Today, after updating its firmware (and yes, the Dock contains firmware) our Surface Book 2 failed to recognize my 4K display while connected to the Dock. But the combination of the Surface Book 2 and first-gen Dock still failed on even a simpler level. (The first Surface Book lacked a USB-C port, while the Surface Book 2 included one.)ĭiplomatically, I’d call the Dock “flaky.” The first Microsoft Store review for the Surface Dock described it as “junk.” Users wondered why the Surface Book 2 attached to the Dock couldn’t support a pair of 4K monitors at 60Hz, when the 2017 model of the Surface Pro could. USB-C hubs weren’t nearly as prevalent several years ago as they are today, so Microsoft kept shipping the original Surface Dock, which it had launched with the original Surface Book in 2015. Users also complained that the Surface Book 2 had an overheating issue, where it would continue to operate while closed, and temperatures would climb to alarming levels (especially if you put the closed laptop into a bag). A CPU issue slowed it to a crawl, and problems with the discrete GPU eventually held up the Windows Update.

In that scenario, the Surface Book 2 began pulling power from the battery, even while plugged in. Almost immediately, reviewers figured out that the Surface Book 2 drew too much power for its AC adapter under load, such as in the middle of a game or a 3D CAD app that tapped the discrete GPU.

At those prices, anyone who purchased a Surface Book 2 should have had close to a flawless experience.

Microsoft’s premium PC asked buyers to pay $1,149, minimum, for a Surface Book 2, and up to a whopping $3,300 for a top-of-the-line model.

Microsoft surface book pro 2