The Surface Laptop Studio Review (2 Years Later)

[@i.c.y.]

I bought surface laptop studio 2 a month ago, it already paid for itself. The ability to quickly whiteboard in s teams meeting, then code, then play cyberpunk 72077, all the while running photoshop in the background... not only my productivity through the roof, but I haven't felt the need to take my intros pro paper out of the drawer!!! Mac book pro has nothing comparable to this laptop. Tbh, nothing else does. This is an amazing piece of engineering. TB4 ... I'm running a 5K 27" dell uw at 60hz, and charging, and all the peripherals are connected to the monitor (no additional hub) including a 4K dell cam. I cannot recommend 2nd edition enough. I know this video reviews is for the first edition - just wanted to say 😉❤️

[@donovantheprogrammer2989]

How is the battery life?

[@yulenndy]

do u use it plugged in when gaming and do u notice overheating problems?

[@goodhuman4189]

​@@yulenndyyes ofcourse its gonna heat but not as much as you think and no u cant game for long without plugging it in, although u might be able play to play a valorant match or two before completely draining

[@ericsu4186]

@@yulenndy try to always use charger while gaming, to help battery health and for better performance. also, heating isnt that bad, as the fans do blow pretty hard, you can actually feel and hear it pretty clearly when playing.

[@DanielHarrisCodes]

They added a Micro-SD slot and an additional USB-A port on the SLS2 which is pretty cool. I really wanted to get a SLS2 but I needed a MacBook for iOS development so I use a Windows 365 Cloud PC, or Microsoft DevBox features in Azure to develop on Windows - Also have a Surface Pro 9 that can do a decent job of Web-Dev, the main issue I’ve always had with Surface (being a big fan of the brand) is the battery life - How is that on the SLS2 for coding?

[@Ibrahimhoodk-ni1pg]

I just love surface devices. I have a surface book 2 and just can't find something like it but I believe the surface laptop studio 2 is something to watch for.

[@kwoknation]

the SLS is pretty similar and imo a better experience! I also had a Surface Book in university and really liked it

[@BeautifuLakesStreamsBiologists]

I do field work with my surface book 2. The slate section fits in my field jacket. This new version is too heavy for remote field work. I am parting ways with MS unless they recreate the book line.

[@Ibrahimhoodk-ni1pg]

I honestly wish they do end up remaking the surface book.@@BeautifuLakesStreamsBiologists

[@Incental]

Do you think surface book 2 is worth buying in 2024

[@pmarcum7146]

@@BeautifuLakesStreamsBiologists same!!

[@mortenle]

I love this laptop too, and it will never overheat like the regular Surface Pros of which I've had too many die from overheating. However, the pen skips when I write certain letters like A and E in Acrobat, and that happens on two distinct machines, and with the latest three generations of Surface pens. But I never had a problem on any of my Surface Pros. The drawing and writing should be perfect on these pricey machines too.

[@severnsea]

That's strange, we have three of these and have never had that problem, the pen works just as well as the ones with the Surface Pro. Sounds like you have a problem somewhere. We've had several Pros too which were used all day every day and while they do get quite hot sometimes we never had one fail. We're still using an SP4 albeit on mains only, the battery has long gone but the computer is still going strong.

[@craighewitt5531]

I pre-ordered the Surface Laptop Studio. I was in a pinch because my previous laptop died and wouldn’t boot up. I wanted a surface 8 but couldn’t find one anywhere. I ordered the same maxed out Surface Laptop Studio. It has been a workhorse for the past two years. I look forward to getting another 4 years out of it. The battery life advertised is for normal use. I edit photos with mine. I don’t get a super long battery life when editing photos. Show me a laptop that will run Lightroom or ON1 for 8 hours on battery. If you are using the Surface Dock, it will only charge to 80% to save the battery. You have to turn off smart charging to take the battery to 100%. The thunderbolt ports is not an issue for me. I wish the surface port on the right was actually a thunderbolt port. I picked up a thunderbolt card reader and it rocks. Many of these issues were addressed in the Surface Laptop Studio 2.

[@davidwong7283]

my SLS1 is only 1% battery wear after 2 yrs of usage . i use battery limiter @ 50% ....and leave it plugged in . when i do leave for an hour or 2 hours lunch , i just put on standby and i unplug for that 1-2 hrs ....sure the 50% would drop 1% or 2% ...but when i come back it is quick like tablet , instant back . when i bring the laptop out , i still keep it plugged in on a powerbank cos i use 120hz + high brightness and Bluetooth , so if i was on the battery , probably 6-7 hrs only it will last at such high demands . with powerbank i dont need to worry at all .

[@EnGieBenGie90]

Great real life review, found it very true as I have been using my SLS for almost a year! Love it but I agree with basically all that you have said about its draw backs, esp the battery life :(

[@kwoknation]

thanks for the support! and yea it’s such a great laptop, just wish the battery was better or they used a more efficient AMD chip or something :/

[@MrEnzyo]

Oh boy... I was thinking of getting rid of my old surface book 2 and getting the new laptop studio model and thought they might have fixed the battery life. As there are no real reviews now, I'm still hopeful, but this vid and your comment have dashed that hope :/ Thanks for the warning, though!

[@EnGieBenGie90]

@@MrEnzyo glad we were able to help 🙂

[@kwoknation]

@@MrEnzyo and check out some of the written article reviews on the SLS2! There's a pretty good one from The Verge that touches on the battery life :)

[@errole]

​@@MrEnzyoI been reading you will have to use battery saver and dim down so low to get even 4 hours top.

[@EmilFDT]

Your battery life, or the lack thereof, on the SLS is quite interesting. I use mine for school mainly and usually have about 20-40% left after an 8:00 - 15:00 school day. I use mine at high brightness due to my school's bright classrooms. Obviously, I don't use computationally heavy programs; only about 10 fans opened in Microsoft Edge, spread across multiple desktops, and Onenote. Love the tablet mode for notetaking and it was the main reason for choosing this laptop. edit: I don't have the fan problem either. At times, the fans are noticeable, if in a completely quiet room, but nothing to the extent of your example. On the contrary, the cooling is actually excellent. Now the 55-watt RTX 3050ti (I believe it's the 55-watt version on the SLS) isn't exactly extremely difficult to cool, but mine stayed at about 50-70 degrees when playing the updated version of The Witcher 3. That is excellent for a laptop.

[@kwoknation]

That’s amazing battery life! Do you have the dedicated GPU?

[@HS-fk2of]

Just a follow-up question, at 9:43 you can hear a buzzing/grinding noise from his fans in the video, and mine has exactly the same sound despite being pretty much brand new. Have you experienced that with your fans too? Is that an issue or is it normal?

[@EmilFDT]

​@@HS-fk2ofThe only time my fans make that sound is if I move the laptop in a diagonal angle. Otherwise, my device is behaving completely normal.

[@kyrelwalrus]

It's his GPU, CPU and ram. A laptop with higher specs will always draw more energy at higher temperatures guaranteed.

[@EmilFDT]

@@kyrelwalrus There are only two CPU/GPU options for the SLS 1. We both had the same i7/RTX3050ti model. The ram and SSD size has a negligible impact on battery life.

[@NathanNuke2555]

Got the surface pro 5 for school, it is great. For online work that requires using your laptop as a tablet I can remove the keyboard as it is detachable. I can easily attach it back after, for better keyboard, get a Bluetooth keyboard. May not be official, but you can use it when detached. Very good. The touch screen is also very good, and the pen is excellent.

[@fathisaleh8984]

Excellent and honest review I have ever seen about laptops. Thanks a lot.

[@yano391]

most honest review on the surface laptop studio I ever watched. Thank you bro ! As a teacher, I was looking for an alternative to my Surface pro 7. I need it as a pc for browsing the web, use powerpoint when teaching, watching at video but I also need the tablet feature with the pen when resolving exercises for the students. This Surface pro does the job BUT I had very short battery life and overheating issues that makes it unusable. I believed this laptop studio was maybe a solution to my problem... Well, as far as the battery life is concerned, the answer is no. Regarding the overeating issues, this might not be a solution either... Software issues or just poor heating control device ? Now the surface laptop studio 2 is launched, I'll watch for reviews and hope to find some of them addressing all users need from a mobile device like this one. Thanks again !

[@kwoknation]

thank you! yeah we’ll see how the Surface Laptop Studio 2 holds up, but I think we might have to wait until Intel chips become more battery efficient (maybe next year?) to see it comparable to the MacBook Pros in terms of battery life & heating

[@MJT-DA]

@@kwoknationI wish they would drop intel for amd chips since they get better drivers and use less power also being less expensive will bring the cost of the surface studio 3 down by alot.

[@ivandagiant]

Battery life is so abysmal it hurts. Also, what you said about the fan turning on in the middle of the night. That is another issue with Windows laptops in general, and also just destroys the battery too. Not sure why it happens, even Linus Tech Tips did a video on it I think. It is just bizarre and super frustrating

[@kwoknation]

Oh that's crazy... I've used a lot of other Windows laptops before and never had this issue - maybe the fans are just too loud on this laptop 🥲

[@davidwong7283]

dont complain if u want to keep using 120hz . i get 10+ hrs when i switch it down to 48hz . if you still want 120hz then pay USD 80 for an Anker powerbank or Ugreen powerbank . i got both . gives me extra 5-6hrs on each powerbank .

[@travelwell6049]

I haven’t had that issue with the battery length. I have been pleasantly surprised by the amount of time I get but no I wouldn’t say it’s “all day”. Also, I’ve not had the experience with the fan running fast or frequently. I bearly hear it, whereas my mac is really quite noisy.

[@davidwong7283]

get an Anker powerbank 100W or Ugreen powerbank 65W if u wan to not worry . USD 80 only . Gives extra 5-6 hrs usage with 120hz .

[@wyohost]

I really appreciate this review... more than you'll ever know. I'm looking at a used one for a real good price and you just CRUSHED me! 7:24. However you may have just saved me from buyers remorse. Thanks

[@severnsea]

You've missed a treat. They're superb, we have three of them. I've never heard anybody else make the complaints he has made about them, but then I don't understand why anybody would make a decision based on just one review. If I'm buying anything I watch as many reviews as possible. Sounds like an Apple fanboy for me, always easy to spot, they never mention the lack of touchscreen when comparing anything with the Macbooks, and despite always stating in the reviews that there are plenty of other Windows laptops that don't have the issues they claim and are more suitable, yet they always switch to Apple rather than go for that "something more suitable", and finally, with the Studio (and even the Surface Pro) I've seen many claim they don't have a use for the "tent" mode so you have to wonder why they bought one in the first place rather than a standard format laptop.

[@sharonieee]

i don’t even like tech videos but this was so good 😍😍😍

[@fastkick000]

😂😂😂😂😂yeah i bet i Know why.

[@quizzyondemand]

This is not a tec video but a filming master piece! I could imagine him editing films ! Very Nice bro !

[@kwoknation]

@quizzyondemand appreicate it 🙏🙏

[@Way2go926]

I spotted a simp here 💀

[@lesamourai777]

I appreciate the honest review. Thanks for sharing!

[@dm_1236]

Please definitely do the video of why you switched from PC to Mac! I’m thinking of making the switch and would like to know the pros and cons!

[@kwoknation]

for sure! uploading that soon so hope it's helpful for you :)

[@malindailankoon]

Thanks for the honest review bro, it’s hard to find a good review these days❤

[@kwoknation]

thank you!! appreciate the support

[@Squarelensmedia]

How did you set up your laptop for editing/gaming? Using Davince Resolve, i cannot edit the most BASIC video, im talking 1080p timeline, quater playback resolution, proxies etc. and i get lucky to get over 2fps with a second or two of freezing every few frames. I also cant play CSGO without stutter and input lag. Im one week on my 3rd laptop, my first wouldnt charger afer a week, and my second one overheated bad and had worse performance

[@oryanol]

Had the same issue with mine. DaVinci resolve was so slow, just for editing anything. Then I tried Adobe premiere pro and it was faster. Maybe it'd optimised for the DaVinci resolve by default

[@alex_ha12]

the production quality is top notch

[@kwoknation]

🙏

[@moiankaraan3993]

Okay, I’m just here to watch an honest review (fourth video) of this Microsoft model but I never watched a straight 11 minutes & 25 second-long video just staring at you gorgeous man holding a gorgeous laptop

[@thebeatles9]

as a spiritual succussor to the Sony Vaio Duo (13) I love this computer, the Sony will forever live in my heart!

[@bryans8656]

Nicely balanced review, thanks. Before I switched to the Apple world I had a couple of Surface devices, the Surface Pro 2 and the original Surface Book with the unusual hinge. Initially I was very impressed with the build quality, but both developed hardware issues over time, the worst being the battery in the Surface Books screen going flat and unable to take a charge. It became unusable, even when it was plugged in.

[@kwoknation]

Thank you! I also had the original Surface Book, but I cracked the screen and Microsoft told me it was cheaper to buy a new one than to fix it 🥲

[@bryans8656]

@@kwoknation That's what I was faced with.

[@satyampatel491]

My issue is that I love the build quality of MacBooks, but I need to run programs that don't work on ARM processors. The surface studio could be a nice alternative,but to get a processor that can compete with a MacBook pro, I'd have to spec up past $2000

[@timtot1990]

I just got the SLS2 and it’s okay so far, but it’s kinda slow.. I’m going to reinstall Windows without the bloatware, but are there any settings you recommend?

[@kwoknation]

oh that’s surprising to hear for the new SLS2, I would just try resetting the laptop - which version did you get?

[@crew_dev]

I just got a surface laptop 4 8gb ryzen model and i am loving it! I was planning on getting a M1 8gb macbook air but that is more expensive and i just like windows more than mac or any other OS. Overall its pretty good!

[@verynameboi4121]

what do you think of the surface laptop studio 2 that just dropped out? i believe it fixes most of these issues excdpt battery life, I really want it but I am pretty scared of the battery situation

[@kwoknation]

ahh yea the Surface Laptop Studio 2 fixes a few of the problems & they dropped it while I was editing this video so I wasn’t sure if I should talk about it 😅 but tbh I think the core value prop of the laptop is pretty similar. I think it’s not *that* big of an upgrade (the microSD and USB A is nice to have, but it would be nicer to see a full sized SD card slot) and Intel’s 14th gen chips are coming out soon so idk how I feel about the release timing + given how expensive the laptop is. But if you need the 2-in-1 capabilities & don’t mind the higher price tag, it should still be a great device overall!

[@harryp3804]

​@@kwoknation i was titled to buying the sls 2 but this video and comment changed my mind , i want to stick to windows do you have any other laptop with the same premium feel as the sls ?

[@kwoknation]

@@harryp3804 hmm yea the premium build is something that the Surface line does really well.. Tbh the XPS and ThinkPad laptops have really solid build quality too, they're just not built with aluminum to feel like Surface/MacBooks. The only downside for me was that their screens were all 60Hz refresh rates :/

[@harryp3804]

@@kwoknation I shortlisted lenovo slim pro 9i but I can never find it in stock lol, galaxy 3 ultraboom has a weird spec and costs in the windows territory the i7 specs I want is again OUT of STOCK....at this rate I'll never ever be able to buy a dayum laptop and might endup with a dayum Mac which i have never used.

[@ArthropodSpidey]

This is FALSE. The XPS is built with aluminum. Do you know what you're talking about?@@kwoknation

[@teal_scorpion721]

Im new to streaming. I use a capture card so gaming on the pc itself isnt necessarily a priority, i just want to be able to run OBS at max setting with mutiple tabs in the background. I also do art commissions so this seems to be a 2 and one deal to me, do you think its still worth it?

[@nandhumon2377]

My fan already started making noise. But I have to confess that, I used it pretty heavy almost everyday for 2 years as I had heavy simulations and AI trainings done in this. Now it just is damn irritating the sound of the fan right from startup.

[@upkadiliman1]

Hi! Your videos are so good! What camera/setup do you use? And did you edit these videos on your SLS?

[@kwoknation]

thank you!! really appreciate it :) I use the Sony a7iv and still figuring out how to light my room properly 🥲 and I edit on my ... MacBook (spoilers for next vid)

[@upkadiliman1]

@@kwoknation thank you so much! P.s that is so disheartening to hear that you are now using a different laptop/ecosystem. I have been a windows user for a long long time and I have just purchased the SLS 2. I don't know what to think now really since you already ditched your SLS. I just don't get the macs. Their not user friendly for me. I tried. But it seemed like I had to learn how to use a laptop/everything all over again. Sighhh..

[@kwoknation]

@@upkadiliman1 ahh the SLS is still a really great laptop and I've still kept it for light gaming/when I need to use a lot of Excel/PowerPoint for work. The refreshed SLS 2 also improves on a lot of issues I mentioned here so hopefully you have a better experience with it :)

[@upkadiliman1]

@@kwoknation thank you so much! You're great! More power to your channel!

[@congma100]

thanks for the honest review mate

[@kwoknation]

🫡🫡

[@heroedeleyenda05]

Great video. I just bought one today, we'll se how it goes. I got the lowest tier one, refurbished for 700 bucks to replace my surface book 2. day one, i love screen form factor. drawing on photoshop with the new pen as opposed to the old school pen feels more natura, less glitchy and doesnt lag. i hate that it only has 2 usb ports total, and no sd card support . that is a huge downside for me. I also hate that they downgraded to 2k resolution as opposed to 4k. I used to have 2 4k monitors hooked to my surface book 2. I also hate that you cant charge it trough usb c. with 140w power bricks, i would have loved to bring just one power brick to charge my surface, my phones and my ipad. but for the price i got it, i cant complaint. it does the main purpose better, which is drawing on photoshop. I feel like most of the complaints I listed were decisions done on purpose so that they can slowly give us those features that its lacking and call it an upgrade. they already did that with the new version. they added 1 more port and an micro sd card reader

[@xiaopoq3797]

would you recommend this for college business students?

[@arkiostu]

If you have the money for a ultra premium built cuality sure why not but you can find something better for the specs for less price and if don't care about the OS because you use more web apps maybe an iPad or tab S is better in almost anything

[@anakin1607]

Should I get one? compare with Pro 9

[@alexisthompson2334]

Would this laptop be good for some drawing, watching video, coding for beginners and playing games like stardew valley etc.?

[@laszlovarga_]

Hey, can i ask what is that work you do when you pick up your laptop and go to a cafe instead of doing it on the monitor? I don't understand what kind of work everyone is doing on laptops in cafes

[@MarthinusKotze96]

Sometimes you just wanted to sit outside or be around people when doing work. Personally love it when I'm writing. We are social animals after all.

[@kennychang6424]

It looks like the pen attaches to the bottom of the laptop? How does the laptop sit then when the pen is attached and charging? Or is there a recess for it Great vid BTW! Back to the OG!

[@anonymoususer8604]

There is a recess for it

[@Skylinez999]

Thanks! After I watched your Macbook video and this one, I think now I'm going to buy a Macbook for my work even though I've been using windows as long as I'm alive, I was once using macbook in the past, didn't like it, very limited and so much hassle. I think I'm going to give it a shot again to Macbook, wish me luck 🤞

[@kwoknation]

good luck!

[@patrickthornton5053]

I bought this computer about a month ago and so far no complaints. That said there is one, and it’s actually quite frustrating. I can’t get the trackpad to scroll. I’ve updated my settings and made sure the software is all dialed in I have no idea why this is an issue and I wonder if any of yall have an answer.

[@MRwilsondraws]

How is the "Stage mode" with hand pressure while using the pen? I ask because I'm an illustrator and the gripe i have with the Surface books is the fact that you have to hold the screen up while drawing, unless its layed out flat.

[@esraalinaw988]

Man do skin care routine video

[@shahedachoudhury8029]

I have to agree, I love the laptop but not having a USB A port is a huge inconvenience need to put a usb C dongle...then attach a port extender It's not great when trying to be portable office with USB headsets and mouse and anything else.

[@omarortega9389]

Hello. Thank you, very good review, one question, would you recommend it for someone who is studying architecture? I have been thinking about buying it but I still have my doubts, I don't know if it is good when it comes to rendering and things like that.

[@kwoknation]

thanks for watching! the performance while editing 4k videos is pretty solid (a bit slower than the M1 MacBooks?) but I'm not sure about rendering 3D work/architecture work unfortunately

[@omarortega9389]

I understand, thank you very much for responding, nice afternoon.@@kwoknation

[@payusavisit3482]

Tell me between Surface Pro 9 and Studio, which is better for Business, i watch movies i run some programs Tools as technician. So for easy carry around Performance, and battery i need and answer please

[@kwoknation]

I haven’t tried the newest Surface Pro but I think it’s still more of a tablet-first experience compared to the SLS. The SLS is more laptop-first and tablet as an extra feature

[@payusavisit3482]

@kwoknation Thanks for the effort you took to reply to my comment i will go with the Surface Pro 9 i7 16gb of ram

[@VincentLeong-bb4vn]

I actually watched this video after your "switching to Mac" video. Switching to a Mac is a great choice and both have their pros and cons. In an ideal world, you would get both because they are really different. Windows is better for productivity and gaming. Macs are better for creative professionals, software developers, etc.

[@deniztemel2927]

I am going to use this for business. You know, surfing, CoPilot, excel, PowerBI and PowerAutomate stuff. I am concerned about the battery life. Is there anything with nearly same features that you guys can suggest? Writing with a pen is a big plus for me.

[@joseluismadronagonzalez3688]

Where did you get the wallpaper of your Macbook? (min 10:53) I liked it. By the way, it's a good video.

[@kwoknation]

Found it on Google! Just search Kame House 4K wallpaper :)

[@ryancoughtrey9876]

Ive been thinking about getting this or a mac studio which one should i get

[@kwoknation]

at the end of the day this is a laptop and the mac studio isn’t, so depends on what your needs are

[@alexis.martin-comte]

It's not as good as every competitor in its field, but it does everything where others need a complementary machine to do the same number of tasks. You don't need a gaming PC on top of an iPad. You don't need an iPad on top of a MacBook. It's hard to compare it to the others, because it does everything at once. So I don't think you should buy it if you don't use every one of its features. But if you need everything, it's really very practical.

[@donniejoyce429]

i love this machine. i use the pen for notetaking and drawing. i edit photos and videos too. on occasion ill run python code. it's amazing for me. worth it for students especially imo

[@Theleochan]

So, the fans at max may be because your unit didn't come with thermal paste... Like mine did. I cracked it opened, removed the motherboard from the laptop and looked under the copper pipes and it had something that looked like thermal paste, but it was so little it didn't even cover half a squared centimeter of the cpu dye. and no thermal paste on the GPU. I put some artic mx4 on the cpu and gpu and my temps went down by 15°C. Fans don't run as much as before.

[@Song-dc5hl]

is that safe to open the back board yourself? looks like you need to remove some cosmetic strip and could not put it back

[@zarodgaming1844]

"battery life is short" ... me " pft, how short can it... " ... " it has a 3050 TI" ... ah, that might do it xD

[@goober606]

This is a well-balanced review. Thanks for the honesty. Sadly seems like it's not the MacBook of the Windows world even though it's the closest thing to one.

[@halimaha5181]

Where did you get the clock on your wall? I need it!

[@kwoknation]

ahh it's just from amazon

[@amaetfacquodvis2450]

would u buy the new surface laptop studio 2?

[@kwoknation]

I personally wouldn't because I don't think there were that many significant changes for a 2-year refresh. The main difference is upgraded specs and given that they're using 13th gen Intel chips, it'll be a bit outdated again in a couple of months :/ Given I already have the SLS 1, I'd personally wait for a more significant change to the overall design, and maybe 14th gen/future Intel chips for better battery efficiency. If I didn't have a laptop though and needed this 2-in-1 design, I wouldn't mind going for either the SLS 1 or SLS 2 depending on the price I can find!

[@amaetfacquodvis2450]

@@kwoknation TY

[@Chen06]

how do you connect your keyboard and mouse to the laptop with the monitor?

[@MarkKreuzer]

09:55 i was wondering if this wouldn't occur if the device wasn't connected to a power outlet? i sometimes have the feeling tha charging the device creates heat and thusfore the fan starts.

[@payne1542]

bro your review is very honest and in details ... good job please review the 2nd gen of Surface Laptop Studio. it seems improved a lot ... at the least you can find it in ads... USB-a port, sd reader...

[@kwoknation]

The new ports (USB A and microSD) are a good addition! Unfortunately it looks like they didn't bother changing much else besides improving the performance slightly. The battery is still below average and I wish they would've waited for the Intel 14th gen chips to be more efficient 😭

[@seanmartinclip]

Thank you for this. You're smart to make this video now perfect timing. I was thinking many of the same thoughts that you show to be true. Thing is I'm used to windows I have a big desktop PC that I built I like it I love it I upgrade it when I can. I love windows for multitasking. But I would like a new laptop for on the go use that's powerful enough to video edit photo edit and so on.I hesitate to move to Mac. As I haven't used a Mac in a long time although it does bring back some nostalgia I've seen some posts and videos about how hard it is to multitask. And the weird nuances different apps you have to download to get it going right. Which I'm used to as I'm also a Linux user. But when it comes to my proprietary software and work computer I just want it to work well mostly at least out of the box. And Microsoft really killed it with these laptops when it comes to looks. And their claims are tempting. But I knew it about the battery life it just sounded too good to be true with x86. Anyways great review really appreciate it it's basically the same laptop it just now has a spec bump this year. Do you edit your videos by the way you said you were bad at editing. I think your video was well edited simple but simple isn't bad I have a tendency to over edit because I enjoy editing so I kind of go crazy sometimes. Anyway great stuff.

[@kwoknation]

Thank you!! and totally understand - I also prefer using a desktop PC at home so it was a bit weird to move to a MacBook again 😅 I'm actually making a new video on my transition to the Mac as a Windows user where I touch on some of these pros & cons! And yeah I edit my own videos but I don't do anything crazy in terms of color grading, fusion, etc. so I typically don't need the *best* performance, as long as it can edit and render 4K decently quick

[@davidwong7283]

his view is very pointed from 1 angle . i own the SLS for 18 months and have no issues with the battery . Its his way of " using " ....in ways that doesnt help himself . Windows has settings . these settings are meant to asist you . He doesnt want to compromise performance and he is too lazy to find solutions . i get 10+ hours on my SLS even after 18 months use . I learn about settings and make use of knowledge .

[@kwoknation]

your SLS probably died before you could leave more comments

[@fidelisitor8953]

@@davidwong7283 I understand how you feel about it but the point is for a $4000 device, you shouldn't have to go through all that.

[@davidwong7283]

@@fidelisitor8953 I think you are the one dont understand the " point " here . I bought the Surface studio i7 512gb RTX 3050 + slim 2 pen for USD 2000 in singapore , 18 months ago . Now where in the world did u see 4000 ??? are you living on Vanuatu or some where inaccessible ? i bought it regular at a Harvey Normans retail store . What are you talking about man ???

[@davidwong7283]

If u wanna play performance games on the Go , using the best settings + 120hz + high brightness , probli u get only 2hrs gaming time . when u have an Anker or Ugreen powerbank , you double up the time to 4hrs at highest performance gaming with fans kicking in at the max also .

[@lowbccp]

prepare to order SLS-2~

[@bend9166]

Would you say the standard MacBook Air (2023) is preferred over the surface studio 1 with the i5? Nothing crazy but used for coding, Microsoft office and just standard work. No gaming or video editing

[@kwoknation]

Yeah! I'm editing a video right now about my switch from Windows > Mac, but I think the new MacBooks with M1/M2 chips are really ahead of Windows laptops for *most* tasks besides some heavy creative work, where you might need a spec'd out MacBook Pro vs. a desktop PC. Otherwise, the new Air will have better battery life, be thinner & lighter, perform better than the SLS 1 with i5, etc.

[@bmwbryan1]

I love my surface pro 9 for stuff on the fly, I use my hp Omen at the desk in the office but when I'm on the floor I take my surface with me and have my laptop mirrord to it with an exchange account. What ever changes I make on the surface are on my laptop at desk. I stick to just doing excel sheets and video stuff on the laptop as the surface only has 8gb of ram

[@jerzeyateam]

the fan is fine. it might just be your specific one. mine doesnt blow like that and i play games on max setting like cod or rogue company

[@byomoze]

The keypad and trackpad don't work, is there a way to toggle it on and off. It's like it's stuck in tablet mode

[@ronaldchens]

bro turned a tech video into a mr beast quality video 😮

[@kwoknation]

🙏🫡 we try

[@MarcoMagdy]

I have samsung s8 tab, will it be a hood conpanion with the surface, when i want to use two screens

[@nguyenthienphuc7399]

Long time no see you on my feed 😂🎉

[@kwoknation]

thanks for sticking around :) you’ll see a lot more videos soon!

[@FlosBlog]

The studio mode seems like a nightmare for left-handed people 😂

[@yanahancharova]

I work on this laptop right now)

[@andronicthehedgehodmeza3069]

I know you guys from usa have a lot of money but... Isn't it a bit expensive this surface laptop for what it offers?

[@OtisFefe]

The only real problems that I see with mine is the shitty battery life getting in the way of lots of my school work, often times dying on me in class. Other than that I'm glad I chose this over a MacBook.

[@TYF4576]

Do you think if I could buy one now for €999. Would that be a good deal?

[@sinlilac2852]

There is one on eBay that is refurbished that is less than that.

[@chaturvedirishab]

Great video, You have actually covered every corner of the product Cheers !!. [Sleeping device making FAN noise, it's a WINDOWS thing :D. I have experienced it with every device i ever owned its always better to shutdown]

[@kwoknation]

thank you! and haha yea but I hate shutting down since it interrupts my workflow so much

[@severnsea]

Ignore this guy and just buy one. It does everything very well, and does a lot that some don't - like the three different modes and yes, a touchscreen. We have three, and have had no such issues with battery life, fans running in the middle of the night or anything like that. He's either bought a lemon or is running too much in the background. I don't know ANY laptop where you can run video editing software and get a full day's battery life out of it. Fantastic piece of kit which the Macbook Pro just about matches, but the trackpad is better on this - and how much bigger do you want it? It's bigger than most. The haptic feedback is something else, you won't believe the pad doesn't actually move. Clearly an Apple fanboy, note that they NEVER mention the fact that the Macbook Pro has no touch which, for everybody I've met in the creative professional bracket, is an absolute must. It's a bit like buying a new car without sat nav or an infotainment system. The giveaway here is that he doesn't have a use for Stage mode and says its "kind of useless" - so why buy it then when you could have bought any other laptop with higher specs or a bigger battery for the same money, but without the Stage mode (or tent mode, as most of us like to call it)? Each to their own, but if you're going to compare anything to a Mac then you have to note the lack of touch that Apple said you don't need, but then started selling a separate keyboard and pen for the iPad Pro when the Surface Pro came out and was so successful. Also has to be noted that the OS is far more versatile than anything Apple have done, not just because of touch functionality but for all sorts of reasons. You can run infinitely more on Windows than you can on a Macbook.

[@kwoknation]

The fan noise when running nothing (at idle) is a pretty common problem with the SLS if you do a simple Reddit search - hope this helps!

[@LolaBeM3]

Great points made. Microsoft needs to do better.

[@Brunaan429]

Is it worth it to get the newer version of this, the Microsoft surface studio 2, as I too want an all round laptop to game with and just use for university use. Is there one u recommend which is better with good battery life and the ability to game with? Would u suggest the Microsoft studio 2 or a dell xps? Sorry for the long question

[@kingdom24533]

See asus rog flow z13 and x13 of Zenbook pro duo with gpu

[@anonymoususer8604]

Will you need the tablet form factor for drawing or taking notes? If not, then go for an XPS. It has a bigger battery with the similar GPU options and internals.Should last you longer and can also game.

[@kwoknation]

the XPS is also a really solid option but I didn’t like how it only came in 60Hz - looking back on it though if you’re always using an external monitor to game it’s not a big deal

[@Brunaan429]

@@kingdom24533 ty I will check it out, I have been wary of Asus cause I have heard from friends and other that the laptop starts getting exponentially worse after a year but this was years ago

[@Brunaan429]

@@anonymoususer8604 Yeah after looking at it does seem like a better option, I just that instead of me having to buy and iPad and an xps I can spend a bit more and get everything thing in one but after hearing about the battery life it isn’t worth it. Ty for giving clarity

[@TYF4576]

Does the old pen not work?

[@sshelver]

Battery life does suck! I thought I just had a lemon. Thanks for the confirmation.

[@kwoknation]

It really does unfortunately, but might be more of an Intel problem! A lot of similar cases on Reddit

[@LouRao]

Thank so much for this video. Very informative. I will stay with iPad Pro M1. More so, Final Cut available for the iPad.

[@kwoknation]

thanks for watching! yea the M1 devices are amazing 🤞

[@TomMarvan]

I purchased my device in January for a new consulting gig and will leave it unplugged for most of the time, running several different standard multiple browsers (to test and compare functionality) and programs open, such as Excel (with many files open), Word, Outlook, Teams, the usual MS Office type stuff. At the same time I am logged onto a virtual machine with programs that are probably placing the workload on the virtual computer, but certainly mine has some resources being taken by the virtual app. At the end of a 8-9 hour day, I am rarely below 40% remaining. I have never heard the fan come on in this context. I wonder if you just got a bad machine. I very occasionally play games (Steam, such as Railway Empire 2), which IS intensive and sucks battery power so quickly, I doubt it would last 2 hours unplugged and with all game settings at max. Still, there is no fan noise, though if I have other apps open and it is unplugged, it gets sluggish. I do still have at least half of my hard drive space empty.

[@kwoknation]

wow that's impressive! I have the 3-year protection plan too and tried getting it checked with Microsoft before ... also seems like a common problem with other Surface users online, but glad to hear it's been working well for you :)

[@novivianngo]

STILL HERE. I really want to get a new surface laptop for basic video editing not sure if SLS 2 is overkill for my needs or not. I see a lot of ppl say the battery still sucks welp

[@kwoknation]

it’s a good all around laptop for video editing (+ thumbnail editing with the pen maybe) but if you’re just looking for video editing specifically, you could look into MacBooks (they’re really efficient with the Apple M chips) or other cheaper yet still powerful Windows laptops (XPS, Vivobook, Zbook, etc.)

[@novivianngo]

@@kwoknation okay thanks! I will check out the other options. But if I was to get the SLS2, you think I should get the 4050 gpu or the lowest tier option will work just fine for my video editing needs? idk much about specs. I do light gaming

[@MM-ww5er]

Have you tried lenovo book 9i? Does it perform nearly as well as SLS?

[@kwoknation]

I haven't - but looking at reviews of the Yoga Book 9i, it seems better for portability and novelty, rather than being a reliable workstation laptop that you can use to replace your desktop. I'll try and get my hands on one in a future video :)

[@90sssgamer28]

Do you think the SLS2 with 4060 graphics card would be very good for using adobe lightroom?

[@kwoknation]

def should be powerful enough for lightroom, but I haven't tested the SLS2 myself yet 🥲 let me know if you eventually try it out yourself though!

[@warrenmcclure7819]

Thats strange, about the fans always spinning. Ive had mine for about a month and use it for casual things and never does the fans spin up like that unless Im using it for gaming

[@sinlilac2852]

Is the battery life still good? Also his may be like that bc he’s had it for 2 years. I’m thinking of getting one for community college

[@amitlimbu5025]

ipad + macbook pro can be bought with that price

[@doomroot1321]

Its actually a known issue with discord running in the background and taxing the CPU unnecessarily.

[@kwoknation]

oh wow didn’t know that! unfortunately I use Discord for work so it’s pretty much always open 🥲

[@solitarycathy]

非常好工作，英雄联盟，你很帅，请上传更多在未来，爱来自瓷器❤❤

[@kwoknation]

🫡🙏

[@PersiaAhmad]

I don't mean to criticize your game choice. But Valorant is not a heavy enough game to show the gaming capabilities of a PC. But fortunately, we know that the new generation can be configured with RTX 4060 laptop GPU. And that model is no joke when it comes to gaming power.

[@ACNH_streamer]

Me debating if I want to get an mbp m1 or a surface studio laptop... "2 ports." and *helicopter sounds while only on discord* has me healed from wanting a studio lmao

[@kwoknation]

helicopter sounds is the best description I've heard yet - can confirm it sounds like one, especially when you tilt it around while it's spinning

[@xlazybubblex]

what a great revieewww thanks

[@kwoknation]

thank you!!

[@scottdpeterstv]

Why get this if you're not a heavy stylus user? The main draw of this laptop is the form factor and premium stylus user experience. This is for digital artist, 3D sculpting, texture painting, photo retouching and people that draw as their primary task. That being said I think the Asus Zenbook 14 Pro Duo offers a similar tool set for about $1K then the SLS.

[@kwoknation]

Yea agreed, I just wanted the Surface build quality and also the 120 Hz screen (it’s harder to find than you’d think)!

[@scottdpeterstv]

I think you'd be happier with the Asus Zenbook Pro 14 Oled than the SLS

[@scottdpeterstv]

Or Lenovo Slim Pro 9i 14in

[@davidwong7283]

Kwoknation - i think your battery capacity after 2years is probably at 80% or less ? with the way i see you using it . mine is at 95% after 18months .

[@emilicious2086]

I was thinking about maybe getting the sls 1. How long would you say your battery life is or is it similar to his?

[@kwoknation]

My battery capacity is around 85% after ~18 months. Keep in mind the battery problem isn't limited to the SLS, it's a consistent problem across Intel laptops. Even at full capacity, the SLS won't last you "all day" of usage, unless you're only browsing the web with 1 tab on 10% brightness like David Wong over here lol

[@emilicious2086]

@@kwoknation yeah i have a surface laptop 3 and it had a decent battery life for a little up until this year (4th year with it) when it started dying after like 2 hrs in class. But it’s a problem with all intel laptops? Does it matter if i get i5 or i7?

[@kwoknation]

@@emilicious2086 I would assume the less power the laptop needs, the longer the battery will last - so an i5 should be better than an i7 if everything else was equal

[@davidwong7283]

Why tell lies ? Who uses 10% ? You sound so S…. But try to act funny . Fact is u haven’t look at websites like battery university and how to tune your laptop to the right settings to achieve what u wAnt . You are simply twisting the truths

[@highvibrational2007]

I wanted to buy this laptop when it came out.... but it was too cost prohibitive. AND it has limited ports! I am so glad I waited for the Asus duo 14"! 3rd of the price even with the i9 version....lol

[@floreanchannel]

Thank you for this video. I am researching "older" models to see what is there, and probably I will go for M1 MacBook Pro. It seems that even tho Microsoft have power over the hardware, they don't use it to the extend of what Apple is doing, and although it's nice to have 2in1 with nice screen, but honestly I'd like to be sure that MS would actually put an effort in optimisation and provision of their system in long-term. Batery life and noise is no-go for me in this case.

[@kwoknation]

thanks for watching! yeah the M1 MacBook Pros have definitely held up much better than Intel-based Windows laptops over time, and Windows is probably still figuring out how to best optimize the SLS with its software since it’s a relatively new device

[@poppers7317]

There was an issue with M1 MacBook screens randomly cracking. Maybe you should look into this before buying one.

[@kishanreddy6607]

Does anyone used Studio 2? Do any of these problems addressed with the newer model ? Please suggest. I’m thinking of getting studio 2

[@kwoknation]

I haven't tested the SLS 2 myself, but given that they're still using the same Intel chips that aren't any more efficient, battery on the 4090 is still a common problem. Otherwise, it's a good spec bump!

[@limelemon123]

Is this okay to buy now? I am going to buy i5 11300h 16gb + 256gb

[@sknock8883]

No bro, you’re buying an outdated laptop. Either buy the surface laptop studio 2 or another laptop - but smarter to buy another brand, as the surface 2 is insanely expensive

[@LaurenHynde]

Excellent review.

[@kwoknation]

thank you!

[@ovinh2183]

For surface devices the actual battery life always be the official data/2

[@kwoknation]

😭

[@porthospatel1683]

I would not recommend pumping up to maximum brightness on any computer/laptop. It can damage the screen

[@sammyj349]

I agree with everything you said as well. I had it since the it came out and I feel the same way

[@kwoknation]

🙏

[@davidwong7283]

Sammy when battery saver mode is used , the refresh rate auto drops to 30fps ...you can get 10+ hours surfing internet . you need to know the right settings and also take care of your battery .

[@davidwong7283]

i am on battery limiter 50% when plugged in , my battery capacity after 18 months is 95% still . Maybe your battery is already spoilt .

[@sammyj349]

@davidwong7283 you're probably right! I tend to put my battery to "best performance" when I use my adobe apps

[@davidwong7283]

@@sammyj349 well you should > when plugged in . and not on 100% charge as well . plugged in + on battery limiter of 50% . And also dont use the 102W charger provided . If you want true true power when plugged in , buy the 120W charger . Microsoft used to give the 120 for the laptop series .

[@ogikay7056]

Thats why I use mac for work and pc for gaming