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Microsoft is finally refreshing the Surface Studio 2 (four years later)

Jacob Roach
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Almost four years ago to the day, Microsoft released the Surface Studio 2, which we called “a true Mac killer” in our Surface Studio 2 review. It has fallen our of favor as Apple switching to the M1 iMac over the past couple of years, but Microsoft is finally answering back with the aptly named Surface Studio 2+, announced during Microsoft’s fall hardware event.

It’s a revision to the model released a few years back, at least based on the name. But under the hood, the Surface Studio 2+ is an all-new machine. You’re now getting an 11th-gen Intel mobile processor, which Microsoft says is “50% faster” than the previous Surface Studio. Even that’s an understatement. The previous version was stuck with a 7th-gen Intel processor that was dated when it was released.

A woman using the Microsoft Surface Studio 2+.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Microsoft is in a similar situation here. The Surface Studio 2+ launches with the quad-core Intel Core i7-11370H, which is about a year-and-a-half old. Intel’s newer 12th-gen CPUs provide much better performance, so it’s strange that Microsoft went with the previous generation. The processor choice lends some credibility to rumors that Microsoft delayed the Surface Studio 2+ due to the pandemic, though.

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The all-in-one desktop is getting a much more impressive update in the graphics department. It comes with a laptop Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card, which is one of the best 1080p graphics cards you can buy right now. Although the Surface Studio 2+ is far from a gaming machine, the GPU can push some demanding titles at 1080p.

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It’s not enough to push games at the native resolution of the display, though. This screen is why the Surface Studio 2+ is a refresh and not a totally new machine. It’s the same 28-inch PixelSense display that was available on the original model, fit with a 4,500 x 3,000 resolution and a contrast ratio of 1,200:1. This time around, though, it support Dolby Vision HDR and comes coated with Gorilla Glass 3.

The machine comes with Windows 11 pre-installed, as well as the hardware to officially support the new operating system. That shouldn’t be too surprising considering this is a Microsoft device, after all.

Microsoft is taking some repair pointers from Apple too. The Surface Studio 2+ comes with Customer Replaceable Units (CRUs). It’s not clear what components Microsoft will offer or how much they’ll cost. And despite the name, attempting to use a CRU on your own will void your warranty. The only way to not void your warranty is to go to an authorized service technician.

We don’t have pricing or a release date yet, but it’s safe to assume the Surface Studio 2+ will be expensive. The original version ran $3,500 for its base configuration when it launched, though it’s no longer available to purchase.

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Jacob Roach
Jacob Roach
Senior Staff Writer, Computing
Jacob Roach is a writer covering computing and gaming at Digital Trends. After realizing Crysis wouldn't run on a laptop, he…
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