While the Surface was originally envisioned as a tablet, at some point along the way, Microsoft realized that, you know, what a lot of people actually want is a laptop. One with a real keyboard that you can type on, not some floppy snap-on device that can’t even be properly used in your lap.
Enter the creatively-named Surface Laptop, a machine that launched last year with the goal of providing a simple notebook for Everyman, something that its luxe Surface Book, launched two years prior, never really managed to do. Unlike the Surface Book, the Surface Laptop’s keyboard is permanently attached to its chassis, and frills are in short supply. With version 2 of this device, you’re getting a down-to-earth laptop that, while quirky at times, serves as a solid, versatile computing device for a wide range of user types.
The original Surface Laptop was designed as an entry-level device, with the tragic inclusion of the pared-down Windows 10 S operating system as the default. Windows 10 S has since been revamped as a subset of Windows 10, but even Redmond seems to be backing away from it, now including a full version of Windows 10 Home on the Surface Laptop 2.
That’s a nice step, because it makes it easier to appreciate the laptop’s more impressive features and charms. The keyboard is a particular highlight – peppy and responsive, one of the best in the ultralight form factor that I’ve ever encountered. It and the clickpad are all surrounded by the Surface Laptop's fuzzy, suede-like material that covers the entire palmrest and lower chassis, another unique feature you won’t find on the typical budget ultralight. Don't like typing? The 13.5-inch touchscreen (with an oddly tall but very bright 2,256 by 1,504-pixel resolution) tracks well, either with a fingertip or Microsoft’s optional Surface Pen ($100, sold separately).
