Review: Microsoft's Surface Book 2 is expensive with mediocre performance

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2021
The Microsoft Surface Book 2 is a hybrid 2-in-1 laptop that can be used as a tablet or a full blown laptop. But, given the performance, is it worth the money?

Microsoft Surface Book 2
Microsoft Surface Book 2


The Surface Book is essentially parallel to the MacBook Pro lineup for Microsoft. There are 15-inch and 13.5-inch variants, and even though Microsoft has its own Surface Pro lineup, its specifications are not as powerful or as feature packed as the Book.




Top of the line Surface Book 2

The model under review is the top-of-the-line 13.5-inch Surface Book 2 with an 8th-generation i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, 1TB of SSD, and it has Intel's UHD 620 GPU coupled with the discrete Nvidia GTX 1050. Our configuration sells for $3,000.

The Surface Book 2 is a little bit big for a 13-inch laptop at 12.3 x 9.1 x 0.9 inches versus the 13-inch MacBook Pro coming in at 12 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches. On paper it may not look all that drastic, but in reality it's a noticeable difference.

The 13.5-inch PixelSense display on the Surface Book is stunning to look at, equipped with a 3000 x 2000 resolution which results in a taller display, making it perfect for browsing the web or creating documents. While the display looks beautiful in its own right, it's just not as nice as the MacBook Pro's version due to the fact it doesn't have a P3 Wide Color Gamut, so colors aren't as vibrant and color accurate. It's still a good display, and it's one of the best displays on a Windows laptop.

You can also disconnect the display from the keyboard and use the Surface Book 2 as a tablet -- which you obviously can't do with anything from Apple. Disconnecting it is super easy thanks to the dedicated button on the keyboard, and connecting it back to the keyboard is plug and play.

Microsoft Surface Book 2 in tablet mode
Microsoft Surface Book 2 in tablet mode


The Surface Book 2 also features 10-point multi-touch and is compatible with the Surface Pen, and Surface Dial which Apple doesn't offer for any of their laptops. We unfortunately don't have the Surface Pen or Dial to review alongside the Surface Book, but it is nice to have the option to use accessories to help get more out of the laptop.

The Surface Book 2 looks similar to its predecessor, using the same gray magnesium with a reflective Windows logo stamped on the back of the device. It's a sturdy device, and a laptop that looks like it cost a lot of money.

The keyboard on the Surface Book 2 is great, it offers plenty of key travel, and it's well spaced out for a 13-inch laptop. It's a nice refreshing change from Apple's butterfly keyboard which may end up breaking months after purchase.

Microsoft Surface Book 2
Microsoft Surface Book 2


Battery life on the Surface Book 2 is rated for 13 hours, and during our two weeks of testing the laptop, it exceeded our expectations. From web browsing to 30-minute game sessions and watching videos, we never felt like we needed to be by a wall outlet and charge the laptop.

Can't have everything

The trackpad is one of the best I've used on a Windows laptop, and as a daily MacBook Pro user, I appreciate having multi-touch gestures on the trackpad which allows me to use similar gestures as my MacBook Pro. Whether it's pinch to zoom or showing all my open windows at once, it's nice to have these features on a premium laptop.

What I'm not a fan of though are the speakers on the Surface Book 2, offering a mediocre experience at best. It distorts at high volume and lacks bass, and it doesn't get very loud. The 12-inch MacBook sounds louder and clearer than the Surface Book 2, which is a huge disappointment for such a jam packed hybrid laptop.

Microsoft Surface Book 2
Microsoft Surface Book 2


In terms of inputs and outputs, we have plenty of ports on the Surface Book 2 including two USB A ports, a full sized SDXC card reader, a USB-C 5-gigabit-per-second port and the Surface Book's charging port. The charging port is magnetic, which is similar to Apple's old MagSafe technology which I really like, but it really needs another USB-C port, or even better, a 40 gigabit-per-second Thunderbolt 3 port.

Performance is concerning

So when it comes to performance, the 8th generation quad-core i7 processor on this top of the line Surface Book 2 works really well in everyday tasks and some casual gaming.

In Geekbench 4 the Surface Book 2 scored 5,081 in single core, and 15,595 in multi-core which is in line with the base model 13-inch MacBook Pro that retails for just $1,299. Apple's top-of-the-line 15-inch MacBook Pro scored 5,879 and 29,976 in single and multi-core tests, respectively, which is clearly a much faster device.

Geekbench 4 scores for Microsoft Surface Book 2
Geekbench 4 scores for Microsoft Surface Book 2


In Cinebench R20 we received a CPU score of 942 which is way below than the base model 13-inch MacBook Pro which posted a CPU score of 1,583 in Cinebench R20.

Cinebench R20 score
Cinebench R20 score


When it comes to its drive speeds we averaged a 2,500MB/s for its read speeds, and 1,200MB/s for its write speeds which is really fast for everyday operation, and gaming. The $1,299 base model 13-inch MacBook Pro tops out at around 495MB/s for its write speeds and around 1,350MB/s for its read speeds., while the top of the line 15-inch MacBook Pro tops out at 2,600MB/s for both its read and write speeds.

Gaming isn't the Surface Book 2's strong suit

In Unigine Heaven we received a score of 529, an average frames per second of 21, and a max frames per second of 48.3. Comparing that to Apple's 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro. The base model 13-inch MacBook Pro received a score of 784, and an average frames per second of 31.1 with a max frames per second of 66.7, while the top-spec 15-inch MacBook Pro with Vega 20 graphics pulled in a max FPS of 147.4 and an average of 82.3 with an overall score of 2072.

When it comes to gaming, we installed some of the games we play occasionally on PC, and that's Overwatch, Apex Legends, and Black Ops 4. We weren't very optimistic about gaming on the GTX 1050, and with Overwatch we were able to play at a constant 60fps in 1080p with settings in Medium.

With Apex Legends and Black Ops 4, we were able to get 50 to 60fps in its lowest settings in 1080p, which isn't terrible, but the game doesn't look as good versus a laptop with a much higher-end graphics card. Gaming isn't the Surface Book's strong suit, and while it can run some popular titles in low to medium settings at 1080p, serious gamers may want to look elsewhere.

Gaming on Microsoft Surface Book 2
Gaming on Microsoft Surface Book 2


Gaming scores
Gaming scores


Overall, the Surface Book 2 is a solid device for everyday tasks, and the best Windows two-in-one you can buy, but the hefty price tag of $3,000 is a bit concerning given the performance is similar to a $1300 MacBook Pro. The unique design, beautiful display, and 2-in-1 functionality is a refreshing change from a traditional laptop, but it's hard to recommend the Surface Book 2 in 2019.

We think it's best to wait for the next generation Surface Book or pick up the much more affordable base model 13-inch MacBook Pro.

Rating 3.5 out of 5

How to save on Microsoft's Surface Book 2

Microsoft's Surface Book 2 is currently on sale at top retailers, including Amazon, Adorama, B&H Photo and Microsoft itself.

Shoppers looking for bonus perks can also take advantage of no interest financing offers at the above retailers or even a sales tax refund in eligible states at B&H with the Payboo Card.

Those in the market for a Mac can also save on Apple's MacBook Pro with instant and exclusive promo code savings in the AppleInsider Apple Price Guides.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 79
    I have at least half a dozen colleagues at work who say that the quality of the Surface is atrocious. They’ve had to send theirs in (or get a replacement device) multiple times.
    macpluspluscaladanianchiavirtualshiftP-DogNCStrangeDaysqwerty52pscooter63lolliverwatto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 79
    GabyGaby Posts: 190member
    Almost everyone I know who has had one of these has either seriously regretted the purchase or returned for something else entirely. And how people can still talk about “apple tax” in 2019 and keep a straight face comparing to some other brands really surprises me. Don’t get me wrong apple products are in general by no means cheap but I personally find them worthwhile overall. 
    caladanianvirtualshiftP-DogNCneo-techjbdragonlolliverwatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 79
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Sensibly, Microsoft has included an SD Card reader. It’s a popular media and not needing to visit dongletown for it is a huge boon for photographers and videographers—a decent percentage of pros.
    edited August 2019 williamlondoncaladanianentropys
  • Reply 4 of 79
    seanismorrisseanismorris Posts: 1,624member
    I have at least half a dozen colleagues at work who say that the quality of the Surface is atrocious. They’ve had to send theirs in (or get a replacement device) multiple times.
    Surface...Pro,Go, or Book? (w/quality issues)

    The Surface Pro seems the best bang-for-buck if you need a 2 in 1 from Microsoft.
    Carnage
  • Reply 5 of 79
    I've got a surface book 2 15" that I'm writing this on right now. The only reason I bought it was the ability to detach and turn it into a tablet seemed like it could replace my use of iPad Pro but I found the touch interface on windows is pretty awful as is the notification system so I still use the iPad pro for all consumption. The GTX 1060 in the 15" model is also not good for a 3240x2160 screen so the only gaming I do on it is 2d games or through Moonlight, streaming from my desktop pc (played loads of Forza Horizon and Total Warhammer this way). It's a pretty good laptop - just not worth the premium price. Especially for the 15" version which now has an out of date GPU.
    P-DogNCseanismorrisqwerty52pscooter63lolliverwatto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 79
    macplusplusmacplusplus Posts: 2,112member
    ireland said:
    Sensibly, Microsoft has included an SD Card reader. It’s a popular media and not needing to visit dongletown for it is a huge boon for photographers and videographers—a decent percentage of pros.
    Yes there are many port freaks here who will pay $3000 for “integrated” (wow!) SD card and USB-A.
    williamlondonmwhitechiakrreagan2P-DogNCqwerty52pscooter63lolliveruraharawatto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 79
    MplsPMplsP Posts: 3,911member
    Gaby said:
    Almost everyone I know who has had one of these has either seriously regretted the purchase or returned for something else entirely. And how people can still talk about “apple tax” in 2019 and keep a straight face comparing to some other brands really surprises me. Don’t get me wrong apple products are in general by no means cheap but I personally find them worthwhile overall. 
    Historically, the 'Apple Tax' has largely disappeared when you look at product life. My 2011 MBA was still doing fine until the screen started to go out about 6 months ago.

    I haven't owned a windows machine in years, so my info may be out dated, but I remember the days when 3 years was pushing it. Regardless, $3K is a lot of money for a windows machine with mediocre performance
    caladaniangilly33P-DogNCStrangeDaysneo-techlolliverwatto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 79
    thttht Posts: 5,421member
    Request: put product features and performance results in tables and plots.

    Yeah, the Surface Book has poor triangulation of features for its price.
    StrangeDayslolliverwatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 79
    ITGUYINSDITGUYINSD Posts: 510member
    The reason the price of the SB2 is so high is because Microsoft is following Apple's example of ripping off the consumer on SSD upgrades.  

    To upgrade from a 512GB SSD to a 1TB SSD is $500.  That is truly robbery when the retail price of some of the fastest PCI-e / NVMe SSD's are just around $120 for 1TB!  Surely MS gets cheaper prices.  I lose respect for companies that blatantly rip off the consumer on BTO upgrades, notably when the consumer can't upgrade the item because they're glued shut or soldered parts.

    Same SB2 with 512GB is $2499.  

    How about comparing the new Dell XPS 15 (7590) to the MBP 15?  

    For $1660 from Dell you get:

    SPEC:
    • Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
    • 15.6" 4K OLED Display 100% DCI-P3, 400 Nits
    • i7-9750H 2.6 GHz (4.5 GHz Turbo, 12MB cache)
    • 16GB (8GBx2) DDR4L 2666 MHz Ram (64GB max)
    • 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD
    • GTX 1650 4Gb GDDR5 Graphics
    • 720P HD WebCam
    • Backlit Keyboard
    • 2x 2W Speakers
    • Killer Wi-Fi 6 AC1650 (2x2) Gigabit + Bluetooth 5.0
    • McAfee LiveSafe 12 Month Subscription
    • PORTS:
      • 2x USB 3.0
      • 1x USB 3.1 Type-C Gen 2 /w Thunderbolt 3 (4 Lanes)
      • 1x HDMI 2.0
      • 1x SDXC Card Reader
      • 1x Audio Combo Jack
    • 6 Cell 97 WHr battery
    • 4.5 lbs
    That compares to a $2899 MBP 15" similarly spec'd, except for the OLED display and other Windows-specific goodies.   Dell only charges $150 to upgrade to 1TB (which I've included in the $1660).  

    How about it?  ;)
    edited August 2019 applephelijahgGeorgeBMacbigtdsCarnage
  • Reply 10 of 79
    ITGUYINSD said:
    The reason the price of the SB2 is so high is because Microsoft is following Apple's example of ripping off the consumer on SSD upgrades.  

    To upgrade from a 512GB SSD to a 1TB SSD is $500.  That is truly robbery when the retail price of some of the fastest PCI-e / NVMe SSD's are just around $120 for 1TB!  Surely MS gets cheaper prices.  I lose respect for companies that blatantly rip off the consumer on BTO upgrades, notably when the consumer can't upgrade the item because they're glued shut or soldered parts.

    Same SB2 with 512GB is $2499.  

    How about comparing the new Dell XPS 15 (7590) to the MBP 15?  

    For $1660 from Dell you get:

    SPEC:
    • Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
    • 15.6" 4K OLED Display 100% DCI-P3, 400 Nits
    • i7-9750H 2.6 GHz (4.5 GHz Turbo, 12MB cache)
    • 16GB (8GBx2) DDR4L 2666 MHz Ram (64GB max)
    • 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD
    • GTX 1650 4Gb GDDR5 Graphics
    • 720P HD WebCam
    • Backlit Keyboard
    • 2x 2W Speakers
    • Killer Wi-Fi 6 AC1650 (2x2) Gigabit + Bluetooth 5.0
    • McAfee LiveSafe 12 Month Subscription
    • PORTS:
      • 2x USB 3.0
      • 1x USB 3.1 Type-C Gen 2 /w Thunderbolt 3 (4 Lanes)
      • 1x HDMI 2.0
      • 1x SDXC Card Reader
      • 1x Audio Combo Jack
    • 6 Cell 97 WHr battery
    • 4.5 lbs
    That compares to a $2899 MBP 15" similarly spec'd, except for the OLED display and other Windows-specific goodies.   Dell only charges $150 to upgrade to 1TB (which I've included in the $1660).  

    How about it?  ;)
    Really? I opted for all the specs you recommended and it came to $1950 before tax. 
    qwerty52lolliverwatto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 79
    doctwelve said:
    ITGUYINSD said:
    The reason the price of the SB2 is so high is because Microsoft is following Apple's example of ripping off the consumer on SSD upgrades.  

    To upgrade from a 512GB SSD to a 1TB SSD is $500.  That is truly robbery when the retail price of some of the fastest PCI-e / NVMe SSD's are just around $120 for 1TB!  Surely MS gets cheaper prices.  I lose respect for companies that blatantly rip off the consumer on BTO upgrades, notably when the consumer can't upgrade the item because they're glued shut or soldered parts.

    Same SB2 with 512GB is $2499.  

    How about comparing the new Dell XPS 15 (7590) to the MBP 15?  

    For $1660 from Dell you get:

    SPEC:
    • Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
    • 15.6" 4K OLED Display 100% DCI-P3, 400 Nits
    • i7-9750H 2.6 GHz (4.5 GHz Turbo, 12MB cache)
    • 16GB (8GBx2) DDR4L 2666 MHz Ram (64GB max)
    • 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD
    • GTX 1650 4Gb GDDR5 Graphics
    • 720P HD WebCam
    • Backlit Keyboard
    • 2x 2W Speakers
    • Killer Wi-Fi 6 AC1650 (2x2) Gigabit + Bluetooth 5.0
    • McAfee LiveSafe 12 Month Subscription
    • PORTS:
      • 2x USB 3.0
      • 1x USB 3.1 Type-C Gen 2 /w Thunderbolt 3 (4 Lanes)
      • 1x HDMI 2.0
      • 1x SDXC Card Reader
      • 1x Audio Combo Jack
    • 6 Cell 97 WHr battery
    • 4.5 lbs
    That compares to a $2899 MBP 15" similarly spec'd, except for the OLED display and other Windows-specific goodies.   Dell only charges $150 to upgrade to 1TB (which I've included in the $1660).  

    How about it?  ;)
    Really? I opted for all the specs you recommended and it came to $1950 before tax. 
    https://deals.dell.com/en-us/productdetail/2slm

    Apply code PAYPAL15 for total $420 off.  There is always some sort of coupon/discount, but let's say you're lazy and don't want discounts ... even at $1900 it's $1000 cheaper than a MBP.
    edited August 2019 GeorgeBMacbigtdsCarnage
  • Reply 12 of 79
    danvmdanvm Posts: 1,400member
    MplsP said:
    Gaby said:
    Almost everyone I know who has had one of these has either seriously regretted the purchase or returned for something else entirely. And how people can still talk about “apple tax” in 2019 and keep a straight face comparing to some other brands really surprises me. Don’t get me wrong apple products are in general by no means cheap but I personally find them worthwhile overall. 
    Historically, the 'Apple Tax' has largely disappeared when you look at product life. My 2011 MBA was still doing fine until the screen started to go out about 6 months ago.

    I haven't owned a windows machine in years, so my info may be out dated, but I remember the days when 3 years was pushing it. Regardless, $3K is a lot of money for a windows machine with mediocre performance
    From what I have seen, cheap Windows devices goes for 3-4 years as you said.  Quality Windows devices goes for 6-8 years, and even more, without issues.  At least that has been my experience with business  devices, as HP Elite, Lenovo ThinkPad / ThinkStation and Dell Optiplex and Precision workstations.   
    ITGUYINSDbigtds
  • Reply 13 of 79
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member
    I have at least half a dozen colleagues at work who say that the quality of the Surface is atrocious. They’ve had to send theirs in (or get a replacement device) multiple times.
    Yup...we have them where I work and they constantly fail and since its a sealed unit, the only thing we can do is send them back to Microsoft for a replacement to be sent back to us. Many think they want them for the portability and touchscreen only to come back to us in a few months asking for something different because its not powerful enough for their needs. 
    Gabylolliverwatto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 79
    Samson1977Samson1977 Posts: 1unconfirmed, member
    I've had mine since launch as my daily driver.  It's a great machine.  Handles everything I've thrown at it and more.  I can game on it, create on it, run vm's on it, and so on.   only issue I had was with an early firmware and dock charging.  

    The biggest issue for me is lack of aftermarket cases and screen protectors.  The 13" has a plethora of cases and such you can use.  I'd use mine detached way more if the same cases were available in 15"
    GeorgeBMacbigtdsCarnage
  • Reply 15 of 79
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member
    I've had mine since launch as my daily driver.  It's a great machine.  Handles everything I've thrown at it and more.  I can game on it, create on it, run vm's on it, and so on.   only issue I had was with an early firmware and dock charging.  

    The biggest issue for me is lack of aftermarket cases and screen protectors.  The 13" has a plethora of cases and such you can use.  I'd use mine detached way more if the same cases were available in 15"
    The charging and docking station issues are some of the bigger issues as well with ours. In the end, its really not worth what's being charged for it. It's really expensive, and even more so after you add on the accessories. 
    lolliverwatto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 79
    GabyGaby Posts: 190member
    MplsP said:
    Gaby said:
    Almost everyone I know who has had one of these has either seriously regretted the purchase or returned for something else entirely. And how people can still talk about “apple tax” in 2019 and keep a straight face comparing to some other brands really surprises me. Don’t get me wrong apple products are in general by no means cheap but I personally find them worthwhile overall. 
    Historically, the 'Apple Tax' has largely disappeared when you look at product life. My 2011 MBA was still doing fine until the screen started to go out about 6 months ago.

    I haven't owned a windows machine in years, so my info may be out dated, but I remember the days when 3 years was pushing it. Regardless, $3K is a lot of money for a windows machine with mediocre performance
    @MplsP Oh I know that, My Fully loaded 2013 retina MacBook Pro is still perfect, and can still handle most things i throw at it with ease. Granted I’ve found myself using it less recently as am finding I’m content using my 2018 iPad Pro for more and more to my surprise. So much so that I don’t think ill bother upgrading my Mac any time soon now. I worked with windows for years many moons ago and owned multiple pcs back as a kid and into late teens when i was working with them and enjoyed tinkering, and from personal experience as well as many many friends the average cost was between £4-500 every 2-3 years.(for pretty basic laptops) I had a very high spec laptop and even that was useless after 4 years. And its not that alone, but all the constant work involved for anyone who like me could maintain a pc longer than average. If i were billing for the hours I had to put in on a weekly basis to keep machines running as they should it would really add up..... Thankfully thats much less of an issue - if at all with mac, nor is the necessity to be running antivirus and trawling your registry for malware. Obviously desktops can be upgraded to some extent but one still has to factor in the maintenance, the naff OS and cost of upgrades..
    edited August 2019 lolliverwatto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 79
    rezwitsrezwits Posts: 878member
    You can also disconnect the display from the keyboard and use the Surface Book 2 as a tablet -- which you obviously can't do with anything from Apple. Disconnecting it is super easy thanks to the dedicated button on the keyboard, and connecting it back to the keyboard is plug and play.

    Microsoft Surface Book 2 in tablet mode
    Microsoft Surface Book 2 in tablet mode


    ---===---

    But Dude, the thing is:  This isn't pre-2015 anymore!  The iPad Pro has been out for almost 4 years now, and a, it's a legitimate machine, especially the 2018 model.

    I mean if you want to say, "Well iOS isn't macOS or iOS is not a REAL OS.  Well I got news for you, we've been saying the same thing about Windows for quite some time now.  And really I would almost say iOS is much more comparable to Windows 10, than macOS at this point.  macOS is akin Linux as is Android honestly...

    I mean if I had some client or family member say they were looking at getting. a really nice machine (especially "starting out"), I would say:  "Well you like the iPhone right?  What about a nice 12.9" with 512 (4GB RAM) or 1TB (6GB RAM), a pencil and your choice of 3-4 keyboards?  for under $2,000?  I honestly would be WAAAY happier if they choose that, because I wouldn't have to worry, very much about anything...  you could push them off on their own and they would be just fine.  Give them a Windows 10?!?  are you kidding me?!?  But purely when iOS 13 hits, then that's that, iOS 13 ~= Window 10... (if we even want to give Windows that much credit :P )


    edited August 2019 watto_cobraGaby
  • Reply 18 of 79
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    ireland said:
    Sensibly, Microsoft has included an SD Card reader. It’s a popular media and not needing to visit dongletown for it is a huge boon for photographers and videographers—a decent percentage of pros.
    Yes there are many port freaks here who will pay $3000 for “integrated” (wow!) SD card and USB-A.
    I never said I’d buy this shitty computer. Say hello to Dongletown for me. We’re not “port freaks”, we’re photographers and videographers. Don’t be a dick.
    edited August 2019 Sanctum1972pscooter63beowulfschmidt
  • Reply 19 of 79
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    MplsP said:
    Gaby said:
    Almost everyone I know who has had one of these has either seriously regretted the purchase or returned for something else entirely. And how people can still talk about “apple tax” in 2019 and keep a straight face comparing to some other brands really surprises me. Don’t get me wrong apple products are in general by no means cheap but I personally find them worthwhile overall. 
    Historically, the 'Apple Tax' has largely disappeared when you look at product life. My 2011 MBA was still doing fine until the screen started to go out about 6 months ago.

    I haven't owned a windows machine in years, so my info may be out dated, but I remember the days when 3 years was pushing it. Regardless, $3K is a lot of money for a windows machine with mediocre performance
    I'm writing this on a 9 year old Lenovo Thinkpad (T410) that runs considerably better than my 5 year old MacBook Air.   Soon, I'll log into my 13 year old Lenovo Thinkpad (T60P) to do some financial stuff.   It runs about the same as the 5 year old MacBook Air -- not overly fast, but OK.
    ... So, hardware wise, the Lenovo's seem to have the edge.

    That said:  The so called Apple Tax is paying for Apple's OS and ecosystem.   For instance, while both Thinkpad run very well, neither runs MacOS and neither integrates with my iPhone to get messages, phone calls, alerts, share data etc., etc.,....

    The days of Macs excelling based on hardware alone are over.   But that doesn't mean that you don't get a great machine that does stuff no Windows machine can even think about offering.  You get what you pay for.   It's not a "tax".


  • Reply 20 of 79
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    danvm said:
    MplsP said:
    Gaby said:
    Almost everyone I know who has had one of these has either seriously regretted the purchase or returned for something else entirely. And how people can still talk about “apple tax” in 2019 and keep a straight face comparing to some other brands really surprises me. Don’t get me wrong apple products are in general by no means cheap but I personally find them worthwhile overall. 
    Historically, the 'Apple Tax' has largely disappeared when you look at product life. My 2011 MBA was still doing fine until the screen started to go out about 6 months ago.

    I haven't owned a windows machine in years, so my info may be out dated, but I remember the days when 3 years was pushing it. Regardless, $3K is a lot of money for a windows machine with mediocre performance
    From what I have seen, cheap Windows devices goes for 3-4 years as you said.  Quality Windows devices goes for 6-8 years, and even more, without issues.  At least that has been my experience with business  devices, as HP Elite, Lenovo ThinkPad / ThinkStation and Dell Optiplex and Precision workstations.   
    My experience with HP Elite's was not good -- lots of break downs early in the lifecycle.
    My experience with Thinkpads (T series) is the opposite -- bullet proof -- they should last at least a decade.
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