Microsoft’s new Surface Studio 2+ is a minor upgrade, despite four-year wait
>
Microsoft doesn’t consider the Surface Studio range a priority, which is probably why it’s waited nearly four years to launch a sequel to the Surface Studio 2 and didn’t think it was appropriate to call it one Studio 3. Instead, the sequel is called the Studio 2+.
Designers behind Microsoft’s all-in-one business pc have retained the original form factor, with a so-called zero-gravity hinge, a stand that doubles as a base unit, and a 28-inch 4500 x 3000 pixel touchscreen. The latter was and remains the main selling point of the Surface Studio 2+ and works well with the included digital pen.
This is a DCI-P3 display with a contrast ratio of 1200:1, a Gorilla Glass 3 overlay and ACM (auto color management). The screen alone makes it a serious contender, at least on paper, to be in our best business monitor, best monitor for video editing, best monitor for photo editing and best monitor for graphic design also guides.
Compared to its predecessor, the Studio 2+ swaps out a seriously underpowered Core i7-7820HQ processor for an 11th-gen Core i7-11370H processor and pairs it with an Nvidia Geforce RTX 3060 laptop GPU with 6GB GDDR6 (instead of an old one). GTX 1060).
While we understand the use of the RTX 3060, we don’t understand why Microsoft deliberately chose not to go for the latest processor ranges; AMD just launched its Ryzen 7000 series, while Intel unveiled its 13th gen Core series, both excellent candidates for the Studio 2+.
Pricing is likely to determine competitiveness
The rest of the spec is solid but unobtrusive: Windows 11 Pro32GB DDR4, 1TB SSD, Wi-Fi6, Bluetooth, a Full HD front camera compatible with Windows Hello, three speakers and a pair of far-field studio microphones.
Connectivity includes three USB-C connectors with Thunderbolt 4/USB 4.0 compatibility, two USB-A ports, Ethernet and a 3.5mm headphone jack. But there’s no memory card reader, no HDMI/DisplayPort connector, and wired connectivity is limited to 1 Gbps, somewhat undermining its positioning as a powerhouse for creatives.
Microsoft also bundles a Surface keyboard and a Surface mouse (as well as a grip-release power cord) in the box.
All in all, the new Surface Studio 2+ would be a worthy upgrade for those who bought the four-year-old Surface Studio 2.
Microsoft has yet to announce general availability or price worldwide, but you can expect it to retail for at least $3,999 (about £3,600 / AU$6,300) as the previous model saw a $500 increase over the original Studio. .
The Studio 2 quietly retired earlier this year, with the Surface Laptop Studio be positioned as the natural alternative; this is probably going to change.
At the time of writing, none of the big three (Lenovo, HP, or Dell) has an all-in-one desktop PC that can rival the Surface Studio 2+ in features, but won’t struggle to compete on the performance front. . Apple meanwhile had the iMac Pro, but stopped selling it shortly after abandoning the 24-inch iMac as Apple’s only all-in-one computer.