Microsoft Surface Studio 2: you can buy one now if you can afford it

Next to the original Surface 2-in-1 tablets, Microsoft's next most innovative product is probably the Surface Studio all-in-one computer. From its sheer size and design, this PC is clearly meant to make you look good while you create good content. And you better be making good content to make up for its cost. Because while the Surface Studio 2 is now available for purchase, at least in some markets, you might want or even need to save up for one first.

Just like the Surface Pro 6, the Surface Studio 2 is what some would consider to be an incremental upgrade. All that has changed is inside. From the outside, it looks almost identical to the first Surface Studio, which isn't exactly a bad thing. There's still a sense of novelty and freshness to that multi-angle hinge and minimalist design.

Microsoft dubbed the Surface Studio 2 as the most powerful Surface ever, and that's not really unexpected. Even the Surface Book 2 can't compare to the specs. You have a seventh-gen Intel Core i7, for starters, probably the only disappointing spec to this 2018 computer. That's paired with either 16 or 32 GB of RAM and 1 or 2 TB of storage, depending on your budget and needs. The graphics has also been boosted to an NVIDIA GTX 1060 or 1070, making the Surface Studio 2 more VR and AR friendly.

Of course, it isn't just a powerful PC. Gaming desktops would outperform it quite easily. Its raison d'être is its massive 28-inch PixelSense screen, now 32% brighter, Microsoft ways, with 22% better contrast. That, in turn, is paired with the new Surface Pen with 4,096 levels of pressure. Without those, the Surface Studio 2 would be a pretty overpriced AIO.

Some would, of course, consider it already overpriced, even if its price tag includes essential accessories (the Surface Dial isn't one). Its base price of $3,499 gives you 16 GB of RAM and 1 TB SSD storage. If you aim for the sky, however, 32 GB RAM and 2 TB SSD storage will set you back $4,799. But not only that, it seems that shipping for mid and top configurations have also been pushed back to early December.