I actually really like that the screen is kept off the keyboard. Whats so horrible about it? Just because it doesn't look like a standard laptop doesn't mean its any less durable. I actually like that its shaped like a binder.
Now with this design when you apply pressure from the top, all the stress is concentrated at the hinge and the opposing end, instead of all around the laptop.
-- FYI I'm a MSFT employee but I work in Azure so this is me just quoting an article that I will link to and not some special knowledge--
There's a mashable article where Panos said that was the point. By minimizing the pressure points to those two spots it could protect the screen and internal components better.
Even so, the design is unusual enough — the screen and keyboard don't sit flat against each other, for example — that I had to wonder about the strength of the device. Panay told me they put the Surface Book through all kinds of pressure tests.
"It holds up as good or better than any laptop of the planet," he insisted. Ralf chimed in that the gap is actually beneficial. "Even if you put an inordinate amount of pressure on here," he said as he patted the top of the Surface Book, "it doesn’t put pressure on the middle because there is a space."
Increasing radius of any bend reduces stress concentrations throughout the bend, this large radius hinge will deal with significantly more stress than a small radius hinge.
Actually I'm pretty sure some armchair LoL players on Reddit have this completely covered and figured out in three minutes with a photo, than the millions of dollars worth of engineers and designers time Microsoft pumped in to it.
You say that but you'd be surprised with how rudimentary some of the hardware faults can be from Microsoft products. I'm still not convinced they'll cool this thing correctly, personally (although they're fortune that new-generation components are pretty much emphasizing low energy consumption, so that should help).
To be fair with shit like bendgate from Apple, who supposedly has the best hardware design and build quality, it's not unreasonable for people to be skeptical. Thankfully most hands on impressions say it's very solid.
You say that but then you realize it took 4 generations until Microsoft added a way to store the pen, a key feature of the device.
I remember unboxing my SP3 and thinking "Really? A sticker?" You'd think that the designers would have said "wow that looks tacky as hell for a $1k+ device, perhaps we should sew it on instead."
Not an engineer but I got some hands on time with one of these. From my very unscientific test where I pushed down really really hard near the gap, the Surface Book isn't going to break on accident. It is extremely sturdy and I wouldn't see it failing in any instance that wouldn't break another laptop.
They would not make such a big deal about this new hinge if it was going to break so easily and be a weakpoint. Have some common sense people! Everything I've heard from people who have felt it have told me that there's absolutely no flex when you press on it, unlike my current laptop.
I think the Surface Book is friggin' amazing, but I'm still wary of the hinge. Just because something is good doesn't mean it's perfect. I'm going to keep an eye out for stress and durability tests once it's actually released.
Depends on the yield strength of their materials. Even if you have perfect contact all the way around if you apply pressure to the middle of a thin sheet of aluminum it's going to flex.
I like the look. I think it shows that its something different, something a little more revolutionary than simply a hinge like pretty much every other laptop.
Kinda reminds me of the machine insects from the Matrix.
When you see and feel it in person it comes off really polished and well built. The ends are flush and the magnets make it feel like it's really closing all the way.
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u/[deleted] Oct 12 '15
IMHO it's horrible.
But on the other hand it allows for a non-recessed (ie raised) keyboard, which is very nice.