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Consumer Reports Refuses To Recommend Microsoft Surface Book 2 (betanews.com)

Posted by msmash on from the something-to-know dept.

An anonymous reader writes: Earlier in the year, the review group said that problems with reliability meant that it was impossible for it to recommend any Microsoft laptop or tablet. Now Consumer Reports says that this extends to the Surface Book 2, meaning that the device will not be recommended. Microsoft is likely to be similarly disappointed with Consumer Reports' statement about the Surface Book 2. Speaking to Benzinga, Consumer Reports' spokesperson James McQueen said: "We will evaluate the performance of the Microsoft Surface Book 2 once we get it into our labs next month for testing, but we will not be able to recommend it. Our decision to withhold our recommendation of all Microsoft laptops and tablets is still in effect."

4 of 106 comments (clear)

  1. I don't get CR process. by jellomizer · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Why bring up a recommendation when you haven't tested it.

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    If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    1. Re:I don't get CR process. by gfxguy · · Score: 2, Interesting

      In a lot of ways they'd already lost credibility, especially with the magazine re-design a couple of years ago that reduced actual content in favor of flashy new design. But this is actually par for course for them... and they are actually pretty upfront about it. I doubt seriously they will simply state "We don't recommend Surface Book 2 even though we didn't test it," they will say something like "The Surface Book 2 wasn't available for testing before press time, but based on reliability of previous generation of Microsoft tablets, we cannot recommend it at this time." Which is actually completely fair - if they were to just ignore the existence of one of the major tablet brands, they'd be accused of bias anyway.

      They've done this before with cars and other products, too (both with positive and negative comments - but making clear they were unable to test).

      For the record, I really wanted a Surface Book (looking for something small with discrete Nvidia graphics), but reviews raised my concern about it's reliability. The specs were great, and the people who got working units were very favorable... but there were just too many people with hardware problems.

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      Stupid sexy Flanders.
    2. Re: I don't get CR process. by orlanz · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Mod parent up please. The post makes more sense than almost all the others here so far.

  2. Well... kinda by JBMcB · · Score: 1, Interesting

    I distinctly remember CR giving the Honda Ridge-line the recommended buy for a pickup truck. It had the lowest hauling capacity, smallest bed, and lowest towing capacity of any of the reviewed trucks, but it had a really nice ride and got decent gas mileage.

    Well that's not what a pickup truck is for. Throw some sheetrock in the back. Fill the bed up with dirt. How well does it clean up with a hose? How do the tiedowns work? Load it up with tools and take it down a logging road. Yeah people buy trucks that don't need them, but they are a small minority. There's a reason all the truck ads show them driving off-road and hauling things. The F-150 is the most popular vehicle among millionaires. Those are contractors who own their own companies and drive tools around to their job sites.

    Nope. The Ridgeline had a really nice radio so it gets the nod.

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    My Other Computer Is A Data General Nova III.