Microsoft claims the Surface Book will demolish the MacBook Pro

Microsoft Corp.’s claim for the Surface tablets has long been that they’re tablets that can truly replace your laptop. But now, for the first time, Microsoft is building an actual laptop under the Surface name. It also refreshed its lower-priced Surface Pro tablet. The Surface Book is “the ultimate laptop,” said Panos Panay, Microsoft’s corporate vice president for devices. “Ounce for ounce, pound for pound, this is the fastest 13-inch laptop ever made.” Mr. Panay didn’t go deep into details about the hardware powering the $1,499-and-up Surface Book, but he made the bold claim that Microsoft’s laptop will be twice as fast as Apple’s top-of-the-line MacBook Pro laptop. Inside, Panay said the Surface Book will have the latest Intel processors, a discrete Nvidia GeForce graphics processor and—importantly—offer 12 hours of battery life. Mr. Panay said that the motivation behind Microsoft making a laptop was centered around offering the best typing experience. “The typing experience on this product is perfect,” Mr. Panay said. “This product is about reinventing categories.”