While it’s not the best laptop, Microsoft has harnessed the strength of Qualcomm’s newest chips to create a true MacBook Air competitor that’s fast and fun to use.
Stylish and lightweight
Fast Qualcomm Performance
Great battery life
Wi-Fi 7 support
AI features seem sophisticated
Poor gaming performance
Minimum Ports
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 ($999 for starters) is the first Surface Laptop to ship with a Qualcomm processor, and that’s a big deal for Microsoft and the company’s hardware enthusiasts. Microsoft has discovered a genuine competitor to the MacBook Air.
Whether you call it Microsoft’s Surface Laptop 7 or the longer Surface Laptop 7th Gen, this computer offers some tough specs, especially if you decide to upgrade to the Snapdragon X Elite chip. It’s one of the first Microsoft Copilot PCs, thanks to Qualcomm’s newest chip’s fast NPU. This opens up Surface Laptop 7 to AI features that were never available on Windows devices. And the chips promise AI in the device for an extra layer of security and privacy.
While this is intriguing, I was very skeptical about the extent to which I would use the AI features presented through Copilot in my daily life. Is this the most productive position for Microsoft to invest its processing power or does it deserve for the company to stick to more classic computing experiences?
So, after a week of use, does it stand out as one of the Windows laptops and laptops of the year (so far)?Let’s locate it.
The main selling point of the new Surface devices, from a hardware point of view, is the Snapdragon X chips they contain. Whether it’s the cheapest model with the Snapdragon X Plus chip or the most expensive with the Snapdragon X Elite (the model we tested), you’ll get exceptional functionality for classic computing needs and for AI.
We put the computer through all kinds of tests to see how it worked, and the effects were nothing short of impressive. For the popular Geekbench 6 single-core test, our Surface Laptop test managed to score 2,809, which is narrowly surpassed by the M3 MacBook Air’s 3,082.
However, it’s ahead of the Samsung Galaxy Book Four Ultra’s Intel Core Ultra nine 185H, which scored 2,421 in the same test. On the multi-core side, the Snapdragon X Elite on the Surface Laptop 7 scored 1,4,426 against the MacBook Air M3 scored 14,432, leaving the two pretty much evenly matched. Samsung’s computer scored 13,124, making Microsoft’s newest one surpass it.
Microsoft hasn’t replaced the Surface Laptop 7’s look and feel much over previous versions, however, a few clever tweaks make an already attractive computer even better.
At first glance, it looks similar, but if you inspect it more closely, you can see the differences. Most notable are the thinner bezels around the screen that blend seamlessly into the rounded corners of the screen. The larger haptic trackpad provides a more advanced look and design, which is amazing to use. It features a lightweight textured detail that allows your finger to move smoothly while giving you a tactile feel of where you are on the pavement. Finally, Microsoft has changed the back to create an angled back, which makes using the computer more enjoyable. With this shape, your hands wrap nicely around the computer and you don’t feel like you’re sinking into your numbers.
The computer is available in four different colors, the settings are different for each color. We tried the Sapphire (a fantastic light blue), but the computer is also available in Dune (beige), Platinum, and Black. I actually like the look of Sapphire, as it’s sleek but stands out a bit more than a color like black or silver.
Surface Laptop 7 lasts a long time on a single charge. Microsoft says it will handle around 20 hours of uninterrupted video playback on the 13-inch model and 22 hours on the 15-inch model.
However, in our battery test, which allowed us to frequently browse the internet over Wi-Fi with the demo set to 150 nits brightness, the computer lasted 15 hours and 44 minutes. This slightly exceeds the 15 hours and 10 minutes we saw with the 13-inch MacBook Air M3, although both devices have similar diversity when faced with the same test.
This is a big deal, as the most productive Windows computers have had a hard time matching the 12 to 15 hours of battery life (tested) you can get with any MacBook with an M-series chip. Now, Microsoft , despite everything, has a flagship. computer that can (almost) match the power of a modern MacBook, and that’s a win for Windows fans.
The Surface Laptop 7 is well-made, but it’s not without its flaws. If you manage to beat them, it will be a strong competitor to the MacBook. Don’t expect AI features to reinvent the wheel, and don’t even buy it’s great for gaming, as it lacks graphics power for anything other than the basics.
Microsoft is touting Copilot as the next big thing for its Surface laptops, and it may be at some point. But for now, most of the features look like gimmicks. Most of the responsibilities taken on can be completed smoothly by simply going to the ChatGPT online page and entering a message. Maybe I just didn’t understand how to implement AI into my daily workflow. Or maybe AI is rarely very necessary for a laptop. Either way, unless you’re using an AI chat app locally, you can probably live without a lot of Copilot stuff right now.
In our Surface Pro 11 review, my colleague Tony Polanco called the AI features “half-baked” and I have to agree. Between Microsoft returning to the security nightmare that is Recall (the feature that was intended to have on those laptops at launch, but is now delayed for further testing) and the fact that nothing Copilot does proves necessary, it turns out that it’s time for Microsoft to release new Surface devices and need a flashy new feature to grab people’s attention. Focused on AI lately, it made sense for Microsoft to take a look at the technology, though it turns out it still has a long way to go.
Microsoft’s transition from Intel to Arm has been relatively smooth for its Surface devices, but some apps still don’t work perfectly. ARM chips are distinct from classic Intel x86 processors, so any application you’re used to using on Windows probably won’t work. If an application is rarely designed to run on ARM, it will either not work or will perform very poorly. Thankfully, you can emulate an x86 environment to run applications compatible with Arm-based Snapdragon X processors, but that’s a long way off. of an ideal experience.
Plus, you can play games on Surface Laptop 7. With built-in Qualcomm Adreno graphics powering the system, you’ll be hard-pressed to enjoy anything other than gaming experiences.
We tested the computer with Civilization VI to see how it worked, and the effects were appropriate but good. Running at 1080p, the Surface Laptop 7 averaged 20. 63fps. The MacBook Air M3 achieved 41fps at an even higher resolution of 1200p, seeming to be the difference in overall gaming functionality between the two devices.
Microsoft has included two USB4 Type-C ports, a single USB-A 3. 2 Gen 1 port, and a 3. 5mm headphone jack on the left side of the computer. The unique Surface Connect magnetic charging port is located on the right side, giving you enough hardware to work for maximum everyday applications. However, seeing at least one additional USB-C port on the computer would have been great for plugging in everything you might need in a workday.
The closest competitor, the MacBook Air, has even fewer ports, with two USB-C ports, a 3. 5mm jack, and Apple’s MagSafe charging port. At least Microsoft has included a USB-A port to connect those older devices.
Overall, Microsoft has got it right with the most recent edition of the Surface Laptop 7. While I don’t find AI features useful in their current state, you can safely forget about them and still have one of the most productive laptops on the market. The battery life will allow you to get through a full day of work and games with ease.
Add to that a sleek design and adorable color options, and you’ve got a device you’ll be proud to take with you wherever you go.
Of course, those who don’t like Windows as an operating formula probably won’t get carried away with the Surface Laptop 7’s offerings and will probably have to stick with their MacBook. For those who love Windows 11, I have no problem recommending this. laptop, whether you decide on the base style or need to invest a little more for a bigger screen, more performance, or both.
Dave LeClair is the senior news editor at Tom’s Guide and stays up-to-date on all things tech. He loves to consider the complex events of the tech world and why they matter. Whether Apple is announcing the next big thing in the mobile realm or a small startup developing generative AI, Dave will leverage his expertise to help you understand what’s happening and why it’s relevant in your life.
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