While the chances of a Surface Book 3 announcement this spring seems unlikely, Microsoft does have a tiny update launching today.
The Surface Book 2 13-inch with the new quad-core Intel Core i5 processor is now available for purchase. The configuration has 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM for a price of $1,499. The older version, which only had a dual-core 7th Gen Intel Core i5 is still available but it is now discounted by $200 for $1,299 for the same configuration.
Evidence of a quad-core Intel Core i5 variant came forward at the beginning of March through Microsoft's own retail listings.
For reasons unknown, Microsoft launched the Surface Book 2 with only a dual-core Intel Core i5-7300U back in November 2017. The higher-end SKU with the Intel Core i7 did have the quad-core option making the distinction a bit odd.
This new Surface Book 2 ships with a Core i5-8350U, which has a 1.70 GHz base frequency, 3.60GHz Max Turbo, 6MB of cache, and up to a 25-watt TDP, which Microsoft usually leverages for maximum performance. The quad-core boost from the added cores significantly increases performance for heavier tasks making this a significant upgrade. Unlike the Core i7 model, however, this version does not include an NVIDIA GTX GPU and instead relies on Intel HD Graphics 620.
The Microsoft Store is now shipping the new Core i5 Surface Book 2 13-inch today and a quick store check shows that many physical stores have them in stock as well.
Thanks, Ved S., for the tip!
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.

Review: AMD's Radeon RX 6800 GPU is a killer option for high-end 2K gaming
RDNA 2 represents a huge leap ahead for AMD's Radeon RX 6000-series GPUs. We test the RX 6800 to see how well it performs at 2K and 4K, as well as how it stacks up against NVIDIA's Ampere hardware.

Everything we know about Halo Infinite (so far)
Everything we know about Halo Infinite – Master Chief’s next big adventure headed to Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and PC.

Valheim Swamp guide: Swamp Key, Sunken Crypts, and more
Valheim's Swamp biome is the first real dangerous biome players will encounter in the game. Here's a complete guide to what threats you'll face in the Swamp, as well as how to find the biome, what treasures lie within, and more.

New Surface Book 2 or 3? Consider protecting it with one of these cases
Looking for some protection for your Surface Book 2? Here are the best cases we can find right now.