14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft announced the new Surface Book i7 at its October 26 event a few hours ago, and even though at first glance this model looks entirely the same as its predecessor, there are several small changes that make a big difference for long-time users.
One of them concerns the gap created by the hinge when the laptop is closed. The hinge was a love it or hate it feature on the first model, and while many people liked it because it was different and served its purpose well, others criticized it for creating a gap between the display and the keyboard that let dust and lint slip in.
Microsoft heard all these complaints and improved the new i7 model to address the gap, creating a bigger base that adds extra thickness reducing this space. As you can see in this photo snapped by The Verge, the difference is not really striking at first glance, but if you look closely, you can notice the bigger base that now makes the keyboard come in contact with the screen and reduces the gap.
Killing two birds with one stone
Truth be told, Microsoft was able to achieve this goal quite easily thanks to the bigger battery, which in turn requires more space, so the firm actually killed two birds with one stone here without losing anything.
Rumors pointing to the complete removal of the hinge emerged in the past, with some sources indicating that Microsoft was pondering a classic design here to specifically eliminate the gap when the laptop is closed.
This could still happen on the second generation, although it now becomes more unlikely to see this change implemented, especially because Microsoft has found a way to address the gap without actually giving up on the hinge.
The second-generation Surface Book is now expected to launch next year, as Microsoft is believed to be planning on aligning the release of the new model with the debut of the Creators Update for Windows 10.