Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 announced with a big price increase

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has been announced in the brand’s big September showcase, alongside updated Surface Laptop Go 3 and Surface Go 4 models.

The original Laptop Studio impressed us with its unique design but ultimately fell short due to outdated hardware and sluggish performance. Whether or not the Studio 2 performs better than its forebear remains to be seen but for now, we can get a good idea based on the specs.

Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 preview: Specifications, price and release date

• 14.4in 120Hz PixelSense touchscreen, 2,400 x 1,600
• Intel Core i7-13700H processor
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060, Nvidia RTX 2000 or Intel Iris XE Graphics
• 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of RAM
• 512GB, 1TB or 2TB SSD
• Dimensions: 323 x 230 x 22mm (WDH)
• Weight: 1.89kg
• Price: From £2,069 inc VAT
• Release date: 3 October 2023

Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 preview: Key new features

Microsoft hasn’t done much to improve the unique design of the original Studio, which is no bad thing. We rather liked the way you could flip the screen around and fold it flat against the keyboard without having to pick up the whole machine, as you have to with other 2-in-1 laptops.

But it has addressed one of our biggest gripes with the original Studio, which was that it ran on 11th gen Intel CPUs, which delivered slower performance than we’d expect from a laptop of this price. This time, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is fitted with a 13th gen Intel Core i7-13700H processor, which for now at least is cutting edge. According to Microsoft, the new chip will deliver up to twice the power of the first Laptop Studio.

Onboard storage options are the same – the laptop has a removable PCI-E Gen 4 SSD in either 512GB, 1TB or 2TB capacity – but RAM selections have been increased. As well as the 16 and 32GB options you had with the first Laptop Studio, the Studio 2 can also be fitted with a massive 64GB of LPDDR5x RAM. You’re also getting a microSD card reader this time around, along with a pair of Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, a USB-A port and 3.5mm headphone jack.

The base device, with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, features integrated Intel Iris XE Graphics, but for those with more money to spend, there’s a choice of discrete Nvidia GPUs available, going up to the Nvidia RTX 2000 on the top-end model. Specifics are vague, but Microsoft claims that these new Nvidia chips will deliver up to twice the graphical performance, presumably compared to the first Studio.

There are fewer hardware improvements to the display, with the 14.4in PixelSense touchscreen once again featuring a 120Hz refresh rate and 2,400 x 1,600 resolution, but that doesn’t mean it’s completely lacking in upgrades. The display now supports Dolby Vision IQ and HDR, which pairs nicely with the Dolby Atmos support offered by the laptop’s “Omnisonic” speakers. While it’s mainly focused as a creative device, it’s good to see the Studio 2 adding in features to enhance its media-playback capabilities.

Unfortunately, it isn’t all good news on the display front. One of our big snagging points with the first Studio was that consumers had to pay extra for the Surface Slim Pen 2 stylus, which felt backwards for a laptop so geared towards creative endeavours. Microsoft clearly disagrees, as the Surface Slim Pen 2 still isn’t bundled in, instead being offered as an optional add-on for a further £120.

Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 preview: Early verdict

That extra premium for the stylus may feel like a bridge too far for consumers, especially considering that the Studio 2 is already quite a bit more expensive than its predecessor. You are, at least, getting quite a bit more for your money here, though, with the latest CPU and GPU components sure to yield better performance than the first-gen model.

And then there’s the design. The Studio 2 continues the unique and interesting aesthetic, with its various poses offering a great level of versatility to cater for all creative needs. All together, this could add up to a recommendation, but we’ll have to wait for the full review to be sure. We’ll be getting our hands on a sample in the near future, so check back in soon to see if the Surface Laptop Studio 2 makes the cut.