I reviewed the first Surface Laptop Studio (SLS) again in 2021 and walked away confused about what the machine aimed to perform. Sadly, the Floor Laptop computer Studio 2 maintains that confusion and dietary supplements it with higher internals. Positive, the SLS2 is quicker than the unique SLS, however past that, it’s simply as weird a tool that continues to be powerful to advocate.
Specs
- Show: 14.4-inch PixelSense Move show, 2400 x 1600 pixel decision, 120Hz refresh price, 3:2 facet ratio
- Processor: thirteenth Gen Intel Core i7-13700H with Intel Gen3 Movidius 3700VC VPU AI Accelerator
- Reminiscence: 64GB
- Storage: 1TB SSD
- Dimensions: 232 x 230 x 22mm
- Weight: 1.98kg
- Digital camera: Full HD front-facing ‘Studio’ digital camera with vast discipline of view
- Working System: Home windows 11
- Battery: Microsoft claims as much as 18 hours of battery life on this mannequin
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
- Sensors: Auto-brightness, accelerometer, gyroscope
- Ports: 2x USB-C with USB4/Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB-A 3.1, 1x microSD reader, 3.5mm headphone jack, Floor Join port
- Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop computer GPU with 8GB vRAM
Be aware: The above specs pertain to the particular SLS2 mannequin I examined. You’ll be able to view all spec configurations here.
(Cr)hinge
In typical Microsoft trend, the corporate didn’t considerably alter the exterior {hardware} with the SLS2. In a side-by-side comparability, the one actual approach to inform the 2 laptops aside is by trying on the ports – the SLS2 is blessed with a USB-A port on one facet and a microSD card slot on the opposite, increasing availability connectivity past the meagre 2x USB-C ports, headphone jack, and Floor Join port accessible on the unique SLS.
Past that, it’s the identical anodized aluminum, MacBook-esque shell in the identical ‘Platinum’ color with the identical plinth/pedestal/base or no matter you wish to name it. This isn’t a lot of a shock, as Microsoft tends to select and stick to a design. Up to now, the corporate has no less than supplied a brand new colourway or one thing, however not so with the SLS2.
The difficulty isn’t that Microsoft reused a design, nonetheless. It’s that the corporate caught with this design particularly. The distinctive hinge is as spectacular as final 12 months whereas additionally being simply as ineffective outdoors of area of interest eventualities, like laying the display flat whereas utilizing the stylus. That’s nice in the event you’re an artist or graphic designer, however that’s about it. In contrast to the Floor E-book or Floor Professional traces, which let you absolutely detach the show from the keyboard for a greater pill expertise, the SLS2 show doesn’t come off. Meaning it’s far too heavy to get pleasure from as a pill.
The SLS2 in its awkward pill mode.
There’s additionally the ‘tent’ mode that covers the keyboard however leaves the trackpad uncovered. As I defined with the unique SLS, this mode is principally ineffective as a result of you’ll be able to’t modify the angle of the show in any respect.
So, like with the unique SLS, I used the SLS2 completely in laptop computer mode. I solely transformed it into pill mode twice to make it marginally simpler to digitally signal a doc, and that was it.
Naturally, my use case will differ from others, however no matter your wants, I’d solely advocate the SLS2 to somebody who will make good use of the pill mode (and even then, in the event you don’t want the beefy specs, the Floor Professional gives a greater total pill expertise).
Flex that muscle
Just about throughout the board, the SLS2 has improved internals over the unique SLS. The SLS2 sports activities a thirteenth Gen Intel Core i7, however there isn’t any i5 choice this 12 months. It can be configured with Intel Iris Xe or Nvidia RTX 4050, 4060 or 2000 graphics, as much as 64GB of RAM, and 2TB of storage. This all makes for a reasonably highly effective (and power-hungry) laptop computer.
In my testing, the Floor Laptop computer Studio 2 dealt with the whole lot I threw at it. On the work facet, I principally depend on an internet browser, Slack and Photoshop. For the net browser, each Firefox and Microsoft’s Edge browser had been snappy quick and dealt with tons of open tabs, although I ended up utilizing Edge extra as a result of I discovered the SLS2 battery life was worse with Firefox. To be frank, the SLS2 battery isn’t nice with Edge both, however each additional minute I can glean counts for one thing. Photoshop additionally ran nice and dealt with with ease.
Shifting to benchmarks, we’ve received the numbers from quite a lot of assessments down under. Unsurprisingly, the SLS2 got here in behind Apple’s M3 Max MacBook Pro and M3 28-inch iMac, although it was solely barely behind the M3. Sadly, I can’t actually examine the SLS2 and SLS benchmarks as a result of lots of the assessments have modified, and I don’t have an SLS to retest. That stated, the SLS2 did rating fairly a bit higher on Cinebench R23 than the SLS did, at 11,112 for multi and 1,680 for single, in comparison with 6,232 and 1,483, respectively.
The SLS2 additionally beats the SLS in each Heaven (107fps to 69fps) and GFXBench (180fps to 111.92).
Whereas benchmarks do not all the time inform the total story, I’ll say that the SLS2’s efficiency, whereas higher than its predecessor, is not fairly what I would anticipate for one thing that prices as a lot because the SLS2 does. It is a frequent theme for Microsoft’s merchandise, however I will say it once more: in the event you care about efficiency, you will get significantly better worth on your greenback elsewhere.
However can it sport?
Behold, the plinth.
Earlier than transferring on from efficiency, it’s value speaking about gaming on the Floor Laptop computer Studio 2. In brief, you’ll be able to sport on it, however I wouldn’t advocate shopping for it for gaming. For one, the SLS2 is, initially, a productiveness machine that fills that position effectively. I suppose if somebody had been trying primarily for a productiveness machine that may flex into an leisure position on weekends, the SLS2 might meet that want.
The larger problem, in my eyes, is the associated fee. The SLS2 isn’t low cost, and to get higher specs, that worth will increase pretty quickly from the bottom $2,699.99 CAD. For one, to get a mannequin with a discrete GPU, you’re taking a look at $3,099.99. Nonetheless, in the event you’re severe about gaming, you’ll need extra storage – to get 1TB, you’re at $3,499.99 minimal. And at that time, it’s value noting you will get a gaming laptop computer with higher specs for lower than $2,000 CAD. Granted, that gaming laptop computer won’t have the ability to flip the show round just like the SLS2, but when it had been my cash, I’d relatively save that $1,500 distinction than have a principally ineffective pill mode.
All that stated, it’s value taking a look at some numbers and chatting in regards to the expertise. On paper and in benchmarks, I discovered the SLS2 to be a reasonably succesful gaming machine. I principally play Future 2 in my spare time, and the SLS2 dealt with it pretty effectively, although it’s an older title.
That stated, the SLS2 will get highly regarded after even a brief stint of gaming, and I typically discover that round 45-60 minutes right into a gaming session, the SLS2 is uncomfortably scorching on the palm relaxation. The warmth was positively regarding, although the palm relaxation problem may very well be averted by plugging in a keyboard or utilizing a controller. Furthermore, the SLS2’s cooling system would ramp up aggressively, with the followers typically spooling up inside minutes of launching a title. I discovered the followers to be relatively loud and, due to the place of the vents, the new air would blow out both facet of the laptop computer, blasting my proper hand with scorching air, which wasn’t my favorite sensation.
In benchmarks, the SLS2 put up respectable numbers, however once more, it did so with jet-engine followers and plenty of warmth.
Certainly they may have put extra battery on this factor
Whereas efficiency was throughout fairly respectable, the SLS2 suffers from related issues to many different Home windows laptops once you wish to apply it to the go – you already know, the principle function of a laptop computer. Apparently, the SLS2’s energy choices embrace a ‘Beneficial’ mode adopted by ‘Higher efficiency’ and ‘Greatest efficiency,’ with no effectivity or battery mode listed other than the official battery saver mode that kicks in at low energy.
In my time with the SLS2, I sometimes stored it set to finest efficiency whereas plugged in and really useful whereas unplugged in an try to increase the meagre battery life as a lot as I might. You’ll be able to see from the under Geekbench 6 scores how a lot of a efficiency hit you’re taking whereas unplugged and working in really useful mode in comparison with being plugged in with finest efficiency enabled.
Finally, I feel most individuals with the SLS2 will wish to save their heaviest workloads for when there’s an outlet close by. Making an attempt to run something that may push your SLS2 will end in quickly declining battery life and subpar efficiency in comparison with when the machine is plugged in.
That stated, the SLS2 can get extra longevity with lighter workloads. For instance, I might comfortably get by half to three-quarters of my typical eight-hour workday on a single cost, no less than on days once I didn’t want to interrupt out Photoshop.
What disappoints me most is that the SLS2 will not be a skinny or mild laptop computer by any means, particularly with the additional peak added by the plinth. Due to the dimensions, I really feel like Microsoft ought to have the ability to add extra battery to the SLS2 and enhance the scenario. However perhaps we’ll have to attend for the SLS3 for that.
