[Mohammad Ayman Tawil]

Hi

i want to buy the new surface book i7 however i heard that a newer surface book 2 will going to be released and soon maybe in Feb so
are the rumors true?

should i wait for the new SB2 or get the new I7 now

thanks

[rdubmu]

It really depends on how much you need a new computer now. From my experience if you wait until a rumor comes true, you will be waiting a very long time.

[Mohammad Ayman Tawil]

I need a new computer asap .

[Boomwaller]

I agree as well, and some are saying it will be unlikely or not showing up until the RedStone update. I was in the same boat and I am not even worrying about it now as I'm enjoying my SurfaceBook! To add to that if the i7 SkyLake and GPU meet the needs of what all you'll need in your computer then you cannot go wrong.

I have found very little to fault about this machine after installing all the updates. Plus you can always re-sell if you must be on the latest and greatest! :-)

[zerospace-net]

At this point, personally, I'd be waiting for the SB2, but that depends on how dire your needs are. If you need it now, go for the newer performance base model. If you can wait, I would. MS is bound to do an even better job on the next generation of Surface Books.

[Mohammad Ayman Tawil]

At this point, personally, I'd be waiting for the SB2, but that depends on how dire your needs are. If you need it now, go for the newer performance base model. If you can wait, I would. MS is bound to do an even better job on the next generation of Surface Books.

exactly what i have in mind however i need a new computer for work asap mine is just hmm how do i put this Pentium R or D .
but my work doesn't need strong graphics at all maybe i should skip the book for the surface pro and the question will be is it worth it to buy for the 4 or wait for 5 I'm very paranoiac when it comes to this

[Mohammad Ayman Tawil]

I agree as well, and some are saying it will be unlikely or not showing up until the RedStone update. I was in the same boat and I am not even worrying about it now as I'm enjoying my SurfaceBook! To add to that if the i7 SkyLake and GPU meet the needs of what all you'll need in your computer then you cannot go wrong.

I have found very little to fault about this machine after installing all the updates. Plus you can always re-sell if you must be on the latest and greatest! :-)

i don't know when is the redstone update however I'm thinking my work doesn't need graphics i might skip the the book with the pro 4 or 5 hm :P

[xandros9]

Mohammad, this is the third thread I've seen asking that question with similar wording. On the likelihood the other threads were created by you, STOP making new ones. It splits up discussion. If those weren't you then disregard this post.

[rdubmu]

If you don't need the extra power, the surface pro 4 is very powerful itself and everything is in the tablet portion. You can get a very good SP4 for 1/3rd the cost

[Mohammad Ayman Tawil]

If you don't need the extra power, the surface pro 4 is very powerful itself and everything is in the tablet portion. You can get a very good SP4 for 1/3rd the cost

i think the sp4 would be perfect for me i should've considered it before

[Matty]

Hi

i want to buy the new surface book i7 however i heard that a newer surface book 2 will going to be released and soon maybe in Feb so are the rumors true?
should i wait for the new SB2 or get the new I7 now

thanks

When ever someone asks me a question like this, the first thing i ask them is "how badly do you need a new laptop". If you are able to wait till February. Then i would advise you do so. Not because the new Surface might be better and more suited to your needs but because you will be able to make an informed decision about what you want and compare the laptop officially and not rely on rumoured specs. :)

[wynand32]

For what it's worth, I'm not convinced that Microsoft will be releasing a Surface Book 2 so soon. I think the SB with Performance Base is what's to hold things over until October 2017, when we'll see the Surface Book 2 released. I just don't get why they'd release the Performance Base update just a few months before coming out with a completely new version, and they've definitely settled on their October events as when they intro new hardware.

I could be wrong, of course, but although there have been rumors of the SB2 and Surface Pro 5 being released along with Creators Update, I just don't see it. I think the update will be released on its own, like Anniversary Update was, and then in October we'll see Surface Phone, Surface Book 2, Surface Pro 5, and maybe a Surface Studio refresh.

I'll note that I've seen absolutely nothing pointing at a February release. Creators Update is slated for "Spring," and that's starting March 20.

[surfacefanboi]

For what it's worth, I'm not convinced that Microsoft will be releasing a Surface Book 2 so soon. I think the SB with Performance Base is what's to hold things over until October 2017, when we'll see the Surface Book 2 released. I just don't get why they'd release the Performance Base update just a few months before coming out with a completely new version, and they've definitely settled on their October events as when they intro new hardware.

I could be wrong, of course, but although there have been rumors of the SB2 and Surface Pro 5 being released along with Creators Update, I just don't see it. I think the update will be released on its own, like Anniversary Update was, and then in October we'll see Surface Phone, Surface Book 2, Surface Pro 5, and maybe a Surface Studio refresh.

I'll note that I've seen absolutely nothing pointing at a February release. Creators Update is slated for "Spring," and that's starting March 20.

Hi I think you are spot on, the performance base upgrade is not even released in Europe yet (16.01.17) I can't see MS releasing anything in Feb other than that performance upgrade, and probably not an available until 2018! Me I will be buying the i7 upgrade when it finally makes it to the UK....

[wynand32]

Hi I think you are spot on, the performance base upgrade is not even released in Europe yet (16.01.17) I can't see MS releasing anything in Feb other than that performance upgrade, and probably not an available until 2018! Me I will be buying the i7 upgrade when it finally makes it to the UK....

Yes, I was pretty firmly in the same camp as you. Now, though, I've heard more information, allegedly coming from sources that have been reliable in the past, that says we _will_ see an SB2 along with Creators Update and the Surface Pro 5. There's even the possibility, apparently, of a 15" version with 3:2 ratio, which I would be _very_ interested in depending on the price.

We know that Creators Update will be released in April, and so perhaps Microsoft will schedule an even for then or perhaps March. I'd still be surprised to see an SB2 so soon, and you make a valid point about Performance Base just now arriving in Europe, but that's the rumor. Anyone like myself who's in need of a new machine is kind of in an unfortunately holding pattern.

[surfacefanboi]

I Don't think the performance base will be launched until around 18.02.17 in Europe (seen some evidence of that), so probably another month or so to get hold of one, into March then . Can't see MS tooling up for a run of a few months with the i7 performance base, nor compromising the new top of the line by announcing a new SB2!!! That's my take anyway.

[wynand32]

I Don't think the performance base will be launched until around 18.02.17 in Europe (seen some evidence of that), so probably another month or so to get hold of one, into March then . Can't see MS tooling up for a run of a few months with the i7 performance base, nor compromising the new top of the line by announcing a new SB2!!! That's my take anyway.

Again, I'm with you. It doesn't make a lot of sense--unless, maybe, SB with Performance Base will still be sold and the SB2 will be some crazy high-end device. Looking at Surface Studio being so aimed at a particular niche and so expensive, maybe that's where Microsoft is heading now. Maybe they'll drop the price of SB-PB and slot it in where the original SB is compared to SB-PB.

Or maybe the rumors are just all wrong and SB2 isn't coming until October or later. That's what makes it so darn hard right now for anyone in the market.

[orlbuckeye]

I think the Surface 2 is more about the new Intel processor then the Windows 10 Creative update. The Surface Book Performance base still has the old generation Intel processor and although the Nvidia card is an upgrade it's also previous generation. I wouldn't be surprised if MS announced the SB 2 and SP 5 in February but not on sale until after that.

[wynand32]

I think the Surface 2 is more about the new Intel processor then the Windows 10 Creative update. The Surface Book Performance base still has the old generation Intel processor and although the Nvidia card is an upgrade it's also previous generation. I wouldn't be surprised if MS announced the SB 2 and SP 5 in February but not on sale until after that.

Well, machines with the new Kaby Lake mobile processors are shipping soon, such as the Dell XPS 15 with quad-core i7 shipping by the end of this month. So, nothing to stop Microsoft from shipping an SB2 with Kaby Lake in the March-April timeframe. Creators Update is relevant because it would let Microsoft host a single even where they can introduce the update and call out the new machines as the best devices for leveraging it.

[surfacefanboi]

I believe the kaby lake chip set needs more cooling power, in which case MS will have to redesign the SB internals yet again.......not going to happen in April when the recent SB i7 performance upgrade isn't even launched for sale in Europe yet!

[wynand32]

I believe the kaby lake chip set needs more cooling power, in which case MS will have to redesign the SB internals yet again.......not going to happen in April when the recent SB i7 performance upgrade isn't even launched for sale in Europe yet!

Actually, I think Kaby Lake is more efficient than Skylake and so would perform at least as well with the same thermal design. Going dual-core Kaby Lake to replace dual-core Skylake is a net benefit. Now, if Microsoft wanted to go quad-core, then that would be a different story.

I'm starting to think maybe we'll see a higher-end Surface Book 2 with, say, a 15" screen. SB with Performance Base will become the "entry-level" machine, probably at a lower price point than currently. That would account for SBPB just now being sold in Europe, in that it's going to remain in the inventory, and then also for the rumors that an SB2 is coming soon.

And if _that's_ what happens, then Surface Book would probably be priced outside of what I can legitimately spend on a new machine. Since my own decision is based on wanting a larger display than the Surface Pro 4, I'll probably give serious thought to HP's new Spectre x360 15", which looks like it'll be roughly half the price of SBPB with pretty much all of the functionality -- only with a tablet mode that's a bit chunky.

[surfacefanboi]

Actually, I think Kaby Lake is more efficient than Skylake and so would perform at least as well with the same thermal design. Going dual-core Kaby Lake to replace dual-core Skylake is a net benefit. Now, if Microsoft wanted to go quad-core, then that would be a different story.

I'm starting to think maybe we'll see a higher-end Surface Book 2 with, say, a 15" screen. SB with Performance Base will become the "entry-level" machine, probably at a lower price point than currently. That would account for SBPB just now being sold in Europe, in that it's going to remain in the inventory, and then also for the rumors that an SB2 is coming soon.

And if _that's_ what happens, then Surface Book would probably be priced outside of what I can legitimately spend on a new machine. Since my own decision is based on wanting a larger display than the Surface Pro 4, I'll probably give serious thought to HP's new Spectre x360 15", which looks like it'll be roughly half the price of SBPB with pretty much all of the functionality -- only with a tablet mode that's a bit chunky.

It was the 4 core I was thinking of with the extra heat :(. I looked at the Spectre, but I need Photoshop tools in 3D , a non discreet gpu does not seem to have enough power or RAM to run that, so SB is still the only show in town for me.

[wynand32]

It was the 4 core I was thinking of with the extra heat :(. I looked at the Spectre, but I need Photoshop tools in 3D , a non discreet gpu does not seem to have enough power or RAM to run that, so SB is still the only show in town for me.

Gotcha. Yeah, quad-core would definitely require a rework. Now, I'll add that maybe if they make a larger 15" SB2, then perhaps that would provide more space for a better thermal design. So, that fits my own prediction. Also, a larger base would accomodate something like a GTX 1050. But again, for me, that would be a very expensive machine.

Note that the _new_ Spectre x360 15" coming in February does have a dedicated GPU, but it's only GTX 940MX 2GB. That's enough for what I need to do with my mobile machine (I do higher-end stuff on my desktop already). And it only comes in a 4K option, which is important to me because really I just need two high-res windows snapped side-by-side for my workflow (OneNote for writing copy on the left, research source in a browser on the right). But a 940MX running a 4K display might not be sufficient for the kind of work you do.

Really, I wish that Microsoft would come out with an SB2 with a 15" 3:2 display and that I had the money to buy it. But I have a feeling that whatever comes next will be like the Surface Studio. Absolutely amazing, and incredibly expensive. Surface Studio showed Microsoft that they can sell really expensive hardware, and really, Microsoft just wants Surface to push the Windows 10 ecosystem, and OEMs are responding nicely. Surface doesn't have to be a huge seller for Microsoft to be successful.