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Microsoft’s new Surface Book could make the OLED MacBook Pro dead on arrival

Updated Aug 12th, 2016 6:35AM EDT
Surface Book 2 Pro 5 Release Date
Image: Microsoft

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Thinner, faster, and with awesome new tricks up its sleeve. That’s pretty much what the 2016 MacBook Pro refresh is expected to be according to multiple reports, making it the most significant MacBook Pro update in recent years. But Apple isn’t the only company preparing a hot laptop for this year’s end, as Microsoft is working on its own Surface upgrades.

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A report from Windows Central claims that one of the major things Microsoft will change about in its second-generation Surface Book is that innovative hinge that got so much attention last year.

It appears that not all the people who purchased the device were happy with the gap created by that fulcrum hinge. The gap in it got some criticism, and Microsoft apparently heard it. The new design will incorporate a hinge that “makes the display and keyboard flush” when closed, just like a traditional laptop.

The Surface Book will also get other more important upgrades, including Intel’s Kaby Lake processors, second-gen USB 3.1 ports, and a new graphics architecture for 3D and 4K graphics.

However, don’t get too excited about buying a second-gen Surface Book anytime soon. Microsoft will launch it at some point in late 2016, so you might be able to buy in time for Christmas.

The Surface Book 2 won’t be the only new Windows 10 laptop from Microsoft. The company will also launch a Surface Pro 5 family of devices. The laptop will be announced this fall, and ship a few weeks after that, ZDNet reported in early July. The Surface Pro 5 should also incorporate Kaby Lake CPUs from Intel, and might also feature a 4K display like the new Surface Book.

Finally, MobileSyrup notes that there’s a third “mystery” Surface device that should come in three screen sizes, including 21-inch (1080p), 24-inch (4K), and 27-inch 4K. This sounds very much like the iMac-killer we heard about earlier this year, a device that could be called the Surface All-in-One. The desktop might not be available for purchase this year.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.