Nov 12, 2016 01:36 PM EST By Andrea Tee, UniversityHerald Reporter

Microsoft's Surface Book product line has celebrated its first anniversary last month after releasing its first-gen Surface Book. However, the 2-in-1 hybrid computer's upcoming successor, Surface Book 2, was overshadowed by the Microsoft Surface i7 launched at the October event. Now, rumors suggest that Microsoft is heading towards a late 2017 launching date of the upcoming Surface Book 2 because of the upcoming feature redesign and the Intel's Kaby Lake release.

Microsoft has reportedly revamped the physical design of the laptop, most especially the dynamic fulcrum hinge which gathered negative reviews from the previous model. More so, the newly launched laptop will sport an improved battery performance and processing speed due to the changes made in its processor, which is currently running the Intel Core i7.

According to CNET, the upcoming Microsoft 2017 flagship laptop is expected to feature a 16 hours battery life, 13.5 inch PixelSense display, two ports for USB 3.0, SD Card reader in full size, Mini Displayport and headphone jack.

The Kaby Lake or the core i7 will double up the graphic performance as it is built on a 14-nanometer technology, which is said to boost the performance of chips by 12 percent compared to the Skylake. It will also add another fan to support GeForce GTX 965M video output.

Kaby Lake's technology should enable Surface Book 2 to be equipped with USB 3.1 Type-C and Thunderbolt 3 support. The former should make for faster and more efficient data transfer and battery charging. The latter is dubbed the fastest, most versatile connection to any dock, display, or peripheral device, which should offer sleek connectivity and performance on the Microsoft Surface Book 2, according to Today.

The 2-in-1 hybrid computer's screen is expected to deliver a crisp 4K resolution while playback of 4K video and 3D graphics should be a much smoother experience.

Before the expected release for the Surface Book 2, Microsoft fans can check out first the Surface Book i7. The laptop sports a 13.5-inch PixelSense display with a resolution of 3,000 × 2,000 pixels, together with 10-point multi-touch capabilities. Furthermore, the device has a 5-megapixel front camera, an 8-megapixel rear camera, two USB 3.0 ports, an SD card slot, a 3.5 mm headphone jack, a Mini DisplayPort, a Surface Connect port, and a Surface Pen.

See Now: Covert Team Inside Newsweek Revealed as Key Players in False Human Trafficking Lawsuit