The first Microsoft Surface launched over 10 years ago. Since then, the device has developed its own family with multiple series, offering great versatility and ease of use. The Surface notebooks stand out for their lightweight build,touchscreen displays, and slim design for easy portability.From offering a compact designand entry-level hardware to bigger and more potent hardware while remaining power-efficient, Microsoft has an option for everyone in its Surface lineup.
Surface Laptop Go 3
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
The Surface family is expanding rapidly every year, but it can be pretty confusing since there are plenty of notebooks in every series, each boasting unique functionality and hardware. This is why we filtered down to the best possible Surface notebooks based on your needs. So, whether you want ahighly portable Surface notebook for travelor a powerful Surface machine for your work, here is the list of the top Microsoft Surface notebooks to buy in 2024.
Game Rant’s Picks for the Best Microsoft Surface in 2024
Microsoft Surface Laptop 6
Surface Laptop 6 is the latest Surface laptop from Microsoft powered by the Meteor Lake processor to achieve better performance. The Arc-based GPU can outperform its predecessor convincingly and execute graphical loads without breaking a sweat. The traditional laptop design where you’re able to use the touchscreen along with the keyboard will make you highly productive and will keep going for up to 10 hours on a single charge.
The Surface Laptop 6 is the latest addition to the catalog and is specifically designed for business purposes. It has excellent security features, including secure instant sign-in using facial recognition, PIN, or an integrated smart card reader to keep your data confidential. Equipped with the Surface IT Toolkit, you can easily troubleshoot the Surface Laptop, making it convenient on the go.
The greatest change on the Surface Laptop 6 is the newer generation Core Ultra 5 135H processor, which isbased on the Meteor Lake architecture. It is the first Intel series that specializes in AI and drastically increases the capabilities of Surface Laptop 6 over its predecessor. Its wide range of operating frequencies, great power efficiency, and powerful integrated Arc Graphics enable it for intensive operations and even for gaming. The display remains almost identical to its predecessor but now comes with anti-reflective properties to provide better clarity in well-lit rooms and outdoors.
Microsoft Surface Pro 10
Microsoft Surface Pro 10 is a perfect 2-in-1 laptop for business professionals, leveraging the power of the latest Meteor Lake chips and bringing upgraded security measures to keep your data secure. Its upgraded camera is excellent for meetings and the processor enhances the video quality through AI. It’s ultra lightweight, compact, and is convertible into tablet mode for better productivity.
The Surface Pro 10 boasts the traditional Surface design for increased productivity through a 2-in-1 convertible mode, which provides laptop and tablet modes for users who like to keep it flexible when it comes to workflow. Whilethe Surface Pro 10 is more oriented towards business usage, it’s not the only change you will see. The Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 have a few things in common, including the integrated card reader for better security, but the Pro 10 can be converted into a tablet using the kickstand which closes the gap between you and the screen.
It is also much more power-efficient because of the Meteor Lake Core Ultra 135U processor, which consumes half the power as its “H” version. It does affect its performance in intensive applications, but it extends the battery life drastically. Unfortunately, you won’t get the Arc-based iGPU on it, but the iGPU is still on par for basic operations. The Surface Pro 10’s biggest strength lies in its AI capabilities and the Copilot feature for simplifying the workload. Moreover, its ultrawide field of view 1440p camera is excellent for high-quality Zoom meetings and offers a fluid 120Hz anti-reflective display for a pleasant work experience.
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 is ideal for users looking for a pleasant work experience through a power-efficient processor boasting several cores that power its touchscreen display that has a high PPI for crisp image quality. It’s very lightweight and thin compared to traditional laptops but has a far longer battery life.
Let’s not forget that the Surface Laptop 5 is still an incredible Surface device even after the launch of the sixth edition. The Surface 5 runs on the Alder Lake Core i5 1245U processor, a chip that combines two performance and eight efficient cores with 12 threads. The performance cores will take care of the primary load, but as the performance core count is still somewhat low compared to the upper-end i5s, don’t expect the Surface Laptop 5 to be incredibly fast at crunching numbers. Nonetheless, efficient cores are adequate for handling the background process and run at a good 3.30GHz frequency.
It’s great for school or office workwhere one must work on MS Office tools or similar applications. It is sleek in design and boasts a thin build for easy portability. This is the 13.5-inch edition, which further reduces the volume and surface area of the laptop, but if you like a bigger screen, a 15-inch edition is also available for a bit higher price. All in all, with a few compromises, the Surface Laptop 5 is much more affordable than the latest edition and doesn’t disappoint.
Surface Laptop Studio 2
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is an enthusiast-grade Surface notebook that brings the functionality of the Pro and Laptop series but has significantly superior specifications. It’s perfect for content creators or even for gamers who want a powerhouse for processing while keeping the laptop as portable as possible.
Content creation like video editing and production or 3D rendering are some of the most intensive CPU operations users can execute on their laptops. Unfortunately, this is something that most Microsoft Surface notebooks aren’t designed for. However, this was changed with the release of Surface Studio 2, which aims to bring the traditional functionality of other Surface notebooks without sacrificing the CPU or GPU power. With the Studio 2 laptop, you may carry out basic office work while also crunching big numbers, rendering complex geometries quickly, and even playing modern titles with ease.
With plenty of hardware options, the Studio 2 can be customized as per needs, but the higher you go in terms of the processing power for the GPU, the more you have to pay. This is one of the biggest drawbacks of Studio 2 as, typically, you would pay far less for the same specs on a regularyet premium laptop. Nonetheless, Studio 2 can’t be matched with its versatility of being able to convert to tablet mode, where you may use the surface pen to speed up your workflow. This particular edition will cost you over $3000 but has 64GB of memory, 1TB storage drive, and a high-performance Core i7 13800H processor, bringing a whopping 14 cores and 20 threads for any intensive task.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 is a lightweight and portable laptop for frequent travelers. Whether you are a student or make frequent trips, the Surface Laptop 3 won’t bother you during travel. It weighs around 1kg and has a small 12.4-inch screen. Featuring touchscreen functionality and great battery life, it’s ready for long hours of work and has some good security features to protect your data.
As the name suggests, the Surface Laptop Go 3 is crafted for travel. Weighing just over 1kg and being compact in the screen size and the build, you won’t even feel it inside your backpack. Whether you are traveling via public transport or going on a long trek, the Surface Laptop Go 3 is your best companion, allowing you to complete your office work orschool/college assignmentwherever you are. At its core lies the 12th-generation Core i5 1235U, featuring 10 cores and 12 threads with a TDP range of 12-55W. On idle or smaller workloads, it will be highly power-efficient, but when needed, it won’t shy from reaching 4.4GHz by consuming over 50 watts.
The chassis uses a durable metal, which looks premium and helps achieve a sleek but thin construction. On both sides, you will find adequate ports for connectivity and Wi-Fi 6 for fast internet. The Go 3 comes with preloaded Microsoft 365 Apps for starting right away and has Windows 11 Pro pre-installed with adequate measures for security against data theft. At the end of the day, it’s great for basic day-to-day work for frequent travelers, but it’s not the best option for someone whose priority is intensive CPU and GPU workloads.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is the perfect companion for anyone on the go. It features a powerful Intel Core i5 processor in a lightweight chassis that is easy to carry. It has an extremely long battery life that can extend to up to 13.5 hours without a charge. When in need of a charge, it uses fast charging technology to top the battery off in a hurry.The laptop also comes with an improved high-definition camera, 8 gigabytes of RAM, and 256 gigabytes of fast SSD storage.
Thankfully, not all the Microsoft Surface notebooks are expensive. The Surface Laptop Go 2 is thebest Surface laptop to go with for under $500. Even though the hardware isn’t from the latest Intel families, it’s still relevant and potent for modern-day usage. It is powered by the Core i5 1135G7 processor, built on a 10nm process node, and it is highly power-efficient even at 100% usage. It boasts four cores and eight threads and has an Intel Iris Xe-based iGPU for low to moderately intensive GPU workloads.
You can definitely do some photo editing on this laptop apart from office or college work without paying over a thousand dollars for more expensive Surface laptops like the Pro 9 or Laptop 5. The connectivity is also up to the mark, including Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 for stable internet and peripheral connection. You can also use the touchscreen feature for good workflow, but you won’t be able to convert it into tablet mode. This is a compromise you should expect when you get a decent configuration for a cheap price, but overall, it won’t be a dealbreaker, since good functionality and specs already compensate for this.
Things to Consider When Buying a Microsoft Surface
Portability: Portability is inherently the biggest strength of Microsoft Surface notebooks. Except for the Surface Hub, literally, most Surface notebooks come with an ultra-lightweight design that doesn’t exceed 1.5kg in weight. They are thin and some of them are easily convertible, like the Surface Pro series. It’s important to focus more on portability since Surface devices are made for people who travel a lot and don’t want to carry heavy backpacks.
Performance: Different Surface series focus on different aspects of work. Most Surface notebooks aren’t created for very intensive workloads or enthusiast gaming. Still, they are generally on par with budget and mid-range laptops when equipped with the latest-generation processors. Look for a configuration that includes a multicore CPU from one of the latest Intel CPU generations, 8GB of RAM, and at least 256GB of storage drive. With the introduction of Meteor Lake mobile chips, you’re able to now find the most powerful Surface laptops ever without having to compromise on battery life.
Screen Size: Unlike regular laptops, the screen size of Surface devices is generally smaller even though they do offer a higher resolution for richer and more vivid picture quality. Smaller screen sizes (such as 10.5 inches) help with easier portability, but bigger screen sizes (like a 15-inch screen) display bigger elements for better clarity. Ultimately, it depends on how sharp or immersive the display you want.
Display Quality: Look for a higher resolution and contrast ratio for crisp and clear image quality. Surface laptops must have good brightness for working comfortably in well-lit rooms, and it will be great if the display is anti-reflective as well.
FAQ
Q: Which Microsoft Surface is the most powerful?
The Laptop Studio 2 and 2+ are currently the most powerful Surface notebooks, boasting high-end Core processors paired with dedicated graphics cards.
Q: What is the difference between the Surface Go and Pro?
The Surface Go is made for better portability and generally brings slower hardware than the Surface Pro laptops. The Pro editions are also convertible while the Go laptops are not.
Q: What is the benefit of a Surface Pro?
Surface Pro laptops are convertible and bring a touchscreen display for better productivity. These are lightweight and thin, and they come equipped with powerful budget and mid-range chips.
