Various rumor reports and publications have claimed that Microsoft may be going in an entirely different direction with their upcoming new Microsoft Surface Book 2 laptop. That direction, however, may not necessarily be forward as the company is expected to take a step back and offer the upcoming new 2017 Surface Book 2 as a standard laptop instead of a 2-in-1 device.

While some users have praised the original Surface Book's ability to detach from its keyboard and become a powerful tablet, others aren't quite inclined to use the particular feature. As reported by Droid Report, Microsoft may, in fact, have several reasons to go for a more traditional clamshell laptop design as opposed to having a convertible one.

The original Surface Book's hinge had presented some problems in the past, with some users complaining that the hinge actually leaves an unsightly gap that lets dust into the laptop's screen. According to MS Power User, the hinge is also still just another point of failure for the laptop as problems may eventually arise from it with continued use.

One of the biggest advantages of reverting to the traditional laptop design is the decrease in cost to manufacture the upcoming new Microsoft Surface Book 2 laptop. This means that if the rumors do indeed turn out to be true, then the upcoming Surface Book may be priced significantly lower than its predecessor. Removing the complicated hinge will essentially also improve the device's overall durability in the long run.

Another reason for shifting to the tried and tested laptop form factor is that the Microsoft Surface Book 2 may finally be considered as a power laptop that can compete with the likes of the Dell XPS laptops and Lenovo's Yoga line. Microsoft will also be able to cram in more powerful hardware into the laptop thanks to the savings it will make in reverting to the laptop form factor.

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