Microsoft Surface Book 3 13.5"

If you need your laptop to convert into a tablet, the Surface Book 3 is as close to true hybrid nirvana as you're likely going to get. But it's not the best tablet, the best laptop, or the best 2-in-1.

The Surface Book is a minor upgrade over its predecessor, and some clear shortcomings mean it’s starting to look a bit dated when compared to the competition.

The Surface Book 3’s design is beginning to look a little dated, but it's convertible form factor makes it a very compelling device for power users.

Don't buy the Surface Book 3 as a gaming laptop. Buy the Surface Book 3 as a workstation, and then use it in your downtime for gaming. There are far more powerful gaming laptops available for a lot less money. But for someone who appreciates the Surface Book 3 design and Microsoft's approach to hardware, the Book 3 gets the job done in a sneakily fun way.

The most ambitious hybrid laptop design around. A good buy if you don't mind a chunkier hybrid.

If you're in the market for an all-powerful pro-spec 2-in-1 then the Surface Book 3 is hard to beat. But we know Microsoft has the potential to turn things up to 11 for a fourth-gen model - so if you're not in a rush you might want to wait for the goodness that brings.

But at such a hefty price, the Surface Book 3 should be great in all those ways. That cost makes it hard to recommend to just anyone. It's not that the Surface Book 3 is too expensive, rather that the average person is unlikely to take advantage of its many luxuries. But if you are one of those people -- a creative, someone looking for a graphically capable 13-inch laptop, or just a person looking for a deluxe device to indulge in -- the 13.5-inch Surface Book 3 becomes a much easier recommendation.

I hope that Microsoft comes out swinging with a Surface Book 4 featuring a slim hinge, USB-C ports galore, a screen that matches its premium competitors, and a Tablet Mode that’s a joy to use. If not, I’m not sure where else this line can go.

Microsoft's Surface Book 3 upgrades the CPU and GPU options, while leaving the rest of this convertible 2-in-1 largely unchanged. In a rapidly changing and improving landscape, that stability's a bit of a liability.