To detach the screen, you have to press the detach button on the keyboard. The tablet may be light but the build quality is solid, just like the rest of the device. Just for comparison, the 12.9-inch Apple iPad weighs 692g. The 13.5-inch tablet weighs 719g and the 15-inch weighs 817g. The tablet is much lighter than I expected for the size. It's like a larger Surface Pro 2017 and it's detachable from the keyboard. The screen is as thick as a tablet because it is a tablet. With the Surface Book 2, to connect to an external monitor, either to check colour or to work with a bigger screen, you now need an USB type C adapter.

The port that I miss though is a direct graphics port such as a mini Display or HDMI port. I still use a lot devices that use the full-size USB ports so I'm not upset at the lack of USB type C. On the right, there's the Surface connector and USB type C (not Thunderbolt 3). On the left, the Surface Book 2 has two full-sized USB 3 ports and a SD card slot.

So if you're using a mouse, or the stylus, and want to access keyboard shortcuts on the right side with your left hand, it would be impossible to reach some shortcuts, e.g. The only downside is there's no Control key on the right side. This keyboard is exceptionally satisfying to type on. The travel for the keys here are just right and there's a tactile feedback to each press. It's even better than the Macbook Pro (2015) before Apple switched to the idiotic butterfly keys. Surface Laptop has a good keyboard but the one on the Surface Book 2 is even better. I definitely prefer this surface finishing compared to the Alcantara fabric on the Surface Laptop. The matte surface finishing on the body and keys are nice to touch. With the Surface Book 2, it's thick for many good reasons which you shall find out below. You can make your laptop thick, but there must be a reason for the thickness. I'm not a fan of companies that sacrifice functionality for the pursuit of thinness. Both the 13.5 and 15 models feel big and substantial. My first impression of the Surface Book 2 is that it's clunky, but in a good way. This review is for you if you create visual content. More specifically, my review is written for digital artists, photographers and video editors. It may not be the most powerful, may not the most affordable, but as a whole, the design and features it offers makes it a really attractive package.Īs usual, my review is from the perspective of a visual content creator. The Microsoft Surface Book 2 is one of the best Windows laptops in the market right now.

Thanks to Microsoft Singapore for providing the review units for this review.

Surface book 2 15 inch