Microsoft Surface Book 3 leak confirms a powerful MacBook Pro killer

The Microsoft Surface Book 3 looks imminent based on recent rumors, which have been lent credence by a leak that shows the specs of Microsoft’s next 2-in-1 machine.

A new Energy Star certification (spotted by Windows Latest) confirms there will be two Surface Book 3 models. The laptop will come in 13-inch and 15-inch versions like the Surface Book 2, and will feature Intel’s latest 10th-generation Core processors and up to 32GB of RAM. There was no mention of a dedicated graphics card, but previous leaks have indicated that’ll be an option in the next-generation Surface Book.

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The new certification shows both models of the Surface Book 3 sporting a Core i7 processor with a base clock speed of 1.3GHz. It’s very likely that when running at full power, the CPU will deliver speeds that push well past the 3GHz mark and potentially get close to 4GHz.

The chip mentioned in the certification is likely Intel’s Core i7-1065G7, an "Ice Lake" generation 10-nanometre processor. This chip blends quad-core performance with energy-efficient design to make it suitable for laptop and hybrid devices that need a decent amount of performance without draining battery quickly.

These models are also likely to be the higher-end options for the Surface Book 3, as we’d expect there to be an option for a Core i5 model with 16GB of RAM. We expect Core i5 and Core i7 models of the Surface Book 3 to also have Nvidia GeForce GTX graphics cards options, likely the GeForce GTX 1650 Ti for the 13-inch Surface Book 3 and the GeForce GTX 1660 Max-Q for the larger 15-inch model.

Such specifications could see the Surface Book 3 challenge Windows 10 laptops as well as the MacBook Air and upcoming MacBook Pro 2020, which is also set to use Intel’s latest processors.

Microsoft also received Energy Star certification for the Microsoft Surface Go 2, which showed off the processor that the company's next affordable 2-in-1 may have. As such, we’d expect Microsoft to launch both the Surface Book 3 and the Surface Go 2 at the same time, potentially towards the end of May when it hosts its virtual Microsoft Build 2020 conference.

Both machines are shaping up to be interesting additions to Microsoft's current Surface lineup. The Surface Book 3 could be a compelling 2-in-1 device for content creators and power users, while the Surface Go 2 is looking like a lower-end Windows 10 hybrid device for people who want a machine for working on the move.

Roland Moore-Colyer a Managing Editor at Tom’s Guide with a focus on news, features and opinion articles. He often writes about gaming, phones, laptops and other bits of hardware; he’s also got an interest in cars. When not at his desk Roland can be found wandering around London, often with a look of curiosity on his face.