Surface Book 2 Has a New 15-inch Base Configuration (Updated)

The 15-inch version of Microsoft’s Surface Book 2 can now be purchased in a lower-end configuration with a Core i5 processor. The bad news? It’s a 7th-generation Core i5 processor and not a newer model.

UPDATE: Rich Woods tells me that Best Buy lists this part as an 8th-generation Intel Core i5, so it’s not clear which version is correct; the Microsoft Store says 7th-gen. —Paul

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UPDATE 2: Microsoft confirmed to Mr. Woods that the base model uses an 8th-generation part, contrary to the description on its own website. That’s good: The 8th-generation Core i5 is a more modern quad-core design. —Paul

At $1999, this configuration—which also includes 16 GB of RAM and 256 GB of SSD storage—is the cheapest 15-inch Surface Book 2 configuration yet. As you may recall, when Surface Book 2 first launched back in November 2017, the cheapest 15-inch configuration cost $2499. For that price, you got an Intel Core i7 processor, dGPU, 16 GB of RAM, and 256 GB of storage.

Speaking of which, the new 15-inch configuration harkens back to how the 13.5-inch Surface Book 2 first launched: At that time, all but the base configuration featured 8th-generation Intel Core processors, but the entry-level version used a dual-core 7th-generation Intel Core i5 processor.

Like that old 13.5-inch Surface Book 2 base configuration, the new 15-inch base configuration also lacks a dGPU.

You can buy the new base 15-inch Surface Book 2 from the Microsoft Store or Best Buy.

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Conversation 5 comments

  • christian.hvid

    20 June, 2019 - 2:35 pm

    <p>The Surface Book 2 has become quite visible in popular culture lately. Taylor Mason on <em>Billions</em> uses it as their daily driver, and so does Trish on <em>Jessica Jones, </em>just to name a few. Of course, this doesn't happen without a little monetary encouragement from Microsoft, but it's still possible that the SB2 is becoming something of a fashion piece. In which case it would make sense to offer a cheaper model that has the looks, if not the power.</p>

    • jwpear

      Premium Member
      20 June, 2019 - 10:14 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#436496">In reply to christian.hvid:</a></em></blockquote><p>I have the 13" 7th gen i5 SB2. It's fine CPU-wise. I enjoy using it. Do wish it had more RAM for development, but it works. If this 15" i5 with 16 GB of RAM had been available at the time, I would have jumped on it.</p>

  • wp7mango

    20 June, 2019 - 2:57 pm

    <p>Real shame it's not 8th-gen Core i5</p>

    • digiguy

      Premium Member
      20 June, 2019 - 4:24 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#436513">In reply to WP7Mango:</a></em></blockquote><p>many reports say it is</p>

  • chaad_losan

    20 June, 2019 - 8:30 pm

    <p>I hope the Surface Book 3 comes out soon. This is getting older and older. Starting to feel like apple with how long they wait to update their hardware.</p>

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