Surface Book review: the ultimate laptop, even if it isn't perfect

For years, Microsoft has been telling us that the future of PCs was actually the tablet. The Surface Pro in particular is powerful enough that it could truly keep pace with your laptop, and Microsoft hasn't been shy about comparing it to the MacBook Air. The message seemed clear: The Surface Pro was like a notebook, only better.

And yet, immediately after unveiling the Surface Pro 4 at a keynote earlier this month, Microsoft unleashed one last surprise: the Surface Book. At first glance, it's a traditional 13-inch notebook, with a premium design, long battery life and the sort of performance you'll find in only a handful of other laptops, like the MacBook Pro. Unlike a Mac, though, you can remove the screen, turning it into a shockingly light, 1.6-pound tablet -- one that happens to pack a notebook-grade Intel Core processor.

This, according to Microsoft, is the "ultimate laptop."

87

Microsoft

Surface Book

PROS

• Distinctive, well-constructed design
• Impressively light as a tablet
• Gorgeous screen
• Pen input works well
• Comfortable keyboard
• Fast performance
• Best-in-class battery life in laptop mode 
• Lots of configurations to choose from

CONS

• Short battery life for just the tablet
• High cost of entry
• "Fulcrum" hinge makes the laptop appear fatter when shut
• Feels heavy compared to some other flagship laptops
• Screen wobbles a bit it in laptop mode