Low spec Surface Book 2 vs Xps 13 (2018) for student

[Spuz7]

Hey,

Im in need of a new portable device as im starting this year in medical school. I was thinking of the new Xps 13 and of the Surface Book 2. I'm struggling to chose between these two as i do not know if having a pen and a touchscreen is worth it or not for a college student.

I will always have a desktop in my dorm, my laptop will primarily be for web browsing and office work, and maybe some a little bit more intensive 3D tasks if there are any medical programs that i'll need.

My question is: Can anyone recommend the lowest specced Surface Book 2 over a Xps 13, knowing that these 2 are similarly priced here in Europe? Or should i just go for the Dell if I'm not sure that I'll ever need the pen?

Or are there other sub 1500$ portable devices that you recommend over these 2?

 

Thanks in advance!

[Slottr]

Im a huge advocate for the xps, but if you like writing notes by hand definitely get the SB2

[Spuz7]

I don't really know if I'll ever need the pen or not. Is the SB2 for the same price as the entry level Xps 13 recommendable? even without the pen?

[Slottr]

15 minutes ago, Spuz7 said:

I don't really know if I'll ever need the pen or not. Is the SB2 for the same price as the entry level Xps 13 recommendable? even without the pen?

Again, if you like taking notes by hand, the pen comes in handy. If you like typing notes, go for the xps.

 

Without the pen I'd say no. I use my xps every day at school for taking notes, but I also don't have too many diagrams and stuff to copy down in classes like chem because I'm in business.

[Spuz7]

But is there anything specific that the xps can do that the sb2 just cant?

Im really sorry that I am so complicated but this is really screwing with my head for weeks now

Edited August 28, 2018 by Spuz7

[genexis_x]

Do you really need tablet/convertible? SB2 isn't worth it IMO

[Spuz7]

I do not know yet if I need it or not. Thats why I'm asking, How about the 2 in 1 Xps 13 if the SB2 isn't worth it? 

[genexis_x]

I would say it's a good feature for students (taking notes)

 

XPS 13 2 in 1 is meh. Overpriced and low performance

 

Do you need dGPU? Preferred display size, max weight and minimum battery life?

[Spuz7]

No I do not need dGpu, display size around 13 inch, max weight under 1,5 kg and at least 6 hours of office work for battery life.

I do not really need a powerful machine as i have my own self-built pc for intensive tasks. It just needs to be portable, durable, and practical for day to day student use.

 

So you are not recommending the Xps 13 2 in 1 at all?

[genexis_x]

Could you list out all 13.3 inch laptops with 8250U/8550U CPU that are within your budget?

[FrozenIpaq]

Dell XPS all the way. The Surface is nice but I see it more as a consumption device than a productivity device. I know several people with the Surface and the largest annoyance is figuring out how to use it like a laptop - the stand makes it difficult to use it as a traditional laptop on your lap but is fine on a desk. 

 

I'd only recommend a Surface if you have a specific need for the pen - I've tried to use it as a way to take notes on other (similar) devices and keep falling back to just typing notes out - very rarely have I used a pen even though I've been a user of touchscreen devices since 2003 (PDAs) and loved it back then. You end up paying more for the form factor of the Surface than you do for anything else - so unless you have a specific need for that form factor, then I'd say go with the XPS. The XPS is, in my eyes, one of the top rated laptops on the market right now.