Microsoft's Surface Studio 2 started shipping in November of last year. While it carries a starting price just shy of $3,500, it packs plenty of features that artists and designers will really appreciate.
Surface Studio 2 has a faster processor and more storage.
Microsoft set out to make the "fastest surface ever" with this one (50% percent faster GPU) and 2 TB of SSD storage for handling all of those hefty graphic files.
The Surface Studio 2 screen is gorgeous.
The brilliant colors and graphics displayed on the screen are designed to be viewed clearly from any angle. The screen tilts using the zero gravity hinge for natural sketching positions while holding the surface pen.
The improved surface pen is more expressive and accurate - even towards the edges of the screen. When touched on the screen it provides a focused, immersive experience. When not in use, the pen attaches via magnet to either side of the screen.
If you edit photos or render 3D graphics, the 28” touchscreen with 13.5 million pixels and true-to-life colors will help you see your illustrations and designs with life-like realism. The screen resolution is better than 4k with a 3:2 aspect ratio for more vertical space.
The Surface Dial feature gives you the ability to customize shortcuts (such as color choice) for an improved workflow.
Pair it with Office 365 for incredible collaboration abilities.
You can highlight selections of your work and take notes right on the screen using the surface pen, then share your creations using OneDrive and discuss ideas or compare drafts in Teams.
Whether you use Autodesk® AutoCAD® or The Adobe Creative Suite, The Office 365 integrations and technical specs of the Surface Studio 2 make it useful for your in-house creative team.
Should Mac users give the Surface Studio 2 a look?
In the past, video editing was always the deal breaker when it came to deciding if you should replace your Mac with a Windows device. However, the Surface Studio 2's large screen and high resolution is great for editing video.
Using a program like Adobe Premiere Pro with a machine designed for touch functionality (with either your finger or the surface pen) may take some time to get used to. The screen is also very reflective, so you're going to want to spend the prep time to get the screen's angle and lighting of the room just right before working in Premiere, Photoshop, or Lightroom.
Editing 4K videos is smooth without lag. And you can view your 4K videos in their native resolution too.
User tests have shown that you can export a 5 min 4k 25FPS video in under 10 minutes on the Surface Studio 2. That swift performance will beat any Mac currently in market.
Is the Surface Studio 2 right for you?
Well, only you can truly answer that, but at its current price, this should not be an impulse buy. There are other more affordable and powerful workstations out there.
The reason to purchase a Surface Studio 2 is because you really plan to use the special features (surface pen, dial, tilt) to work better. If you're going to make the investment, you should also take the time to learn everything Office 365 has to offer in the manner of integration and collaborative tools - this will ensure you are getting the most out of this device.
There will always be artists and designers who prefer their Mac for photo and video editing, but if your work requires a large digital canvas and frequent collaboration - this workstation is an excellent choice.
Do you need an experienced computer consultant to help you get the right devices for each department of your business? Contact us today.
