The Surface Laptop 5, Microsoft's latest and greatest laptop in the traditional form factor, features fewer changes compared to its predecessors than the Surface Pro 9. This Specs Appeal article will help owners of the previous-gen Surface Laptops decide whether the new Surface Laptop 5 is worth upgrading, and those planning to buy a Surface Laptop can determine if they should opt for the older models to save some money.
"A slightly better device" is how you can describe the Surface Laptop 5. The computer has newer processors, better memory, Bluetooth 5.1, Thunderbolt 4, and a new color variant. Unlike the preceding generations, the Surface Laptop 5 no longer offers AMD processors. If you want a modern Windows 11 laptop with fresh AMD silicon, you better watch elsewhere or consider grabbing the Surface Laptop 4 with a discount.
Here are key changes summed up in a list:
- New color variant: green (Sage)
- Dolby Vision IQ support
- 12th Gen Intel processors with the new architecture consisting of efficiency and performance cores
- Newer LPDDR5X memory
- Improved security with Windows 11 Secure-core PC standard
- Bluetooth 5.1
- Improved battery life
- Thunderbolt 4 and USB 4 support
| Surface Laptop 5 | Surface Laptop 4 | Surface Laptop 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chassis |
13.5-inch: 12.1" x 8.8" x 0.57", 2.86 lbs 15-inch: 13.4" x 9.6" x 0.58", 3.44 lbs |
||
| Colors | Platinum, Sage, Matte Black, Sandstone | Platinum, Ice Blue, Matte Black, Sandstone | Platinum, Cobalt Blue, Matte Black, Sandstone |
| Display |
13.5-inch: 2256 x 1504 (201 ppi) 15-inch: 2496 x 1664 (201 ppi) |
13.5-inch: 2256 x 1504 (201 ppi) 15-inch: 2496 x 1664 (201 ppi)
|
|
| Processor | Intel Core i5-1235U Intel Core i7-1255U |
Intel Core i5-1135G7 AMD Ryzen 5 4680U |
Intel Core i5-1035G7 AMD Ryzen 5 3580U |
| Memory | 8GB, 16GB, 32GB LPDDR5x | 8GB, 16GB, 32GB LPDDR4x | 8GB, 16GB, 32GB DDR4 |
| Storage | User-replaceable SSD 256GB, 512GB, 1 TB |
Non-user-replaceable SSD 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
|
| Security |
TPM 2.0 Chip Windows Hello face sign-in Windows 11 Secured-core PC |
TPM 2.0 Windows Hello face sign-in |
Firmware TPM Windows Hello face sign-in |
| Network | Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax Bluetooth 5.1 |
Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax Bluetooth 5.0 |
|
| Battery |
13.5-inch: Up to 18 hours of typical use 15-inch: Up to 17 hours of typical use |
47.4 Wh nominal capacity |
Up to 11.5 hours of typical use |
| Camera | 720p HD front-facing camera with Windows Hello face sign-in | ||
| Ports |
1x Thunderbolt 4/USB-C 4.0 1x USB-A 3.1 3.5 mm headphone jack 1x Surface Connect |
1x USB-C 1x USB-A 3.5 mm headphone jack 1x Surface Connect |
|
| Price | TBA TBA |
$1,000 $1,300 |
$1,000 $1,200 |
It appears that the only reason to pick the Surface Laptop 5 over its predecessors is better battery life (which is still something reviews have to prove) and newer processors. But it is hard to tell if those upgrades justify the price difference. You can buy the Surface Laptop 4 with significant discounts, and renewed Surface Laptop 3 configurations are available for as little as $500. It is probably safe to say that if your Surface Laptop provides sufficient battery life and enough horsepower, skip the Surface Laptop 5 and wait for more meaningful upgrades next year.
1 Comment - Add comment