REVIEW: Microsoft's newest laptop is my new favorite computer

Advertisement
REVIEW: Microsoft's newest laptop is my new favorite computer

Microsoft Surface Book 2

Caroline Cakebread/Business Insider

Testing out the Surface Book 2.

Microsoft's original Surface Book was my favorite computer.

Advertisement

It may have been the company's first-ever laptop, but when I tested it last year a few months after it debuted, I immediately liked it better than any of Apple's MacBooks that I'd ever used.

I now have a new favorite computer, and it's the successor to my old favorite - it's Microsoft's new Surface Book 2. I've been testing one since Monday, and I'm already ready ready to declare that it now is probably the best computer I've ever used.

Complimentary Tech Event
Transform talent with learning that works
Capability development is critical for businesses who want to push the envelope of innovation.Discover how business leaders are strategizing around building talent capabilities and empowering employee transformation.Know More

The new device, which goes on sale Thursday with a starting price of $1,499, has a better screen and offers longer battery life than the original. Its hardware is more powerful, and its design is a little more refined.

You can get the new Surface Book with a 15-inch display as well as with the 13.5-inch screen of the original. As you could with the first Surface Book, you can separate the screen of the Surface Book 2 from its keyboard and use it as a full-blown tablet, making the device a great alternative to an iPad or an Android tablet.

Advertisement

All told, the changes from the first Surface Book to the Surface Book 2 are evolutionary, not revolutionary. But, hey, sometimes there's no improving on a classic. And even without any big changes, it's still a better alternative than a MacBook Pro or an iPad Pro.

When I tested the Surface Book last year, I liked it so much I wanted to give it a hug. I have the same feeling about the Surface Book 2. Oh yeah, it's that good.

Here's what you need to know about the Surface Book 2 and why I like it so much: