Microsoft just updated its 2-in-1 laptop, the Surface Book 3. While the design remains similar to its predecessor, there are some important updates internally. In fact, Microsoft says that the new convertible is now up to 50% faster; that’s quite a lofty claim.

Of course, given that the Surface Book 2 was launched back in 2017, it makes sense for there to be such a big performance gain. The Surface Book 3, as with most new laptops in the market now, ships with Intel’s latest 10th generation processors. The base model comes with a Core i5-1035G7 chip, which can be upgraded to a more powerful Core i7-1065G7 processor.

In the GPU side of things, there are as many as four options: Intel Iris Plus Graphics (integrated), Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, GTX 1660 Ti, or Quadro RTX 3000. It’s quite an extensive list of GPUs that are meant to appeal to a wide range of audience, including gamers, professionals, and even mainstream users.

Just like its predecessor, the Surface Book 3 is available in 13.5-inch and 15-inch variants. The former has a 13.5-inch 3000 x 2000 display, while the bigger model features a 15-inch 3240 x 2160 panel. Both are PixelSense touch-enabled displays with a 3:2 aspect ratio.

What makes the Surface Book lineup more unique than the rest of Microsoft’s Surface products is its form factor, which combines the portability of a tablet and familiarity of a laptop. Most of the Surface Book 3’s parts are housed inside the display, while the keyboard is packed with a larger battery and GPU.

Depending on how you want to use the Surface Book 3, you can disconnect it from the keyboard to transform it into a tablet, and dock it back to get the functionality of a laptop. This level of flexibility is one of the Surface Book’s best qualities.

Other specifications of the Surface Book 3 include up to 32GB of RAM and 2TB of fast M.2 2280 SSD (only for the 1TB and 2TB capacities), two USB-A ports, a single USB-C connection (still no Thunderbolt support, unfortunately), as well as an SD card reader.

The Microsoft Surface Book 3 is now available for pre-order in certain markets. In the US, the base 13.5-inch model starts at $1,599 (~RM6,915), while the more feature-packed 15-inch variant retails from $2,299 (~RM9,940). Without a doubt these are steep asking prices, but this has always been the case with the Surface Book lineup.

We haven’t heard from Microsoft yet on the Malaysian availability of the Surface Book 3, but it’s worth noting that both the 13.5-inch (model number 1900) and 15-inch (model number 1899) variants have already been registered with SIRIM, our local certification body. Chances are, the Surface Book 3 will be made available in Malaysia very soon.