Microsoft Says Its New Surface Book 2 is Twice as Powerful as Latest MacBook Pro

[xkam1x]

Surface Book 2 hardware + macOS would be great. Now to wait for Apple's move.

 

[bruinsrme]

Our windows users in our office all have the previous ten for a couple of reasons: MS' solid support and an actual good trackpad on a windows device. They all love their surfaces, and nobody ever says they love their windows laptops here.

This is where, as being a windows user, I agree.
My HP, huge pile of crap work computer is garbage ($900).
I have been using my personal (2015) MBP. boot camped
I have switched to my personal (2017) MBP. boot camped
No idea where my work computer is.

The current surface is excellent. As a developer I would kill to have a surface type device that runs Mac OS and windows.

 

[iReality85]

Unless you're into UWP apps or care about the veneer, Windows really hasn't changed that much since 2007, i.e. since Vista was released which laid much of the groundwork for Windows 7.

Major differences from Vista all the way through 10, just off the top of my head:

-security overhaul
-system resources overhaul
-system options/management overhaul
-system search/cortana
-desktop and tablet modes, and thus touch support

10 is a far cry even from 7 in terms of feature set and capability, and what I listed above is only scratching the surface. It's changed quite a bit, really.

 

[fokmik]

...allegedly. I still haven’t seen my 2016 rMBP last that long.

we are talking about the 2017 models, and mine always have 10-11hours for light usage...i get only 8 hours outdoors with full brightness

 

[dasmb]

This thing looks nice.

Up to, and excluding, that f___ing accordion hinge.

It never fully closes. That will affect you. You may start drinking.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

I am not sure you understand how Consumer Reports works. It's fundamental to every product they test, cars, computers, dishwashers, you name it, that regardless of how well the performance and features are rated, if it is unreliable, they aren't going to recommend that consumers buy it. Hence, the change from recommended to "not recommended." And, regarding the concern over their recommendation on the MacBook Pro, you are ignoring the nature of the concern. It wasn't that CR didn't like it, they rated it great in every area, but withheld a recommended rating because of concern over inconsistent battery life, including much lower and much higher than Apple advertised. What upset Apple and others was that CR testing used a protocol that didn't mimic typical consumer behavior and triggered a software bug that impacted measured battery life. People felt that CR should have contacted Apple first since their testing results, both unreasonably high and low, didn't make sense. The issue was easily resolved and CR quickly changed their recommendation to the highest.

Actually, I do have a really good sense of how CR works... been following CR since at least the 1980s. I use it as one key source of objective evaluations for many new things I buy.

So, should CR have contacted Microsoft before changing from recommended to not recommended?

And if Microsoft didn't agree with CRs evaluation protocols, should CR have considered changing the way they evaluate this product to better fit Microsoft's approaches?

 

[D.T.]

This is where, as being a windows user, I agree.
My HP, huge pile of crap work computer is garbage ($900).
I have been using my personal (2015) MBP. boot camped
I have switched to my personal (2017) MBP. boot camped
No idea where my work computer is.

The current surface is excellent. As a developer I would kill to have a surface type device that runs Mac OS and windows.

Hahaha, sorry, I just had to quote this You better find it in case "they" (you know, "them"), come looking for it

 

[shanson27]

Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart. We’re just collecting some error info, and then we’ll restart for you

 

[AppleFan360]

I'm convinced most haven't even touched it.

Many of us have. My Oculus rift runs on my Windows 10 machine. The only way it runs smoothly is if I don't do anything else with it. As soon as I start loading apps, web browse with it and do e-mail, things start going wrong (lockups, slowdowns) not to mention the constant annoyingly long updates.

Please don't make Windows better than it actually is in reality.

 

[lip008]

It's a _touch_ low on the performance side, it would be effective, but just not optimal. Most of the AR/VR I've been involved with targets a little more GPU, but in the context of Mac hardware, I'd *love* a 1060 powered MBP. Certainly for most gaming needs, it would be outstanding.

You're probably right. When the first big-hit VR game that comes out it will require a 1070 and then I'd be pissed about the $2300+ spent on this thing. It really does check a lot of the boxes only leaving me without a disc drive which I could stomach bringing a long when needed. A Thunderbolt 3 port would of helped with the VR I'm guessing too though when paired with an external GPU...

 

[The Game 161]

Nice but it running Windows is an issue

 

[Constable Odo]

Considering the fact that Apple is a hardware company and Microsoft is a software company, I find it extremely disappointing that any hardware Microsoft offers even comes close to the processing capacity of an Apple MacBook Pro. Why Apple doesn't seem to care is well beyond my understanding. Apple has the money and resources to be able to bury any hardware Microsoft sells to consumers. What's the point of Apple not trying to compete against a software company like Microsoft? It only makes itself look bad to investors who would expect Apple to be able to build better hardware products than Microsoft. Is Apple really trying to sabotage itself or do they not know any better. It shouldn't be all that difficult for Apple to install better hardware into its products as it's readily available from any of the component manufacturers. I can only understand it if Apple is only in the business of maximizing profits instead of increasing the quality of their products. It just sickens me to hear some Microsoft hardware being favorably compared against Apple's hardware when there should be no need for that to happen. Isn't the great Jony Ive supposed to be some highly accredited computer designer?

 

[mrzz]

It's really not difficult to compete with latest MBP. Apple unfortunately forgot how to create great Macs..

 

[belvdr]

Yes, 10.13 and 10.5 ARE the same - you get NO blue screens, malware, viruses and inconsistent M$ software. ;-)

Never, but maybe a kernel panic: https://support.apple.com/kb/PH25498?locale=en_US

 

[AndyMacAndMic]

Nice but it running Windows is an issue

Wow! What an original remark! You must be the first one to think of that!
Oops... there where already 20 people before you... sorry!

 

[ob81]

The only thing holding Windows back at this point is reliability. We need to see more of that. If they are going to be charging Apple prices, I better be able to use this in 4 years, just like I use my 2013 MBA. For the features, the Surface is a better deal. Apple will finally bring a touchscreen line, call it “MBP L” or some crap and charge a premium for it. Similar to how they are bringing old features to the iPhone X and charging a premium for that.

I have been an Apple loyal customer since the 12” PowerBook. I am low key starting to feel duped by some of these Apple releases. Show me reliability Microsoft, and you win.

 

[dampfnudel]

All I have to say and for a lot of people, this is saying a lot, is the keyboard better than the one on the MBP? If only Apple would design a better keyboard.

 

[ZipZap]

How freaking hot does it get?

 

[The Game 161]

Wow! What an original remark! You must be the first one to think of that!
Oops... there where already 20 people before you... sorry!

Who cares if I’m the first or last to say it? Think I’m here reading every comment in this thread? I read the article and replied

If enough are saying it then that really says it all

 

[zaphodb3]

All this does is make me excited for the pressure it puts on Apple to upgrade. It is a compelling competitor-- being able to squeeze out >15 hrs of battery life with a GTX 1060?!

Come on Coffee Lake MBP!

 

[Taipan]

To all the folks saying "But it runs Windows"... how many of you have installed BootCamp to be able to run Windows applications?

That's actually a point against Windows, if people who do know Windows and really depend on it for certain tasks still can't be bothered to use i as a main OS.

 

[ilovemykid3302012]

Many of us have. My Oculus rift runs on my Windows 10 machine. The only way it runs smoothly is if I don't do anything else with it. As soon as I start loading apps, web browse with it and do e-mail, things start going wrong (lockups, slowdowns) not to mention the constant annoyingly long updates.

Please don't make Windows better than it actually is in reality.

Sounds like a problem with your box, not the OS.

 

[macpanzer]

They compare the Surface to MacBooks, but seem to forget one thing:

A MacBook Pro can run macOS or Windows (natively, not virtualised)
A Surface Book can run Windows

 

[maflynn]

if people who do know Windows and really depend on it for certain tasks still can't be bothered to use i as a main OS.

Not really, maybe they like OS X and want to run both?

I include myself in that category, I have an iMac, it runs both OS X and windows, but I also have a Surface Book and a MBP.

 

[jerryk]

I was going back and forth between a new Macbook Pro & a Surface Laptop for work in the past few weeks. I would've bought the Surface Book 2 over the Macbook Pro without a doubt. I guess since I spec'd out my Macbook Pro & it's shipping from China I can't return it now though.

14 days to return anything no questions asked.