Extra ports and a much-needed spec bump

The Surface Laptop Studio is kind of a singular PC due to its progressive hinged show, stylus help and well-rounded specs. In some methods it is the last word jack-of-all-trades however grasp of none system. And now a sequel has arrived sporting a much-needed spec bump and the addition of some long-requested options together with a microSD card slot.

Now, some people could also be dismayed to see that the outside of the just-announced Surface Laptop Studio 2 is basically unchanged. However as somebody who’s been utilizing the earlier mannequin as my fundamental journey pocket book for the final couple of years, I am not that bothered. You continue to get clear, minimalist traces together with a 14.4-inch 2,400 x 1,600 120Hz PixelSense show that may tilt like an easel. I am even joyful to see little quirks like its two-tiered base return, which retains the system’s vents cleverly hidden and away from the perimeters of the system whereas additionally providing a shelf for Floor Slim Pen 2 to latch onto.

Nevertheless, alongside the perimeters are some essential updates: a brand new USB-A port and a microSD card slot. That is the primary time both of those has been out there on this line, and whereas it may not sound like a giant deal, for a system that is geared towards artists and content material creators, this modification represents a serious quality-of-life improve. Simply with the ability to shortly switch photographs from a digicam to your laptop computer with no need a cable or an adapter is extraordinarily helpful. And with the addition of a USB-A port together with the 2 Thunderbolt 4 USB-C jacks, there is a good probability you’ll depart all of your dongles at house with out sacrificing connectivity.

There are additionally some refined design adjustments together with a brand new aluminum chassis as a substitute of magnesium such as you acquired on the unique. This leads to a really barely thicker physique (simply 1 or 2mm), a extra silvery hue and a smoother end.

As for efficiency, I actually just like the Floor Laptop computer Studio 2’s up to date elements. Even at launch, the unique felt considerably underpowered because of a middling quad-core chip regardless of being billed as Microsoft’s strongest laptop computer. However now, with help for as much as an Intel Core i7-13800H chip, 64GB of RAM, 2TB of storage and an RTX 4060 GPU (or an RTX 2000 card on industrial fashions), this successor looks like a extra well-rounded machine. Certain, it isn’t as quick as a similarly-priced gaming laptop computer and it isn’t fairly as skinny as a typical 14-inch ultraportable. Nevertheless, the mixture of a high-res touchscreen with pen integration and a spec refresh delivers far more versatility than virtually all of its rivals.

One final huge change is the addition of Microsoft’s Adaptive Contact function, which brings elevated accessibility. The tech makes use of a brand new contact algorithm that makes it simpler for differently-abled individuals to mouse round and use the touchpad. And whereas I may not get a ton of use out of it, I recognize how easy it’s use. All you need to do is open the Floor app and you’re instantly offered with choices for enabling Adaptive Contact and adjusting issues like click on sensitivity and double-click pace.

Granted, there aren’t a ton of main adjustments on Floor Laptop computer Studio 2 apart from refreshed specs and a few new ports. However I feel that is OK, as this looks like a case of not messing with an already examined and nonetheless very progressive design. The principle downside is that with a beginning worth of $1,999, Microsoft’s newest flagship laptop computer prices much more than a typical 14-inch rival. However which will simply be the fee for a system that may do a whole lot of all the pieces.

The Floor Laptop computer Studio 2 goes on sale on October 3.

Observe the entire information stay from Microsoft’s 2023 Floor occasion right here.