Surface Book 3

What's new in Surface Book 3

Designed for versatility, mobility, and high performance

Overview

• Who is Surface Book 3 designed for?

  Our Surface customers have some of the most demanding performance needs whether editing movies for the big screen, building 3D models for skyscrapers, training machine learning models for AI solutions, or playing the latest PC games. So, we set to build the best balance of computational power and versatility in a laptop form factor for power users, professionals, or others requiring advanced performance and the ability to work from anywhere. Surface Book 3 brings the latest in CPU performance from Intel and the latest in GPU performance from NVIDIA.

• What are the GPU options for Surface Book 3?

  − NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650. Max-Q Design with 4GB GDDR5 graphics memory, 10th Gen Quad Core i-7 processor, 16 or 32GB LPDDR4x RAM. 13-inch models.

  − NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti. Max-Q Design with 6GB GDDR6 graphics memory, 10th Gen Quad Core i-7 processor, 16 or 32GB LPDDR4x RAM. 15” models.

  − NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000. Max-Q Design with 6GB GDDR6 graphics memory, 10th Gen Quad Core i-7 processor, 16 or 32GB LPDDR4x RAM. 15” models.

  − Intel Iris™ Plus Graphics. 10th Gen Quad Core i5 processor and 8GB LPDDR4x RAM.

• Why is Microsoft doing Quadro?

  We already have a footprint in the creative CAD/designer market today; integrating Quadro strengthens our position and aligns us for continued growth. The following table highlights the key workflows for Quadro and GeForce models.

  

• What is the value of Quadro RTX 3000?

  The NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 combines real-time ray tracing, advanced shading, and AI-enhanced tools in powerful yet stable mobile workstation products. Quadro RTX 3000 delivers value through a combination of the following “must have” features for users working in the most “compute demanding” professional environments:

  − RTX-acceleration across multiple workflows like design, animation, video production, and more.

  − Desktop-grade performance in a mobile form factor.

  − Enterprise-class features, reliability, and support for mission-critical projects.

• What does RTX mean?

  RT refers to ray tracing, and RTX is NVIDIA’s next generation graphics capability. Where RTX really comes to life is with the built-in tensor cores that enable AI-powered workflows. With AI built into the physical hardware itself, through features like floating point arrays and gate arrays, RTX enables customers to reach greater levels of creativity on a mobile platform.

• Why choose Quadro over GeForce?

  Quadro RTX 3000 provides advanced GPU acceleration capabilities to enable ray tracing and other compute-intensive workloads. It brings a highly performant computing platform for AI, VR and graphics workloads maximizing graphics and compute performance for designers, engineers, researchers, data scientists, and creative professionals. GeForce is targeted to freelancers, online creators, and others who can comfortably get their work done running core features in productivity software like Adobe Photoshop. Unlike engineers or researchers, they’re more focused on independently creating their own content.

• Why choose GeForce over Quadro?

  Optimized for consumers, hobbyists, and creative professionals, NVIDIA GeForce GTX enables enhanced gaming experiences with improved graphics, an increased frame rate for smoother gameplay, and improved realism with 3D software and algorithms like GameWorks libraries that provide special effects. Plus, the GeForce Experience application optimizes user settings for each title and enables players to record and share gameplay. These GeForce performance capabilities also make the 13-inch Surface Book 3 ideal for productivity workloads like Adobe Creative Cloud, especially for independent creators who do not necessarily need the ray tracing features found in more powerful GPUs.

• Doesn’t GeForce also have RTX capabilities?

  Although both GeForce and Quadro have RTX functionality, the GeForce GPU in consumer models of Surface Book 3 does not include RTX.

• Won’t most users do advanced workloads on high powered workstations?

  That may have been true at one time. However, as the events of 2020 have shown, the high-performance mobile form factor has never been more critical. Creative professionals must be able to get their work on the go, at home, and across different locations. That means access to real-time rendering, AI acceleration, and advanced graphics and compute performance in a portable form factor – exactly what Quadro RTX was built to deliver.

• Is Microsoft considering an i5/16/256 SKU?

  Not currently.

• Will Quadro have a 2TB SKU?

  No, Quadro RTX 3000 has a maximum SSD size of 1TB. The 15-inch SKU with GeForce 1660 Ti is the only model with a 2TB SSD option and is only available in the U.S.

• Is there an LTE model for Surface Book 3?

  No.

• Which versions of Surface Book 3 have a fanless thermal solutions?

  The 13-inch model with Intel iGPU does not use a fan.

Common Questions

• Does Surface Book 3 come in any other colors?

  No, Surface Book 3 comes in platinum only.

• What Wi-Fi NIC is included?

  Surface Book 3 uses Intel Harrison Peak 22560 across all SKUs. The 15-inch model also provides an Xbox wireless Wi-Fi connection.12 For a full comparison of wireless features on Surface Book 3 compared with Surface Book 2, see the following table.

  

• Is the Surface Book 3 a U or H class Intel Processor?

  U class.

• How does the detachable tablet become a PC?

  Surface Book 3 is designed with the primary components of the PC contained in the screen portion of the device body, including the CPU, primary battery, memory, storage, and so on. Accordingly, the Surface Book 3 screen functions as a fully independent tablet PC much like a large Surface Pro device and connects to the keyboard base using a central Surface Connect adapter. An additional lane of USB and PCIe connectivity to the discrete GPU is enabled with two bidirectional connectors that allow you to detach the screen and reattach it in the reverse direction. Surface Book 3 advances the design of the original “muscle-wire hinge” with the help of smaller tabs and improved components that make it easier to detach the screen from the keyboard base.

• Does Surface Book 3 support VR headsets or other peripherals that require direct access to the discrete GPU?

  No, to optimize power efficiency and performance, connecting external displays such as VR headsets that require direct access to the discrete GPU is not supported.

• Why does Windows Hello sometimes not recognize me?

  The Infrared (IR) camera has a field of view (FOV) of 60 degrees, which means that the device may not recognize you if you are at an angle near or beyond 60 degrees from the camera.

• My computer will not turn on, how do I perform a hard reset?

  Press and hold the Power button until the device shuts down and the Surface logo appears. This takes about 20-25 seconds. This method simplifies the hard-reset process by no longer requiring you to press and hold both the Volume-down and Power buttons at the same time.

• How do I connect external displays?

  Use the USB-C port or Surface Dock.

• Can I use my Xbox One controller to play games?

  Yes, Xbox One controller support is available on the 15-inch model.

• How do I clean the screen?

  Customers can use many common disinfectant products to safely clean most Microsoft Surface devices, namely, PDI Sani-Cloth Plus, CaviWipes, Covidien Alcohol Prep Pads, Total Solutions Full Spectrum Disinfectant Wipes, or Clorox Healthcare Bleach Germicidal Wipes, and any similar disinfectant wipes with Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) solution under 70%. Users should avoid dousing the device with a solution, but rather use pre-moistened disinfectant wipes or apply IPA to a cloth to clean the device. The following medical disinfectant wipes & IPA have been tested and are safe to be used on Surface Book 3:

  − PDI Sani-Cloth Plus

  − Covidien Alcohol Prep Pads

  − Cavi Wipes

  − Clorox Wipe: Bleach Germicidal

  − Total Solutions Disinfectant Wipes

  − Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) solution of 70 percent or less

Security & Management

• Does the consumer version of Surface Book 3 use a firmware TPM (fTPM)?

  No both consumer and commercial versions use a discrete Trusted Platform Module (dTPM) 2.0 chip.

• What is discrete TPM?

  A dTPM is a discrete Trusted Platform Module (TPM) microchip designed to provide basic security-related functions, primarily involving encryption keys. The TPM is usually installed on the motherboard of a computer, and it communicates with the remainder of the system by using a hardware bus. On Surface devices, the dTPM is hardware protected against intrusion while software uses the protected keys and measurements to verify software validity. Note: The term “discrete TPM” means the same thing as “TPM.”

• Why would I need discrete TPM?

  The dTPM provides FIPS 140-2 certification, the U.S. government computer security standard. Government customers in the U.S. and Canada typically require dTPM to meet the FIPS 140-2 standards. The dTPM is also compliant with Common Criteria certification used by customers outside of North America. Can TPM be updated as part of Windows and firmware updates? Like other firmware, dTPM can be updated via Windows Update or by using separate MSI files as deployed by commercial customers. Where can I learn more about TPM? Refer to the Microsoft Docs TPM documentation.

• How far back will we have OS support with Surface Book 3?

  New commercial SKUs ship with Windows 10 1909 and support downgrading to Windows 10 1809 aka the Windows 10 October 2018 Update.

• To update Surface Book 3, will customers be able to download drivers directly from NVIDIA?

  Surface Book 3 will continue to align with the current device servicing infrastructure across all Surface devices to ensure the testing required to meet quality assurance standards. Accordingly, drivers will be provided on Windows Update after they are released by NVIDIA.

• What does Quadro offer for Enterprise?

  In addition to industry leading performance, Quadro RTX-powered systems provide both independent creators and the largest enterprises with workstation-class stability, security, and reliability including:

  − Professional optimization, testing, and NVIDIA certification with 100+ ISV applications.

  − Enterprise-level hardware and software support as well as deployment tools to maximize uptime and minimize IT support requirements.

  − Long-lived Quadro drivers that are tuned, tested, and validated by OEM partners to provide enterprise-level stability, reliability, availability, and support along with extended product availability.

  

Power

• What is the battery design for Surface?

  Surface battery design uses a rechargeable lithium-ion cell battery pack specifically designed to attain optimal battery life and power integrity conditions.

• How do you measure battery life?

  We measure battery life based on a user profile that reflects how a typical Surface customer uses their device.

• How can I compare Surface Book 3 to other devices that use local video playback?

  Battery measurements — based on local video playback — are only one type of use scenario. By moving to a battery test based on a model that represents how our customers typically use our device, we strive to give consumers the best information possible.

• How do you know how customers use their device?

  We evaluate qualitative and quantitative data from customer feedback, user studies and market research, and usage statistics.

• What is typical device usage in your battery claim?

  Through use of qualitative and quantitative data from numerous sources, we can estimate typical Surface device usage based on multiple factors. This includes the time the device stays in Connected Standby (sleep) mode while applications are connected to the network as well as the time users spend viewing websites or using Word, Excel, and other productivity software.

• What USB-C spec does Surface Book 3 support?

  USB has always focused on fast transfer speeds and power support for peripherals. To bring the best USB experiences to market across our portfolio for our customers, we are prioritizing:

  − USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, which is capable of 10 Gbps data transfer speeds across our product portfolio.

  − 4K video-out support for dual monitors.

• Does our implementation of USB-C support Thunderbolt?

  No. Our connector is USB-C only, which supports most peripherals in customer use. We have not seen accessory makers adopt Thunderbolt broadly enough to justify the tradeoffs required to support it. We will continue to evaluate this based on customer feedback and ecosystem trends. Note also that that Thunderbolt includes external graphics card support, which is not needed on this device.

• Can I use USB-C to charge Surface Book 3?

  Yes, though the charging experience will vary depending on the wattage of the power supply. A 7-watt cell phone charger will not be as effective as a higher-wattage PSU. Customers should use Surface Connect for optimized charging.

• Does Surface Book 3 13.5" and 15" support "fast charging"?

  No. Fast charging – enabling devices to be 80 percent fully charged in under an hour – is not implemented on Surface Book 3 like it is on the latest Surface Pro or Surface Laptop models. Instead, Surface Book 3 has a higher wattage power supply (120W compared with 95W in Surface Book 2) to enable Surface Book 3 to run with higher performance. Instead of using the extra wattage to charge the battery faster, Surface Book 3 utilizes it to run at higher performance.

• Is there expandable storage on Surface Book 3?

  Yes. All models include a full-size SDXC card reader.

Performance

• How does benchmark performance compare with Surface Book 2?

  The SPECviewperf® 13 benchmark is the worldwide standard for measuring graphics performance based on professional applications. The benchmark measures the 3D graphics performance of systems running under the OpenGL and Direct X application programming interfaces. The benchmark’s workloads, called viewsets, represent graphics content and behavior from actual applications. See the following table and chart for performance benchmark results.

  

  

• How does Quadro enable AI?

  One example is AI encoding for video editing, which enables advanced color correction/refinements,

  and ultra-high-resolution processing. On DaVinci Resolve, RTX-accelerated video editing and color grading features include:

  − Speed Warp. Generates frames with Al to create slow-motion video with fewer errors or artifacts.

  − Auto Color. Matches the look of one clip to another even across different content.

  − Face Refinement. Detects and tracks facial features, enabling faster editing and coloring.

Applications

• What does it mean for applications to be certified for Quadro?

  The Quadro RTX 3000 GPU includes certified drivers that are optimized for stability and performance in professional applications, providing better performance than consumer GPUs.

• How do Quadro certified apps benefit from acceleration features?

  The following tables show how Quadro RTX 3000 provides significantly faster acceleration across leading professional applications. It includes SPECview perf 13 benchmark test results comparing Surface Book 3 15-inch with NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 versus Surface Book 2 15-inch with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 devices in market March 2020.

  

  

  

Pen & Touch

• What if I want a different pen tip?

  Some users prefer a different type of pen tip. Users can purchase an optional pen tip kit online at Surface.com, or from a Microsoft retail store. The kit includes four additional tips with hardness of 2H, H, HB, and B. The 2H tip is a harder, molded tip suitable for sketching and large/fast strokes. The H (felt) tip is best for writing and great for large or fast strokes. The HB (extruded medium) tip is good for writing or sketching medium to small strokes, and the B (extruded soft) tip is for detailed sketches, small strokes. The HB tip is the default tip shipped with the pen.

• How do I change the pen pressure sensitivity?

  Using the Surface app found on all Surface devices (Start Menu->Surface), you can adjust the distribution of the pen pressure range. Note: This does not actually change the pen pressure sensitivity.

• How do the pen buttons work?

  The pen has a single button set in the flat area of the barrel as well as a tail button. The barrel button is used for invoking right click – press the button and tap on the screen to see the context menu. The tail button can be used for three separate functions:

  − Single press: Open Ink Workspace

  − Double press: Screen capture.

  − Press and hold: Launch Sticky note.

Serviceability

• Is the hard drive removable?

  No. Serviceability on Surface Book 3 remains unchanged from Surface Book 2

• For service on Surface Book 3, will it be possible to exchange only the keyboard or screen instead of the entire device?

  It may be technically possible, but it is not supported under current warranty terms.