Surface Laptop Studio: Microsoft reinvents its Surface Book, its most powerful PC – Frandroid

Microsoft unveils its most powerful Surface PC yet. This is the Surface Laptop Studio.

After months of rumors here is the new Surface Book 4, or rather here is the Surface Laptop Studio. As the hallways sounded, Microsoft decided to completely review the design and the very concept of its most powerful portable machine. Presentation of the new flagship.

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Why Microsoft is abandoning the concept of the Surface Book?

In the Surface line, the most powerful portable product so far has been the Surface Book. Behind this name hid a concept of a portable PC with a detachable screen that could be transformed into an ultra-light tablet. You could also flip the screen before attaching the keyboard to turn the product into a small drawing table.

The Surface Book 2 // Source: Microsoft

Problem, this concept forced Microsoft to compromise on the performance of the machine. To operate autonomously in tablet mode, the brand was obliged to integrate very low consumption Intel processors. However, the product is aimed at the most demanding users who demand a lot of power.

The marriage of Surface Laptop and Surface Studio

Microsoft is therefore left with a blank sheet of paper for its new PC. We now have in front of us a laptop with a more conventional design: a base with all the components and connections and a screen, in a frame that closes like a shell. Here, Microsoft has taken over the legacy of the Surface Laptop, its most classic laptop.

The brand adds the “Surface” touch, taking inspiration from Surface Studio (or from the Acer ConceptD range choice): the screen can move forward to go over the keyboard and even turn the product into a tablet. In this position, the screen keeps an inclination allowing it to rest like an architect’s table, like the Surface Studio.

Performance up … and down

As we have said, this design change should allow Microsoft to integrate more efficient components. If we stay in the Surface ecosystem, this is indeed the case. The Surface Laptop Studio even has the luxury of being the most powerful Surface product according to Microsoft (yes the Surface Studio is starting to date and even when it was released, its performance left something to be desired).

We therefore find a processor 11th Generation Intel H35 and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti graphics chip in support. We remain on a Surface Laptop Studio range that comes out after the competition and less efficient components. The rest of the market offers RTX 3070 or 3080, the Ryzen 5000 and is about to move to the 12th generation of Intel processors.

The new Surface Laptop Studio can connect to 4K displays // Source: Microsoft

As on the Surface Pro 8, this design change also allows Microsoft to review the connectivity offered. In particular, there are two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports in addition to the classic Surface Connect port and the 3.5 mm jack port. Finally, thesecurity argument seems to have had its day.

We still regret the abandonment of the SD card reader, yet practical when working with cameras

Prices and availability in France

The Surface Laptop Studio will be available in early 2022 in France. Microsoft France has not yet communicated a price in euros for the territory. In the United States, the starting price is $ 1,599.99.