Checked out a demo model of SB with Performance Base today

[flar]

They had demos of the new Surface Book with Performance Base in the stores so I went to check them out.

The base is noticeably larger near the screen due to a wedge shaped design that still manages to keep the screen and keys apart and keep the overall dimensions when closed the same as before. They basically filled in the wedge gap partially to increase battery size.

It appears there were no changes to the tablet part - same 3 hour battery life, still using an i7-6600, still using the Samsung PM951 SSDs.

There are 3 things I'd like from a new model, in decreasing order of my preference:

- Longer tablet battery life
- Better graphics (mainly the dGPU, Intel 520 is fine for my tablet use)
- Faster SSD

They only got 1/3 updated this time around and while it wasn't my first choice, I'd like to have the better graphics, but only if they'd sell me just a base upgrade.

 

[BearFlag]

If they just wanted to update the base, I don't see why they couldn't add a USB-C port to make it more future proof.

I personally don't care as I bought the original version last year (and happy with my purchase), but I'm just saying if a new customer is going to shell out $2400 for this thing a year after the original came out, they should have at least added it.

 

[Surfer01]

If they just wanted to update the base, I don't see why they couldn't add a USB-C port to make it more future proof.

I personally don't care as I bought the original version last year (and happy with my purchase), but I'm just saying if a new customer is going to shell out $2400 for this thing a year after the original came out, they should have at least added it.

They need something new for book 3

 

[wynand32]

They need something new for book 3

This wasn't Surface Book 2, just a refreshed Surface Book. Surface Book 2 will still be coming along with Creators Update and Surface Pro 5--that's a guess, of course, but from everything we've seen it seems to make some sense. I'm thinking SB2 will use a new hinge without the gap, and likely accomplish everything everyone wants here.

 

[Cobalt Wraith]

Thanks for confirming specs, I was pretty sure this would be the case but hadn't found another resource confirming same processor model.

 

[flar]

OK, now for a counter-example.

I was at a Best Buy today with the new revamped display showing off the new Studio and the new SB with performance base and checked the hardware on that one. It came with a 256G Toshiba XG3 drive (THNSN6256GPU7) which is rated much faster than the PM951's that we saw in last year's SBs. But, some of the review units last year also had faster drives and then when the books shipped to consumers they had the 951's instead. Is this a new spec? Size specific? Or another bait and switch?