Microsoft Surface Laptop 5: Design, Pricing, Performance, And More!

The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5, Microsoft’s conventional laptop, is in its fifth generation. The recently revealed Surface Laptop 5 is essentially an iterative update to the Surface Laptop 4, with the significant difference being what it does not provide.

The upgrade to Intel’s 12th-generation CPUs is good, but the departure from AMD’s Ryzen portfolio diminishes potential performance and the laptop’s value to artists. Nevertheless, the Surface Laptop 5 is a visually appealing, well-built laptop that is likely ideal for productivity professionals.

Design of Microsoft Surface Laptop 5

The Surface Laptop 5 is simple yet elegant, weighing only 2.8 lbs. for the 13.5-inch model and 3.4 lbs. for the 15-inch variant. If you choose the 13.5-inch model, you may choose from the colors: Sandstone, Platinum, Matte Black, and a brand-new Sage.

The touchscreen is equally responsive and offers a variety of functions to choose from. For example, the Focus option also disables alerts for a certain amount of time so you can focus on productivity. Another option is SnapDragon, which lets you divide your screen into portions and then position windows within those areas for convenient multitasking.

Price and availability of Microsoft Surface Laptop 5

The Surface Laptop 5 is available in 13.5 inches and 15 inches. Each version has its unique configuration, with the 13.5-inch having the option of an Intel Core i5 or i7 processor, while the 15-inch only offers the i7.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 5

The 13.5-inch starts at $999.99 in the United States. The most affordable 15-inch model starts at $1,299.99.However, the 15-inch Intel Core i7 model with a 1TB SSD and 32GB of RAM can cost as much as $2,399.99.

Battery life of Microsoft Surface Laptop 5

Microsoft says that the Surface Laptop 5 13.5-inch model can last up to 18 hours in regular use, while the 15-inch variant can last up to 17 hours.

When perusing the web, Apple claims the MacBook Air M2 may last up to 15 hours. This suggests that Microsoft Surface Laptops have the advantage in terms of longevity.

Performance of Microsoft Surface Laptop 5

The Surface Laptop 5 is powered by a Core i5 or i7 processor, depending on the configuration. Thus the processing capability should be outstanding. In addition, because it’s designed to be a productivity machine, it should be capable of handling anything from spreadsheets to conference calls to video streaming and more.

It also has LPDDR5 RAM capability, which is extremely good. The ordinary Intel Iris Xe Graphics GPU is less so since there is no separate GPU for the Laptop 5. It is said to be 50% more potent than the Laptop 4, with excellent sound quality owing to its front-facing studio microphones.

Conclusion

Microsoft’s Surface Laptop 5 appears to be at a crossroads. On the one hand, the improved accessibility capabilities, quality-of-life improvements, and new touchscreen functions are a welcome addition to the Surface Laptop series.

With the current pricing, it’s challenging to recommend upgrading if you own a Laptop 4. However, this is a solid work machine if you have money to spend.