Surface Studio 2: technical specifications, prices, details

Surface Studio 2 is the same amazing all-in-one desktop as the last model, but with better technical specifications.

It’s no secret that Microsoft is trying to steal market share from Apple with its Surface devices, and that the Surface Studio is the most impressive and disappointing device.

When the Surface Studio was first released in 2016, it offered an unprecedented touchscreen experience, but came with cutting-edge hardware. However, after two years since the original launch, Microsoft is finally updating its flagship desktop replacement, raising the question of whether the new Surface Studio 2 is worth the $3,499 asking price for the base model.

Surface Studio 2

Like its predecessor, the Surface Studio 2 has superior build quality. You will find one of the best 28-inch touch screens on the market. The incredibly compact system that houses the processor, graphics, storage and power supply. And the incredible “Zero Gravity” hinge that allows you to effortlessly reposition the screen from a vertical position up to 20 degrees, without blinking while you draw on it.

The screen is not only great for drawing, but offers a great viewing experience like a regular monitor with excellent color representations and several pre-calibrated multi-modes. It’s a little bright, but it’s very accurate with the ten and the pressure sensitivity is also one of the best on the market.

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Also, at the top of the screen, you’ll find the Windows Hello Facial Recognition Camera, which is still a great feature along with the “OK” webcam.

On the back of the dock, you’ll also find several basic ports, including a full-size SD card reader, four USB 3.0 Type-A, and (finally) one USB Type-C.

While the Type-C port is a welcome addition, it’s somewhat disappointing since it doesn’t support Thunderbolt 3, meaning you can’t connect high-speed storage or an external video card. Also, you don’t get 10GB Ethernet, just a standard 1GB network port.

In the box, you also get a Surface Keyboard and a Surface Mouse. The mouse is not as ergonomic as, for example, the Logitech MX Master s2 mouse or the Microsoft Surface Precision Mouse, but it works well. However, the Surface keyboard is a nice inclusion as it has really good build quality and if you use a laptop, you’ll love typing with this Bluetooth keyboard. (Although it does not include the fingerprint reader like the Microsoft Keyboard, which are identical accessories).

Surface Studio 2 technical specifications

As for internal components, although it is a desktop replacement, the Surface Studio 2 uses a 7th generation Intel Core i7-7820HQ quad-core processor, which is a generation ago, and is designed for mobile devices.

You’ll also find significantly better graphics with the option of Nvidia GTX 1060 or GTX 1070 (designed for mobile devices) which makes the Studio 2 a not bad gaming machine.

This time, Microsoft is also adding the option of up to 2TB of PCIe NVMe SSD, which is even faster than standard SSDs and much faster than the hybrid hard drive included in the first generation.

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And, as before, you can get the Surface Studio 2 with 16GB or 32GB of memory.

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Also, the speakers are good, but only as long as you don’t use them at 100 percent volume, like most built-in speakers, the ones in this all-in-one desk, the sound quality degrades significantly at 100 percent.

Final thoughts for Surface Studio 2

While it’s frustrating that Microsoft continues to lag a generation behind when it comes to hardware, it’s not all bad, as the Surface Studio 2 is significantly faster than its predecessor and is a good machine for single-threaded tasks, such as office applications, video editing and even for games, since it is not a device for gamers.

And of course, with a 4:3 aspect ratio, Surface Studio 2 offers plenty of space for content creators when working with multiple apps together and drawing.

However, the lack of additional hardware options such as more capable processors and graphics, Thunderbolt 3, and the fact that nothing can be upgraded as the processor, graphics and memory are soldered onto the main board, is difficult to Recommended for professionals or users working with demanding applications.

Surface Studio 2 prices

Surface Studio 2 starts at $3,499 for the base model that includes a Core i7 processor, 16GB of memory, and 1TB of storage, while the 32GB memory model brings the price up to $4,199. You want the 2 NVMe SSD TB, you will spend $4799. You can order a Surface Studio 2 in the Microsoft Store.