Microsoft Surface Book 2 release date, specs: second edition to correct device's hinge gap problem?

A Microsoft logo is seen on an office building in New York City, July 28, 2015.Reuters/Mike Segar

It seems that Microsoft will be overhauling the design of its upcoming Surface lineups. For the rumored Surface Book 2, the Redmond-based tech giant will reportedly fix the hinge gap issue from its predecessor.

A lot of users have negative feedback for the hinge gap in the current-gen Surface Book. When closed, the laptop has more of a wedge design than a flat-out body, since the hinge on the Surface Book do not totally close out the gap. However, it is rumored that for its follow-up, Microsoft will do away with the hinge gap completely, with a new joint design. This will make the display and keyboard sit flush on top of one another, much like how traditional laptops do. However, it is still unclear what Microsoft did in terms of the new design.

Aside from completely overhauling the body, the Surface Book 2 is also said to feature souped-up specs. Speculations suggest that the top-tier model may even come out with a seventh-gen Intel Kaby Lake processor inside. This is highly possible, since reports have mentioned that Intel has already started shipping out its new chipsets to third-party tech makers.

In addition to the new Kaby Lake processors, it is expected that the new Surface Book 2 will include upgraded specs for its RAM, onboard storage, and features, including a 4K display variant. A top-tier version is already expected, given that another new Surface product, the Surface AIO, is also expected to come out as a full lineup, with both full HD and 4K display versions rolling out.

As to when fans can expect the new Surface Book 2, speculations suggest a late 2016 rollout, though the new Surface products may debut in October. Reportedly, Mcirosoft is planning a full product launch simultaneous with a major update rollout for its Windows 10 platform.