During the event, Microsoft announced that the newest incarnation of the Surface Book will have upgraded graphics, extended battery life and more processing power.
While most engineers might be scratching their heads wondering what the Surface has to do with their day-to-day CAD existence, Microsoft insists that the Surface is the tablet that will replace your desktop workstation for good.
It has good reason to do so as well.
For the last year, the Surface tablet has had more than enough power to run full-blown CAD applications. In fact, enterprising software developers like Siemens have invested plenty of time to ensure that powerful CAD software like Solid Edge will run seamlessly on Surface. In Siemens’ case, it has even gone so far as to program its software to take advantage of the Surface’s multi-touch screen and stylus.
That being said, the new Surface Book appears to be an upgrade that will enable even further productivity for CAD users.
To begin with, the Surface Book now comes equipped with an Intel Core i7 processor that should makethe system’s OS and applications much snappier. In addition to an enhanced processor, the Surface Book also features a 2 GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 965M GPU, which will improve the machine’s performance when handling large assemblies and rendering tasks. Finally, Microsoft’s tablet has an extended battery life topping out at 16 hours.
While the Surface Book represents a nice improvement over the 2015 model, it might be difficult for engineers to justify the price of the machine. In November, engineers will be able to pick up a Surface Book for $2,399. For a few hundred dollars more, one could nab an expandable desktop system that trumps the Surface Book’s performance.
Then again, if portability is a priority, the new Surface Book might be a great buy for your workflow.