Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 is the second generation of Surface Laptop series, introduced by Microsoft on October 2, 2018. It has better speed, graphics performance, and a new classic black color.
Windows Hello face authentication camera (front-facing)
720p HD front-facing video camera
Audio
Dual microphones
OmniSonic stereo speakers with Dolby® Audio™ Premium
Misc
Surface Laptop 2
Inking
Supports Surface Pen
4096 levels of pressure
Tilt sensing
Best in class latency
Sensors
Ambient light sensor
Security
HW TPM 2.0 chip for enterprise security
Enterprise-grade protection with Windows Hello face sign-in
In the box
Surface Laptop 2
Power supply
Quick Start Guide
Safety and warranty documents
Warranty
One-year limited hardware warranty
Commercial: Advanced Exchange warranty service with expedited device replacement
More
Supports Surface Dial
Supports off-screen interaction only
Availability
On October 2, 2018, Microsoft introduced the second generation of Surface Laptop via a press release published on Microsoft Device Blog. It starts at $999 with the quad-core Intel Core i5, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of SSD. It shipped with Windows 10 Home for consumers and Windows 10 Pro for commercial customers.
The laptop was generally available two weeks later, on October 16, 2018, in the following markets: Australia, Austria, Canada, China, Germany, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
What’s new
The new Surface Laptop 2 is a minor upgrade over the original, yet it significantly improves performance and introduces a new black color to the lineup. It also restructured its prices and configurations by removing the Intel Core M3 and 4GB options.
The base model now has an Intel Core i5 and 8GB of RAM as a minimum, which is great for users who plan to use the laptop for years to come.
New quad-core processors
One of the greatest features of the Surface Laptop 2 is the new chip upgrades. The 8th Gen Intel Core processors have four cores, eight threads, and 6 to 8 MB of cache, double the previous processors’ amount.
According to the company, it delivers up to 85 percent more performance than before. With an almost doubling performance, it can still last up to 14.5 hours of battery life that students and professionals need to study and work through the day. If you are unsatisfied with the original Surface Laptop, an upgrade to the Surface Laptop 2 won’t disappoint you.
New black color
You can now get the new Matte Black finish on Surface Laptop 2. The company has replaced the graphite gold color with the new color. Like before, the laptop will be available in four beautiful color options: the new matte black, platinum, burgundy, and cobalt blue.
Tips and tricks
Learn how to fully utilize your Surface Laptop 2 with our tips and tricks. Our comprehensive guide will assist you in maximizing battery life, enhancing performance, boosting productivity, and efficiently solving any issues that may arise.
Catch up on the latest information about the second generation of Surface Laptop features and fixes introduced via driver and firmware updates from Microsoft. Here are the last five releases:
2022
Aug
26
Resolves potential security vulnerabilities, including Microsoft Security Advisory ADV220002.
Improves graphics performance and stability and addresses critical security vulnerability and resolves an issue with Camera app taking photos with HDR disabled.
To help you understand more about the Surface Laptop 2, we have created a comprehensive list of FAQs that covers all aspects of the laptop, including its display, battery life, performance, software, and design.
Back 12.13” x 8.79” x .57” (308.02mm x 223.2mm x 14.47mm) (WxDxH)
Front 12.13” x 8.79” x .39” (308.02mm x 223.2mm x 9.93mm) (WxDxH)
3How much does the Surface Laptop 2 weigh?
Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 weighs 2.76 lbs (1.25 kg).
4What ports are on the Surface Laptop 2?
Here are all available ports on the Surface Laptop 2:
1 x Full-size USB 3.0
1 x Mini DisplayPort
1 x 3.5mm headphone jack
1 x Surface Connect (Compatible with Surface Dock)
5Does Surface Laptop 2 have a camera?
Yes, there is one camera on Surface Laptop 2:
720p HD front-facing video camera.
6What processor is in the Surface Laptop 2?
Microsoft Surface Laptop has three processor configurations:
8th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-8250U quad-core (Consumer)
Graphics: Intel® UHD Graphics 620.
Base Frequency: 1.60 GHz
Max Turbo Frequency: 3.40 GHz
Cache: 6 MB SmartCache
4 cores, 8 threads
8th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-8350U quad-core (Commercial)
Graphics: Intel® UHD Graphics 620.
Base Frequency: 1.70 GHz
Max Turbo Frequency: 3.60 GHz
Cache: 6 MB SmartCache
4 cores, 8 threads
8th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-8650U quad-core
Graphics: Intel® UHD Graphics 620.
Base Frequency: 1.90 GHz
Max Turbo Frequency: 4.20 GHz
Cache: 8MB SmartCache
4 cores, 8 threads
7Does Surface Laptop 2 include a Surface pen?
No, Surface Laptop 2 doesn’t include a Surface Pen out of the box. You must purchase separately or use old Surface Pens from previous models. The latest Surface Pen costs about $100 and supports 4,096 pressure and tilt support levels.
8Does the new Surface Laptop 2 come with a keyboard?
Yes, the Surface Laptop 2 keyboard is integrated into the device and can’t be detached.
9When was the Surface Laptop 2 released?
Microsoft Surface Laptop was:
Announced and preordered on October 2, 2018.
Available on October 16, 2018.
10Can you upgrade RAM on Surface Laptop 2?
You can’t upgrade your Surface Laptop 2 RAM as it was soldered directly onto the motherboard.
11Is the Surface Laptop 2 fanless?
No, all Surface Laptop 2 has a fan for active cooling.
1What size is the Surface Laptop 2’s display?
Surface Laptop has a 13.5-inch PixelSense™ Display.
2What is the resolution of Surface Laptop 2?
Surface Laptop has a resolution of 2256 x 1504 and a pixel density of 201ppi (pixels per Inch).
The Microsoft Surface Laptop’s screen is made of Corning Gorilla Glass 3, but it is still prone to scratches. You’d better pick one up for your Surface Laptop 2 to protect it from scratches.
4What is the default Surface Laptop 2 display scaling?
Micorosft Surface Laptop 2 has a default display scaling of 150%.
5What is the aspect ratio of Surface Laptop 2?
Surface Laptop 2 has a 3:2 aspect ratio.
1How long does the Surface Laptop 2 last?
Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 lasts 14.5 hours of battery life of local video playback tested by Microsoft.
2What is the battery capacity of Microsoft Surface Laptop?
Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 has a battery capacity of 45.2 Wh (5,970 mAh, 7.57V). For more information check:
You can charge your Surface Laptop 2 by using the OEM charger that came with your Surface Laptop 2 – Plug the charger to the power source and plug the Surface Connect connector to the charging port on the right side of Surface Laptop 2. It’s a magnet and reversible connector, and it’s an official and recommended charging method by Microsoft.
4Can I charge Surface Laptop 2 via USB?
No, the USB port on Surface Laptop 2 is used for data transfer only.
1Can Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 run Photoshop?
Absolutely yes. Microsoft Surface Laptop equipped with the latest quad-core 8th Gen Intel® Core™ processors combined with Intel® UHD Graphics is powerful enough to handle most tasks available on Photoshop.
2Can the Surface Laptop 2 run games?
Yes, you can play many game titles at low or medium settings.
3Can you code or programming on Surface Laptop 2?
For writing code, Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 is more than powerful enough to handle most code editors such as VS Code, Atom, or Notepad++. Combined with its great tactile keys, it’s the perfect mobile development machine you want to have. It’s also capable of compiling complex codes on Visual Studio or Android Studio as well.
4Is Surface Laptop 2 64-bit?
Yes, Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 uses the 7th Gen Intel® Core™ processors, which supports 64-bit instruction and comes with a 64-bit version of Windows 10.
5Is Surface Laptop 2 good for drawing?
Yes, drawing is really smooth on most apps, such as Adobe Photoshop, Windows Ink, Sketchable, Bamboo Ink, OneNote, and more. It supports the latest Surface Pen with 4,096 levels of pressure and tilt support. However, since the screen can’t be detached and can’t lay down at a lower angle, it’s not recommended for professional use.
6Is Surface Laptop 2 good for students?
Yes, it is. With Surface Laptop 2, you can take advantage of all kinds of note-taking, including typing, drawing, and touch.
7Will Surface Laptop 2 run Office?
Surface Laptop 2 comes with a Microsoft Office 365 30-days trial. Office apps will run smoothly on Microsoft Surface Laptop 2.
8Will Surface Dock work with Surface Laptop 2?
Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 works smoothly with Surface Dock via Surface Connect port.
1Does Surface Laptop run Windows 10?
Yes, it does. Surface Laptop shipped with a full version of Windows 10 Home for consumer models and Windows 10 Pro for commercial models.
2Can you download apps on Surface Laptop 2?
Yes, you can. You can download safe and Microsoft verified apps and games from the Microsoft Store. Since it shipped with Windows 10 Home or Pro, you can install and run any traditional desktop software you want.
3Does Surface Laptop 2 run full Windows?
Surface Laptop 2 has the full version of Windows 10 Home for consumer models and Windows 10 Pro for commercial models.
4How do I reset my Surface Laptop 2?
To reset your Surface Laptop 2, plug in your Surface Laptop 2 so you don’t run out of power during the refresh.
Open Settings > Update & Security.
Select Recovery.
Under “Reset this PC“, select Get started.
Choose either Keep my files or Remove everything.
If you want to Remove everything, you can choose to clean only the drive where Windows is installed and all drives.
Next, you will have the option to just remove my files and remove files and clean the drive. The option to clean the drive is more secure but takes much longer. For example, you should clean the drive if you recycle your Surface. If you are keeping your Surface, you can remove your files.
Select Reset.
Surface Laptop 2 will restart, and the Surface logo will appear during the reset process (this can take several minutes).
5Is Microsoft Office free on Surface Laptop 2?
No, the 13.5-inch Surface Laptop 2 comes with a free Office 365 30-day trial, and you need to purchase a subscription to continue using the full Office suite when the trial period ends.
6Does Surface Laptop 2 need antivirus?
In most cases, you don’t need a third-party antivirus. Windows 10 on Surface Laptop has a built-in Windows Defender for virus and threat protection out of the box. It’s free and receives definition updates regularly via Windows Update.
1Is Surface Laptop 2 a tablet or a laptop?
Surface Laptop 2 is a 100% laptop form factor.
2What is the company that makes Surface Laptop 2?
Surface Laptop 2 is a product among other Surface-branded products that Microsoft makes.
3Can you charge Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 via USB?
No, you can’t. The USB port on Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 is a basic USB-A 3.0 port that supports only data transferring.
Fortunately, there is a workaround that lets you charge your Surface Laptop 2 with any compatible USB-C PD charger and battery pack.
Surface USB-C Charging Cable
As an increasingly in USB-C with Power Delivery chargers in the market, using a USB-C to Surface Connect charging cable seems to be the best option right now for Surface users. As the Power Delivery 3.0 includes 12V and 15V in its power rules, it basically can charge all Surface devices available so far.
However, since all USB-C PD chargers weren’t made for the same purpose, here are some of our recommended chargers and cables that able to charge your Surface devices:
Evan Forrest is the Editor-in-Chief of SurfaceTip, where he researches and writes articles about Surface-related news, tips, and reviews. He has been using Surface devices since the first release of the original Surface Pro and currently uses a Surface Laptop 3 as his full-time daily driver machine. Additionally, he owns multiple Surface devices, including Surface RT, Surface 3, Surface Go/Go 2, Surface Pro 3, Surface Book/Book 2, and many Surface accessories to aid him in his research and article writing.
Microsoft Devices Blog, & Panos. (2018, October 2). Meet Surface Pro 6, Surface Laptop 2, Surface Studio 2 and Surface Headphones. Microsoft Devices Blog; Microsoft Devices Blog.
Microsoft Devices Blog, & Panos. (2018, October 16). Surface Pro 6 and Surface Laptop 2 available today. Microsoft Devices Blog; Microsoft Devices Blog.
COMMENTS
Let us know what you think!
We appreciate hearing your thoughts, questions, and ideas about “ Surface Laptop 2 specs, features, and tips”.
My camera on my Surface laptop 2 stopped working and I am trying to figure out how to resolve this issue