Surface Book 2 for Artists Review

[@ApplesThatRead]

I rarely comment but you're my favorite tech reviewer, I really appreciate how thorough you are with the review and you keep artists in mind

[@yodaheabebe3756]

Yes. I second that.

[@raym.778]

Yeah, she really is the best out there.

[@tipoomaster]

"Poverty gloves" every so often one of your zingers just makes me laugh out loud, haha

[@sea-of-skies_]

I've watched probably 20 comparison vids etc in my search for a new 2 in 1 laptop and this is the FIRST TIME that someone showed you can reverse the surface book screen. I'm slightly SHOOK

[@genesisrubi7]

My jaws literally just dropped when I saw her do that.

[@cobyfrye411]

I wasn’t told to leave a thumbs up if I liked this vid. 🤔

[@sarcasticcf3553]

I am so happy to see a girl tech review

[@AWESOME777ize]

She is really honest with us too

[@HoneyPastry]

Exactly, with no unnecessary flair too.

[@TechnologyTidbits]

"...Y'all laugh at me for my poverty gloves..." Lisa, I'm going to call and book you on Def Comedy Jam.

[@joshuafarren]

Poverty gloves lol

[@wesleystokes4712]

I died lol

[@kvell24]

LISA YOU ARE TEARING ME APART good review tho :)

[@alolkoydesigns]

To aid in the dispense of the starving artist myth I'll be picking up my 15 inch Surface Book 2 in the morning. My current projects include designing a 3D belt buckle model, a 3D lapel pin model, an animation for a karate school, 18 illustrations for a children's text book. Thanks for the great and relevant review.

[@Zerossoul]

4:19 Wait, you're telling me that a glove solves the N-Trig Epidemic? If that's true, I'M SOLD.

[@Cuda_3D]

Wow I'm so glad I found you! You're helping me tons! This is exactly the video I needed.

[@TallyHoTech]

Nice one Lisa 🙌

[@kstz_e-sports]

I want to buy 13.5 version with 8 gb of ram , will that be okay for mid level graphic designer with photo editing , illustration, and video editing etc ? Please I’m bit confused and also with low budget

[@spacesurf776]

Yes for sure

[@jamesbullo]

"Poverty gloves" I love it! Another honest, realistic review. Thanks Lisa!

[@uiw3danimationandgamedesig768]

comment from a 3D artist, the pen is not designed for us, because it does not have 2 programable side buttons like wacom has, which is actually needed to operate autodesk Maya, ZBrush, Nuke, Substance Painter, etc. it is like they value simplicity over functionality....

[@bigboomer1013]

So that means we will have to buy a tablet right?

[@ChimeraProd]

Do you recommend the new surface pro 6 instead?

[@jeremyjohn8199]

UIW 3D Animation and Game Design I think this is where the surface dial comes in.

[@michaelhobbs8935]

Another great review! I have a Sony Vaio Flip currently, and I find that rather than use a glove, I just go into the device manager, disable the touch screen to draw and then enable it again when I'm done. This works particularly well if you're using the laptop as a lightbox to draw something on actual paper too.

[@Nathkore]

I noticed people on forums are complaining that the Surface Book 2 loses pressure sensitivity , specifically in ZBrush software. I'm considering soon a Wacom Mobile Studio or the Surface Book 2. If the Surface worked well the battery life and compact form is a win, but if ZBrush doesn't work (my main software) it's a bad purchase. Any chance you were able to test ZBrush on this ?

[@davidlewis4013]

I spent a lot of money on this as a 2D artist when it came out and I really didn't get on with it. I wish I bought an iPad pro instead which I luckily got to try out with my work and I loved it. This thing was quite good for using zbrush but just couldn't seem to handle large Photoshop files for digital painting. My 2009 desktop iMac with an old Wacom cintiq 21ux is actually a better set up in terms of productivity. Both arec so old now but yet still so reliable

[@ablangc]

The only thing that prevented me from buying this laptop was the nature of the design repairability of this computer. For the amount of money they are asking, this is quite the disposable unit when the battery is no longer useful. As always, great review Lisa.

[@myNEONCITY]

Hi Lisa! I think you should make a video detailing the brightness problems with the entire Surface line (and most windows machines that is). I just had to return my Surface Pro 5th gen because of it. When displaying darker content my screen would noticeably dim and when displaying brighter content like a webpage my screen would brighten up. This only happens on battery power. It has to do with the Intel graphics card settings, but the specific setting to turn off the dynamic contrast switching was removed by Microsoft probably to help battery life, but it's beyond annoying. See for yourself, open two tabs. Leave one be, and with the other, look up "black" on google images. Don't click on anything, just leave it on the image overview. Now switch back and forth between the tabs and watch as the brightness changes. This is beyond ludicrous and I would have never bought a Windows machine if I knew OEMs were allowing this. Never had this problem with any MacBook.

[@azzart979]

Just install the drivers from Intel and everything will be fine.

[@azzart979]

While I always love your reviews, this time I have to disagree. As a professional, it's completely inexcusable having to rely on a glove to have the pen behaving correctly. While I do indeed use a glove anyway most of the time, I don't always have it with me and when it happens I still want to be able to draw comfortably with my device. I bought the Surface Pro 2017 when it was released and ultimately had to send it back for a refund out of frustration when I finally received the new pen and discovered it was so erratic and unreliable it was practically a step back compared to the old pen. Basically unusable. Got myself a Galaxy Book to fulfil that role. I had so much expectations for the new Surface Book 15... I hoped to get it in place of the little Samsung tablet once it's available in Europe, so imagine my disappointment when I discovered after more than half a year Microsoft still have to solve the problems that are plaguing this new iteration of the pen. It's an instant no buy as it is. I'm a big fan of the Surface family but I can't understand some of the latest Microsoft choices, starting from the Surface Studio specs (an old mechanical hard drive? Come on!) to the poor quality of the new Surface Pro and Laptop displays and ending with the new pen being utterly unreliable in it's behaviour. It's getting frustrating...

[@JohnSmith-gb8hd]

Indeed. It's time for reviewers to take this issue seriously. www.reddit.com/r/Surface/comments/7of68m/surface_pro_intermittent_pen_inaccuracy_when_hand/

[@otarkaeones1135]

which is the worst of this team according to the use it has given. For more than 2 years saving and I do not want my investment to be misapplied. I am between Zbook and Mobile Studio Wacom.

[@flufflebut8781]

2:33 Yikes that lag with the large pixel brush though.

[@AWESOME777ize]

I thought no one would care, and imagine paying almost the same as wacom mobile the cheaper version

[@somethingscosmic]

Hey Lisa, please do a review on the Surface Book 3! :-)

[@HarHarBear]

Hi Lisa, a question about just taking notes with the Surface pen. As a student who takes notes in class everyday, will I notice an improvement, in terms of writing accuracy and smoothness, between the Surface Book 2 or Surface Pro versus the older Surface Book1 or Surface Pro 4?

[@mobiletechreview]

Not that much of a difference for note taking, so you can save money and go with the older model.

[@HarHarBear]

MobileTechReview thanks for the reply. Do you notice the screen on the newer model to be more resistant to pen pressing? I.e. The screen glass is harder

[@vikasupadhyay1398]

Can we attach a wireless keyboard while the original keyboard is still there ?..why I am asking is once we foldback the keyboard while drawing it in tab mode an external wireless keyboard will allow us to use keyboard short cuts...please reply

[@CritLoren]

yeah why not?

[@allusanchez4206]

Hi Lisa!!! I hope you have a great day 😊 Oh hey! Your a left too!!!

[@MadaraUchiha-wu9rn]

Allu Sanchez lefty master race

[@DanielRodriguez-fg5ll]

useful comparison with Samsung. it comes to mind the Yoga 720, which 45-watt CPU and 2GB 1050, also available with 4K panel. I have always liked the lenovo wacom pens, Yoga 370 and P40 Yoga. yet, I have only used it for note taking and very amateur photo editing. do you think the Yoga 720 is also a good device for people looking into the Surface Book 2?

[@SaltyNomad]

I’d like to thank you for taking the time to address the CAD and designer demographic.. considering products like the surface and iPad pros are targeted for these types of consumers it’s amazing that no tech sites review these products from a design approach. I mean.. some of them don’t even bother with a review on the stylus. Anyway great channel, thanks again.

[@ama-tu-an-ki]

Your reviews are the best in the business, honest, accurate, packed with details, actual use experience and no PR-fluff. Thank you!

[@ayratkhalimov1648]

comment from non-painter: isn't the lag annoying and ruining the experience?

[@MinerDolan]

Thanks for the separate review Lisa! I'm normally not bothered by a little N-Trig line squiggle (owned other Surface devices before), but I've had it so bad with the Book 2 + the new Surface pen that my handwriting becomes almost illegible in OneNote even with the poverty glove :(. The Microsoft folks don't know what's going on; if you've noticed this before, would you say it's more likely to be a pen issue, or a device issue?

[@yskuzi]

Return it and get a new one

[@mobiletechreview]

I haven't experienced that. Reboot the pen by removing the battery and putting it back in (assuming the battery isn't bad). Beyond that, I'd wonder if the OS needs a refresh and if that doesn't work, exchange it. Try one out in the store (bring your pen with you) to see if the problem occurs.

[@MinerDolan]

The pen reset seems to have worked really well! I don't know why I didn't think to try that before. I also noticed it is more prominent when you're annotating on "heavy" pages in OneNote, such as a lecture PDF printout. Thanks Lisa!

[@JohnSmith-gb8hd]

MobileTechReview I tried everything and different devices and pens, but the metal touching offset issue remains reddit.com/r/Surface/comments/7of68m/surface_pro_intermittent_pen_inaccuracy_when_hand/

[@Alex_Hoss]

New subscriber, bought myself the Surface Book 2 last week after seeing your review and really loving it so far. This is another fantastic review, thank you.

[@gridvid]

Lisa needs to get into draw tutorials as well :)

[@calencor]

hi Lisa! Good review! wow you're a lefty too! woooo power to the Southpaws!

[@MOzEDiTz]

This laptop is great, but it needs tones of support to get it working for artists. I don't know who in their right mind would want this laptop for giving presentation and having the amazing ability to highlight text with the rubber end of the pen, but that seems to be Microsoft's go to for advertising to customers.

[@chessdude67]

Hi Lisa, do you have a channel displaying your artwork? I’m a beginner who is using a new large iPad Pro. Do you have any channels you would recommend for beginner artist like myself? Great review and love your artwork. I grew up on the Hudson river ...Troy, New York. :-) Thumbs way up on this video. 👍👍

[@mobiletechreview]

Proko, Marco Bucci, early Jazza (later ones aren't as much about how to draw) and Walid Feghali are some great channels for learning how to draw and paint digitally.

[@chessdude67]

Thank you! Take care.

[@mycookingiswet127]

MobileTechReview ye jazza only does challenbes now

[@PeterHamlin]

For me, the difference between Wacom and Surface pens is something like the difference between pencil/chalk on paper (the Wacom has more "tooth" as you draw) and pen and ink on glossy paper (the Surface feels a little more freely flowing and "slippery."). Since I prefer pen and ink as physical media, I like the Surface pens quite a bit. I was very happy about the Surface Pro 4 pen upgrade -- the original SP3 pen was too slippery and hard to control. The pen nib choices with the newer Surface pens are a nice touch -- you can fine-tune the physical feel to your preference a bit. (Not a lot, but it helps.) I have an iPad Pro and like it fine, but the Apple pencil seems more slippery to me and I prefer the physical feel of the Surface pens. Thanks for a detailed review! I'm almost certainly going to get one of these for my next upgrade. I keep reading reviews to see if I can be talked out of it and pointed toward something cheaper, but apparently not!

[@somethingscosmic]

Hey Lisa, please do a review on the Surface Book 3!

[@cedricvillani8502]

Terrible laptop or as a tool for graphics artists, it’s a U-class i7 so worst and cheapest processor ever, also once you disconnect the screen from the base, that deticated GPU (1060 I have) stops working and screen brightness and performance is neutered . Wacom is way better so is the Dell . Don’t buy this thing it’s over priced crap only good for surfing the web

[@OverdoneAndUnderpaid]

You're my absolute favorite for reviews of any kind. I've never seen anyone even close to your quality. Artist reviews are icing on the cake. Thank you!

[@aandre311]

just change the nib of the pen or get a mate screen protector simple

[@ThatDAPTV]

The most incredibly detailed review ever! And you're a awesome artist as well. What program did you use to draw the sketch of the man's head?

[@itsGuy]

2:40 Jesus that was really really bad lag... It was still drawing after a whole second she lifted the pen off the screen lol

[@SangArt]

Starving artist, can you afford? Damn that was heart breaking 😥😥

[@marwoodmarwood6877]

I love Lisa's reviews, but from recent experience, I have to say that in my opinion, the SB2 is terrible for artwork. I returned my SB2 after a few days and while it's a beautiful, powerful machine, Microsoft haven't given enough thought to artists, leaving the SB2 essentially an expensive note taking device. Just from my own experience, and I know many love the SB2, but the new Surface Pen renders it pretty useless - by removing the second side button which could be used to switch to eraser, they've tried to be 'cool' and stuck it on the end of the pen, making any precision erasing impossible (not to mention having to 'flip' the pen and re-adjust your grip). This change never made sense to me and they've made it nigh on impossible for all but the savviest tech head to reprogramme the remaining button. All that fuss made over the Windows Ink apps suggests that's all the new pen is geared towards, and why would you spend all that money (£2350 i7 16GB ram 256 SSD in this case) for an laptop / pen combo that's primarily geared towards note taking and doodling. So I ditched the Surface Pen and went for a Bamboo Ink - slightly better, until I realised pen pressure in Photoshop wasn't registering, and the Wacom Bamboo driver wouldn't install because 'no supporting tablet could be found', so back to the shop with that too. Added to this, it runs really hot, really fast, and when drawing on the screen in either tablet or folded back mode (even with a glove on) it was uncomfortably hot - perhaps that's simply an issue with my model, but I was expecting for this money, something quieter and cooler when doing even small projects in Photoshop (which granted, is a hog). My advice to any budding artists out there? Save your money and buy a decent laptop or desktop for £/$ 1000 less and look at an affordable drawing tablet like Huion or Ugee, or if you have the cash, a Cintiq. Just my opinion, but think carefully before buying one of these, or test one out if you can.

[@aperire0401]

Great review as always! Could you do a smack down between the Surface Book 2 and the HP Spectre x360 15” (late 2017). I recently ordered a fully spec’d B.O.B (after watching your amazing reviews on the Spectre x360 line).

[@mobiletechreview]

3 important differences: 1. BOB is half the price. 2. Surface Book 2 has a separable tablet, which is much lighter and easier to handle. 3. Surface Book 2's GPU is many times faster than BOB's.

[@aperire0401]

MobileTechReview I got BOB because of the price. Not really worried about the weight (I’ve been lugging my 3yr Wacom Cintiq Companion 2 with a full wireless keyboard, mouse, etc) for 2D and 3D and that’s pretty heavy. Hopefully the HP will do me good for a while (even with the lower GPU. Thanks for the quick response!

[@oscarmorales8296]

AusetAnima i just received my 15 ho spectre x360 and it works like trash. Many problems with the touchpad like often not responding to the left click, highlighting or trying to move objects around when im just trying to move the pointer, and it wont respond right away when trying to scroll down/up plus it wont respond in proportion to your movement. It makes any task very annoying. On the touch screen often it wont respond to your touch. I also got that one for the price, but really it isn’t that cheap so they can be selling that crap for that price. Let me know your experience when you test it

[@aperire0401]

Oscar Morales Geez that sucks. Mine arrives on Friday so I’ll definitely let you know how it works out.

[@databang]

I enjoy your earnest reviews and appreciate your perspective through the lens of a creative pro. Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art. -Andy Warhol

[@CollapsedMass]

Going to cut some fingers off of some of my gloves. I bought a Huion that I am going to return because I own a surface book 1 and was trying to convince myself why I wouldn't just use that. Any ideas on a good type of glove material I should cut some fingers off on that works better from your experience? Thanks for the video.

[@augusto7083]

So if I get it right, Surface Book 2 is the better option for somone like me, that's looking for a NoteBook to use it with Illustrator, Photoshop, Premeire and maybe a little of After Effects and gamimg sometimes to relax. Am I right? And what another option for those thing i mencioned?

[@DMitsukirules]

WARNING TO ALL POTENTIAL BUYERS I own a Surface Book 2 13 inch. I also own a Wacom Cintiq. So far 99% of the things on the laptop are great sans a few minor annoyances like the horrible button on the surface Pen. The single issue I do have though is a massive annoyance and I think it might be related to the new Surface Pen and it's tilt feature. The default placement for the pen when you push the screen is probably less than ideal for usage for most people. Thankfully you can calibrate the pen to make your experience better. Unfortunately this can also be the cause of a lot of grief because the tilt feature. If you have your cursor over the screen, it will appear in one place. If your pen is tilted however when you press down the cursor will correct itself on press to what is essentially a ray in the direction of your pen. This is EXTREMELY frustrating if you are trying to do precision work. The reason I say it is the tilts fault is because if you hold the pen perpendicular to the surfaces screen, the issue goes away. The more extreme your angle, the more the problem rears it's ugly head. This is extremely annoying. Some applications I need to precision place pixels and this issue means my only solution is to zoom in very close to where the jump doesn't matter. My Wacom doesn't have this problem. I also don't know a way to disable tilt, because for me (and I would guess most artist) the feature is useless and I get texture from the brush just fine without it. Other than that the product is amazing. It's sad there is such a glaring software issue present because besides that the hardware is great. As I said, I own a cintiq with the Wacom Pro Pen and drawing on my surface feels just as good (erasing with the eraser is infinitely better on the Cintiq though) I have no idea if Microsoft will fix this issue so I just wanted to warn potential buyers. The issue might also not be present on the older Surface pen without tilt and the Bamboo ink. I am tempted to go buy an Ink tomorrow and see if the issue is there. If anybody can confirm they don't have this issue with the older pen then I would recommend that pen, because I can assure you as the owner of multiple Wacom products (older intuous and cintiq's) you are not going to notice pressure sensitivity gains past 1024, it's just marketing. *EDIT* Just got back from the store and exchanged the pen for the Bamboo Ink. It seems like the problem is entirely with the pen and has nothing to do with the surface (well, it's the surfaces drivers for it's own pen, but it doesn't come with it anyway) Basically to anybody who reads this, the product is great but the pen is shite. Get the Bamboo Ink. It's cheaper and works better. If you absolutely need tilt go Wacom Mobile Studio or tablet or cintiq. *Edit Two* After having used both pens extensively (I hate money!) there are major problems with both. The Wacom seems to be slightly worse than the Surface pen for light stroke recognition, but more importantly than that the distance it can be from the screen and register is worse than the surface pens. Also, the cursor does not keep up nearly as well as the Surface pen which is a headache and a half. Honestly, this entire experience has been subpar. The only endorsement I can give this device for artist is if the mobile studio pro is no good for you because it's form factor or subpar specs, then this is an option, but even then at this "level" of performance maybe a cheaper spectre would be better. I have had zero problems with the Surface Book 2 itself, and even then new Pen is ALMOST a great experience, but these few issues are really holding it back and so far radio silence from Microsoft. Thankfully I still have a cintiq if I need to do serious work and don't want to be annoyed and bothered with the Surfaces issues, but on the go I will just have to learn to live with it unless an update comes (unlikely as it seems Microsoft has not even acknowledged the problem)

[@DanielRodriguez-fg5ll]

wait I am confused. this might be very stupid but I thought the bamboo ink is a WACOM pen, does the Ntrig tech in Surface recognize the WACOM pen too?

[@DMitsukirules]

The WACOM pen is dual protocol, so it works with Wacom AES and Ntrig. I had got two surface pens (one was mailed to me and while waiting I got one from the store) so I'm going to retry the pen but as of right now the Wacom pen is treating me much better.

[@PhuNguyen-gq5ml]

P

[@azzart979]

DMitsuki the issue you describe is one of the reasons I gave up with the new Surface Pro. Actually, it's the lesser of the problems this new pen has and it's one people can get used to over time. To be completely honest in the end I came up understanding it's a feature, not a bug. Basically ntrig pens have always had some offset between cursor and pen tip depending how much the user tilts the pen. This new pen is able to compensate for it, so it makes the mark exactly under the tip of the pen no matter how much inclined it is. BUT It makes it by making the cursor jump under the pen tip only and as soon as the tip itself touches the screen. And considering we're all used to look at the cursor to determine where to start a brushstroke or to click on an element it makes the experience pretty frustrating until you get used to concentrate on the pen tip itself instead of the cursor like anyone would do. It's a design choice from Microsoft that doesn't make sense at all to me, more so because the pen is bugged and depending how you touch the display with your hand or with the other hand this compensation sometimes work and sometimes not, so you never really know where you're pen is really going to click.

[@gyozakeynsianism]

I'm also disappointed with the most recent Surface pen, and I only use it for note taking. I find that in OneNote 2016, despite calibration, it's actually not as precise as it should be, often about half a millimeter off from what you'd expect. That sounds small, but not when you're dotting your i's and crossing your t's and annotating an image or drawing graphs. I hope there's a software fix coming. The Windows Ink-based programs seem to have it better, though. OneNote from the Store works better.

[@talkingfish7901]

I waited for a surface book 3 announcement and nothing came, now this laptop is way too expensive compared to 2019 laptops that are so much more powerful for the same price. But I really want all the things surface book can do that other laptops can't do.

[@MEHMET-dv9tk]

Hello. I am also a Surface Book 2 user. In tablet mode, it does not detect the touch on the right corner of the screen. (I touch with my finger.) Can you please help? .no cracks or scratches whatsoever.

[@gorilla_with_jetpack4102]

I lost my SH*T when you said "Poverty Gloves" OMG I'M CRACKING UP. Thank you for this!

[@HISPEEDLEVEL]

I see how slow is programm respond to the pen. So I can see here how weak Surface book inside. Same situation with S,Studio2. Gorgeous exterior but trash inside. Surface for amateur - maybe. Surface for professional artist or using for a job? - Absolutely not.

[@Dragonblaster1]

HISPEEDLEVEL Trash why? The fact that software developers are slow to bring tilt support is no reflection on the hardware.

[@aidanjt]

If you buy a surface book you'll need poverty gloves lol

[@Zygon2004]

I really like you. Thank you for taking the time to show us these reviews. :-)

[@leaphardotnet]

nothing will beat the confort of a good old wacom intuo, for 200/300 dollars, with a working tilt, and drivers optimized over 20 years... better put your money on a big screen and a powerfull laptop...

[@kfp404]

have a limited money 1100dollar. I plan to buy a surface book. with that kind of money, I am confused about buying SB 2: 7th generation, i5, 128gb, 8gb ram, intel graphics HD + pen 4096 or the old SB: 6th generation, i7,256gb, 8gb ram, NVIDIA 1gb, + the old Pen 1024. in your opinion, which one is better for me to buy?

[@WasteofLiam]

Now that the surface pro 7 is out, how would you say these 2 compare? For both daily use and for drawing?

[@thatone3809]

I'm here just to cheer for EMR 😝Thank you validating my prefernce Lisa!😝

[@MidSouthUTV]

@MobileTechReview I can't wait to see a review between these two versus the new HP Zbook x2 that ships out today. I really hope you get your hands on a Zbook x2. These two in the video (MobileStudio Pro & Surface Book 2) are ones I have really considered, until I read about the Zbook x2. I hope to see a review on it within a week or two. Zbook x2 comes with the Intel 7th gen i7 at launch, but 8th gen i7 early 2018.

[@Bi0Dr01d]

I'm thinking about getting the 13.5 in surface book 3 🤔, but I heard that the 1650 GTX is similar to the GTX 1060, and this makes the 13.5" service book 3 seem comparable to the Surface Book 2 15", but the Surface Book 2 is cheaper with a larger display. However, the Surface Book 3 has up to 32 GB of ram, and the graphics ram is 4gb ddr4, and I believe the Surface Book 2 is a 16 GB ram, with graphics 6GB of DDR3 ram. I'm not techy enough to know if there's a big significance or not, but I have not seen a review comparing the service book 2 *15"* with the Surface Book 3 *13.5".* I'm using it for art and 2D (and some 3D) animation as well as some video editing, but I'm on a budget so I cannot purchase the highest end Surface book 3, but I like the screen size of the 15-in, and I want to know what I'm sacrificing in getting the Surface book 2 15" versus getting the Surface Book 3 13.5". if anyone knows these two devices well, can you please give me some feedback on these two in comparison?

[@davidlewis4013]

Hey mate have you bought anything yet? I would advise against this device for 2D artists really, it seems to lag when doing anything serious on it, particularly on Photoshop. The pen is no Wacom either. You're better off getting a iPad Pro and a cheaper laptop or computer and paying for a app that converts it into a secondary display. The drawing experience on an iPad pros is the only thing that compares to a Wacom Cintiq imo. I bought the surface pro 2 once upon a time and got my money back when it broke on me. Bought the surface book 2 hoping it was better but it still lags, under performs and get quite hot and clammy too. With no physical buttons when in tablet mode only, this thing needs an optimise app like pro create but just doesn't have it.

[@jacobfreed5060]

I too would like a comparison between this an a current iPad Pro for 2d art specifically. I would love to hear your thoughts on photoshop for concept art/painting on the surface VS Procreate on the iPad. Thanks 😊

[@myNEONCITY]

I would avoid anything with Windows on it, as these machines change their brightness by themselves even with auto brightness turned off. It has to do with how the OEMs are configuring the graphics settings and in a lot of cases you can't turn the setting off. This means that when you display different content on screen, the brightness will constantly fluctuate. Dark content makes the screen dimmer and vice versa. It's terribly annoying and I returned my SP5 because of it. Apple products don't have this issue.

[@Encl0537]

Great video! What applications do you use to draw aside from Photoshop?

[@siphons92]

I was getting frustrated right until you said "If you cut your chops on paper and pencil" then use Wacom. I recently got a Surface Book2 and I'm struggling really hard using it for art. The stylus is frustrating me to no end lol, the cursor keeps shifting every time I touch the stylus to the screen. It makes brush strokes or digitally inking line work almost impossible. Think I'll trade this in for the mobile Wacom. Thx!

[@somcynjohn1518]

Whether Lenovo Thinkpad T serious is a good option for 2D and 3D artists... Whats the difference between T570, T470s & T470p. Kindly reply, Thanks...

[@sillybob1982]

Thank you very much! I have got here cause I was looking for reviews about Surface Book 2 but I wasn't sure I wanted to spend that much because I am still a beginner and I was wondering if there was a different option for me. SO...the Samsung notebook advice it is the best compromise for me! Thanks!!

[@jonturbett87]

I’m so confused about what product to get, my main function is writing, but I want to dabble more in drawing, and video editing. It seems like the surface book is the best all around, but that Samsung you brought up looks intriguing 😫 the surface book price has come down a little bit, but is it too outdated now? Help!

[@dondzik9690]

Hah. After Microsoft's Fall Creators Update the artists should be US ENG. Foreign artists should hope they will not need "Esc" key, or number keys or up-down arrows on their screen keyboards, because Microsoft has just decided that outside US nobody needs them and removed full size layout for all other languages.

[@Jan_van_Waaij]

Hi Lisa, please could you do a review of the System76 Gazelle laptop system76.com/laptops/gazelle ? I'm considering buying it.

[@dairatars]

Hey, maybe some one could help me out. As much as I understand, the difference between USB C Gen 1 and Thunderbolt 3 is speed. Basically I could connect a hub that has thunderbolt 3 but get less speed? Of course I have to use proper cables like with power delivery as so. My main concern is what I lose with just regular gen 1?. What resolution external monitor I could connect?

[@gadgetman7119]

Great video as usual! Keep it up! Got a quick question, maybe you bumped into this issue/heard something about it... here it goes : Got my surface book 2 yesterday, it seems that the battery inside the dock/keyboard isnt charging. Geetting a message of “connected not chargin”, also the 1060 gpu doesnt seem to get enough power from the power adapter. (Power adapter light is turned on and i can charge the tablet part when detached without a problem). I tried recovery for the machine, reinstalling battery drivers and nothing seems to work :( Bottom line battery in keyboard is at 0% and not charging

[@rubeegeorgealset6412]

omg just what i wanted

[@monkeydluffypower786]

I don't know if you'd answer, but I was wondering if the Samsung one would be good for graphic designers? My projects tend to get a little big so I'm nervous it might not be too good, but I also don't really want to put too much on a device. I'm planning on getting the Surface Book 2; however, I've got my doubts

[@paolomarrebrunenghi2246]

Thanks! Good review as usual! I am disappointed that for that price it has no thunderbolt! Will you review the HP ZBOOK x2? Now it has come out with a quad core 8th gen intel processor and I am interested about your judgment on it. It seems extremely expensive as well and it has only 2 GB NVIDIA Quadro M620 Graphics but is a Quadro: how is it for 4k video editing and CAD? It is only 14" but could be helpful to carry around...The good thing is that it has RAM up to 32 GB and 2 TB Z Turbo Drive MLC and a whole lot of wonderful features including the use of the keyboard also when in tablet mode... but is it too heavy to handle as a tablet? How is the keyboard? What about the speakers? How is the pen working? Parallax, lagging, palm rejection…? What about temperature handling? And battery? Will you review it any time soon? Thanks!

[@romeovoid]

I know you prefer Wacom for art, but an in-depth comparison of the MSP16 vs. the SB2 might be in order :-) I have the MSP, but it's so heavy, I am tempted to purchase the SB2 so that I can read digital comics (and paint) on a large screen while holding the device in hand.

[@sharanahooja1677]

How would you compare the Hp spectre x360 15" for using photoshop, zbrush & AutoCAD. Is it worth spending extra for the 13" surface book 2?

[@squarebrush9128]

Another great review Lisa. Not much changed here, still needs two pen buttons , tilt or no tilt. Plus having to carry a second device to use key commands while drawing/ animating with gpu ( as the keyboard is not accessible) or drawing against the wobbly screen ( no kickstand) means this thing misses the mark.... by ' that much' . Is Microsoft really getting the Surface book tested in the field ( by creative pros) properly , or are they relying on wealthy hobbyists and dabblers? Still waiting for anyone to get the right mix, Wacom is still the closest.

[@darkionx]

A lot of people who use autocad dont do much 3d, what people use more for 3d in architecture is revit. Blender is more for 3d design afaik And google sketchup for 3d printing and simple 3d.

[@golice]

Hi i have question Im worry about nuclear pollution Wacom device because of its japanese maker What do you think? Any advice?

[@albertoalcolumbre]

Do you think it’s possible to use the pen on photoshop to perform simple tasks such as the stamp tool ?

[@drankydrank1]

"poverty gloves" lmao

[@nexusclarum8000]

The big advantage of flipping the screen and reattaching it like that, is that unlike the other laptops where the screen just flips right around, the keyboard keys will not be exposed and pressed underneath by your fingers so easily when you're holding it.

[@silyang7446]

I was wondering which laptop is best for less eye strain. Working with computers so much I really rather just have one that is good for my eyes.

[@silyang7446]

I do find wacom brands are much better for my eyes.

[@amaee3937]

I was really worried about how well the stylus worked on the surface book 2. Does anyone know if it is possible to connect a Wacom bamboo tablet to the surface book without messing with any of the features of the laptop? I tried searching online for answers but I haven’t found any that helped with my particular question.

[@rubeegeorgealset6412]

can you plz give me your opinion on these devises for digital artists ...?plz asus transfprmer pro 3 the new eved asus zenbook flip s lenovo mix 720

[@HeartBrokenBiker]

What about the new Lenovo yoga 730 from artists point of view.

[@williambrooks5129]

I would love to have a surface book two but it’s way too expensive. I’ve been looking at the hp envy x360 but I’m not sure how good it is due to the lack of videos. If you could make a review for this, I would like that a lot. Great videos, keep it up!

[@nikkicyrier]

Out of the reviewed, what would you say is your favorite?

[@Wonginism]

For mobile desktop experience I am most interested in Surface book or VAIO Z flip style convertible laptops none of the back flip yoga nonsense. The surface book fits my ideal though the reliability, repairability and price put me off. The chase for a PC with ultabook or better performance with a conversion method that places the keyboard inside when in tablet mode.

[@KeepinItReal]

google pixel book w/ pixel pen has a nice algo (anti-shake) to draw with and super accurate.

[@carlosm3dina]

If I have 2.3k would you recommend me a 1.3k laptop and a 1k wacom cintiq or this?

[@wilcapoeira]

Hi!! Great videos! I watched almost your entire channel before buying the surface book 13”!! I just couldn’t make my mind on buying one option or the other hehe Would you recommend using a screen protector on it? In that case, and if you have tested more than one brand, which one do you think would make the pen feel more Wacom-alike? Thank you!

[@drachearannak952]

Although I watch lots of reviews and rarely comment, I have found myself always trying to find yours for the final word. There is something about you that sounds honest and down to earth... like, you do not make us the people watching feel left out, acting all superior as many other reviewers do. I think you are awesome :D

[@GonzaloPantoja1]

Hello! Since im using powerfull softwares as photoshop and the surface starts to warm up, while im using the surface pen, the palm rejection stop working when the surface book 2 is connected to the power adapter or a usb-c HDMI adapter, but only if it is resting totally horizontal (my desk). do you have any problem like this? I would greatly appreciate your response.

[@Chris-jo3nb]

Thanks for a great review. I was wondering... at about 1:15 you show yourself drawing on it at what sems to be a low (but not flat) angle (about 20-30 degrees to the ground ?). a) Is that just the hinge supporting it at that angle, or do you have some kind of prop behind it ? And b) I noticed your right hand is holdoing onto the bottom right edge - is that just a preference/habit or do you feel the need to steady the tablet becasue it bounces or shifts as you draw ?

[@xavierv5115]

why would an artist get this when the cintiq 16pro exists for about the same price.

[@frankzwaag]

dear lisa I am very hesitant about a surfase pro tablet or a surface book 2. I want to use it for my work and as an ipad replacement. what would you recommend.

[@saileshbatchu6731]

how do you reduce brush size in photoshop with shortcut?