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Microsoft Surface Book (2015)

alaTest has collected and analyzed 1076 reviews of Microsoft Surface Book (2015). The average rating for this product is 4.0/5, compared to an average rating of 4.3/5 for other products in the same category for all reviews. Opinions about the design and durability are generally positive. The battery and performance are also appreciated, whereas many are negative about the connectivity and price.

screen, performance, battery, durability, design

price, connectivity

We analyzed user and expert ratings, product age and more factors. Compared to other products in the same category the Microsoft Surface Book (2015) is awarded an overall alaScore™ of 97/100 = Excellent quality.

Review analysis

(Based on 1076 reviews)

Expert Reviews  

User Reviews  

Review Ratings

  (49% of reviews)
Show all 5 star reviews   (27% of reviews)
Show all 4 star reviews   (8% of reviews)
Show all 3 star reviews   (5% of reviews)
Show all 2 star reviews   (12% of reviews)
Show all 1 star reviews

Features

screen
  Show positive (79%)Show negative (21%)(Show all)
performance
  Show positive (85%)Show negative (15%)(Show all)
price
  Show positive (7%)Show negative (93%)(Show all)
portability
  Show positive (45%)Show negative (55%)(Show all)
battery
  Show positive (85%)Show negative (15%)(Show all)
durability
  Show positive (86%)Show negative (14%)(Show all)
design
  Show positive (92%)Show negative (8%)(Show all)
reliability
  Show positive (73%)Show negative (27%)(Show all)
size
  Show positive (80%)Show negative (20%)(Show all)
usability
  Show positive (75%)Show negative (25%)(Show all)
storage
  Show positive (67%)Show negative (33%)(Show all)
touch screen
  Show positive (100%)None yet(Show all)
connectivity
  None yetShow negative (100%)(Show all)
More features

Showing 922 review(s)

Expert Reviews User Reviews

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Showing 1 - 344 of 922 Show Reviews: in English | in other languages (154)

Consumer review (amazon.co.uk)

Amazon.co.uk review summary for Microsoft Surface Book (2015)

 

alaTest has collected and analyzed 31 user reviews of Microsoft Surface Book (2015) from Amazon.co.uk. The average user rating for this product is 3.5/5, compared to an average user rating of 4.3/5 for other products in the same category on Amazon.co.uk.

68% of the reviews on Amazon.co.uk give this product a positive rating.

This summary is based on the products: Microsoft Surface Book (512 GB, 16 GB RAM, Intel Core i7, NVIDIA GeForce graphics) • Microsoft Surface Book (512 GB, 16 GB RAM, Intel Core i7, NVIDIA GeForce graphics)

Aug, 2018

Consumer review (amazon.com)

Amazon.com review summary for Microsoft Surface Book (2015)

 

alaTest has collected and analyzed 297 user reviews of Microsoft Surface Book (2015) from Amazon.com. The average user rating for this product is 3.4/5, compared to an average user rating of 4.1/5 for other products in the same category on Amazon.com.

65% of the reviews on Amazon.com give this product a positive rating.

This summary is based on the products: Microsoft Surface Book (512 GB, 16 GB RAM, Intel Core i7, NVIDIA GeForce graphics) • Microsoft Surface Book (512 GB, 16 GB RAM, Intel Core i7, NVIDIA GeForce graphics)

Aug, 2018

Consumer review (amazon.ca)

Amazon.ca review summary for Microsoft Surface Book (2015)

 

alaTest has collected and analyzed 6 user reviews of Microsoft Surface Book (2015) from Amazon.ca. The average user rating for this product is 2.3/5, compared to an average user rating of 4.2/5 for other products in the same category on Amazon.ca.

33% of the reviews on Amazon.ca give this product a positive rating.

This summary is based on the products: uShopMall Microsoft Surface Book (512 GB, 16 GB RAM, Intel Core i7, NVIDIA GeForce graphics)(US Version, Imported) • uShopMall Microsoft Surface Book (512 GB, 16 GB RAM, Intel Core i7, NVIDIA GeForce graphics)(US Version, Imported)

Aug, 2018

DT Editors' Choice

Expert review by : Matt Smith (digitaltrends.com)

Microsoft Surface Book 2 15-inch Review

 

Microsoft's Surface Book 2 is the most technically impressive laptop we've ever tested.

Great keyboard and touchpad ; Versatile, and light when used as a tablet ; Sharp, high-contrast, pixel-dense touchscreen ; Excellent performance in all areas ; Unparalleled battery life

Display’s color accuracy could be better ; GTX 1060 held back by custom driver ; Extremely expensive

Dec, 2017
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Expert review by (engadget.com)

Surface Book 2 review: Microsoft gets closer to the 'ultimate laptop'

 

The Surface Book 2 is one of the most powerful and well-designed Windows laptops on the market. And thanks to its improved hinge, it doesn't feel any different than a traditional notebook. It's the best MacBook Pro competitor we've seen yet.

Hinge is stronger than before ; Better CPU and graphics ; 15-inch screen can fully compete with the MacBook Pro ; Works well as a tablet

Expensive if you need more storage ; Doesn’t come with Surface Pen

The Surface Book 2 is exactly what we've wanted from a high-end Microsoft laptop. It's powerful, sturdy and its unique hinge doesn't come with any compromises. While there are cheaper Windows laptops out there with similar specs, the Surface Book 2...

Nov, 2017
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Expert review by : Brad Bourque (digitaltrends.com)

Microsoft Surface Book review

 

If the Surface Pro is the tablet that can replace your laptop, the Surface Book is the laptop that can replace your tablet.

Jun, 2017
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Expert review by (engadget.com)

Surface Book review: The ultimate laptop, even if it isn't perfect

 

Microsoft's first laptop raises the bar for other notebooks, with fast performance, best-in-class battery life and a design that manages to be both premium and unforgettable. The detachable screen is also comfortable to use as a tablet, thanks to both...

Distinctive, well-constructed design ; Impressively light as a tablet ; Gorgeous screen ; Pen input works well ; Comfortable keyboard ; Fast performance ; Best-in-class battery life in laptop mode ; Lots of configurations to choose from

Short battery life for just the tablet ; High cost of entry ; "Fulcrum" hinge makes the laptop appear fatter when shut ; Feels heavy compared to some other flagship laptops ; Screen wobbles a bit it in laptop mode

The Surface Book isn't perfect — no product is. But if "the ultimate laptop" merely means it raises the bar for other laptops, then it mostly lives up to that promise. I would recommend it b ased on its long battery life alone — 11 hours at a minimum....

Oct, 2015
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Expert review by : Dana Wollman (engadget.com)

Surface Book review: the ultimate laptop, even if it isn't perfect

 

That battery life, though.

Distinctive, well-constructed design ; Impressively light as a tablet ; Gorgeous screen ; Pen input works well ; Comfortable keyboard ; Fast performance ; Best-in-class battery life in laptop mode ; Lots of configurations to choose from

Short battery life for just the tablet ; High cost of entry ; Fulcrum" hinge makes the laptop appear fatter when shut ; Feels heavy compared to some other flagship laptops ; Screen wobbles a bit it in laptop mode

Microsoft's first laptop raises the bar for other notebooks, with fast performance, best-in-class battery life and a design that manages to be both premium and unforgettable. The detachable screen is also comfortable to use as a tablet, thanks to both...

Oct, 2015
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DT Recommended Product

Expert review by : Mark Coppock (digitaltrends.com)

Microsoft Surface Book 2 13-inch review

 

Excellent design and build quality ; Awesome display ; Incredible battery life ; Decent entry-level gaming performance ; Great keyboard and touchpad

Coil whine is excessive and obtrusive ; Expensive compared to traditional convertibles ; No Thunderbolt 3 support

Read the full review

Expert review by : Mark Hachman (pcworld.com)

Microsoft Surface Book 2 review: The ultimate laptop improves in every way but one

 

The second generation of the Microsoft Surface Book, the Surface Book 2, features vastly more graphics horsepower and battery life than its already-impressive predecessor. But there's a small power problem you should know about.

Top-notch, all-day battery life ; Excellent performance, particularly in graphics ; Stellar display, complete with additional visual modes

Premium notebook, premium price ; Underpowered Dock makes multi-monitor support problematic ; USB-C without Thunderbolt is a mistake

Microsoft’s Surface Book has always reminded me somewhat of an answer to Lenovo’s classic ThinkPad, replacing the classic black bento box with a nearly uniform silver slab. Unlike the Surface Pro and the Surface Laptop, there are no color options, and...

Nov, 2017
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Expert review by : Tom Warren (theverge.com)

Microsoft Surface Book 2 review: beauty and brawn, but with limits

 

A powerful portable desktop PC

Great keyboard and trackpad ; Powerful machine with Nvidia graphics ; Xbox Wireless support

Display still wobbles when you touch it ; Battery can drain under heavy GPU load ; No Thunderbolt 3 support

Nov, 2017
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Editor's Choice

Expert review by : Matthew Buzzi (pcmag.com)

Microsoft Surface Book 2

 

The Surface Book 2 is a feat of design, a top-of-the-line premium convertible 2-in-1 laptop that's fast, long lasting, versatile, and portable. It's even up for gaming.

Premium alloy construction. Elegant convertible design. Sharp high-resolution touch display in new larger size. Discrete Nvidia GTX 1060 graphics. Very long battery life. Multiple configuration options. Xbox wireless controller receiver is integrated.

16GB RAM maximum. Surface Pen is an additional purchase. Adding SSD storage is pricey. Some finicky issues required troubleshooting in our tests.

Bottom Line: The Surface Book 2 is a feat of design, a top-of-the-line premium convertible 2-in-1 laptop that's fast, long lasting, versatile, and portable. It's even up for gaming.

Nov, 2017
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Expert review by : Dan Ackerman (cnet.com)

Microsoft Surface Book 2 (15-inch) review

 

There's a lot going on with the new Surface Book 2.

The new Surface Book 2 adds a long list of worthy upgrades, from new CPUs and gamer-ready graphics cards to a bigger 15-inch version. Battery life and performance are both excellent.

The two-in-one design still feels awkward at times, and for some users, the detachable screen may be superfluous. The most interesting new components are only available in very expensive configurations.

The Surface Book 2 is a satisfying sequel, but like many sequels, it may be trying to broadly serve too many audiences.

Nov, 2017
Read the full review
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Product Specifications

Audio

Audio system:Dolby Audio
Built-in Microphone: Yes
Number of built-in speakers:2

Camera

Auto focus: Yes
Front Camera:Y
Front camera resolution (numeric):5
Rear camera:Y
Rear camera resolution (numeric):8

Design

Color of product:Silver
Form Factor:Convertible (Detachable)
Housing material:Magnesium
Product type:Hybrid (2-in-1)

Display

Aspect Ratio:3:2
Display Diagonal:13.5
Display Resolution:3000 x 2000
Full HD: Yes
HD type:Wide Quad HD
LED backlight: Yes
Touch screen: Yes
Touch screen type:Capacitive
Touch technology:Multi-Touch
Touchscreen:Y
Touchscreen type:Capacitive

Graphics

Discrete graphics adapter:N
Discrete graphics adapter memory:1
Discrete graphics adapter model: No
Discrete graphics memory type:GDDR5
Graphics adapter Open GL support: Yes
Maximum on-board graphics adapter memory:1.74
Number of displays supported (on-board graphics):3
On-board graphics adapter: Yes
On-board graphics adapter base frequency:300
On-board graphics adapter DirectX version:12
On-board graphics adapter dynamic frequency (max):1000
On-board graphics adapter family:Intel® HD Graphics
On-board graphics adapter ID:1916
On-board graphics adapter model:Intel HD Graphics 520 / Intel® HD Graphics 520
On-board graphics adapter OpenGL version:4.4

Keyboard

Numeric keypad: No
Windows keys: Yes

Memory

Internal memory:16 / 8
Maximum internal memory:16

Networking

3G: No
4G:N
Bluetooth: Yes
Bluetooth version:4.0
Ethernet LAN:N
Ethernet LAN connection: No
Wi-Fi: Yes
Wi-Fi standards:802.11a, 802.11ac, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n

Optical Drive

LightScribe: No
Optical Drive Type: No

Other Features

Audio system:Dolby Audio
Dolby technologies: Yes

Packaging Content

AC adapter included:Y
Quick start guide:Y
Stylus pen:Y
Warranty card:Y

Packaging Data

AC adapter bundled: Yes
AC adapter included:Y
Quick start guide: Yes
Stylus pen: Yes
Warranty card: Yes

Performance

Accelerometer: Yes
Ambient light sensor: Yes
Gyroscope: Yes

Ports & interfaces

CardBus PCMCIA slot type: No
Combo headphone/mic port: Yes
Docking connector: Yes
DVI port: No
ExpressCard slot: No
Headphone outputs:1
Mini DisplayPort quantity:1
Mini DisplayPorts quantity:1
S/PDIF out port: No
SmartCard slot: No
USB 3.0 (3.1 Gen 1) Type-A ports quantity:2
USB 3.0 ports quantity:2

Processor

Bus type:QPI
Configurable TDP-down:7.5
Configurable TDP-down frequency:800
Conflict Free processor:Y
ECC supported by processor:N
FSB Parity: No
Maximum number of PCI Express lanes:12
PCI Express configurations:1x2+2x1, 1x4, 2x2, 4x1 / 1x4, 4x1
PCI Express slots version:3.0
Processor:i5-6300U
Processor boost frequency:3
Processor cache:3
Processor cache type:Smart Cache
Processor codename:Skylake
Processor cores:2
Processor family:6th gen Intel® Core™ i5 / 6th gen Intel® Core™ i7 / Intel Core i5-6xxx / Intel Core i7-6xxx
Processor frequency:2.4
Processor lithography:14
Processor model:i5-6300U
Processor operating modes:64-bit
Processor Series:Intel® Core™ i5-6300 Mobile Series
Processor socket:BGA1356 / Socket B2 (LGA 1356)
Processor threads:4
Stepping:D1
System bus data transfer rate:4
System bus rate:4
Thermal Design Power (TDP):15
Tjunction:100

Processor special features

CPU configuration (max):1
Embedded options available: Yes
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology: Yes
Execute Disable Bit: Yes
Graphics & IMC lithography:14
Idle States: Yes
Intel 64:Y
Intel AES New Instructions: Yes
Intel Anti-Theft Technology: No
Intel Clear Video HD Technology: Yes
Intel Clear Video Technology:Y
Intel Clear Video Technology for MID: Yes
Intel Demand Based Switching: No
Intel Dual Display Capable Technology: No
Intel Enhanced Halt State: Yes
Intel Fast Memory Access: No
Intel FDI Technology: No
Intel Flex Memory Access: Yes
Intel HD Graphics:Y
Intel Hyper-Threading Technology: Yes
Intel Identity Protection Technology: Yes
Intel Insider: Yes
Intel InTru 3D Technology: Yes
Intel My WiFi Technology: Yes
Intel Quick Sync Video Technology: Yes
Intel Rapid Storage Technology: No
Intel Secure Key Technology version:1.00
Intel Small Business Advantage (SBA) version:1.00
Intel Smart Cache: Yes
Intel Smart Response Technology: Yes
Intel Smart Response Technology version:1.00
Intel Software Guard Extensions (Intel SGX):1
Intel Stable Image Platform Program (SIPP):Y
Intel Stable Image Platform Program (SIPP) version:1.00
Intel Trusted Execution Technology: Yes
Intel TSX-NI:Y
Intel TSX-NI version:1.00
Intel Turbo Boost Technology:2.0
Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x):Y
Intel Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d):Y
Intel vPro Technology: Yes
Intel VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT): Yes
Intel Wireless Display (WiDi) Technology: Yes
Intel® AES New Instructions (Intel® AES-NI):Y
Intel® Anti-Theft Technology (Intel® AT):N
Intel® Built-in Visuals Technology: Yes
Intel® Clear Video HD Technology (Intel® CVT HD):Y
Intel® Clear Video Technology for Mobile Internet Devices (Intel CVT for MID):Y
Intel® Hyper Threading Technology (Intel® HT Technology):Y
Intel® Identity Protection Technology (Intel® IPT):Y
Intel® Insider™: Yes
Intel® InTru™ 3D Technology: Yes
Intel® Iris™ Pro Graphics: No
Intel® My WiFi Technology (Intel® MWT):Y
Intel® OS Guard:Y
Intel® Quick Sync Video Technology: Yes
Intel® Secure Key:Y
Intel® Small Business Advantage (Intel® SBA):Y
Intel® Smart Cache:Y
Intel® Smart Response Technology: Yes
Intel® Turbo Boost Technology:2.0
Intel® vPro™ Technology:Y
Intel® Wireless Display (Intel® WiDi):Y
InTru™ 3D Technology: Yes
Processor ARK ID:88190
Processor code:SR2F0
Processor package size:42
Supported instruction sets:AVX 2.0, SSE4.1, SSE4.2 / SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX 2.0
Thermal Monitoring Technologies: Yes

Security

Cable lock slot:N
Trusted Platform Module (TPM): Yes

Software

Operating system architecture:64-bit
Operating system installed:Windows 10 Pro
Trial software:Microsoft Office

Storage

Card reader integrated: Yes
Compatible memory cards:SD
Number of SSDs installed:1
Solid-state drive capacity:128 / 256 / 512
Storage media:SSD
Total Storage Capacity:1000 / 128 / 256 / 512

Weight & Dimensions

Depth:9.13
Depth (tablet mode):0.303 / 8.66
Height (front):0.512
Height (rear):0.898
Height (tablet mode):0.303 / 8.66
Weight:3.35 / 3.48
Width:12.3
Width (tablet mode):12.3