It looks like Microsoft's premium 2-in-1 laptop is finally getting a much-needed refresh. Core specs of the Surface Book 3 have been revealed, which means the launch date may be closer than we thought, according to a leak reported by MsPoweruser (via NotebookCheck).
The Microsoft Surface Book 3, like its predecessor, will be available in 13-inch and 15-inch configurations.
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The third-generation Surface Book will be outfitted with quad-core, Intel Comet Lake-U processors. There's also an unexpected GPU twist that hints the Redmond-based tech giant is hoping to win over content creators, not gamers.
The Microsoft Surface Book 3 specs
The Microsoft Surface Book 3 will come with two CPU options: an Intel Core i5-10210U or the Intel Core i7-10510U. You can snag SSD storage options of 256GB, 512GB or 1TB.
The upcoming Microsoft Surface Book will be available in memory options of 8GB, 16GB and 32GB of RAM. The 8GB option is only for the 13.5-inch variant, according to the leak.
The Surface Book 3 will have optional Nvidia Quadro GPUs -- not Nvidia GeForce GPUs. The unexpected change unveils Microsoft's plans to win over media professionals instead of gaming-focused consumers. The Nvidia Quadro RTX 6000 GPU, for example, gives users the opportunity to take on graphics-intensive tasks, including 8K video content, AI and software multitasking. We're crossing our fingers that the Microsoft Surface Book 3 will sport a Quadro RTX 3000 GPU or higher.
Microsoft Surface Book 3 price
The highly anticipated update of Microsoft's 2-in-1 laptop may make a huge, uncomfortable dent in your pockets. According to NotebookCheck, there's a good chance the Surface Book 3 (converted from euros) will set you back $2,186 on the low end and up to $4,701 with top-tier configurations.
Let's hope this part of the specs reveal is way off; maybe Microsoft will cut us some slack.
Outlook
The release date for the Surface Book 3 is unknown, but this leak indicates that a refresh of the beloved 2-in-1 is imminent. The first-generation Surface Book came out in October of 2015 and the Surface Book 2 launched in November 2017.
There's a chance that the Surface Book 3 could hit store shelves in fall 2020, but our theory is that Microsoft will announce the third-generation model in mid-May alongside the Microsoft Surface Go 2.
We can't wait to get our hands on the Microsoft Surface Book 3 to see how well it performs on our benchmark tests. We're also hoping that Microsoft gets rid of that odd-looking fulcrum hinge.
