The Surface Book 2 is sporting some truly impressive features that make a tech enthusiast salivate, and it's designed as a one-stop-shop for creativity, productivity, and gaming. Expected to be released November 16, you'll be able to choose between 13.5 and 15-inch configurations based on your needs. Lenovo also recently refreshed their premier convertible device, the Yoga 920, keeping some of the most important design cues while updating the hardware inside. While not completely in competition with each other, you might be wondering how the specifications of each laptop differ, and what those differences mean. Let's take a look.
Surface Book 2 vs. Lenovo Yoga 920 tech specs
| Model | Surface Book 2 13.5-inch | Surface Book 2 15-inch | Lenovo Yoga 920 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Seventh-gen Core i5-7300U (dual-core 3.2GHz) Eighth-gen Core i7-8650U (quad-core 4.2GHz) | Eighth-gen Core i7-8650U (quad-core 4.2GHz) | Eighth-gen Core i5-8250U (quad-core 3.4GHz) Eighth-gen Core i7-8550U (quad-core 4.0GHz) |
| Display | 13.5-inch PixelSense Display 10-point multi-touch | 15-inch PixelSense Display 10-point multi-touch | 13.9-inch IPS 10-point multi-touch |
| Display resolution | 3,000 x 2,000 3:2 aspect 267 PPI | 3,240 x 2,160 3:2 aspect 260 PPI | 1,920 x 1,080 16:9 aspect 158 PPI 3,840 x 2,160 16:9 aspect 316 PPI |
| RAM | 8GB or 16GB DDR3-1866MHz | 16GB DDR3-1866MHz | 8GB or 16GB DDR4-2400MHz |
| Native graphics | Intel HD Graphics 620 Intel UHD Graphics 620 | Intel UHD Graphics 620 | Intel UHD Graphics 620 |
| Discrete graphics | Core i5: None Core i7: NVIDIA GTX 1050 (2GB) | NVIDIA GTX 1060 (6GB) | None |
| Storage | 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB PCIe SSD | 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB PCIe SSD | 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB PCIe SSD |
| Battery | 70WHr Up to 17 hours Up to 5 hours in Tablet Mode | 80WHr Up to 17 hours Up to 5 hours in Tablet Mode | 70WHr Up to 10 hours (4K) |
| Wireless | Marvel Wi-Fi: IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Bluetooth 4.1 | Marvel Wi-Fi: IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Bluetooth 4.1 | Qualcomm Wi-Fi: IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Bluetooth 4.2 |
| Xbox Wireless | No | Yes, built-in | No |
| Ports | Two USB-A 3.1 USB-C 3.1 Full-size SDXC card reader 3.5mm jack Two Surface Connect ports (one in tablet, one in keyboard base) | Two USB-A 3.1 USB-C 3.1 Full-size SDXC card reader 3.5mm jack Two Surface Connect ports (one in tablet, one in keyboard base) | Two USB-C Thunderbolt 3 USB-A 3.0 3.5mm jack |
| Audio | Stereo speakers with Dolby Audio Premium Windows Sonic for Headphones Dolby Atmos for Headphones compatible | Stereo speakers with Dolby Audio Premium Windows Sonic for Headphones Dolby Atmos for Headphones compatible | Stereo JBL speakers Dolby Atmos compatible |
| Dimensions | 312 mm x 232 mm x 15 to 23 mm 12.3 in x 9.14 in x 0.59 to 0.90 in | 343 mm x 251 mm x 15-23 mm 13.5 in x 9.87 in x 0.57 to 0.90 in | 232 mm x 223.5 mm x 13.95 mm 12.7 inches x 8.8 inches x 0.54 inches |
| Weight | i5 total: 1.53 kg (3.38 lbs) i7 total: 1.64 kg (3.62 lbs) Tablet: 0.72 kg (1.59 lbs) | Total: 1.91 kg (4.20 lbs) Tablet: 0.82 kg (1.80 lbs) | 1.37 kg (3 lbs) |
| Cameras | 5.0MP 1080p video at 30 FPS (front) 8.0MP 1080p video at 30 FPS with auto-focus (rear) | 5.0MP 1080p video at 30 FPS (front) 8.0MP 1080p video at 30 FPS with auto-focus (rear) | 720p (front) |
| Biometrics | IR Camera | IR Camera | Touch fingerprint reader |
| Price | Starts at $1,499 | Starts at $2,499 | Starts at $1,330 |
| Availability | November 16, 2017 Preorders: November 9, 2017 | November 16, 2017 (U.S.) Preorders: November 9, 2017 | Available now |
Surface Book 2 vs. Lenovo Yoga 920: Making sense of the specs
When it comes to overall raw power, the Surface Book 2 is going to win out over the Yoga 920 every time. Its eighth-generation Core i7 processor (CPU) has a higher turbo frequency than the one found in the Yoga 920, but the difference here is minimal. What really sets these two devices apart are the discrete graphics, coming in the form of an NVIDIA GTX 1050 or NVIDIA GTX 1060 depending on the size of the Surface Book 2 you choose. The Yoga 920, limited to integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620, simply cannot compete at the higher configurations.
That doesn't necessarily mean the Yoga 920 is completely trounced. At the lower price point, the Core i5 CPU in the Yoga 920 is quad-core, eighth-generation, which wins out over the Surface Book 2's seventh-generation, dual-core Core i5 CPU. The Core i5 Surface Book 2 model also does not include discrete graphics, giving the overall edge to the Yoga 920. The price difference between these two baseline units is nearly $200 with the Yoga 920 coming in cheaper, so if you're on a tight budget, Lenovo's laptop might become more compelling.
The Surface Book 2 has a unique 2-in-1 design. You can remove the display from the keyboard and touchpad and replace it backward, creating a tablet without having a 360-degree hinge. This also allows for canvas, stand, and tent modes, plus you have the added option of leaving the entire keyboard and touchpad behind and simply carrying around a tablet.
The Yoga 920 has a convertible design, meaning it can rotate its display 360 degrees. The display cannot be completely removed, however, meaning you can't just have a tablet in hand. It is quite thin and light, and using the entire device as a tablet really isn't a problem, as long as you don't mind the keyboard on the backside.
Overall, the Yoga 920 is a more portable device based on size and weight, but you won't be able to get as much done with it.
The Surface line is known for its excellent displays, and the Surface Book 2 should be no different. Being able to choose from two different sizes — 13.5-inches and 15-inches — is also great for buyers. The Surface Pen is an awesome addition, and together you're looking at 4,096 levels of inking pressure.
The Yoga 920 is no slouch either in the touch display department, offering one size but two resolutions: 1080p and 4K. Included with the 4K configurations is Lenovo's Active Pen 2, also offering up 4,096 levels of sensitivity. For artists, the Surface Dial will no doubt help propel the Surface Book 2 into a top choice, but it also comes with added cost.
Battery life in the Yoga 920 4K configuration is truly impressive. In testing, we saw upwards of 10 hours on a single charge, with 1.5 hours needed for a refill. The 13.5-inch Surface Book 2 is offering the same size battery (70WHr) and the 15-inch Surface Book 2 will have an 80WHr battery. It remains to be seen how long these batteries will last in real-world testing, but so far Microsoft is claiming upwards of 17 hours on a single charge.
Finally, we must look at the price. Comparing both baseline models, where performance is in favor of Lenovo's laptop, you can save almost $200 on a Yoga 920. As you scale up the hardware, including adding discrete GPUs, the Surface Book 2's price outpaces that of the Yoga 920.
A top 15-inch Surface Book 2 with a 1TB SSD, Intel Core i7 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA GTX 1060 GPU costs about $3,300. Compare that to Lenovo's top offering, with pretty much the same specs except for the GPU, and you're looking at a price of about $2,000.
Surface Book 2 vs. Lenovo Yoga 920: The bottom line
We're still waiting to get our hands on a Surface Book 2 to conduct an in-depth review, but for now, the tech specs say a lot. If you have the budget, the higher-end configurations of Microsoft's laptop are going to crush the competition. It has the right stuff inside to truly be a multipurpose machine, no matter the task at hand. When it comes to the baseline models of these laptops, however, you might be tempted to save some hard-earned money and grab the slim, portable Yoga 920.
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