Can Surface Book 2 be upgraded?

for the surface book 2 you can technically replace the HD as it is a "blade" type m.2 ssd. This involves removing the fragile screen, which is glued down, and removing the motherboard. Aside from the risk to cracking the screen you also risk a lot of other damage to antennas, ribbon cables, delicate connectors, and just general damage to the electronics (i.e ESD damage). Once you've completed the upgrade you'll need to properly re-assemble everything and then correctly re-apply the screen adhesive and hope everything is lined up properly. As someone who works on electronics and does a lot of hourly work, you're not saving money doing this yourself once you factor in your own time and the risk of damage. Especially when you consider the larger ssd options usually have better ram etc.

Some newer Surface devices come with Windows 11 already installed. Other Surface devices can be upgraded from Windows 10 to Windows 11. 

Note: Devices that can't be upgraded can continue running Windows 10. We'll continue to support at least one version of Windows 10 based on the support dates listed on the Windows 10 Home and Pro: Microsoft Lifestyle website.

To see if your device is compatible:

  1. Look for your device in the list of Surface models that can be upgraded to Windows 11. If you're not sure which Surface device model you have, look in the Surface app. For more info, see Find out which Surface model you have.

  2. Use the PC Health Check app to find out if your device has any other requirements you need to meet (for example, Secure Boot capability).
    Download PC Health Check

Surface models that can be upgraded to Windows 11

  • Surface Book 2 (on 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-8350U or i7-8650U processor only)

  • Surface Book 3

  • Surface Laptop 2

  • Surface Laptop 3

  • Surface Laptop 4

  • Surface Laptop Go

  • Surface Go 2

  • Surface Pro 6

  • Surface Pro 7

  • Surface Pro 7+

  • Surface Pro X

  • Surface Studio 2

  • Surface Hub 2S

How we're rolling out the free upgrade to Windows 11

The free upgrade to Windows 11 is available based on hardware eligibility, reliability metrics, the age of your Surface, and other factors.

If you have a Windows 10 PC that's eligible for the upgrade to Windows 11, Windows Update will let you know when it's available. You can also check on your own by going to Start Settings > Update & Security Windows Update Check for updates.

Check for Windows updates

To learn how to upgrade your Surface, see Getting ready for the Windows 11 upgrade.

Need more help?

Best Microsoft Surface Book Accessories of 2017

Best Microsoft Surface Book Accessories of 2017 (Image credit: Windows Central)

Microsoft's Surface Book 2 is a powerful laptop with a modular design, a touch display available in two sizes, and a high price. One way to save a bit of money at checkout is to dial back the size of your solid-state drive (SSD). 

To add more storage after purchase, you can use a standard SD card, but it will stick out and run the risk of being damaged during everyday use. However, a special adapter allows you to tidily fit a microSD card into the Surface Book 2 without any risk of damage.

How to add storage to your Surface Book on the cheap

The BaseQi microSD adapter sits flush along the edge of your Surface Book 2, and there are sizes to fit either 13.5- or 15-inch configurations. Here's how to get everything set up.

  1. Slide the microSD card into the BaseQi adapter.

Slide the microSD card into the adapter.

(Image credit: Source: Windows Central)
  1. Slide the card and adapter into the SD slot on the side of your Surface Book 2. It should sit flush against the edge of your laptop.

Slide the card and adapter into the SD slot.

(Image credit: Source: Windows Central)

Before you remove the microSD card and adapter from the Surface Book 2, ensure you eject it properly to avoid corruption or data loss.

  1. Click the Show hidden icons button on your Surface Book 2.
  2. Click the Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media button.
  3. Click Eject SDXC.

Click the Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media button. Click Eject SDXC.

(Image credit: Source: Windows Central)

You now know how to add and remove additional storage from your Surface Book 2.

Our top equipment picks

Unfortunately, the BaseQi adapter can't take advantage of the UHS-II bus in the Surface Book 2, so it's recommended to stick with a UHS-I microSD card. Here's the gear we recommend for these steps.

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SanDisk Ultra 256GB microSD card

Fast and reliable

This UHS-I microSD card offers read speeds up to 100MB/s and is plenty reliable. It's also relatively cheap, allowing you to add storage without hurting your wallet.

There are several size options to choose from when checking out — up to 512GB for about $150 — but the best value seems to be from the 256GB card, which costs about $45. You're not needlessly paying for UHS-II speeds, and the 100MB/s transfer rate here is good enough for everyday usage without running the risk of snapping off a full-sized SD card.

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For a flush fit

This adapter is made specifically for both sizes of the Surface Book 2, and will even work with the older Surface Book and Surface Book with Performance Base.

Without this $25 accessory, you'll be stuck with added storage that sticks out the side of your Surface Book 2. This adapter offers a flush fit along the edge of your laptop, reducing the risk of damage, plus it simply looks way better if you plan on keeping the additional storage in your Surface Book 2 at all times.

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Cale Hunt is formerly a Senior Editor at Windows Central. He focuses mainly on laptop reviews, news, and accessory coverage. He's been reviewing laptops and accessories full-time since 2016, with hundreds of reviews published for Windows Central. He is an avid PC gamer and multi-platform user, and spends most of his time either tinkering with or writing about tech.

Is Surface Book 2 RAM upgradable?

Sorry, there are no Memory upgrades available for this model. The manufacturer may have installed the maximum RAM or the RAM slots may be inaccessible. It is also possible that the supported RAM type is no longer available.

Can Microsoft Surface book be upgraded?

However, those upgrades are only available as specific configurations, so you can't upgrade the RAM or storage at will. These configurations can get pretty expensive, too, so you might be thinking about getting a RAM upgrade for the Surface Laptop 5 later, but that's not possible.

Can I upgrade Surface Book 2 graphics card?

Is it possible to upgrade (or replace) the Nvidia graphics card in Surface Book 2? Given that SB2 has an iFixit score of 1, I'm guessing the answer is no, but would just like to know for sure. Short answer: No.

Can you upgrade SSD in Surface Book?

Microsoft does not support replacing the screen or the SSD.