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Microsoft's Surface Book 2 vs HP's Zbook x2: the battle of the high-end 2-in-1s

Hot on the heels of the launch of Microsoft's new Surface Book 2 range, HP has unveiled the Zbook x2, which it describes as the most powerful detachable PC workstation in the world. Both these devices are powered by Intel's latest generation Coffee Lake Core i7 processors, and offer an array of outstanding features.

The latest 2-in-1 hybrid from Microsoft is available with either a 13.5-inch (3000 x 2000 resolution) or a 15-inch (3240 x 2160 resolution) display. The entire range will be equipped with 7th or 8th generation Intel i5 or i7 processors, plus a maximum RAM capacity of 16GB and 1TB of hard disk storage. The device also has a 5.0MP front-facing camera and an 8.0MP rear-facing camera able to record in 1080p HD. And last but not least, Microsoft has announced up to 17 hours of battery life in video playback. The Surface Book 2 starts at $1,499 and will be out November 16.

Microsoft's move was met with a swift response from HP, as within a few hours it had unveiled the Zbook x2, an extremely powerful tablet PC with up to 32GB of RAM and 2TB of hard disk storage. It has a detachable 14-inch ultra-high definition screen (3840 x 2160 resolution) and is on a par with its rival in processor terms (Intel Core i5 or i7). On the accessory front, the Zbook x2 has a Bluetooth keyboard and stylus. It will be available right before the holiday season in the US, starting at 1,749 dollars. I

Both these devices, which have detachable screens that can be used as a tablet, are clearly targeted at creatives, and designed to make the most of the latest Adobe products. They will therefore be competing directly with Apple's MacBook Pro in one of its main markets.

- Find out more about Microsoft's Surface Book 2: youtu.be/HCYCvREMcCM
- Find out more about HP's Zbook x2: youtu.be/Vxmwf6XzC3E