Microsoft's big Surface event brought some exciting news, including a brand new Surface Book i7 with more graphics power and increased battery performance.
The new Microsoft Surface Book i7 focuses purely on power, aiming to take the lineup to the next level. As the name itself suggests, the Surface Book i7 packs an Intel Core i7 processor and comes in various configurations to suit various needs and budgets.
Speaking of budget, the Surface Book i7 won't come cheap. The device starts out at $2,399, a substantially higher starting price than the previous Surface Book. For that price, however, the refresh offers twice the graphics performance, a second fan for smoother performance, redesigned thermals for faster video without overheating, and a significantly larger battery.
Introducing the new Surface Book i7, the ultimate laptop. Now more powerful than ever. #MicrosoftEvent pic.twitter.com/jnZhD68LnX
— Surface (@surface) October 26, 2016
The 2015 Surface Book lasted for up to 12 hours on a single charge, but the new Surface Book i7 can now hold up to 16 hours of battery life in laptop mode. That's a notable 30 percent increase in battery life compared to its predecessor and combined with the powerful graphics, it makes for an attractive device.
The Surface Book i7 further sports a 13.5-inch PixelSense Display optimized for Pen and touch, and Microsoft points out that it has a higher resolution than Apple's MacBook Pro 13. Microsoft frequently compares its hardware with Apple's and touts superiority, occasionally dropping funny jabs at Apple.
"Incredibly powerful and meticulously crafted, Surface Book is a revolution in laptop design," boasts Microsoft.
"With the full power of a high-performance laptop and the versatility of a tablet, Surface Book gives you everything you need to work with professional-grade software, anywhere you want."
Microsoft says that its new Surface Book with Performance Base is the most powerful Surface Book it has ever created, while delivering the same beautiful, versatile design users have come to love.
"No other laptop combines this combination of battery life, performance and pixels, in as lightweight a package," adds the company.
The latest Microsoft Surface Book i7 costs $2,399 for the base model with 256 GB of storage, Intel Core i7 and 8 GB of RAM, goes up to $2,799 for a variant with 512 GB of storage, Intel Core i7 and 16 GB of RAM, and tops out at a hefty $3,299 for the highest configuration with 1 TB of storage, Intel Core i7 and 16 GB of RAM.
The new Surface Book i7 is available for preorder now at the Microsoft Store and will start shipping next month, on Nov. 10.
To get a better idea of what it has to offer, check out Microsoft's promo video below.
