Entry-level Surface Book 2 may receive quad-core power boost

Microsoft will reportedly issue an upgrade to its entry-level, 13.5-inch Surface Book 2 in the middle of its product cycle, according to several leaked retailer listings in the US and Europe.

First picked up by a German outlet, WinFuture, this beefier version will swap out the current model’s 7th-generation Intel Core i5-7300U dual-core processor for a new, 8th-generation Intel Core i5-8350U quad-core processor.

At the time of writing, the only way to get quad-core processing in the 13.5-inch Surface Book 2 is to undertake a massive, $850 (about £650, AU$1,185) upgrade for more storage and an Intel Core i7 processor you may not need.

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Now, WinFuture reports – and US online retailer MacConnection corroborates – that this new version will be priced exactly like the $1,499 / £1,499 / AU$1,899 version with 256GB of storage. However, it’s unclear right now whether the 128GB version will be updated with this fresh processor.

Also unclear is when – or if – this not-so-mild upgrade will be available. At the time of writing, all listings simply state that the product is available for pre-order.

We’ve contacted Microsoft for comment and will update this story should we receive a response.