Kelvin Wankhede / Android Authority
If you’re shopping for a Windows laptop, Microsoft is probably the last brand that comes to mind. And yet, the company just unveiled its fifth-generation Surface Laptop last month. However, I wouldn’t blame you if this is your first time hearing about it. It’s neither as exciting as the MacBook Air M2 nor as controversial as Dell’s decision to ditch the headphone jack on the XPS 13 Plus. In fact, it looks very similar to the first Surface Laptop of 2017. So why do I think Microsoft still makes the best Windows laptops? Let me explain
Most people — including me at one point — base their laptop buying decisions on a few factors: CPU performance, RAM capacity, and maybe battery life. Microsoft’s internal hardware feels dingy in those aspects, but the overall experience is better than the sum of its parts. And from that perspective, it’s hard to find any laptop as good as the Surface Laptop in the sub-$1,000 price segment.
microsoft surface laptop 4
Touch and Feel: No Laptop Does It Better
Kelvin Wankhede / Android Authority
Hold the Surface Laptop in your hand and you’ll immediately notice how sleek it is. But thinness isn’t all that counts here – the laptop’s bottom half slopes gently downward, which makes typing on its excellent keyboard surprisingly comfortable. The edge of the chassis doesn’t dig into my palm as well—a feeling I’ve come to dislike on many other laptops. It really makes you wonder – why don’t more laptops adopt a similar design?
And while we’re at it, why is Microsoft the only laptop maker willing to experiment with alternative palm rest materials? The Alcantara on my Surface Laptop 4 doesn’t just look upmarket, it also feels downright luxurious compared to hard plastic or metal. I see why car makers like to use the material on steering wheels and gearshift levers.
Surface Laptop’s wedge-shaped design, excellent keyboard, and optional Alcantara palm rest make it a typist’s dream
Unlike metal, Alcantara also doesn’t get cold in an air-conditioned room or heat up when the laptop is under heavy load. And if you’re worried the material won’t hold up over time, my Surface Laptop 4’s Alcantara looks brand new after six months of daily use. I’ve also pushed my luck by using it outdoors in 40°C (104°F) summer heat with oily skin. Microsoft claims that it has improved the durability of the content over the years and I am inclined to believe it.
Every surface and every input method on the Surface Laptop exudes class. In fact, I like the trackpad so much that I wish Microsoft would sell a standalone version for desktop use. Likewise, it’s hard to go back to a laptop without a touchscreen (I’m looking at you, Apple). The freedom of natural scrolling and precise zoom with your finger is just as useful as it is on a smartphone.
Laser focused productivity, nothing else
Kelvin Wankhede / Android Authority
The Surface Laptop’s display is often seen as the weakest user-facing component of the series. But I disagree – Microsoft is the only laptop maker fully committed to the 3:2 aspect ratio, which is Excellent for productivity. You can fit more text on the screen without scrolling, for example, and photos from cameras and smartphones fit the entire screen. Once you get used to the tall aspect ratio, the standard 16:9 display feels like looking through the rear window of a sports car – serviceable, but frustratingly unresponsive.
The tall 3:2 aspect ratio of the Surface Laptop is the hallmark of this series and the only reason to buy it.
Another feature you won’t find highlighted on many spec sheets is the presence of Windows Hello facial recognition. The laptop unlocks instantly when you lift the lid, no need to reach for the fingerprint sensor. And because it uses a dedicated infrared camera, I never had to type in my PIN – even in the dark.
Finally, let’s talk performance – is it the sore point of the Surface Laptop series? Not necessary. Even though the AMD Ryzen processor in my Surface Laptop 4 is technically two generations old, it still handles day-to-day tasks without breaking a sweat. I was pleasantly surprised at how well it handled photo and video editing, even if it meant heavy battery consumption and some fan noise. Battery life could be better as with any Windows laptop, especially if you compare it to Apple silicon. I get about 10-12 hours of battery life on the Surface Laptop 4 and use a tiny 65W USB-C adapter to charge it at full speed whenever needed.
our choice: The best USB-C chargers for laptops and smartphones
Unfortunately, there’s one area where many people will be displeased with the Surface Laptop: port selection. With only a single USB-A and USB-C port, there’s little room for expansion or an external display. Most people don’t want to carry around a dongle and Microsoft’s expensive proprietary docking station is an outright non-starter. The only silver lining is that the Surface Laptop has a magnetic charging port that works in the same way as MagSafe.
Still, there’s no sugarcoating – you have to sacrifice some I/O and performance. The only reason I’m willing to overlook them is that the Surface Laptop undercuts competing laptops that offer those extra ports and extra horsepower.
Save Some Cash: Don’t Get the Latest and Greatest
Kelvin Wankhede / Android Authority
Microsoft has very little market share in the world of laptops and as a buyer this is good news. Competition breeds lower prices and Microsoft often discounts the Surface Laptop series well below launch prices. And because so little changes between generations, there’s little reason to buy the company’s hardware at launch.
Aggressive seasonal discounts have made the Surface Laptop my favorite productivity laptop under $1,000.
Case in point: The Surface Laptop 5 hasn’t changed in terms of look and feel, it’s only gained Thunderbolt support and a refreshed processor lineup. These features aren’t worth paying extra for unless you specifically need them.
For this reason, I’d recommend buying the Surface Laptop 4 instead. You can currently pick up the mid-tier configuration with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for $899. If you have a tight budget and don’t mind 128GB of storage, the base model is much cheaper at $700. I bought this model a few months ago and use a cheap external hard drive whenever I need extra storage.
microsoft surface laptop 4
11th Gen Core i7 processor • Sleek design • Omnidirectional speakers
The latest Surface Laptop delivers up to 70% faster speed than its predecessor, largely due to 11th Gen Intel Core processors. The slim and lightweight design houses omnisonic speakers and immersive Dolby Atmos 6 sound.
Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 (13.5-inch, AMD Ryzen 5, 16GB, 256GB SSD)
Even ignoring the competition, the Surface Laptop’s impressive build quality along with rare features like infrared face recognition, 3:2 touchscreen, and accurate trackpad justifies its price. I haven’t found a better Windows laptop for its money anyway.
As it stands, the Surface Laptop is at least a few hundred dollars cheaper than equivalent ultraportables from Dell or Apple. And while the XPS 13 and MacBook Air may look more modern today, Microsoft’s mature design suffers from perhaps fewer quality control issues. The MacBook looked the same for several generations at a time, even when it had a flawed keyboard design. So why should Microsoft try to fix what isn’t broken?
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