New-generation Surface Book to launch this spring

Feb 15, 2020 06:01 GMT  ·  By

Microsoft will hold a new Surface event this spring, and by the looks of things, two of the models to be announced are none other than the Surface Book 3 and the Surface Go 2.

Often described as the best alternative to Apple’s MacBook (despite that Surface Laptop comes with a more traditional form factor similar to the one of the MacBook), the Surface Book is projected to receive a welcome upgrade, mostly under the hood.

A report this week indicates that Surface Book 3 will continue to use Intel processors, despite Microsoft showing increasing interest in adopting AMD chips for its Surface models.

No AMD version

However, the software giant is likely to stick with Intel’s 10th gen processors for now paired with a maximum of 32GB of RAM on the top-of-the-range configurations. There will be several NVIDIA GPU options available, including the GTX 16 series that will come as standard on the high-end configurations.

On the other hand, Microsoft is believed to be planning a special Surface Book 3 version equipped with an NVIDIA Quadro GPU, but for now it’s still not clear if everyone will be able to get it or this model will specifically target businesses.

Microsoft will continue to offer two Surface Book versions with 13.5-inch and 15-inch displays, and the maximum SSD option will be 1TB (clearly not enough for professionals given the top MacBook Pro offers 8TB).

It goes without saying the Surface Book 3 won’t be cheap, but the report claims the base model will start at $1,400.

Additionally, Microsoft is also planning to unveil the second-generation Surface Go, again with upgrades mostly under the hood. A Pentium Gold or Core M chip is expected to be used alongside a small boost in terms of RAM and storage. This will continue to be Microsoft’s cheapest Surface, with pricing very likely to begin at $399, just like the current generation.

Microsoft Surface Book 3

  • 13.5-inch and 15-inch versions
  • Intel 10th gen processors
  • Up to 32GB RAM
  • Up to 1TB SSD
  • NVIDIA GTX 16 series
  • NVIDIA Quadro GPU on SB3 for professionals
  • Prices to start at $1,399