When protecting your Surface Book 2, there are a few options. You can sleeve-it, put a heavy shell on it, or cover it with a "skin."
The appropriately named Skinomi brand has been making protective skins for phones, tablets, and laptops for years. I bought the full-body matte protector for my Surface Book 2 15, and while it's a chore to install I'm happy with the results.
What it is
The Skinomi full-body protector is kind of like a sticker but not in the traditional sense. Instead of just an adhesive, you use a special included liquid to spray on the back of the skin. That means you need to let the skin dry overnight.
While the company sells various color schemes like gold carbon fiber, silver, and dark wood, I opted for the clear MatteSkin. I enjoy the look of the Surface Book 2 and wanted to preserve that, but I also like the idea of a non-glossy finish.
The benefit of Skinomi's TechSkin is it's more durable and has other properties that useful for protection, such as:
- Satin-matte film that offers superior protection while maintaining a smooth finish.
- Anti-glare technology diffuses light to keep your device fully functional even in bright environments.
- Helps keep your Surface Book 2 protected from scratches, scrapes, scuffs and physical wear-and-tear.
- "Self-healing" technology found in original Skinomi TechSkin helps fine scratches and marks disappear over time.
- Uniquely manufactured MatteSkin skin protector is designed to protect your \Surface Book 2 while also maintaining full functionality.
- Features a non-sticky anti-fingerprint surface that prevents smudges and fingerprints.
For $24.95, you get full-body protection (including bits for the hinge and sides) as well as the screen protector (also sold separately). The skin pieces include:
- Display.
- Outside (top and bottom).
- Entire keyboard deck.
- Sides and hinge.
For my needs, I left the sides and hinge skins off. I was more interested in the outside protection, but I also added some to the palm rest area on the keyboard deck. The trackpad area is not covered and has a cutout.
Final thoughts on Skinomi's Surface Book 2 skin
As you can see in the video above, the installation is a bit tedious. Having to let the laptop dry overnight is a bit of a bummer, and you must be careful not to stretch the skin when applying it.
But, overall, I love the look and feel of the Skinomi TechSkin. It's smooth and not tacky. It's also barely noticeable. My Surface Book 2 looks almost the same, but it's slightly less shiny.
The screen protector is a mixed bag. I like the matte look, but you can tell it is on there and you lose some visual acuity. For my needs, that's fine, and I'll keep it installed. But for people who rely on the color accuracy or who do video editing, there are probably better options.
What I really like about this package is that I can pick and choose what I want to protect. Just the outside? Fine. Want to add some protection to the keyboard deck or fulcrum hinge? You can do that too.
I recommend the Skinomi full-body protector for Surface Book 2. Just take your time during installation and have a good working area to make sure it's applied right.
The company also makes these skins for the original Surface Book and Surface Book 2 13-inch models.
Pros:
- Preserves Surface Book 2's look, and the matte finish is great.
- Covers entire device including keyboard deck and screen.
- Fair price.
Cons:
- Tedious to install.
- Have to be careful with liquid.
- Screen protector slightly diminishes acuity.
