Microsoft may not announce a Surface Book 2 at rumored Spring event

How do you get the same specs for a lot less? From whom? I'd suggest you get lesser specs for less.
Also Microsoft aren't in a race to the bottom. Turning "pc" away from that direction is clearly why they entered the hardware market in the first place.

yes, as is clearly indicated with the Surface 2 and Surface 3, they were aimed at the lower end with starting cost being $499.

That's sarcasm, right? Because if $500 for an atom processor isn't premium I don't know what is.

finding an atom processor, touch screen with inking capability in *that* slim of form factor at $500? you can always point out one spec that's a little low, but as a package, that's a pretty good price for what you're getting.

I don't think it necessarily would be marketed as a Surface device. So far all the Surfaces have been premium. To my knowledge, Microsoft still owns the rights to the Lumia brand; maybe they'll repurpose it for their low-end kid/education facing devices? They certainly did an excellent job of re-appropriating the Surface brand from the Tables to Tablets.

When they launched the "original" Surface (i use quotes because as you stated, the original Surface was indeed a table), they stated its purpose was to showcase the capabilities of Windows for other manufacturers to be inspired by. It was supposed to make it clear what the vision for Windows was supposed to be. While that generally aligns with premium, it could align with inexpensive as well. if the goal of Windows Cloud is to be inexpensive, then the Surface product would showcase the vision of Windows Cloud, which would end up being inexpensive. Probably not super inexpensive, but probably cheaper than the Surface 3. Edit: Also, I wouldn't expect to ever see the Lumia brand ever again.

@pjhenry and @Hanley Gibbons, if it's intended as a showcase, the price has to be fairly high relative to the included hardware simply to give OEMs plenty of room to make a profit while still coming in cheaper than MS' pricing.

I would to expect to see the small, cheap stuff come out in another round , the 'cloud' update ( or whatever) not the 'creators'. This round should bring the current theme to a resolution, expect a surface thing that supports that theme, like the studio did, but more consumable. I think the phone and continuum will come next time, can't wait to ditch my android.  

then again, the Surface RT wasn't that powerful and was still under the Surface name - a cloud counterpart would make for an interesting twist

May be but I'd like to see SB2 and Surface Ultramobile PC. Contrasting, yes but this would be cool if they were to share the same stage.

Basically, you're saying there might be no hardware event until fall.

At least we will have OEMs to fill up the gap.

That would be quite a bummer as I was about to join the Surface Book Bandwagon - Just not with the currently available variant sporting an, for my needs, insufficient GPU solution >_>

I know it's a pipe dream but either Band 3 or new incarnation of the "band".

Android and iOS only since Microsoft doesn't have a mobile platform?

Considering you are a regular poster regularly slating W10M, surely you know it exists, right?

At best, it is just a placeholder in case Microsoft decides to try mobile again in the future. It certainly does not have the presence to support any wearable devices.

You certainly noticed that MS supports almost always all three mobile platforms, i.e. Android, iOS and W10M. So what are you talking about?

Microsoft isn't going to start a wearable platform when they don't even have a serious mobile platform. Today, y they certainly don't going to have anything that can complete with Apple Watch, Android Wear, Samsung or Fitbit. What would the point be for Microsoft to create one-off hardware and not a platform? They killed the been for a reason. It is pointless for Microsoft unless they can make it a platform and seem it to OEMs.

🙄

Fitbit don't have their own mobile OS but are doing quite well... Take W10M out of it for a second. If MS made a wearable, they'd make apps for Android, iOS and W10 desktop, their own OS. For the W10 app, it'd inevitably be UWP so it can run on all versions of W10 - W10M included. W10M isn't a vital part of a wearable strategy at all, even without a mobile OS they can get it compatible with near enough every device out there.

I've owned Fitbit, Garmin, and even Apple wearables. Far and away the best device for me was the Band 2, but I traded it for a Fitbit ( at the Microsoft Store ) when they discontinued device and had no future support coming. The mobile software options worked well ( iOS, Android, and Win10M ), and the tracking was superior to the others. The notifications and apps were great. Had Microsoft actually marketed the product, it would have been up there with Fitbit in sales. A Band 3 could have soared. Alas, they never made the effort, and sales reps at MSFT stores told me it was because they had problems with construction quality.

or even a watch that could take calls - who knows, that would be a rather interesting replacement for a phone - considering they have been mum on the whole thing

I too would also love to see a Surface Band - here's hoping 😉

Well, this is tragic news for me.

... why? I mean, what new CPU/GPU has been released in the past year that will necessitate an upgrade? All of the current Intel chips are essentially rebrands with very minor battery/performance gains, so the upgrade would be pointless. Plus we should be seeing new chips hitting this fall which would be a better upgrade proposal, so why not wait a little bit? Would suck for them to release now and then have a refresh 6 mo later. Far better to wait a few months for another long-life product.

I picked up a new rewards card that i need to hit a certain amount of money in 90 days to get the bonus, the SB2 was going to take up a chunk of that, now i have to rethink what laptop im getting, ive waited about 18 months now for a new SB2, feels like that would be long enough

Just buy a Surface Book performance base.

Non starter, doesnt support USB-C

Non-starter? And so what it doesn't support USB C? USB A will still rule the tech world for another 3-5 years

@Chris Turek, I suspect he means for charging. @five-one-three, is that right?

This is correct, i like how the others are attacking me because i have a different wish list than them. I did specify that this was a disaster "FOR ME" afterall, other people need to learn how to read

Oh man, 1st world problems.. LOL, Just buy it and sell it then buy SB2 when its available

Yeah, i dont want to have to do that, which is why i said it was tragic news FOR ME, not for everyone. Reading comprehension instead of getting pissy at people for not wanting to settle for old tech would go a long way for you

I'm on board. I need to replace my SP3 soon but I'd prefer an updated SB because: USB-C for both charging & external docking options (e.g. external GPU, nvme SSD, etc.), hardware 4K HEVC support, and the possibility of bringing 16GB RAM down the range (at least to the top i5 configurations). I keep my PCs for a few years, I can't afford to replace them every year, do I want something with up to date specs at the time I buy it.

Heard about the senventh generation intel chip Kabylake and its improved power usage? Getting maybe an hour extra out of the battery would be a real improvement. Same goes for the latest Nivida Pascal graphic cards. Its about extending battery time first and formost but also giving an hefty bump of raw power. That may not  be intressting to you but t o alot of people that maybe the diffrence between a deal and nothing.

Sorry, buy not believing ZDNet for a moment. First they say Surface Book will no longer be 2-in-1, even though that was the biggest selling point. And then Surface Pro 5 won't see the light of day? Yeah, right. A billion dollar model is not going to see the light of day. Sure.

Im thinking the Surface Pro 5 and SurfaceBook 2 might end up being the same device essentially. With the SP5 being sold standalone and the SurfaceBook 2 being a SP5 sold with a dockable Power Base that makes it into the form factor we saw with the first. This way the products dont compete with each other and if you buy a SP5 and decide you really like the SurfaceBook, you can simply go buy the power dock, and boom, now you have a SurfaceBook.

Exactly my thoughts, it will be huge.

I agree with you, the two of them never made any sense competing against each other. Your idea makes perfect sense. I would love to see a Surface tablet running Windows 10 cloud and have LTE on board for around $450.

I want a Surface Pro 5 with a desk dock that has an external GPU!

I wanted that from the first hints at the Surface Book. Why the SB base couldn't just have been an option instead of the type cover baffels. That plus a dynamic bezel on the tablet part to allow for better grip in tablet mode vs docked would have been a killer.

Well the SP4 doesnt have the muscle lock system built into its base, which is the major reason you cant use the SurfaceBook base with the SP4, im going to assume the reason this is taking so long is because they need the new device to work properly in both settings and mass produce A LOT of surface devices and power bases, which will take time. The Power Base iteration to the first SurfaceBook proves that you can just upgrade the base and keep the tablet portion the same, so theyre going to need to design a device that withstands multiple iterations/generations.

Of course that's the reason, but that doesn't answer the "they didn't do it"... I hope they go with a more standard USB-C connection for their devices instead of the surface connector they're going with now. Would be amazing as it would also show OEMs they should support standards.

I believe it was badly worded in that they meant the Surface Pro 5 will not see the light of day... ...at the next spring hardware event, not that it will never happen period. They just mean it wouldn't even be mentioned let alone unveiled.

Since when was Surface Pro 5 in any doubt at all? You mention it in the article but provide no evidence of it. SP5 will be announced soon - most certainly at the April event.

Agreed. MS is doing their typical Surface Pro sale that happens before a new version comes out.

Windows Mobile "nowhere near ready". Are you talking about the constantly improving OS that I'm using as a daily driver for the last couple of years?

Theyre talking about Windows 10 on ARM, the Surface Phone most likely wont run Win10 Mobile

I think he's referring to the rumoured continuum improvements/Cshell that are planned for Redstone 3. You need Win10M to really shine in order to create some excitement for it after such a long silence.

Microsoft may also announce which features will Be in redstone 3,

Maybe its the rumored Cortana device for the living spaces.

Yes please.

So something Cortana driven like Amazon Echo? I'd get that. Cortana is much more advanced that Alexa or Google's assistant.

In what way is Cortana "much more advanced"?  I use Cortana and Google Assistant on a regular basis, and I've yet to see how one is better than the other.

Remember when they went like two years without announcing a new phone, and it died in the process? Reminds me of that. Luckily they have a lot of oem support with PCs.

the difference being Surface actually broke through the stigma of assumed failure (in general consumer mentality) while Windows Phone never did. Surface has an image of prestige that will not be ignored even if it goes longer without an update

All I would like from the Surface team at this point would be the following announcement:   "We've heard you loud and clear and we're announcing that the Surface Studio display will now be available as a stand-alone display WORLDWIDE".   Of course, I'm aware the chances of that happening are as high as the chances of the Pope converting to Judaism. Because even if they did it, as per Microsoft's tradition, it'd still only be available in the US and f*ck the rest of the World.

LOL. Well said,

I glanced at your comment real quick and thought you were talking about the Pope converting to Jedism. Oddly, doesn't really change the message though :)

I'd buy it as long as all the functionality was still there. The 3:2 aspect ratio is my favorite part about it, but coupled with multi-touch, Windows Hello, Surface Pen support, and the stand that allows it to fold down would make it absolutely unrivaled.

Well when I say the Surface Studio display as a standalone that's exactly what I was thinking. It's basically just removing the PC from the base of the display and allow us to plug our own PCs to it.

I know it's not exactly the Surface Studio monitor, but what about the upcoming Dell Canvas? Other than it's size and aspect ration varying a bit, that sure looks like it's the stand-alone version of the Studio monitor. I hope to drop one of those between my big 4k screen and me when it's available to create a touch, pen, dial input desk.

The Dell Canvas isn't really a monitor. It's mostly a Canvas. It's designed to lay flat on a table. You can attach it to a strong monitor arm but them you get a monitor with the biggest bezels in hystory and a very poor image for you would use a monitor for. The thing I like about the Surface Studio screen is that the monitor can still be used as a monitor (much like the Surface Pro and Surface Book screens). It's the versatility of it that makes so many people want it. Want a monitor: put it upright. Want a canvas: pull it down. The Dell Canvas doesn't offer that. (Well and as far as I'm concerned, Dell doesn't offer any products here either.)

Ah, looks like you're right. I hadn't realized that its stand wouldn't also let it stand upright (thought it did both). For my use case, that wouldn't matter. The Canvas back can come up a few inches, but yeah, not a full upright monitor. Still, from a technical features perspective, it's like the Studio and from a third party, so I'll bet others will be coming that more faithfully reproduce the Studio's range of options. Acer, Wacom, Viewsonic, any of those guys might offer some great options. For me, I don't care about using it upright -- that's what my 30" portrait cinema and 40" landscape 4k displays are for. What I need is a touchscreen at the front of my desk where so I can use touch and the pen. And like you, I don't want the Surface internals -- my existing system is better. If there's nothing better by summer, I think I'll add a canvas to my desk. :-) The big bezels are nice for using mostly flat where it becomes the desk. surfac, but I agree, wouldn't want them for an upright monitor. If you just want a large touch monitor, Dell and others do offer those (at much lower prices), but I don't think they also support an active stylus like the Studio and Canvas. They also don't easily fold down flat.

So they launch a SP5 that's a tablet with an optional base that's effectively the SB style base we have now, as per five-one-three ^, and a companion Surface Studio Dock to dock you SP5 when you're at home. i.e. a Surface Studio without the PC hardware, as you suggested, but maybe with a single PCIe slot for a GPU.

Oh, I know; a Surface branded 3D printer that redefines 3D printing:-). Ok, not likely, but it would fit well with the creators update.

Would, not, suprise me one bit... It is MS's hardware division after all.

I would really like a streaming device. I know there are already a ton on the market but I'd prefer a MS Roku competitor to round out my MS products and to see how or if they can innovate in it. I also look forward to the Windows 10 Cloud machines for my children.

Hell, they could even call it the Xbox Media Center if they wanted to, now that XBMC is called Kodi

Yes please! I would love to see a TV box running Windows 10 cloud in a Apple TV size box with the Xbox One shell for navigating with a gaming controller 🎮 or a remote. This could run all of the Apps & Games available from the store while being more power efficient than the full blown Xbox One S.

Devices categories Surface Pro, Surface Book and Surface Studio are not the only current categories in the Surface brand.
While indeed targetting enterprises, the Surface Hub also disrupted existing digital whiteboard and video-conferencing industries with a multipurpose device merging two existing categories. It's interesting to keep it in mind as it exposes the same core goals as the other Surface products. Previous Lync Room System, for example, was limited to video-conferencing and prices were around $19,999 for 70" and $29,999 for 84". The Surface Hub is about 30% cheaper for better display and more capabilities. ​As for what devices could be annonced, it doesn't have to be a computer at all. Maybe Microsoft will simply annonce a first wave of Windows Mixed Reality HMDs, a 3D scanning device, a standalone Surface Display to push touch and ink into the desktop PC market, or something else to showcase their new Windows features.
I know many people who would welcome a quality monitor with pen and touch to compete with the Wacom Cintiq. Priced correctly, this could extend beyond the art/design creators and into the productivity market, finally letting more people experience inking in Office as some of us enjoy since 15 years (with the introduction of the Office XP Pack for Tablet PC).

a) you say those are the only categories and then instantly mention the surface hub. It's also a category of the surface brand. b) definetely doesn't have to be a computer, it doesn't even need to be a surface announcement. A 3D scanning announcement seems unlikely though as they probably want to push their (phone) camera tech. Neither do I think they'll announce a standalone display, dell has announced something similar enough, they achieved what they wanted with the studio in that sense.

My sister in law seeks the Cintiq because she things the drawing experience i sub-par to that one's on other devices with touch and pen support. So there certainly is someone who needs this :) Windows Mixed Reality HMDs would also be my guess though.

There's no reason the SP5 isn't ready 1.5 years after the SP4 : /

unless they merged the Pro and Book lines - that would be worth the wait =)

I'm not sure if that's physically possible haha.

Well, there is really only 1 device that I would like to hear them announce: the Surface Phone. And that is because we know that there will be a SP5, and some kind of a SB2. Those devices and categories already exist and it is reasonable to believe that they will have new iterations. But complete silence on the mobile front of things is really not very promising. The longer they wait the more people will invest in the competing ecosystems and the less likely that they will leave them once the Surface Phone is announced - even if it is a new device category altogether.

Meh, every year millions of new people buy a smartphone for the very first time, they need to get it right more than they need to get it right now

Well, that might be true as well. But please, allow me to describe the general view of the people where I live. As soon as people hear the word Windows, they run. Doesn't matter where (iOS or Android), but they run as far as they can. Now, there is me and a couple of other people I know who would like to use a Windows mobile device and would actually like to defend it, but cannot because the Lumias have since disappeard and there is hardly a developer that cares for W10M. So, if even those that would like to use a Windows-based mobile device are forced to choose another OS and invest in a competing ecosystem. then what about those who have no idea about mobile OS and only buy what the masses buy and know. What I mean is that the mindset of people has to change toward the word "Windows" and why it is better then the other platforms. And this change needs time and better start NOW.

Sounds like it wouldnt make sense for them to release an incomplete product if the goal is to change the mind of people when it comes to Windows, so like i said they need to take their time to make sure they get it right and do something truly redefining otherwise why would any of the people you talk about running do anything but?
  The Surface Brand is completely reshaping the public image of Microsoft, they need to continue to push the bounds of innovation and get Win10 on ARM working perfectly before they launch a Surface Phone. They only get one shot to do it right, and rushing it out the door ensures failure. Time isnt really an issue for them anymore in Mobile, if they launch another Mobile OS device, they failed.

What about the Surface Instagram post from 2016 that we all thougt was going to be the new Surface Book hinge? Could that actually be the hinge for a traditional Surface laptop?
https://www.instagram.com/p/BJqKumsgEml/?taken-by=surface

Ah... that was confirmed to be an image of the original Surface Book hinge ages ago. Nothing to see there.

Thanks for the info. I hadn't heard that before. I hope they go with that hinge design for a future product and keep the detachable screen. The SB hinge is nice, but it does create extra bulk.

They can just tweak the hinge, so it can have more travel to decrease the gap and hence the bulk when closed.

The Surface Pad?

I would like to see HP's next phone running Windows 10 mobile, and potentially Alcatel or any other OEM's. I would love to see Windows mixed reality tech extended to mobile. If there isn't any Surface Note hardware at the event I would love for them to show off Windows 10 on ARM for the Idol 4S and Elite X3 in a demo and announce a new fast ring build for those devices to preview and eventually upgrade to. I would love to see an Echo/home competitor with Cortana built in from various OEM's like Harmon. Now that Samsung bought Harmon does that put this rumored device in jeopardy? Samsung very well put Bixby on that device. On the Samsung subject I would love to see a Samsung Galaxy S8 with Windows 10 mobile.

Now I see major OEM announcements as very possible. Especially on the cortana front, they announced recently and we might start seeing products around then.

Surface Knob 2, book it.

Microsoft not making their plans known?  Highly uncharacteristic of them - not. My guess is they announce the end of their MS developed hardware ambitions, of course without saying it, by announcing nothing and instead focusing on their relationships with 3rd party manufacturers.

Well they hid the Surface Book hinge until reveal cleanly.

Introducing "Surface Note"! 6.9" Amoled, 8GB Ram, 128GB Storage. Snapdragon 835. 4G/LTE GSM. Windows 10 Cloud. Will run Win32 App (from Windows Store Only). Wrap around Keyboard/Cover. Surface Pen mini.

XBOX 

plot twist: a surface phone that comes with an accessory to make it a mobile xbox console

I just love that every article on MS hardware seems to be "it's all over the place, what we expected isn't ready." I mean, if they really need 2 years to refresh the SP4, then either they are switching to AMD or they are a total mess. Based on their other moves in the last couple of years, the latter seems more likely.

Yeah, either that, or their business model isn’t based on releasing minor improvements every 12 months and snubbing their existing customers until they feel lame enough when using their year-old hardware to dish out the cash for the new version. Not all companies work like the fashion industry, just changing the color so you have to buy the new variant of the same product if you don’t want your fellow sheeps laughing at you for using last year's model. ​Software evolutions are still happening faster than hardware, and even the original Surface Pro 1 can run the new Creators Update. I'd say they are focusing on the right pieces.

Maybe they will announce REAL TECH SUPPORT ... where knowledgeable techs provide answers to the questions we actually ask, not scripted, and in a timely manner. I'm referring to actual needs for work arounds to problems caused by software defects. Nah ... not gonna happen. Obviously I didn't have my 2nd cup of coffee this morning before suggesting that impossibility. ( Smile ... I can dream about a return to yesteryear can't I ? )

Why would Microsoft turn the Surface Book into a traditional laptop? They're trying to differentiate themselves and create new categories, not just be another brand on the shelves. Sounds like wishful thinking from Foley, who has always wanted a Microsoft branded ultra book, for some reason. Her one big complaint about the original SB was the removable screen, even though that was kind of the point.

Hopefully its a SURFACE SMART WATCH, that has all of the fuctions of the band 2.  That would be cool and maybe do a trade in for the people that already have a band 1 or 2 that were looking forward to a band 3 but the line was discontinued.

would be interesting to see the smartwatch, but knowing Microsoft I doubt they would do a trade-in for it

Can someone tell me where to get that wallpaper lol :) 

Am I the only one that hopes a Microsoft Band 3 is unveiled 👍

They probably are right - no book and no pro... because they would be merged - not sure if they would simply call it Surface or if they would stick to the Pro title, but I feel like it would be the next step for them in terms of hardware

I just ruined my SP4 and now I'm wating to see the new SP5 if that's my new pc or something else. So I want to see that.

may be an new surface band 3 or surface band
hope windows do

I would love to see a Surface tablet with Snapdragon 835 and an option for LTE. To take on the new cheap iPad.

SB just had performance base option last Nov. It's a bit too early. I will guess more like this fall.

The SP4 was such a minor update to the SP3, I hope they will finally release a true successor. Give it a dGPU keyboard attachment and I am there day 1.

So a surface book...

netbooks! lol  

I don't know what to do! I want to buy a Surface Book but now I am all confused! XD

I want to know if this event is even still happening. You say it's a "rumored spring hardware event"... maybe they just canceled it outright?

Courier was a clamshell device, just saying... do the right thing Microsoft, give us the Surface Courier

Man this sucks....so what do i do now? I need a new laptop before schools starts in the Fall and I was so excited for the surface book 2 :/

Feel your pain, bro. I've been waiting to own a Surface device. SP4/SB gen. 1 is nice but suffers from questionable specs (n' price of course). For example, current Surface Pen/N-trig still is underwhelming for the investment. I just hope MS perfects whatever it is in SP5/SB2 to meet ends on Apple Pencil/Wacoms new 4,096 pens this year.

Microsoft, please bring good news about selling your own hardware outside US, if you'll be announcing a cheap Cloudbook for students make it available in Mexico.  I'm sure President Peña Nieto and other top key government people would love to have an agreement with Microsoft to purchase hundreds of thousands of devices for public schools. Lets get it done, lets beat Chromebooks once and for all!

  I'd like a Surface 5 with a SIM slot for data on the go (or any new slim Surface device with a SIM, really). Wasn't Microsoft working on adding SIM capabilites to Windows 10 along with making it easy to buy data through a store app? Or maybe it will be a showcase for new AR/VR headsets. Weren't a bunch of OEMs getting behind this new AR/VR push? I could be interested in a lower cost Hololens from a hardware partner. If it's just about Windows Cloud devices, then *yawn*

The recent price drops across the Pro 4 range hint to a new range coming out. As long as they are all eSIM enabled I'm good...

Windows 10 for RT. Remember all the mugs that forked out good money for your tablets, then were unceremoniously dumped

My vision of a “perfect device” is simply two-fold. Surface Book PRO: This device would combine the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book into a single device.  The screen size would need to be thought out perfectly since the Pro 4 is marketed as a tablet first and the Book is marketed as a laptop first (which is why the two screens are of different size).  This device would be offered with both the SB keyboard (with extra battery, GPU, and possibly other provisions) in addition to the SP type cover.  This would allow professionals to use the device as they please (SB keyboard at the home/office for extra power or the SP type cover while traveling).  The one caveat that would make this difficult to pull off would be the battery run-time in tablet mode.  The current SB doesn’t have great battery life while running with the keyboard detached, which would make using the device with the Pro type cover an underwhelming experience. Surface Phone: This device would ultimately run Windows 10 natively on ARM but accommodate a full blown desktop experience through Continuum while docked with a monitor, keyboard, and mouse.  (As some demonstrations have shown us, the devices’ touch screen could also function as the mouse while docked to a monitor and keyboard).  Additionally, the desktop experience would allow a user to run normal Win32 apps through emulation.  This would offer professionals the option to ditch their bulkier/heavier laptops and cases in favor of their mobile phone while traveling.  Once they arrive at the satellite office, they simply dock their phone for a full Windows 10 desktop experience.  This feature would also be great for giving PowerPoint presentations at hotels etc. This is my vision of what Microsoft could build and market as the ultimate device.  Anything less than this and I wouldn’t be as excited.  To be sure, the current SP4 and SB are already amazing devices… but if Microsoft really wants to ramp up the “WOW” factor at their next hardware event, this would surely do it!

Some interesting and considered thoughts here and some very sloppy thinking aswell. It's the creators update right... don't expect a band, that'll be the uhh "sports update' or 'personal update' right? Anything expanding on the surface theme of screens with pens with portability combinrd with enough power to perform creative tasks would be expected.. If the surface pro 5, pocket or book 2 aren't arriving , then maybe it is the studio screen, or maybe even a surface 'folio' ? I just made that up completely, but have you seen the wacom studio pro 16? I would do untold mischeif to own one of those bad boys, but the price! If MS came up with a competitor, maybe in a bifold form for added portability ( actually I don't care about that as long as it's a properly decent size) , not these awkward little 10 and 13 inch screens. Creators ( artists, editors, photgraphers, musicians, animators , scientists, doctors) need the screen estate of this larger format, for their work on the go. Yes they have a giant CIntiq or Studio back at the office , but then they are stuck with a little handbag tablet when out and about, while gamers get to play on their 17 inch beasts, it doesn't make sense. I am hoping Microsoft will continue to make sense and popularise something as amazing as this. I can dream can't I? It IS the creators update after all.