Surface Laptop 2: Design has its price
8.2.2019
Translation: machine translated
Switzerland is now also able to enjoy the second version of Microsoft's Surface Laptop. However, little has changed compared to the previous model: A revised keyboard, more powerful processors and a matt black colour finish are among the new features.
The Surface Laptop 2 has been available to buy in the UK and the USA since 16 October 2018. Almost four months later, the update of the first Surface Laptop generation has also made it to Switzerland. It is unclear why it took so long. Presumably, suitable umlaut keys had to be produced first. But never mind, here is finally the part with the eighth-generation Intel processor. And hey: unlike the first version, Windows 10 is no longer pre-installed in S mode on the new laptop - this pipe-dream of a slimmed-down Windows is finally a thing of the past. Bravo Microsoft!
Technical data of the tested version:
- Intel Core i5-8250U
- Integrated graphics processor: Intel UHD Graphics 620
- 8 GB RAM (LPDDR3-1866, 2 x 4 GB SK Hynix H9CCNNNBJTALAR-NUD)
- 256 GB SSD (M.2, PCIe 3.0 x2 / NVMe, SK Hynix BC501)
- 13.5" IPS multi-touch display (PixelSense Display) with 2256 x 1504 pixels (aspect ratio of 3:2, 201 ppi, high-gloss, supports pen input)
- OmniSonic speakers with Dolby Audio Premium, dual microphones, 3.5 mm jack connection
- 720p front camera
- Environmental light sensor, Windows Hello face recognition
- Lithium-ion battery with 45 Wh
- Windows 10 Home
Great design with too few connections
Microsoft offers you the slim and 1.25 kg light Surface Laptop 2 in the familiar colours "Platinum Grey", "Bordeaux Red" and "Cobalt Blue". A new addition is this elegant matt black version. The aluminium casing is 22.33 cm long, 30.81 cm wide and 1.45 cm high. The keyboard is covered with Alcantara microfibre fabric and is said to be dirt-repellent. However, this does not apply to sticky or liquid dirt. Which in turn means that you better keep your hands clean while you are "working" with it.
When it comes to connections, Microsoft unfortunately has a somewhat meagre range. There is only one USB 3.0 Type-A, one Mini DisplayPort and one 3.5 mm jack connection on the left-hand side. The power connection (Surface Connect port) is located on the right-hand side. And that's about it. It's a shame, because Microsoft should have at least included a USB-C or even Thunderbolt port. I personally also miss a slot for microSD cards.
Good, but very glossy display in 3:2 format
The 13.5" IPS multi-touch display, called PixelSense Display by Microsoft, has a resolution of 2256 x 1504 pixels and comes with an aspect ratio of 3:2 and 201 ppi. I find it a little annoying that it is a high-gloss display - it is a little too reflective for my liking. The edges of the display are relatively thin. They measure 1.2 cm at the top and sides and 1.7 cm at the bottom. Incidentally, it is nice that the touch display also supports pen input. Unfortunately, Microsoft's Surface Pen is not included.
The colours appear rich on the display and the contrast and viewing angle stability are also pleasing. This may also be due to the 100 per cent sRGB colour space coverage. However, it only achieves around 81 per cent for AdobeRGB, which is important for graphic designers, for example. In terms of brightness, the display has 330 nits. This is slightly above average and is sufficient as long as there is no direct sunlight.
Keyboard and touchpad
Microsoft has revised the keyboard - it is now slightly quieter. However, the difference in volume is only noticeable in a direct comparison. The keyboard wasn't really loud even on the first model. At 1.5 mm, Microsoft's key travel is somewhat greater than that of most other current notebooks, which mainly have around 1 mm. The typing feel is pleasant and the trigger point of the keys is clearly perceptible, but not too hard. In terms of layout, you get the classic CH arrangement. It's a good thing that there are also notebook keyboards without a shortened Enter key. The keyboard also features three-stage backlighting.
The Alcantara cover on the keyboard already divided opinion on the first model of the Surface Laptop. On the one hand, because laptops have never been cosy. But above all, because a microfibre material can also become abrasive over time. However, if you read long-term reports on the cover in forums, the wear and tear is limited. Where the palms of the hands are most exposed, the fabric becomes slightly darker after several months of use - especially on the platinum grey model.
The built-in glass touchpad feels very smooth and is comfortable to use. It reacts with pinpoint accuracy, even with nimble fingers, and also executes gestures without any problems. Even though it is not as large as the touchpads from Apple or Razer, for example, it is just as easy to work with as the competition. It's not always the size that matters.
Hidden OmniSonic speakers
The OmniSonic speakers are not visible as they are installed under the keyboard. These are intended to provide first-class sound, not least because of the Dolby Audio Premium licence. There is also talk of crystal-clear sound in advertising texts. These are big words, or rather promises, but Microsoft can by no means fulfil them. The speakers are not bad through and through - the lows, mids and highs even sound quite balanced. They are also good enough for watching films on the move. But if you listen to music with it, the enjoyment is limited. Depending on the genre, the sound sounds a bit canned. Especially with industrial and metal. They also rattle in places with high tones. "Resurrection" by "PPK", for example, causes ear cancer due to the rattling. And the last negative point: the chassis of the notebook vibrates relatively strongly when you listen to sound. Your fingers are always tingling.
Battery performance
According to Microsoft, the 45 Wh lithium-ion battery lasts up to 14.5 hours when watching films locally. But who watches films locally? I certainly don't - I either stream from my NAS, Netflix or YouTube. Let's see how long the built-in battery will last when streaming videos.
Glossy performance with continuous YouTube streaming
When streaming YouTube continuously, I set the brightness of the display to the medium level. The automatic shutdown occurs after 9 hours and 7 minutes. I only managed a similar performance last year with the HP Spectre x360. This gave up the ghost after 8 hours and 47 minutes. The runtime of the Surface Laptop 2 is therefore a small feat. Especially since only 45 Wh are available.
Stress test with HeavyLoad and Furmark
To push all the hardware to its limits, I run the stress test HeavyLoad and FurMark simultaneously with the screen set to maximum brightness. The battery dies after 1 hour and 52 minutes, which is a long time.
A word about the noise emission: The notebook is not audible when working. Under full load, I measured around 37 decibels from a sitting position. Directly behind the notebook, it's 49 decibels. I measured with a Huawei smartphone.
CPU and graphics processor
The 64-bit quad-core x86 Intel Core i5-8250U microprocessor was introduced in mid-2017. It is based on an improved version of the Kaby Lake microarchitecture and is manufactured using the extended second generation of the 14 nm+ process. It employees at a clock speed of 1.6 GHz and has a TDP of 15 W. The turbo boost is up to 3.4 GHz.
The chip also features Intel's UHD Graphics 620, which runs at 300 MHz and has a maximum dynamic frequency of 1.15 GHz.
Performance
To test the performance, I used Cinebench R15 and Geekbench 4.
Cinebench R15
With Cinebench R15 from Maxon, you can test how your PC performs when rendering Cinema 4D content. Processors with more cores will always deliver a better result. If you want to compare processors with Cinebench R15, this is only possible if both processors have the same number of threads.
How Microsoft's Surface Laptop 2 performs:
The 43.59 fps achieved in OpenGL is not a particularly good value for the processor installed. If I compare it with other devices that have the same processor/graphics chip installed, the Laptop 2 just beats the Acer TravelMate X3 (41.66 fps). However, as even the in-house "competition" shows, this processor is capable of more. The Microsoft Surface Pro 6 achieves 52.11 fps. However, it is on par with the Surface Pro 6 in terms of CPU score and achieves 610 points. Acer only achieved 543 points with the same processor.
Geekbench 4
Geekbench 4 is a cross-platform benchmark. It runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android and iOS. In version 4 of the CPU benchmark, the base value of 4000 points reflects the performance of an Intel Core i7-6600U clocked at 2.60 GHz. In addition to simulated real-world scenarios with which the CPU is tested (single-core and multi-core), Geekbench can also determine GPU performance in the areas of image processing and machine vision. You can also compare the results with other systems thanks to the Geekbench browser.
Geekbench results of the Surface Laptop 2:
A comparison with Acer's TravelMate X3 and the Microsoft Surface Pro 6 is also possible here. The graphics performance of the Laptop 2 (36,651 points) is roughly the same as the Surface Pro 6 (35,649 points), but is clearly above the Acer notebook (29,065 points). In terms of processor performance, the Laptop 2 is behind the other two devices in single-core performance with 3853 points. The Acer TravelMate X3 achieves a score of 4020 and the Surface Pro 6 one of 4253 points. In terms of multi-core performance, the Laptop 2 and TravelMate X are on a par, achieving 12,740 and 12,677 points respectively. But the Surface Pro 6 comes out on top here with a score of 13,834.
If you want to see the benchmark results in detail:
Conclusion: Nice office laptop whose power you can get from the competition for half the price
Microsoft has a knack for bringing elegant-looking and robustly built devices onto the market. The company has less control over pricing. This device is presumably aimed at the same clientele that Apple wants to reach with the MacBook Pro. Customers who don't mind that their laptops are almost impossible to repair due to glued hardware. Customers who place more emphasis on the exterior than on the inner values and for whom price-performance plays a subordinate role.
Apart from that, there is not much to criticise. Apart from the minimalist connections, there is only the speakers that could be improved. But otherwise, this compact laptop does what an office laptop should do. It helps you get through the office day with enough power, a razor-sharp (high-gloss) IPS multi-touch display with pen support and a long battery life.
Personally, I would get a cheaper notebook for the given application and at best do without the elegant design and a display with more than 1080p resolution. You can currently get a laptop with 13 to 14.9 inches, an eighth-generation i5 processor, 8 GB RAM, at least 256 GB SSD storage and a touchscreen for less than 700 francs. Wondering where? Then take a look at hier vorbei.
Martin Jud
Senior Editor
martin.jud@digitecgalaxus.chI find my muse in everything. When I don’t, I draw inspiration from daydreaming. After all, if you dream, you don’t sleep through life.
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