ElectronicBD Verdict
Although it's not a flawless laptop, Microsoft has successfully utilized Qualcomm's most recent CPUs to produce a fast and enjoyable MacBook Air rival.
Pros
- + Sleek and light
- + Fast Qualcomm performance
- + Great battery life
- + Wi-Fi 7 support
Cons
- - AI features feel gimmicky
- - Poor gaming performance
- - Minimal ports
It's a major thing for Microsoft and enthusiasts of the company's hardware as the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (which starts at $999) is the first Surface Laptop to come with a Qualcomm CPU inside. Microsoft now has a legitimate rival to the MacBook Air.
Regardless of whether you refer to it as Microsoft's longer Surface Laptop 7th Generation or the Surface Laptop 7, this laptop packs some potent specifications, particularly if you decide to upgrade to the Snapdragon X Elite CPU. It's among the first Microsoft Copilot+ PCs because of the quick NPU in Qualcomm's most recent CPU. This gives the Surface Laptop 7 access to a number of AI capabilities not previously seen on Windows devices. Additionally, the processors offer on-device AI for an extra degree of privacy and protection.
Despite finding it fascinating, I wasn't sure how much I would really use Copilot+'s AI features in my day-to-day activities. Is this the best use of Microsoft's computing resources, or should it continue to provide more conventional computer experiences?
I'll explain why, after a week of use, I believe the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 to be among the greatest Windows laptops and the best laptop of the year (so far) in my review.
MICROSOFT SURFACE LAPTOP 7 REVIEW: SPECS
MICROSOFT SURFACE LAPTOP 7 REVIEW: CHEAT SHEET
What is it?
The latest Microsoft Surface Laptop is the first to feature Snapdragon X Plus or Snapdragon X Elite chips under the hood, opening a world of AI features.
Who is it for?
Those looking for a Windows 11 laptop for work who want to take advantage of Microsoft's new Copilot+ AI features.
What does it cost?
The base model of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 starts at $999 on Microsoft’s online store. Higher-end models cost significantly more.
What do we like?
- + The speedy Snapdragon X Elite performance
- + On-device AI processing
- + Excellent battery life
What don’t we like?
- - You can’t play many games on it
- - Some of the AI features still feel half-baked
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7: Specs
| Surface Laptop 7 (13-inch) | Surface Laptop 7 (15-inch) | Surface Laptop 7 (As tested) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $999 | $1,299 | $1,399 |
| CPU | Snapdragon X Plus or Elite | Snapdragon X Elite | Snapdragon X Elite |
| RAM | 16GB, 32GB, 64GB | 16GB, 32GB, 64GB | 16GB |
| Storage | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 512GB |
| Display | 13.8 inch (2304 x 1536) 120Hz touchscreen | 15 inch LCD (2496 x 1664) 120Hz touchscreen | 13.8 inch (2304 x 1536) 120Hz touchscreen |
| Graphics | Qualcomm Adreno | Qualcomm Adreno | Qualcomm Adreno |
| Ports | 2x USB-C/USB 4, 1x USB-A, 1x headphone jack | 2x USB-C/USB 4, 1x USB-A, 1x headphone jack | 2x USB-C/USB 4, 1x USB-A, 1x headphone jack |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (video playback) | 22 hours (video playback) | 15 hours, 44 minutes (web surfing) |
| Size | 11.85 x 8.67 x 0.69 inches | 12.96 x 9.41 x 0.72 inches | 11.85 x 8.67 x 0.69 inches |
| Weight | 2.96 pounds | 3.67 pounds | 2.96 pounds |
MICROSOFT SURFACE LAPTOP 7 REVIEW: THE UPS
Snapdragon X performance
From a hardware standpoint, the Snapdragon X CPUs included within the new Surface computers are their primary selling point. You'll receive excellent performance for both conventional computing needs and AI whether you go for the more costly device with the Snapdragon X Elite chip or the less expensive one with the Snapdragon X Plus chip (the type we tested).
We put the laptop through a variety of benchmarks to evaluate how well it performed, and the outcomes were astounding. Our test Surface Laptop scored 2,809 on the widely used Geekbench 6 single-core test, only below the MacBook Air M3's 3,082 result.
It did, however, do better than the Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Ultra's Intel Core Ultra 9 185H, which received a score of 2,421 in the same test. Regarding multi-core performance, the Surface Laptop 7's Snapdragon X Elite scored 14,426 while the MacBook Air M3's got 14,432, thus tying the two devices. Microsoft's newest laptop outperforms Samsung's, which received a score of 13,124.
Beautiful design
In comparison to earlier iterations, Microsoft made little changes to the Surface notebook 7's appearance and feel, but some astute adjustments elevate an already gorgeous notebook.
Although it appears identical at first glance, there are certain variances that become apparent upon closer inspection. The display's rounded corners and slimmer bezels that flow into them are what stand out the most. The bigger, amazing-feeling haptic trackpad offers a change to both style and design. It has a little textured surface that allows your finger to glide across it easily and gives you a tactile sense of your position on the pad. Lastly, Microsoft modified the bottom to provide an inclined underside, which improves the experience of holding the laptop. Your fingers fit around the laptop in this form so well that it doesn't seem like it's cutting into your fingertips.
There are four colors available for the laptop, however each color has a distinct setup. In addition to the gorgeous light blue Sapphire model that we examined, the laptop is also offered in tan, platinum, and black colors. Since the Sapphire is elegant yet sticks out a bit more than a basic hue like black or silver, I truly appreciate the way it looks.
Impressive battery life
The Surface Laptop 7 has an extended battery life. According to Microsoft, the 13-inch device can support up to 20 hours of continuous movie playback, while the 15-inch variant can support up to 22 hours.
Nevertheless, the laptop lasted 15 hours and 44 minutes during our battery test, which had us using Wi-Fi to continually browse the web while turning the display's brightness up to 150 nits. That just beats the 13-inch MacBook Air M3's 15 hours and 10 minutes, even though the two laptops perform similarly on the same test.
This is significant because, when it comes to measured battery life, the greatest Windows laptops have not been able to equal the 12–15 hours that MacBooks with M-series chips can provide. Windows lovers may now celebrate the release of Microsoft's flagship laptop, which can (nearly) match the durability of a contemporary MacBook.
MICROSOFT SURFACE LAPTOP 7 REVIEW: THE DOWNS
Although it is well-made, the Surface Laptop 7 has certain issues. It's a strong rival to the MacBook if you can get beyond them. Its AI features won't be ground-breaking, and you shouldn't even think about purchasing it for gaming because its graphics card isn't powerful enough to handle anything beyond simple tasks.
Gimmicky AI features
Copilot+, which Microsoft is promoting as the upcoming big thing for its Surface notebooks, could be at some time. However, the majority of the features currently feel like tricks. The majority of its functions may be readily completed by visiting ChatGPT's website and completing a prompt. Maybe I'm simply not sure how to incorporate AI into my regular tasks yet. Alternatively, perhaps AI is just not needed for a laptop. In either case, you can probably do without much of the Copilot+ functionality for the time being unless you're really interested utilizing an AI chat app locally.
My colleague Tony Polanco described the AI functions as "half-baked" in our review of the Surface Pro 11, and I have to concur. It seems like it was time for Microsoft to release new Surface devices and wanted a flashy new feature to catch people's attention, between the company retreating from the security nightmare that Recall turned out to be (the feature was supposed to be available on these laptops at launch, but is now being delayed for further testing) and the fact that nothing Copilot+ does feels necessary. Even if AI still seems a long way off, it only made sense for Microsoft to invest in the technology given how much attention has recently been paid to it.
Apps and games
For its Surface tablets, Microsoft's switch from Intel to Arm has gone very smoothly, but certain programs still have issues. Since ARM chips differ from conventional x86 Intel CPUs, not all of the Windows software you're accustomed to utilizing will function on them. An application will either not function at all or perform poorly if it isn't made to operate on ARM. Apps that are incompatible with the Arm-based Snapdragon X CPUs may, thankfully, be emulated to operate in an x86 environment, albeit it's not the best experience.
Furthermore, you should not use the Surface Laptop 7 for gaming. With the device powered by integrated Qualcomm Adreno graphics, you won't be able to enjoy more than basic gaming experiences.
We ran performance tests on the laptop running Civilization VI, and the results were passable but not excellent. The Surface Laptop 7 averaged 20.63 frames per second at 1080p. The MacBook Air M3 shown a difference in overall gaming performance between the two devices with 41 frames per second at an even higher resolution of 1200p.
Where are the ports?
On the left side of the laptop, Microsoft installed two USB4 Type-C ports, one USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 connector, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. On the right side, there is a magnetic patented Surface Connect charging port that provides ample functionality for the majority of daily tasks. To connect everything you could need throughout the workday, it would have been wonderful to have at least one additional USB-C port on the laptop.
There are even less connectors on the closest rival, the MacBook Air, which only has two USB-C connections, a 3.5mm jack, and Apple's MagSafe charging port. Microsoft at least provided a USB-A connector to connect those older devices.
MICROSOFT SURFACE LAPTOP 7 REVIEW: VERDICT
In general, Microsoft's most recent iteration of the Surface Laptop 7 is spot on. You can safely ignore the AI capabilities and still have one of the best-performing laptops on the market, even if I don't think they're especially helpful in their current condition. You can easily go through a full day of work and play with the battery life.
You have a gadget you'll be happy to take with you wherever when you combine the sleek design with the lovely color selections.
Naturally, people who dislike Windows as an operating system are not going to be persuaded by the features of the Surface Laptop 7 and will most likely prefer to continue using their MacBooks. I have no trouble recommending this laptop to those who enjoy Windows 11, regardless of whether they go with the standard model or decide to spend a little bit extra for a larger screen, better performance, or both.