would be required, but AMD's new chips seem like a perfect match for this laptop's goals.

The lack of Thunderbolt 3 here is a negative for some people, but I think the powerful port is also overrated. Many tech geeks have fantasies of buying and using eGPUs, but while that tech has been on the market for years now, it remains an expensive and super niche demographic. The fact is, for most people buying Surface Book 3, the Type-C 3.1 Gen 2 port handles most needs.

The bigger question that you need to answer: Do you need what Surface Book 3 offers? Many people do not and would be better served with the non-convertible but more powerful and affordable Dell XPS 15. But for those who want inking, a detachable tablet PC, and a respectable GPU, the Surface Book 3 is king. There's nothing else like it.

The new Surface Laptop 4 features the latest 11th-generation Intel Core i5 and i7 processors, or a customized version of AMDs Ryzen 4000 series R5 or R7 chips. While the Surface Book 3 is rocking Intel's last generation Intel chips, it still have a more powerful GPU in the form of the NVIDIA GTX 1650 and 1660 Ti Max-Q cards. Also, the Book 3 is a 2-in-1 detachable, and has a higher-resolution display. Both are some of the best Surface PCs on the market, but which one should you get?

Surface Laptop 4 vs. Surface Book 3: Specifications

What's new with the Surface Laptop 4

• Intel 11th Gen Core processors with Iris Xe Graphics
• AMD Ryzen 4000 and Radeon Graphics (Surface Edition)
• Up to 32GB of RAM and 1TB storage (Intel only)
• No more 128GB option (256GB or higher)
• Dolby Atmos spatial-audio
• Ice Blue with Alcantara (13.5-inch Intel only)
• Up to 70% performance improvement
• Battery improvements
• Slightly faster Windows Hello login
• 15-inch models are only Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7
• AMD models now have Wi-Fi 6 and LPDDR4x

Surface Laptop 4 vs. Surface Book 3: Design & Display

The designs of the Surface Laptop 4 and the Surface Book 3 couldn't be more different. One is a traditional ultrabook laptop, and the other is a 2-in-1 detachable with a unique hinge design. They're both available in 13.5-inch and 15-inch variants, but that's pretty much where the similarities end.

Surface Laptop 4 features an aluminum chassis, with some models coming with an Alcantara fabric keyboard base. You can also get the Surface Laptop 4 in multiple colors including Platinum, Black, Sandstone, and Ice Blue. The Surface Book 3 featurs a magnesium chassis, with no option for an Alcantara keyboard deck and only one color to choose from: Platinum.

The display's are also quite different, with the Surface Book 3 featuring a noticably brighter and higher resolution screen. That doesn't mean the display on the Surface Laptop 4 is bad, but if you're looking for the best display on a Surface, the Surface Book 3 is the one to go for.

Surface Laptop 4 vs. Surface Book 3: Performance

The Surface Laptop 4 ships with Intels latest 11th-generation Core i5 and i7 processors, but you can also get it with a specialized Microsoft Surface Edition AMD Ryzen 5 or Ryzen 7 4000 series processor. These chips are quite the jump in performance over the 10th-generation chip found in the Surface Book 3, offering better single and multi-thread app performance for a smoother multitasking and data processing experience.

That said, the 10th-generation chip in the Surface Book 3 isn't bad at all, and you won't really notice a difference in performance in day-to-day tasks. It's a different story in the graphics department however, as the Surface Book 3 ships with dedicated NVIDIA graphics, unlike the Surface Laptop 4 with its Integrated Iris Xe and RX Radeon graphics.

The integrated graphics are a huge improvement over the Surface Laptop 3, but compared to the Surface Book 3, it's no contest. The dedicated GTX 1650 and 1660 Ti Max-Q will outperform the Surface Laptop 4 every time. So, if you want to do heavy video editing of even some gaming, the Book 3 is the one to get.

Surface Laptop 4 vs. Surface Book 3: Pricing

Microsoft is pricing the Surface Laptop 4 at $999 for the base model, which is consideribly less than the starting price for the Surface Book 3, which comes in at $1,599. The entry-level Surface Book comes with just 8GB RAM and is without the dedicated graphics card, so you might be better served with the cheaper Surface Laptop 4 at that point.

Surface Laptop 4 is a beautiful Ultrabook

If you're looking for a traditional laptop with the latest specs, great battery life, and a beautiful design, the Surface Laptop 4 is an excellent choice.

Buy the Surface Book 3 for more graphics power

If you're in need of a 2-in-1 device that's also a great laptop, with a beautiful high-resolution display and real graphics power for on-the-go work and play, the Surface Book 3 is for you.

Surface Book 3 is a notebook come tablet convertible. It has far more functionality, thanks to the ability to detach from the main keyboard base, and comes with powerful 10th Gen Intel processors and NVIDIA GPUs. But don't think the XPS 15 (7590) isn't worth considering since it too has some excellent highlights like the stunning display, larger battery, and solid price. Which you should go for largely depends on budget and what you want to use the device for.

Surface Book 3 vs. Dell XPS 15 (9500): tech specs

Features and design

We continue to bang the drum about just how good-looking the XPS line-up is, and the XPS 15 (9500) is no exception. The same goes for the Surface Book 3, though it looks almost identical to a Surface Book 2. While the Surface Book 3 comes with two USB Type-A ports and Type-C, the XPS 15 has USB-C and Thunderbolt 3.

The XPS 15 is designed first and foremost as a laptop. Surface Book 3 also comes as a complete notebook package with the display, keyboard, and touchpad, but has a party trick. The display part can be disconnected from the base unit and used as a tablet (since all the inner workings are found within), and it can even be re-connected facing the other way.

Both devices use IR cameras for biometric security with Windows Hello and use similar shooters for video calls and photos. It's all about whether you want a portable tablet or a more powerful laptop.

Display and inking

The best of the bunch in terms of displays for the XPS 15 is the Sharp IGZO 4K touch with a maximum brightness of 500 nits. It's impressive to gaze at and is one of our favorites in the 15-inch laptop segment. The Surface Book 3's display isn't awful - far from it - but it simply doesn't live up to the excellent panels Dell uses.

There are also more options available with Dell, allowing you to pick between FHD+ (1920 x 1200) and 4K (non-touch and touch). For inking, you'll want to go with the Surface Book 3. There's simply no contest there as it's designed with creatives in mind who enjoy using a stylus.

Performance and price

The 15-inch Surface Book 3, the closest comparison to the Dell XPS 15, is designed with a solid performance in mind. This includes the 15W 10th Gen Intel Core i7-1065G7 and dedicated NVIDIA graphics in the form of the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti (Max-Q).

The thing is, the Dell XPS 15 has more beefy processors. With the option of up to a 45W 10th Gen Intel Core i9-10885H, it's far more capable, but will be a considerable drain on the battery, which is why Dell installs inside a larger 86Whr pack.

Depending on how you configure the Dell XPS 15, it's possible to kit it out with a 10th Gen Intel Core i9-10885H, which blows the Intel Core i7-1065G7 out the park. If you need the best of the best in terms of raw computing, the XPS 15 is the way to go, but the Surface Book 3 is no slouch.

For RAM, the Surface Book 3 ranges between 8GB and 32GB, while the XPS 15 can go up to 64GB if needed. Both devices rock similar storage options, with at least a 256GB SSD and the option to upgrade to at most a 2TB drive. Graphics-wise, the Surface Book 3 wins with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti (Max-Q). Dell only has the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti inside the XPS 15.

Dell doesn't charge an awful lot for the XPS 15, with the base price coming in at $1,300. Surface Book 3 is a little more expensive, starting at $1,600 (and that's for the 13-inch version).

Go with the Surface Book 3 if you want a versatile PC

Surface Book 3 is an excellent machine from Microsoft. The company allows one to use the same device as a tablet or laptop by detaching the keyboard base. It has powerful 10th Gen processors and plenty of configurations to choose from. So long as you can overlook the starting price, it's a killer option here.

Dell XPS 15 is a better laptop experience

If all you want is a laptop, the XPS 15 is one of the best 15-inch laptops (and best Dell laptops around. It's also powerful with 10th Gen Intel CPUs and comes rocking a stunning 4K display. There's also the case for a lower starting price.

Both of these devices are quite similar regarding the internals, but it's the design and functionality where everything changes. While the Surface Book 3 is technically a 2-in-1, it's designed as more of a traditional notebook experience, whereas the Surface Pro 7 is a tablet through and through. Whether you need a laptop or tablet will undoubtedly make your decision a little easier. Surface Book 3 also comes rocking dedicated graphics processors and far longer battery life.

Surface Book 3 vs. Surface Pro 7: tech specs

Features and design

Microsoft didn't change much with the physical design of the Surface Pro 7 compared to the Pro 6, aside from adding a USB-C port. The same goes for the Surface Book 3. It looks almost identical to a Surface Book 2. While the Pro 7 has USB-A for older devices, a 3.5mm audio jack, Surface Connect, and a microSD card reader, the larger Surface Book 2 can make use of its more substantial form factor with two USB-A 3.1, USB-C, two Surface Connect ports, 3.5mm audio, and a full-size SD card reader.

The Surface Pro 7 is designed first and foremost as a tablet, which you can add a Type Cover for a notebook-esque experience. Surface Book 3 comes as a complete notebook package with a display, keyboard, and touchpad. The display part can be disconnected from the base unit and used as a tablet (since all the inner workings are found within), and it can even be re-connected facing the other way.

Both devices use IR cameras for biometric security with Windows Hello and use similar shooters for video calls and photos. It's all about whether you want a portable tablet or a more powerful laptop.

Display and inking

Surface Book 3 comes in 13.5-inch and 15-inch flavors. The smaller display has the same 267 pixel-per-inch (PPI) count as the 12.3-inch Pro 7 display, but the larger 15-inch falls a little shorter at 260 PPI. The larger Surface Book 3 comes equipped with higher resolution, but no matter which device you choose, you'll appreciate just how good the screens are.

All three Surface PCs have an aspect ratio of 3:2, and all are compatible with Surface Pen for inking. Four thousand ninety-six levels of pressure sensitivity and tilt support are present throughout, and you can combine a Surface Dial for improved productivity — though the Pro 7 only supports the dial off screen.

Performance and price

Like other Microsoft PCs, Surface Book 3 can be configured with various specifications. The 13.5-inch model is available with the same 10th Gen Intel processors the larger 15-inch model has, though you won't be able to enjoy either the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti (Max-Q) or Quadro RTX 3000 dedicated GPUs. The smaller Surface Book 3 can only take the GTX 1650 (Max-Q) or Intel Iris Plus.

The same goes for storage, which can go up to a whopping 2TB with the 15-inch Surface Book 3. RAM is the same for both sizes. Pricing starts from $1,600 and $2,300 for the 13.5- and 15-inch Surface Book 3, respectively. Where the Surface Book 3 truly shines against the Surface Pro 7 is battery life, allowing you to go up to 17 and a half hours before needing to find a power outlet.

That's so long as you keep the tablet portion of the Surface Book 3 connected to its keyboard base (which also houses an additional battery). The battery on the Pro 7 is around 10 hours. But you won't be stressing it with games since you can't upgrade to dedicated GPUs inside the tablet like you can in the Surface Book 3. However, it'll keep up with most tasks and allow you to use it on the go, thanks to its lighter build.

The best part about Surface Pro 7 is the price, which comes in at $749, a massive discount compared to the Surface Book 3. Though do keep in mind that Type Covers are sold separately.

Go with the Surface Book 3 if you're a power user

Surface Book 3 is the one you need if you're planning to run intensive software like video editing suites. The dedicated GPUs, powerful 10th Gen Intel CPUs, and speedy LDDR4x RAM make it quite the capable machine. You can remove the main display from the keyboard base and use it as a tablet, though it will not feel as portable as the Surface Pro 7.

Surface Pro 7 is a better portable, more versatile PC

Surface Pro 7 is best suited to those who value portability over all else. You still get the same 10th Gen processors from Intel, support for Wi-Fi 6, all wrapped up in a tighter, lighter package. The only downside is the slightly poorer battery life, lack of any dedicated GPUs, and additional cost for Type Covers. It's on our list for best Windows 10 tablet too.

What you need to know

• Surface Book 3 users are reporting random screen blackouts occuring on their device.
• Microsoft is aware of the problem and is now investigating the issue.
• Customers are advised to contact support if they are hitting this issue.

Since September, many Surface Book 3 users have been complaining about brief yet frequent screen blackouts occurring randomly when using their devices. Microsoft's support forums are full of customers reporting the same issue, which involves the display randomly going black while in use for a number of seconds before coming back on.

My own Surface Book 3 has the same issue, and if Microsoft's support forums are anything to go by, it's not an isolated bug. The company has issued a statement to Windows Central confirming that it is aware of the problem and is investigating, and that customers who are affected by the issue should contact support.

Microsoft's statement:

It's unclear if the issue is hardware related, as reports of the problem didn't begin appearing until after the September firmware update. We've reached out to Microsoft for further clarification on the issue, and will update this post once we receive a statement.

Customers have experimented with installing different graphics driver versions to varying levels of success, but it appears nothing truly solves the problem just yet. Users have found that either tapping the screen or pressing one of the display brightness buttons on the keyboard will return the screen to normal if a blackout has occured.

Do you have a Surface Book 3 suffering from random screen blackouts? Let us know in the comments.

What you need to know

• New firmware and driver updates are rolling out for Surface Pro 7 and Surface Book 3.
• The Surface Book 3 updates are mostly focused on camera improvements, while Surface Pro 7 gets camera and pen improvements.
• These updates are rolling out now via Windows Update.

Microsoft this week shipped a new set of driver and firmware updates for two of its latest Surface devices. Both the Surface Pro 7 and Surface Book 3 received updates as part of this round, and they're mainly focused on a couple of areas. Most notably, both devices have picked up some general camera improvements, while the Surface Pro 7 has some additional improvements for the Surface Slim Pen and inking experience.

Here's a look at what's included in the updates for the Surface Pro 7:

Here's everything new for the Surface Book 3:

If you have a Surface Pro 7 or Surface Book 3, these updates should be available for you to download now via Windows Update.

Plonking down your hard-earned cash for a new Surface, whether it's the Pro, Laptop, Go, or Book, means you'll also want to protect it from everyday abuse. On a recent reddit thread, a user shared a photo of their skin with a design pattern that caught my eye.

So, I ordered one up to try it myself on Surface Book 3. The MasiBloom skins can be found on Amazon ranging from $9 to $15 with various designs. Here are some photos and whether I think it's worth it.

MasiBloom for Surace: What it is

Printed in China, there are around 25 different patterns available depending on the Surface. What I like about this series is the bright, colorful, and artistic designs, which differ from other companies like dBrand's more monotone look.

As you have guessed, these are just vinyl stickers. If you order for Surface Book 2 (or Book 3), you get two stickers – one for the top and one for the bottom ($15). For Surface Laptop and Surface Pro, you get one, but it only costs $10. For Surface Go fans, that version is only $9.

The Surface Pro and Surface Go get some matching decals for the sides too, which is neat.

They're all sized quite accurately and have cutouts for the Surface logo, and rear camera/microphone where applicable.

There is even a separate style that is mostly clear with a simple partial graphic, which looks cool.

MasiBloom for Surface: How is it?

Some people hate stickers on laptops, while others prefer them. I'm in between, sometimes preferring a clean look, other times not so much.

The MasiBloom is a bit tedious to install and line up. I wished the Surface logo was more than a square cutout and had cross lines as a sticker (like how dBrand does it). It makes lining up the decal infinitely more manageable, and it looks better. I opted to keep the square sticker on and cover up the logo because my alignment was off slightly.

On the plus side, these are thick vinyl. That makes installing the decals a bit easier as you can peel back, realign, and try it again without worrying about tearing it (using a hairdryer can help too). On Surface Book 3 15-inch, you are dealing with a giant sticker, making it harder to manipulate due to the size. Surface Laptops, Surface Go, and Surface Pro should be much easier.

I appreciate the matte design, which means you won't see fingerprints. It also feels nice with a slight texture that helps take the chill out of the Surface's metal chassis.

I do feel like this will provide moderate scratch and scuff protection to the Surface Book 3. I can't complain about the price. For $9 to $15, you're getting a visually stunning graphic on your laptop (so long as you find a style you like).

Overall, I am quite happy with the MasiBloom, and it's worth checking out if you like the look. I'll probably order one for my Surface Pro soon.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. That's the takeaway from Microsoft's new Surface Book 3, which launched last month, anyway. Featuring a design that sticks to what we've become familiar with through the past two iterations, the Surface Book 3 focuses on bringing some solid improvements to the hardware internals over a major redesign.

Despite the old look, the Surface Book 3 is still one of the more interesting laptops on the market. Windows Central executive editor Daniel Rubino already chimed in with his thoughts in his recent full review, in which he ultimately recommended the Surface Book 3. If you want a second opinion, however, MrMobile's new video review offers another perspective on Microsoft's latest Book.

Ultimately, while MrMobile remains impressed with the typing experience and power of the Surface Book 3, its design is getting a little long in the tooth. For more on his thoughts, check out the full video review above.

What you need to know

• Some day-one firmware updates are available for Surface Book 3.
• The updates mostly focus on system stability and reliability.
• Surface Book 3 is available to buy now starting at $1,600.

Microsoft's new Surface Book 3 is available starting today, and it has a fresh set of firmware updates available on day one. These updates largely bring reliability and stability improvements across the board, along with some interoperability improvements.

Here's a look at all of what's new according to the Surface Update History page.

• Surface SMF- Firmware 1.0.23.1 - improves system stability.
• Surface Panel - Monitor 3.99.139.0 - improves interoperability with creative software usage.
• Surface Panel - Monitor 3.99.139.0 - improves interoperability with creative software usage.
• Surface DTX – System devices 3.81.139.0 - improves system stability.
• Surface Integration – System devices 22.24.139.0 - improves stability and interoperability between peripherals.
• Surface System Aggregator - Firmware 10.5.139.0 improves device reliability during low battery scenarios.

If you have a Surface Book 3 arriving today, or are planning to pick one up, you can grab these updates right away via Windows Update. Otherwise, the new Surface Book 3 is available to buy now with a price starting at $1,600 for the consumer version. There's also a business version available, with NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 graphics with Max-Q starting at $3,500.

Microsoft's latest Surface Book is now shipping! Here's everything you need to know about the Surface Book 3, including specs, pricing, and more. Microsoft has updated the Surface Book 3 with new processors, more RAM and storage configurations, and better graphics power for rendering and gaming.

Design

On the outside, Surface Book 3 features the exact same design as its predecessor. Microsoft has kept everything from the bezels to the size of the trackpad the same, which means accessories built for the Surface Book 2 will work fine with the Surface Book 3.

Specs

The Surface Book 3 features Intel's latest 10th-generation Core i5 and Core i7 processors with better power efficiency and more performance for productivity work. In addition, Microsoft is also offering Surface Book 3 with up to 32GB RAM and 2TB storage options. These are new to the Surface Book 3, with the previous generation maxing out at 16GB RAM and 1TB storage.

The biggest improvements come with better graphics cards options in the form of NVIDIA GeForce and Quadro graphics. Inside the 13.5-inch model is either integrated Intel Iris Plus graphics or dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics. If you want to do any video rendering, 3D object modeling, or gaming, then the NVIDIA options is what you'll want to go for.

Inside the 15-inch variant is an even more powerful NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti (Max-Q) graphics card. Commercial customers can also spec out the 15-inch variant with an NVIDIA Quadro 3000 RTX graphics card designed for data processing and crunching numbers.

Pricing

The Surface Book 3 is available now starting at $1,599 for the 13.5-inch entry-level model. This includes an Intel Core i5, 256GB storage, 8GB RAM and integrated Intel Iris Plus graphics. We recommend stepping up to the $1,999 model that significantly improves the processor, RAM, and graphics with an Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650.

The 15-inch entry-level model starts at $2,299 for an Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM, 256GB storage and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q. The top-end Surface Book 3 includes the NVIDIA Quadro 3000 RTX graphics card, along with 32GB RAM, 2TB storage and an Intel Core i7 for $3,399.

Surface Book 3 and privacy screens

Privacy screens are special filters you can place over your laptop display that make it impossible for someone to see what's on your screen from any angle outside of a frontal 60-degree viewing cone, allowing you to use your device in peace without having to worry about people spying on you. Many of these screens have been developed for Surface Book devices over the years, and thankfully, they will all work with the Surface Book 3 too since the device has the same size and shape as its predecessors.

If you're looking for a top-notch privacy screen, we recommend the GeckoCare Surface Book Privacy Screen. The view blocking is very effective, the screen doesn't reduce the visual clarity of the device's display as much as other options do, and the adhesive used is fully reusable. All of these things together make this screen a superb accessory for your Surface Book 3.

Why get a Surface Book 3?

The Surface Book 3 is Microsoft's most powerful convertible laptop, and it's clear why that is once you look at what it has under the hood. It can be configured with up to an Intel 10th Gen i7-1065G7 processor, up to an NVIDIA GTX 1660 Ti GPU, and up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM. This suite of strong hardware allows the device to tackle nearly anything without issues, including modern games. It can be outfitted with up to 1TB in storage space, too, which should enough for most users. If you need more, the device comes with an SD card slot. The 10th Gen Intel CPU also allows for Wi-Fi 6 support, which is the latest Wi-Fi standard on the market.

When it comes to the display, the Surface Book 3 doesn't disappoint. You can opt for a 13.5-inch one that has a 3000 x 2000 resolution, or a 15-inch one with a 3240 x 2160 resolution. Both come with full touch and inking support. Just like with previous Surface Books, you can remove the keyboard from the display and use the Surface Book 3 like a tablet. Finally, the device comes with a wonderful selection of ports. You get dual USB-A 3.1 Gen 2 ports, dual Surface Connect ports, and a USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 port for excellent peripheral connectivity. Overall, the Surface Book 3 is a lovely hybrid device that's equipped to do it all, and anyone who gets one will not be disappointed.

Microsoft Surface Book 3 13.5- and 15-inch models are set to on sale on May 21. While Microsoft has not changed the fundamentals of its most powerful laptop, it has overhauled the chips that power them bringing them up to speed for 2020.

My Surface Book 3 15 review sample arrived for some testing this week. While it is still too early for general remarks on battery life and the overall experience (though I'm not expecting a radical shift in opinion), I can run some benchmarks to see what that new Core i7-1065G7 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti (Max-Q) deliver.

Surface Book 3 15 – What's new at a glance

Before we get to the benchmarks, let us recap what is different from the Surface Book 3 15 over the Surface Book 2 15:

The wire mechanism that controls the display detaching is reportedly three times faster and quieter than Surface Book 2, which is a minor change, but I can report it as accurate.

And here is a full specification comparison between Surface Book 2 and Surface Book 3:

Surface Book 2 15 vs. Surface Book 3 15 specs

Surface Book 3 15 Preliminary benchmarks

Putting the Surface Book 3 15-inch through a few popular synthetic benchmarking apps reveals expected results. There is a slight boost in CPU performance when switching from 8th Gen to Intel 10th Gen Core i7, but the significant increase comes from the GTX 1660 Ti graphics card, which is significantly faster (especially on CUDA). See how it stacks up to other best graphics card options out there.

The tests, as always, are run with the laptops plugged in and set to maximum performance in a 70-degree Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius) room.

Geekbench 4

Geekbench 4.0 (CPU) (Higher is better)

Geekbench 5

Geekbench 5.0 (CPU) (Higher is better)

PCMark

PCMark 10

GPU

Geekbench 4.0 CUDA (higher is better)

SSD

CrystalDiskMark (Higher is better)

.

Running some other 3DMark benchmarks like Time Spy, Night Raid and Fire Strike show how the GPU shifts favorably for Surface Book 3 but falls short of most gaming laptops.

3DMark Graphics

For the full review, I'll include comparison scores for the above 3DMark ones, though you can easily compare them to 3DMark's online database. For example, the Surface Book 3 is more potent with its 4,979 score on Time Spy, while the Surface Book 2 only managed 3,557.

I'll also toss in some gaming benchmarks and framerates to see just how much better the GTX 1660 Ti is compared to the older GTX 1060 used in Surface Book 2.

While Microsoft is offering an option for NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 graphics, please make no mistake that option is not only pricier, but it won't be any better for gaming or general consumer applications. Indeed, due to the lower core clock rate, it will likely be worse. Quadro is optimized for 3D rendering and CAD applications, where its memory system is ideal for more precise work versus gaming, which is more reliant on faster core speed.

The Surface Book 3 15 charger is now 127 watts versus the older 102 watts that came with Surface Book 2. The Surface Book 3 can utilize 120 watts with 7 watts for the Type-A port found in the base. This improvement in wattage addresses a power-draining issue with the Surface Book 2, which, while rare, was a problem for some. Even though the charger does not seem bigger, it certainly is heavy (1lb, or 455G). Luckily, it is still a dual-prong plug without a ground, which makes it great for travel.

Dolby Atmos sound tuning is also here. The physical speakers are unchanged with Surface Book 3, but Dolby Atmos gives more spatial representation to audio and it sounds great. But due to the lack of a dedicated subwoofer, audio remains a little bit less rich than preferred. In theory, I can't see why this software tweak can't be implemented on Surface Book 2, save for the licensing cost.

Surface Book 3 15 Consumer

Surface Book 3 15 Commercial

For configurations, Microsoft is offering multiple for Surface Book 3 15, with 32GB of RAM being the most common choice. Surface Book 3 is aimed at software developers, creative "doers," social creators, architects, and engineers, and it seems to succeed in that regard with this refresh.

If you have any questions regarding Surface Book 3 15, leave them in comments, and I'll try to answer them in our review due next week.

Oh, and for those wondering, you cannot switch the tops of Surface Book 2 with Surface Book 3. Doing so causes it to get jammed on the base, and you'll have to do a manual release, which is not fun at all. Do not ever attempt this maneuver, as it won't work anyway (Microsoft seems to have reversed the magnets to avoid confusion when lining the two parts together, not that it stopped me from trying).

Surface Book 3 vs. Surface Pro X tech specs

Features and design

The refreshed Surface Book 3, available in 13.5- and 15-inch sizes, is a modular PC that can act as a tablet with keyboard base detached, or a powerful Ultrabook with base attached. This lends it some versatility, and the internal hardware is split up so that you'll have everything you need in the display portion, with dedicated GPU, ports, and extra battery in the base. There's really not much of a physical difference between the Book 2 and Book 3, so if you're familiar with the older model, you should feel right at home here.

The Pro X is a continuation of the standard Pro lineup, which is closer to a standard 2-in-1 device with all hardware contained in the tablet portion. It has a stand on the back that folds out to prop up the tablet, which works brilliantly with the attachable keyboard that is sold separately. Whereas you need the base connected to the Book 3 to get the full experience, the Pro X is comfortable on its own.

The Pro X has two USB-C 3.1 ports, Surface Connect, and a slot for Nano-SIM, while the Book 3 includes two USB-A 3.1, USB-C 3.1, two Surface Connect (one on the tablet and one on the base), and a UHS-II card reader. You'll get far better native connectivity from the Book 3, though both devices work with the refreshed Surface Dock 2 if you need to add even more ports. Keep in mind that the Book 3, in either size, weighs considerably more than the Pro X. The Pro X is also thinner, making it easier to tote around with you wherever you go. Add in LTE connectivity that comes standard, and you have a device that's easy to operate anywhere you go.

Front- and rear-facing cameras on the Book 3 deliver 1080p quality video, as do the Pro X's cameras. While the front-facing cameras on both devices are set at 5MP, the rear-facing camera on the Pro X hits 10MP while the Book 3 hits 8MP. Both devices include dual far-field Studio microphones for quality voice pickup while on calls or video. For added security, the Book and Pro X both have an IR camera that works with Windows Hello for facial recognition.

The Surface Book 3 has Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, while the Pro X is stuck at Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0. Because the 15-inch Book 3 has a beefy dedicated graphics card (GPU) perfect for gaming, it has Xbox Wireless controller support.

Display and inking

Microsoft doesn't mess around with displays for its Surface products, so you shouldn't worry too much about screens and capabilities. The Book 3 and Pro X displays have a 3:2 aspect ratio, high resolution, and 10-point multi-touch and inking.

The 15-inch Book 3 delivers the highest resolution at 3240x2160, totaling up to 260 pixels-per-inch (PPI). The 13.5-inch Book 3 has a 3000x2000 resolution, with 267 PPI. The Pro X has the smallest display at 13 inches, with a 2880x1920 resolution and 267 PPI.

The Surface Slim Pen was introduced alongside the Pro X. Like the original Surface Pen (which also works with the Book 3), it offers tilt support for shading and 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity. The active pens are cross-compatible and will ultimately offer the same natural inking experience.

Performance and price

The ARM-powered Pro X, with its Microsoft SQ1 processor (CPU) — basically a beefed-up Snapdragon 8cx — is a capable machine that can handle productivity work with ease. However, ARM has some limitations. OpenGL games won't work on ARM, and x86 apps must be emulated. In any case, the Pro X is going to be able to handle anything you throw its way as long as you don't get into anything specialized or particularly intensive.

The Book 3 is built to be powerful, so comparisons between the two devices aren't quite fair. If you need the most performance possible, you'll want to opt for the Book 3. The 13.5-inch model includes either a 10th Gen Intel Core i5 or Core i7 CPU, with up to an NVIDIA GTX 1650 Max-Q dedicated graphics card (GPU) with 4GB of GDDR5 VRAM. If you opt instead for the larger 15-inch Book 3, it comes with a Core i7 CPU, up to 2TB of storage, 32GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q GPU with 6GB of GDDR6 VRAM. The 15-inch Business version of the Book 3 also comes with the option for a NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 Max-Q GPU with 6GB of GDDR6 VRAM. If you're working with specialized design or development software, this is the PC you want.

All that power doesn't come without a price. The 13.5-inch Surface Book 3 starts at about $1,600, while the 15-inch model starts at about $2,300. These prices do not include any accessories. The Surface Pro X, without keyboard or pen included, starts at a much more reasonable $1,000. You don't get nearly the same performance, but if you're not working on anything particularly intensive, that shouldn't matter nearly as much.

Opt for the Surface Book 3 if you value performance

Both sizes of the refreshed Book 3 are bulkier and considerably more expensive, but you get a larger display, a lot more performance, and more ports. If you need a powerful laptop that can act as a replacement for your desktop, the Book 3 should be your first choice.

The Pro X is a better choice for those on the move

Thanks to standard LTE connectivity, light and sleek build, and hardware suited for productivity tasks, the Pro X is an attractive option for anyone who doesn't mind the compromises that come with ARM.

Expanding your Surface

Microsoft's new Surface Dock 2 features a plethora of ports to expand the functionality of your Surface devices. You can connect it to all your peripherals and then leave it on your desk. When you bring your Surface device to your desk, you just have to connect your device to the Surface Dock 2 with a single cable. It's an easy and convenient way to have your Surface remain portable while having the ability to connect to plenty of devices at your desk. The Surface Dock 2 has USB-C ports, charges your device, and features fast transfer speeds, but it can't work with all Surface devices. The Surface Dock 2 is expected to launch on May 26, 2020, but is available for preorder now

To use a Surface Dock 2, you generally have to have a Surface device made in 2017 or later. Specifically, it works with the Surface Book 3, Surface Book 2, Surface Pro 7, Surface Pro 6, Surface Pro (5th Gen), Surface Pro X, Surface Laptop 3, Surface Laptop 2, Surface Laptop (1st Gen), Surface Go 2, Surface Go, Surface Go, and Surface 3. Some of the data transfer rates vary depending on the Surface device you have. Surface devices also vary in how much resolution they can put out to external monitors through the dock. You can check Microsoft's support page to see a complete chart of features.

The Surface Dock 2 provides a wide variety of ports to connect old and new devices such as keyboards and mice. Here are the ports included on the Surface Dock 2:

• 2x front-facing USB-C ports.
• 2x rear-facing, video-enabled USB-C ports
• 2x rear-facing USB-A 3.2 (10Gbps) ports
• 1x Gigabit Ethernet port
• 1x 3.5mm audio in/out port
• Kensington compatible lock

The Surface Dock 2 is ideal for desktop setups. It can drive two 4K displays at 60Hz or two 5K displays at 30Hz. It also has enterprise management tools for IT admins to manage the dock with authentication.

In addition to connecting your supported Surface device to peripherals, the Surface Dock 2 can charge your Surface device. It supports up to 120 watts of power delivery to your Surface device and a total of 199 watts to all devices connected to the dock. The increase to 120 watts, when compared to the original Surface Dock, means that your Surface device won't run out of battery while plugged in. The older dock couldn't supply enough power to keep up with the device's power draw at times. With the Surface Dock 2, you can plug in your Surface device, use it all day, then take it on the go on a full charge.

If you're using an older Surface device and want some of the same benefits that you get with the Surface Dock 2, you can check out the original Surface Dock. It's dated at this point, but it still has several ports and allows you to easily connect your Surface to several devices.

The Surface Book 3 and SD storage

As previously mentioned, the Surface Book 3 does not come with a microSD card slot. However, it does come with a regular SD one. This leaves you with two options. The first is to use an SD to microSD adapter to use a microSD card with your Surface Book 3 (or any other device with an SD card slot). We have a guide on how to do that here.

Your second option is to simply opt for an SD card. This is easier to do since you don't need an adapter, but a regular SD card will stick out of the laptop and could catch on things. Ultimately, it's a matter of deciding if you want to pay a little extra for a microSD adapter to get around the size issue of SD cards, or if you would rather save a little money and deal with the fact that an SD card will stick out.

If you decide you want to use an SD card, we highly recommend the SanDisk Extreme Pro. It has excellent read and write speeds and can be configured to have a capacity anywhere between 32GB and 1TB, so it's a very versatile card that will suit your specific needs no matter what.

Why get a Surface Book 3?

The Surface Book 3 is one of the most potent convertible laptops Microsoft has made, sporting up to an Intel 10th Gen i7-1065G7 processor, up to an NVIDIA GTX 1660 Ti GPU, and up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM. These specs enable the Surface Book 3 to tackle any work task you can throw at it quickly, and it will also play modern games competently as well, which isn't something you can often say about hybrid devices. It can be outfitted with up to 1TB in storage space, too, which is excellent. On top of this, the 10th Gen Intel CPU allows the laptop to support Wi-Fi 6, which is the latest Wi-Fi standard on the market.

In terms of the display, the Surface Book 3's is gorgeous. You can get either a 13.5-inch one that has a 3000 x 2000 resolution, or a 15-inch one with a 3240 x 2160 resolution. Both displays are fully touch-enabled. Just like with the previous Surface Book devices, you can also fully detach the keyboard from the display and use the device as a dedicated tablet. The cherry on top is the strong selection of ports; the Surface Book 3 comes with dual USB-A 3.1 Gen 2 ports, dual Surface Connect ports, and a USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 port for maximum peripheral connectivity. Overall, the Surface Book 3 is an excellent hybrid device that can do it all, and do it well.

The Surface Book 3 and older cases

While the Surface Book 3 sports several hardware upgrades compared to its Surface Book 2 predecessor, the shape and frame of the device hasn't changed. This means that cases designed to fit the Surface Book 2 will still fit perfectly on the Surface Book 3, so if you're upgrading, you don't need to get a new case.

If you're looking for a case, our favorite option is the Heycase Surface Book Case. The snazzy PU leather design looks stylish and elegant, and it also protects well against drops, scratches, and liquids, making it one of our favorite cases. Also, it comes in both a 13-inch and 15-inch size, so you can use it no matter which version of the Surface Book 3 you own.

Why get a Surface Book 3?

The Surface Book 3 stands as Microsoft's most powerful convertible device, and it's easy to see why once you look at the specs. It can be configured with up to an Intel 10th Gen i7-1065G7 processor, up to an NVIDIA GTX 1660 Ti GPU, and up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM. This kit allows the Surface Book 3 to handle pretty much anything without issues — even modern games. It can be outfitted with up to 1TB in storage space as well, which is more than enough for most people. If you need more storage, the device comes with an SD card slot too. Additionally, the 10th Gen Intel CPU allows the laptop to support Wi-Fi 6, which is the latest Wi-Fi standard on the market.

When it comes to the display, the Surface Book 3's is awesome. You can opt for a 13.5-inch one that has a 3000 x 2000 resolution, or a 15-inch one with a 3240 x 2160 resolution. Both displays come with full touch and ink support. Just like with predecessor Surface Books, you can remove the keyboard from the display and use the device like a tablet. Finally, the laptop comes with an awesome port selection. With the Surface Book 3, you get dual USB-A 3.1 Gen 2 ports, dual Surface Connect ports, and a USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 port for fantastic peripheral connectivity. Overall, the Surface Book 3 is a hybrid device that is well-equipped to do it all, and you can rely on it without worry.

What you need to know

• Microsoft's new lineup of Surface hardware is available for preorder on Amazon.
• You can preorder the Surface Go 2, Surface Book 3, Surface Dock 2, and Surface Earbuds now.
• The Surface Headphones 2 have not appeared for preorder on Amazon yet.

Microsoft's Surface Go 2, Surface Book 3, Surface Earbuds, and Surface Dock 2 are all available for preorder on Amazon. Microsoft recently announced its newest additions to the Surface family, and you can preorder them now to get them as early as possible. The Surface Go 2 starts at $400, the Surface Book 3 starts $1,599 and the Surface Earbuds cost $200. You can also preorder the Surface Dock 2 for $260. At the moment, the Surface Headphones 2 are not available for preorder on Amazon but you can preorder them from Microsoft.

The Surface Go 2 has a larger display than the original Surface Go while keeping the same body size and shape. Microsoft accomplished this by making the bezels thinner and expanding the display. The Surface Go 2 is available with either Intel Pentium Gold processors or more powerful Intel Core m3 processors. Our initial benchmarks show that the Core m3 version stacks up very well against the cheaper Pentium Gold version. Though at this time only the Pentium Gold version appears for preorder on Amazon.

The Surface Book 3 keeps the external design and look of the Surface Book 2 but has several internal improvements. The CPU and GPU that you can get inside are more powerful, and there are more GPU options. Though, like the Surface Go 2's listing, only some options appear on Amazon at this time.

The Surface Earbuds are a newcomer to the Surface family. They feature omnisonic speakers for high quality audio and support haptic gestures for navigating playback. They also integrate with Office 365, allowing you to perform tasks such as dictating documents.

The Surface Dock 2 is a refresh of the original Surface Dock. It supports faster transfer speeds than the original dock and includes several USB-C ports. It also can deliver up to 120 watts of power to connected Surface devices, meaning your device won't run out of power while you have it docked.

The Surface Book 3 is the most powerful Surface in Microsoft's lineup. But, for some, that power isn't enough. Despite a stated 50 percent boost to performance with new chips from Intel and NVIDIA, the fact that the Surface Book 3 "only" uses quad-core CPUs was a disappointment to some.

The thing is, Surface Book 3 is never going to push hardware limits like some wish it would. Windows Central executive editor Daniel Rubino tackled the issue in a recent post, explaining why Surface Book will never be the monster some want it to be. To keep things brief, it comes down to engineering hurdles and what the Surface Book is designed for.

Turns out it's hard putting most of the guts of a PC in the display. Doing that and designing for the thermals of something like a gaming PC is nigh impossible (at least right now).

What would be more practical, and what Rubino posits in his piece, is something like a "Surface Laptop Pro." Think of the Razer Blade 15 or Dell XPS 15, but in Surface clothing. Something designed from the ground up to use the most powerful mobile components possible: A 45-watt CPU and the latest discrete graphics chips with ample cooling.

Such a laptop could take the form of the Surface Laptop 3, but maybe with thicker chassis to accommadate the more robust cooling setup.

There's no indication Microsoft is even exploring such a device. However, if a "Surface Laptop Pro" were to arrive one day, would you buy one? Let us know in the poll below.

Be sure to chime in in the comments as well. What other changes would you want to see? How much would you be willing to pay?

Microsoft recently revealed the new Surface Book 3, the first refresh since late 2017. The powerful 2-in-1 gets the latest Intel and NVIDIA silicon making it a more modern device with a reported 50 percent boost in performance. While the lack of design changes and features are unfortunate, others are lamenting that it "only" has a quad-core processor and is not something ... more.

I get it. I am sure Microsoft does, too. No, the Surface Book is not – and never will be – the most powerful laptop. It is, however, the most potent convertible because there is no other laptop like it. There is no other PC that has a detachable display that acts as a standalone tablet computer.

But because of this design, there are substantial limits on its capabilities.

The new Surface Book 3 uses an Intel Core i7-1065G7. That is a U-series chip (read: Ultrabook) that requires 15 watts of energy, although Microsoft can run it up to 25 watts of thermal design power (TDP). Many 13-inch laptops run that CPU model, but Microsoft is likely to get better performance due to the slightly higher TDP.

Intel has more powerful H-series chips like the Core i7-10750H. That is a 45-watt processor with six cores and twelve threads. There's also the beefier Core i7-10875H with eight cores and sixteen threads found in the new Razer Blade 15.

If U-series chips are four-cylinder car engines, then H-series are bigger V-8s and V-12s.

So, why doesn't Microsoft drop these mighty chips into the Surface Book 3? It seems so obvious!

The primary reason is just physics. Because the Surface Book 3 has a detachable display, the processor is behind the screen (along with the RAM, the SSD, and the motherboard). The fan and heat piping also must be a part of that along with a battery. That is a lot of stuff to put behind a touch display. It also limits how hot the processor can get, which is further constrained by the cooling system and desired fan noise.

Notice how no other laptop does this.

For one, it is incredibly hard to engineer (and expensive to design). The other reason is it is simpler to put the processor in the base of the computer where there is physically more space for cooling, larger heat pipes, and bigger fans. The heat can also go higher as the risk to ruining the delicate display components is non-existent (excessive heat can damage the glue that binds the display layers together).

Surface Book 2 vs. Surface Book 3: Which is a better buy?

There are other reasons, too, why putting a 45-watt chip into the Surface Book 3 would be a bad idea (even if it were possible). It'd undoubtedly drive up the price, and the Surface Book 3's battery life would take a massive hit (especially for the tablet portion).

But what about AMD?

AMD's new Ryzen chips look outstanding, but if Microsoft wanted those in the Surface Book 3, it's not as simple as dropping in the chip. The entire board, wiring, battery, memory system, and Wi-Fi chipsets would all have to be redesigned, swapped out, and rebuilt for the Surface Book 3's chassis.

This design issue is a sticking point for AMD, who loathes when PC makers do base swaps with Intel-based laptops. AMD knows that to make the most of its chips, you need to design the computer from the ground-up for AMD Ryzen. AMD calls this "cooperative design," and it is part of its AMD Assured Program for working with manufacturers. The new AMD-based ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is an example of this partnership.

It is undoubtedly feasible that for a Surface Book 4, which by current pacing would arrive sometime in 2022, could be built around an AMD Ryzen architecture to capitalize on its potential. That could happen.

And maybe Microsoft should have rebuilt the Surface Book 3 from scratch for 2020, but quite a few companies follow this "iterate once and let it ride for a few years" engineering style, including Dell and Apple. But Surface Books (like Surface Studio) are low-volume drivers and it may not make financial sense to re-engineer something just to keep tech nerds happy.

Either way, my point remains. You can't just swap out to an AMD system, and using a 45-watt chip (whether Intel or AMD) is currently not feasible with the design of the Surfaced Book.

The bottom line: You probably want a different laptop

The Surface Book is, first and foremost, a convertible laptop PC. It is the only kind with a detachable display, and because of that decision, it has stringent design limitations compared to typical workstation laptops like the XPS 15 or Razer Blade 15.

We could debate about the usefulness of that detachable display, which is fair. Still, the fact is Surface Book 3's current hardware and design is likely maxed out (although NVIDIA GeForce RTX options would have been attractive).

This brings me to my final argument: I think what some people really want is not the Surface Book, but a mythical "Surface Laptop Pro." That device is one built from the ground up as a non-convertible laptop with a 45-watt processor and the most powerful graphics on the planet.

Microsoft has not made "Surface Laptop Pro", yet. Maybe it will. But until then, people need to stop trying to make the Surface Book something it is not. Just like you cannot shoehorn a V-12 engine into a Honda Civic without significant consequences, you cannot just slap in a 45-watt processor in the Surface Book either.

And if you do want a tablet PC with a massive, heat-inducing Core i9-9980HK and a desktop-class NVIDIA RTX 2080 GPU, well, it is already here. It is called the ASUS ROG Mothership. It weighs 10 pounds (4.5 kg) and it costs $6,500.

So, what's stopping you?

The choice between Surface Book 2 and Surface Book 3 primarily comes down to your available budget. The bump in specs is nice for those seeking a new, powerful PC with the latest from Intel and NVIDIA, but if you simply need a decently powered 2-in-1 Windows PC from Microsoft, the Surface Book 2 is still worth considering.

The display remains the same, so do the ports and webcams. In fact, there are more things the same than different with the Surface Book 3. But where there are improvements, they're considerable, making it one compelling portable PC.

Surface Book 2 vs. Surface Book 3 specs

New internals for the same excellent Surface Book

Externally, nothing changed with the move from Surface Book 2 to Surface Book 3. If you put one of each side by side, you'd be hard-pressed to tell any visual difference. It's all about what's under the hood, which is where the considerable price difference comes into play.

The newer Surface Book 3 is updated for 2020, though there are some omissions like Thunderbolt 3. For CPUs, we've got the choice of up to a 10th Gen Intel Core i7-1065G7, a very capable mobile processor used in many modern Ultrabooks.

GPUs were also given a bump with the 15-inch able to take on a GTX 1660 Ti with 6GB GDDR6 RAM. It's powerful, clocking in a 40% performance boost over the Surface Book's GTX 1060. There's even an NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 GPU option for creatives and professionals.

Next up is Wi-Fi, which is now Wi-Fi 6, and thanks to Microsoft switching to Intel for wireless connectivity, we also have Bluetooth 5.0. And, of course, Microsoft included Xbox Wireless. Finally, we have RAM and SSD improvements. Surface Book 3 swaps out the slower DDR3 RAM for LPDDR4x. SSD performance has also been bumped.

Overall, the Surface Book 3 is essentially a Surface Book 2 with everything turned up to 11. If you dig the Surface Book design and don't want it to change, this new generation will please you. But if you're holding out for a design refresh, you're going to have to wait a little longer.

Surface Book 2 is better for tighter budgets

If you simply do not have enough funds to splash out on the Surface Book 3, but still desire a Surface Book of your own, the Surface Book 2 is still a good buy. It can be configured with an 8th Gen Intel Core-i7 CPU, 16GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, and an NVIDIA GTX 1050 GPU.

Surface Book 3 is the star pick with better internal hardware

If you want the absolute best Surface Book, there's only one choice. Surface Book 3 has better internal components, is newer, and has support for Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0. It's just a shame that Microsoft couldn't evolve the external design a little.

Microsoft's Surface Go 2, Surface Book 3, and Surface Earbuds are all available for preorder on Best Buy. The latest pieces of Surface hardware were announced yesterday, and you can preorder them now to make sure you get them as soon as possible. At Best Buy, The Surface Go 2 starts at $400, the Surface Book 3 starts $1,599 and the Surface Earbuds cost $200. At the moment, the Surface Headphones 2 and both of Microsoft's new docks are not available for preorder through Best Buy.

The Surface Go 2 features a larger display than the original Surface Go while retaining the same body shape and size. It has improved internals and has options for either Intel Pentium Gold or Intel Core m3 processors. Based on our initial benchmarks, the Core m3 version stacks up very well against the cheaper Pentium Gold version. Though at this time Best Buy does not list the Core m3 version of the Surface Go 2.

The Surface Book 3 has the same body size and shape as the Surface Book 2 and has no external changes. Instead, it has internal improvements and options for a more powerful CPU and GPU. Best Buy doesn't list the cheaper 8GB variant that's available on Microsoft's website. Instead, it starts at the version with 16GB of RAM at $2,300.

The Surface Earbuds are a new member of the Surface family, and feature omnisonic speakers for high audio quality. They support haptic gestures that allow you to control music and other content. They also integrate with Office 365 such as allowing you to dictate to documents.

What you need to know

• The Surface Book 3 is now available for preorder.
• The device has up to 50 percent more power than the Surface Book 2.
• There is an option for Quadro RTX 3000 graphics on the Surface Book 3.
• Pricing for the Surface Book 3 starts at $1,599.

Microsoft's newly announced Surface Book 3 is now available for preorder. The device doesn't have any external changes when compared to the Surface Book 2, but has several internal improvements, including 10th Gen intel chips and faster LPDRR4x memory. There is also an option for Quadro RTX 3000 graphics on the 15-inch model. The 13.5-inch Surface Book 3 starts at $1,599 and the 15-inch Surface Book 3 starts at $2,299.

The Surface Book 3 retains its design and form factor from the previous generation. You can use it as a traditional laptop or detach the device's screen. You can then use the screen as a standalone tablet or reattach it after flipping it around.

Externally, the Surface Book 3 looks identical to the Surface Book 2 down to the millimeter. Some people wanted the Surface Book 3 to have a larger trackpad or other external changes, but those didn't happen for this generation. Instead, the Surface Book 3 focuses on internal improvements such as quicker memory and support for Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0. There are also much more powerful options when it comes to graphics. Microsoft states up to a 50 percent performance boost when compared to the Surface Book 2.

The 13-5-inch Surface Book 3 comes with up to a 10th Gen Intel Core i7-1065G7 processor and up to NVIDIA GeForce 1650 Max-Q graphics.

The 15-inch Surface Book 3 sees a large jump in power compared to its predecessor. It comes with a 10th Gen Intel Core i7-1065G7 processors and has an option for an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q. If you opt for the commercial version of the 15-inch Surface Book 3, you can get NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 graphics.

Those Quadro graphics should allow professionals with demanding workloads to get work done, including engineering work, editing graphics, and using auto-CAD.

The Surface Book 3 will be available on May 21 starting at $1,599. At first, it will be available in the U.S. and Canada. Over the following weeks, it will roll out to more countries. We break down the pricing of every single variant and put the Surface Book 3 head-to-head against its predecessor in our post covering the Surface Book 3's announcement.

Microsoft launched a whole load of new Surface devices today. With the new Surface Book 3, Surface Go 2, and Surface Headphone 2 finally breaking cover, alongside a ton of other products, you're bound to have some questions, and we have answers.

Windows Central's Daniel Rubino and Zac Bowden will go live on YouTube and Mixer today at 1 PM ET to answer any questions you may have about the new Surface gear announced today. We've already had some hands on time with the Surface Go 2, Surface Headphones 2, and Surface Earbuds, but we'll be fielding questions about everything else as well.

You can watch along on this page via the video embed above, or join us directly on YouTube and Mixer starting at 1 PM ET.

What you need to know

• Panos Panay shared a brief video on Twitter about the new Surface devices.
• Microsoft announced the Surface Book 3, Surface Go 2, and several other Surface devices today.
• Panay highlights that the devices are designed to adapt to people's workflow.

Microsoft's chief product officer, Panos Panay, shared a brief video on Twitter today showing his excitement for the new Surface devices. Microsoft announced two new PCs today, the Surface Book 3 and the Surface Go 2. The company also announced the Surface Headphones 2, Surface Earbuds, and two docks for connecting devices. Panay discussed how the devices adapt to people's workflow.

About halfway through the video, Panay's daughter walks into the room in which he's filming. She joins the video, says hi, and says good-bye alongside Panay ending the video.

Panay often announces Surface devices with a bit more fanfare, but with the current health crisis Microsoft took a different approach to announcing the new Surface devices.

What you need to know

• Preorders for the Surface Book 3 and Surface Go are available on Amazon U.K.
• The Surface Book 3 listing has an option to receive a free Surface Pen.
• The Surface Go 2 starts at £629 and the Surface Book 3 starts at £1,599.

Microsoft's Surface Book 3 and Surface Go 2 are availalbe for preorder on Amazon U.K. Microsoft announced both devices today alongside the Surface Headphones 2, Surface Earbuds, and two docks for connecting devices. The Surface Go 2 starts at £529 and the Surface Book 3 starts at £1,599. If you order the Surface Book 3 from Amazon U.K., there's an option to receive a black Surface Pen for free.

The Surface Book 3 shares its body design and look with the Surface Book 2 but has several internal updates. It's powered by 10th Gen Intel processors and has options for NVIDIA GTX graphics. If you get the 13.5-inch model, you can choose between Intel Iris Plus graphics or an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q. The 15-inch variant of the Surface Book 3 has more powerful options. You can choose between Intel Iris Plus graphics or an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q. If you go for the commercial model of the 15-inch Surface Book 3, you can choose to have Quadro RTX 3000 graphics. Unfortunately, the models with Quadro graphics do not appear on Amazon.

The Surface Go 2 has thinner bezels than the original Surface Go and has more options when it comes to processors. You can choose between Intel Pentium Gold processors or an Intel Core m3 processors, though right now Amazon U.K. only lists the Pentium Gold variants. The Surface Go 2 also has dual studio mics, a 5MP front facing camera, and a larger battery than its predecessor.

What you need to know

• Microsoft recently posted videos for the Surface Book 3, Surface Go 2, and Surface Earbuds.
• The videos highlight the latest additions of the Surface lineup.
• Microsoft will likely share videos for the rest of the lineup soon.

Microsoft just announced a plethora of Surface hardware, and you can check out three of them in new sizzler videos. The new videos show off the Surface Book 3, Surface Go 2, and Surface Earbuds.

The Surface Go 2 video focuses on mobility. It highlights the device's instant on capabilities, Windows Hello, and versatility. The Surface Go 2 has a larger display than its predecessor, thanks to its thinner bezels, and can attach to a keyboard.

The Surface Earbuds video appears to be similar or identical to the one that Microsoft used when the headphones were originally announced. It shows off the Surface Earbuds support for gestures, charging case, and quick pairing. It also shows off the ability to dictate to Office 365.

The Surface Book 3 video highlights that it's the Surface device with the longest battery life. The video also mentions some of the internal specs, such as its new GPU options and its 10th Gen Intel processor.

Make sure to check out our coverage of the Surface Go 2, Surface Book 3, and Surface Earbuds to get all the details.

What you need to know

• Surface Book 3 goes on sale on May 21 in select markets.
• It features new 10th Gen Intel and NVIDIA GTX graphics.
• There is a new option for Quadro graphics.
• Pricing starts at $1,599

Microsoft has signed off on the new Surface Book 3 for 2020 for both the 13.5-inch and 15-inch models. The refreshed line promises an extra half hour of battery life and a 50 percent performance boost over the late 2017 Surface Book 2 13.5 and Surface Book 2 15.

While there is no significant change to the design of the 2020 Surface Book 3, there are many smaller modifications to the internal hardware, including a new NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 graphics option for those who need it.

Way more power

Surface Book 3: What's new for 2020

Externally, Microsoft is keeping the Surface Book 3 the same from 2017. There are no changes to the hinge, colorway, ports, or even the trackpad size, which is a bit disappointing.

But internally, Microsoft has added significant improvements to all the components effectively, bringing this laptop up to date with 2020 standards. There is still no support for Thunderbolt 3, which was recently explained as security concerns via an internal Microsoft video.

The processors being used by Microsoft are the same ones used in many recent Ultrabook laptops. However, like the Surface Book 2, these 15-watt chips use more TDP (thermal design power) letting them run faster for more prolonged durations peaking at 25 watts.

The GPUs are also relatively new. The 15-inch model gets the GTX 1660 Ti with 6GB GDDR6, and it is similar to the GTX 1070 (Max-Q), but usually with a reduced TDP. On average, it yields a 40 percent boost over the Book 2's GTX 1060. NVIDIA last refreshed the GTX 1660 Ti in April 2020.

Surface Book 2 13.5 vs. Surface Book 3 13.5 specs

There is also now an NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 option, which is typically reserved for graphic professionals, engineers, and auto-CAD uses, rather than consumer-focused gaming and video editing.

The 13-inch model uses a similar GTX 1650 with 4GB GDDR5 and not the just-announced version with GDDR6 memory. Its performance is just slightly ahead of the older GTX 1050, but it does not seem to be as big a jump as the 15-inch GTX 1660 Ti.

For die-hard Surface users, the continued switch by Microsoft away from Marvel for its Wi-Fi chip to Intel's more popular AX series is welcomed. Not only is there now Wi-Fi 6, which also works better on older Wi-Fi AC networks, but there is Bluetooth 5.0 too.

Surface Book 2 15 vs. Surface Book 3 15 specs

Like before, the 15-inch model still retains Xbox Wireless controller support for gaming and, when paired with the new graphics improvement, should make it an even better gaming experience. Microsoft also calls out Xbox Game Pass and gaming at 1080p with a "smooth" 60 frames per second.

Finally, it is worth noting RAM and SSD changes. The Surface Book 2 used slower and older DDR3, but the new Book 3 leverages faster (and more power-efficient) LPDRR4x. Microsoft has also been making headway with improved SSD speeds, and the new Book 3s have the fastest ones yet used by Microsoft.

Surface Book 3: Pricing and availability

Pricing starts at $1,599 and the new Surface Books will be available May 21 in the US and Canada and will roll out to other markets in the weeks to follow.

Here are all the Surface Book 3 SKUs for 2020:

Surface Book 3 13.5 Consumer

Surface Book 3 13.5 Commercial

Surface Book 3 15 Consumer

Surface Book 3 15 Commercial

The consumer version of Surface Book 3 ships with Windows 10 Home, while the commercial ones have Windows 10 Pro, hence the extra $100 difference.

For Surface Book 3 15, there are also options for Nvidia Quadro graphics.

It's new Surface hardware day! Microsoft has unveiled several new Surface products that are set to start shipping as soon as next week, and pack numerous improvements to Microsoft's low-end and high-end product lines. Here are all the announcements you need to know about.

Microsoft is announcing five new Surface products ranging from PCs to accessories, and is also releasing the Surface Earbuds that were originally announced back in October 2019. Here's a list of the new products being announced today:

• Surface Book 3
• Surface Go 2
• Surface Headphones 2
• Surface Dock 2
• Surface USB-C Travel Hub

The new Surface Book 3

Microsoft is finally updating its Surface Book product line with faster processors and more powerful GPU options. While the exterior remains the same, the inside has been updated with Intel 10th-Gen processors, up to 32GB RAM, and 2TB storage along with NVIDIA GTX 1650, 1660 Ti, or Quadro 3000 graphics options.

Surface Book 3 is not cheap, starting at $1599 for an Intel Core i5 with no dedicated graphics. We'd recommend skipping this model and jumping up to the Intel Core i7 models that start at $1999. This will get you a dedicated graphics card in the 13.5-inch, along with more storage and power to boot.

Surface Book 3 begins shipping on May 21 in the US and Canada. Check out our breakout post for availability, specifications, and more.

The new Surface Go 2

Alongside the Surface Book 3, Microsoft is updating the Surface Go product line with a larger display and a more powerful model for those who need it. The Surface Go 2 features the same overall design and size, but with a larger 10.5-inch panel with thinner bezels, which makes the product look more modern and less cramped to use.

Surface Go 2 still starts at $399, but users can now opt for a more powerful $629 model with an Intel Core m3 inside. This model provides 64 percent more power over the original Surface Go, making it suitable for most office-related tasks, browsing the web, checking email, and watching movies and listening to music.

Surface Go 2 begins shipping on May 12 in several markets. Check out our breakout post for availability, specifications, and more.

Surface Headphones 2 and Surface Earbuds

The Surface Headphones are also getting an update with a new black color option, increased battery life, and and Bluetooth 5.0 support. The Surface Headphones 2 look identical to the first generation, not including the new color of course. Most notably, these new Surface Headphones are cheaper than the originals, launching at just $250 instead of $349.

Microsoft's Surface Earbuds were originally announced in October 2019 and were supposed to start shipping before 2020 rolled around. However, the product was delayed and is only now beginning to ship. The only change between the Surface Earbuds launching today and the ones that were announced in October is that the price has dropped from $249 to $199, a saving of $50.

Make sure you check out our breakout posts for the Surface Headphones 2 and Surface Earbuds for information on availability, pricing, and more.

Surface Dock 2 and USB-C Travel Hub

Alongside the new Surface PCs comes a new Surface Dock to match. The new model includes USB-C ports in addition to USB-A ports. Interestingly, the new Surface Dock 2 only supports the Surface Book 3, Surface Pro 7, Surface Pro X, Surface Laptop 3, and Surface Go 2. It won't work on previous generation products, according to Microsoft.

Also new is a USB-C travel hub, which carries several ports for those who need them when on the go. These ports include 1x USB-C port, 1x USB-A port, 1x ethernet port, 1x HDMI 2.0 port, 1x VGA port, and 1x 3.5mm headphones jack. It's like a mini Surface Dock and works with more than just Surface products.

Check out our breakout post for these new accessories if you'd like to know more about pricing and availability.

What are you looking forward to?

That's all the notable announcements coming out of Microsoft today. We're expecting a handful of new Surface products to begin shipping in the next few weeks, most of which are modest updates over their predecessors. It's a little disappointing to see Microsoft hasn't changed the design of the Surface Book 3, but it's good to see a larger display and more powerful configurations on the Surface Go 2.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

What you need to know

• An FCC filing of what is potentially the Surface Book 3 recently passed FCC certification.
• The filing could indicate that the Surface Book 3's launch is coming soon.
• Several details and specifications about the Surface Book 3 have already leaked.

The Surface Book 3's launch could be just around the corner. A new FCC filing that's potentially for the Surface Book 3 recently became public. The filing was submitted to the FCC last week and became public today (via Windows Latest).

The filing does not explicitly state that it's for the Surface Book 3, instead referring to a "Microsoft Corporation Portable Computing Device." The device's model number is 1899, which Windows Latest points out is different from the Surface Go 2's model number of 1927. If the filing is indeed for the Surface Book 3, it could indicate that the launch of the device is coming soon. FCC filings that are likely for the Surface Go 2 and Surface Earbuds were spotted earlier this month.

Based on several reports and our own sources, several details about the Surface Book 3 are already known. For example, it will feature 10th-generation Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors, though the specific line of 10th-generation processors isn't known. The Surface Book 3 will be available in 13.5-inch and 15-inch variants, like previous generations of the Surface Book. The smaller Surface Book 3 will feature integrated graphics or NVIDIA GTX 1650 Max-Q graphics. The larger 15-inch variant will have either an NVIDIA GTX 1650 Max-Q or NVIDIA Quadro graphics.

The Surface Book 3 is expected to be available starting at $1,700, ranging all the way up to $3,400. You can read all about the upcoming Surface Book 3 here.

What you need to know

• A leaked retail listing shows potential details of the Surface Book 3.
• The listing indicates that the Surface Book 3 will bump up to a 25W processor and have an option for an NVIDIA Quatro GPU.
• Other listings share potential details about the Surface Go 2.

Update: Small correction: These are standard 15W chips, not stronger 25W ones.

Recent leaked store listings include potential details about multiple variants of the upcoming Surface Book 3. As with all leaks, these need to be taken with a grain of salt, but they line up fairly well with what's expected of the Surface Book 3. They certainly don't include any details that seem blatantly unrealistic. WinFuture first spotted the listings and shared details about the Surface Book 3. Additionally, some details about the Surface Go 2 came out through leaked listings.

The listings show options for 13-inch and 15-inch models of the Surface Book 3. Both models have options for the Intel Core i5-10210U and Intel Core i7-10510U processors, according to WinFuture. These chips are similar to the previous generation being 15W TDP, but they can burst or be configured to run at 25W TDP.

While it's not clear exactly how different these chips will be, there's a fair chance that the Surface Book 3 will have much more powerful chips than its predecessor. Intel's data charts share more insight regarding the Intel chips that might appear in the Surface Book 3.

WinFuture notes that the Intel Core i5-10210U and Intel Core i7-10510U processors have a base clock speed of 1.6GHz and 1.8GHz and a turbo clock maximum speed of 4.2GHz and 4.9GHz, respectively.

It also appears that The Surface Book 3 will see a bump to an option with 32GB of RAM. This jump isn't surprising but is more than the previous model. There will also be options for 8GB and 16GB of RAM, according to the listings. Storage for the Surface Book 3 goes up to 1TB on the listings.

On the graphics side of things, the Surface Book 3 seems like it will have an option to have an NVIDIA Quatro GPU. These would be professional-grade GPUs that could handle heavier workloads.

The Surface Book 3 listings range from €1,007 to €4,256 (roughly $1,093 to $4,617).

WinFuture also shares some potential details about the Surface Go 2 based on retail listings. The Surface Go 2 will reportedly have LTE and non-LTE option. According to WinFuture, the Surface Go 2 will have an 1800x1200 pixel display and potentially have a screen diagonal of 11-inches. If accurate, this would mean that the Surface Go 2's display would be largely the same as the original Surface Go.

On the inside, the Surface Go 2 will reportedly have an Intel Pentium Gold 4425Y, with a clock speed of 1.7GHz or an Intel Core m3-8100Y CPU. The Core m3 CPU is from the Amber Lake family of Intel chips. It has a base clock speed of 1.1GHz and can reach speeds of 3.4GHz. The Surface Go 2 will have options for 128GB or 256GB SSDs, according to the listing.

As always, leaked listings can be inaccurate or incomplete. There could be other variants of each device listed, or things could be entirely different.

We're back with another exciting episode of the Windows Central Podcast, and this week, Daniel reviews the Dell XPS 13 (9300) and explains why it's the perfect 13-inch Ultrabook. There are some leaks to support rumors a re-designed XPS 15 will follow suit.

Zac provides details on a new Windows 10 build for Slow ring insiders. In one of this week's major stories, Windows 10X and Surface Neo may be delayed beyond 2020. However, Surface Duo may still come earlier than anticipated, and the fellows speculate on what could be announced at an upcoming hardware event.

This episode of the Windows Central Podcast was recorded on April 3rd 2020.

Links:

• Dell XPS 13 (9300) review: Literally a perfect 13-inch Ultrabook | Windows Central
• Windows 10 build 19041.173 ships out to Slow ring Insiders | Windows Central
• Microsoft may have delayed Windows 10X and Surface Neo beyond 2020 | Windows Central
• Brad Anderson shows off his Surface Duo and Surface Earbuds at home | Windows Central

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• Watch the live stream video archive

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• Daniel Rubino
• Zac Bowden

Make this show great by participating!

Send in your comments, questions, and feedback to:

• Email: wcpodcast@windowscentral.com
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What you need to know

• Retailer listings recently surfaced for a new Surface Dock and what could be Surface Book 3 and Surface Go 2.
• Most of the listings are no longer publicly viewable.
• The appearance of the listings suggests a new slate of Surface devices could be close to launch.

A new batch of retailer listings in Europe over the weekend have outed a batch of new Surface devices that could be close to launch. As spotted by German blog DrWindows, it appears a new Surface Dock 2 may be in the works. Likewise, Dan S. Charlton's tech blog caught several retailer listings for what could be Surface Book 3 and Surface Go 2 configurations.

The Surface Dock 2 is still available to view at Shopmat.be, but there's no accompanying image or technical information. However, DrWindows speculates that we could see Microsoft add USB-C ports to this refresh. It's been five years since the original Surface Dock launched, so it wouldn't be surprising to see Microsoft adopt USB-C for any major refresh here.

While all of the unreleased products were briefly searchable, they're no longer visible without direct links to the listings. However, there were previously configurations for a Surface "Project T" and "Project U," which could be the 13.5-inch and 15-inch Surface Book 3 based on their pricing. Project T showed five configurations ranging from €1,617 to €2,616, while Project U ranged from €2,234 to €3,441.

Rounding things out is Surface "Project V", which showed five configurations ranging between €407 and €847. Based on this pricing, it's expected that this may be a potential Surface Go 2.

As for what to expect in each, recent reports have suggested Surface Book 3 will move to Intel's 10th Gen processors and NVIDIA GTX 16-series GPUs. The Surface Go 2 is expected to have a base configuration with an Intel Pentium Gold chip, but may also offer a Core M processor.

With the uncertainty around events right now, it's unclear whether we'll see Microsoft hold some sort of digital event for whatever it has planned. However, we're expecting to see the launch of Microsoft's Surface Earbuds and, potentially, a follow-up to the Surface Headphones, as well.

All the new Microsoft hardware we expect to see in 2020

What you need to know

• Microsoft will announce a Surface Book 3 and Surface Go 2 this spring, according to a report.
• The devices will likely feature refinements and internal changes rather than an overhauled design.
• This latest report lines up with our previous reporting on Microsoft's upcoming plans for Surface hardware.

Microsoft will announce a Surface Book 3 and Surface Go 2 this spring, according to a report by Petri's Brad Sams. Sams states that Microsoft will unveil a refreshed Surface Book, Surface Go, and potentially other Surface hardware at the event. The report from Sams lines up well with our recent reporting on what new Surface hardware we expect to see this year.

According to Sams, the Surface Book 3 will run on an Intel 10th Gen processor and a 16** series NVIDIA GTX GPU. A higher-end Surface Book, which will likely only be available as a 15-inch device, will have an option for a Quadro series GPU. Quadro cards are built for professional people, and should open up the abilities of the Surface Book line. Sams also reports that the max RAM configuration will increase from 16GB to 32GB. The device should be available with up to a 1TB SSD. Sams points out that Quadro GPUs require more wattage, so the Surface Book 3 could also have hardware built with that in mind.

Sams exects the Surface Go to likely run on a Pentium Gold chip. There will also be an option for a Core M chip. Sams quashed rumors of a version of the Surface Go powered by the new Snapdragon 7c processor, stating the rumors "do not appear to be accurate at this time."

Microsoft will also talk about the Surface Earbuds at the event, according to Sams. The Surface Earbuds have already been announced, but have been delayed. He also adds that second-generation Surface Headphones exist, but that he isn't sure if they'll be at the event.

We're back with another exciting episode of the Windows Central Podcast, and this week, Microsoft will hold a press event at Mobile World Congress later this month. Daniel and Zac speculate on what announcements may be forthcoming. They also talk about the movement away from UWP to web apps and why it isn't bad news.

Along with Surface Book 3 and Surface Go 2 rumors, Daniel compares folding displays to dual screen designs by looking at the pros and cons of each. Also this week, they revisit the potential of Surface Pro X, thanks to an article by Dieter Bohn over at The Verge. Finally, all signs point to Microsoft halting development of Surface Hub 2X.

This episode of the Windows Central Podcast was recorded on January 31st 2020.

Links:

• Microsoft will hold a press event at Mobile World Congress, likely about the HoloLens | Windows Central
• UWP apps to lose Microsoft Ad Monetization platform this June | Windows Central
• Folding displays vs. dual screens: Comparing pros and cons for PCs and phones | Windows Central
• Microsoft's Surface Pro X is the world's most extravagant Chromebook - The Verge
• Microsoft isn't sure if it'll ever ship a Surface Hub 2X | Windows Central

Subscribe to the podcast

• Download directly: Audio
• Listen via Spotify
• Listen via: Windows Central app Windows 10 | Android
• Subscribe via iTunes
• Subscribe via RSS
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• Subscribe via Pocket Casts

Hosts

• Daniel Rubino
• Zac Bowden

Make this show great by participating!

Send in your comments, questions, and feedback to:

• Email: wcpodcast@windowscentral.com
• Twitter: @WindowsCentral with hashtag #wcpodcast

The Surface Book 2 is the best device I've ever owned. For me, the 15-inch model represents the best of what Microsoft's leading industrial design team has to offer — with uncompromising power in a stunning, svelte package.

I'm not here to talk about what's great about the Surface Book 2, you can take a look at our Executive Editor Daniel Rubino's review for that. Instead, I'm here to talk about the things that … well, bug me about this PC. Things that I hope get rectified, or at least addressed, in the inevitable Surface Book 3.

Powerful, but not enough power

The Surface Book 2 packs a quad-core CPU complete with a GTX 1060, powering a 4K (horizontal) 3:2 display. In order to fully utilize the components in the Book 2 without turning your device into a makeshift BBQ grill, you need some pretty powerful cooling techniques. The Book 2, as such, can get pretty noisy under load. But that isn't the real problem.

The Surface Book 2 simply doesn't draw enough power for its components when maxed out. As a result, gaming or 3D editing tasks while on max settings, which the Book 2 is completely capable of, drains the battery even when it's plugged in. It's widely believed that this issue is why the Surface Book 2 can only connect a single 4K display at 60 Hz, and straight up refuses to allow for two, despite having the capability to do so.

There are ways around some of these problems, like dropping the quality of your games, lowering the display resolution of your screen, or running your Book 2 in battery saver mode, but you shouldn't have to. Hopefully, any prospective Surface Book 3 will provide enough power to actually utilize the components you're paying for inside the device.

Detachment issues

Another problem that I perceive with the Book 2 pertains to its unique detachment feature. The CPU and GPU are split between the display and base. The Book 2's "unique" feature is the fact that the display can be removed and act as a gigantic clipboard. The problem is, really, I'm not sure what use a gigantic 15-inch tablet really is, for anyone. The 13-inch model could maybe almost make sense in some limited boardroom scenarios, but I suspect the vast majority of users only detach the display to flip it into canvas or tent mode for media consumption or digital inking.

Additionally, the fact the display detaches creates a range of design and construction issues that are largely needless. At least on my Book 2, angling the display down can cause it to become disconnected for a brief moment, which can disable the dedicated GPU and USB devices in the base. Sometimes, it requires a reboot to fix. Other times, it requires a BIOS refresh to fix, both of which are inconvenient.

I think the Book 3 should catch up to how people actually want to use laptops. I suspect Microsoft has data to suggest virtually nobody detaches the display for an elongated period of time, and it doesn't help that Windows 10's tablet mode is, well, bad.

The obvious solution is to go with a 360-degree hinge. The Lenovo Yoga lineup is a great example of devices that can still enjoy tent, tablet, and canvas modes, without the needlessly complex, virtually redundant detachment scenario.

Paint it black

The latest Surface Laptop and Pro both come with black variants. It's subjective, but I never really liked the metallic finish on the modern Surface devices, as it's something I tend to associate with Apple devices.

Naturally, adding a black finish to the Surface line has typically come with a range of its own problems. There are reports that, like the old black Surface Pro 1 and 2, the paint can become scuffed quite easily, revealing the magnesium alloy underneath. That's obviously not something I want, but if Microsoft could figure a way of solving that issue, I'd take a black Book 3 over a metallic Book 3 in a heartbeat.

Inking ... on the trackpad

I'm sure there are technical reasons why this may or may not be possible, but I've always found it to be odd that if I want to do any form of inking, I either need to poke awkwardly at the screen set to a 90-degree angle, go through the motions of detaching, flipping, and resetting, or simply flop the Book 2 on its back. The Laptop 2 also shares this problem, and to a lesser degree so do the Pro and Go Surface devices, when all you want to do is make a quick signature or ink out a Sticky Note. (By the way, the new Sticky Notes app for Windows 10 is awesome.)

Surely it makes sense for some sort of low-fidelity inking capability on the trackpad itself. My Book 2 won't even recognize a stylus as a touch event, presumably because it's looking for fingers rather than something smaller, but it'd be far more intuitive for a quick inking piece to just grab the pen and drop some ink on the trackpad via the cursor, rather than angle the screen around.

Thunderbolt 3

I suppose one way Microsoft could solve its power draw woes from its dedicated GPU would be to enlist full Thunderbolt 3 in the next Surface Book model.

Thunderbolt 3 is four times faster than the standard USB 3.1 ports included on the Surface Book 2, and it also comes with four lanes of PCIe Generation 3, allowing you to utilize external GPU docks. Theoretically, you could grab a lower-end Surface Book 3 and grab an external, independently-powered dedicated GPU that wouldn't drain the Book's battery while maxed out, and you could slap in a desktop-class GPU for some serious gaming.

Almost perfect

The Surface Book 2 has been a dream device for me for the most part. I tend to prefer Microsoft products for the peace of mind that comes with stellar customer service (at least in my experience) and the knowledge that generally driver updates are tested thoroughly for compatibility before hitting the Surface line.

Still, it's maddening that despite paying top-of-the-line prices, you can't get the full capability out of the components you paid for due to the power drain issue. Also, as someone who does digital art on occasion, it's a bit of a hassle to go through the ritualistic detachment process every time I want to lay the display out flat.

The Book 3, hopefully, will incorporate a bigger design revision than the Book 2 did, to address some of the most pressing usability issues. Either way, the quality has already ensured that I'll typically consider Surface before any other laptop. I'd just like to see Microsoft push it to the next level.

What changes do you want to see?