Microsoft’s Surface Laptop is an excellent combination of a thin and light design and power packed performance that is reminiscent of the popular MacBook Air. Experts believe the Surface laptop has all it needs to lure the top-end users who until now had few choices. Let’s find out more about this new laptop from Microsoft. Released on June 15, 2017, the Surface laptop is quickly gaining popularity.
What makes Surface Laptop a hot item in the laptop segment?
The Surface devices like the Surface Book and Surface Pro 4 were well received by the customers and their expectations increased when Microsoft announced the Surface Laptop at its May 2 event. The main focus of this new laptop is College students as it was specifically made for classroom use.
Packed with 3.5 million pixels, the 13.5 PixelSense Display can render a resolution of 2256 x 1504 pixels. The Pixels per inch ratio is around 201 and the display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3 which is unusual in laptops. The Surface Laptop features a 10 point multi-touch display which also takes input from the Surface Pen.
Configuration and Prices
Microsoft offers two main configurations in the Surface laptop. The pricing depends on the processor, memory and storage configuration.
- Intel Core i5, 128 GB SSD, 4GB RAM – $999
- Intel Core i5, 256GB SSD, 8GB RAM – $1,299
The Intel Core i5 Surface laptop also has Intel Graphics HD 620 graphics processor. The 256GB SSD configuration has several color options such as Burgundy, Platinum, Cobalt Blue, and Graphite Gold. The i5 Surface laptop model is perfect for presentations, reports, photographs, and videos.
The high-end Surface laptop configuration is as follows:
- Intel Core i7, 256GB SSD, 8GB RAM -$1599
- Intel Core i7, 512GB SSD, 16GB RAM- $2199
The Intel Core i5 Surface laptop also has a powerful Intel Graphics HD 640 graphics processor. The i7 model is only available in Platinum color. The i7 Surface laptop is ideal for 3D applications, for making videos and playing games.
The PixelSense Display- highlight of the Surface laptop
According to Microsoft, every PixelSense display is individually calibrated at the factory to ensure color accuracy and precision. The high contrast ratio with low glare allows you to see comfortably across wide viewing angles. The multi-touch and Stylus support makes input relatively easy and quicker than typing.
The Surface laptop display has a 3:2 aspect ratio which means the screen is taller and you will get more screen room while working.
Other Specs and Features
The Surface laptop offers varied connectivity options including USB 3.0, Mini Display port, and 3.5mm Headset Jack. The laptop features a 720p HD front-facing camera and omnisonic speakers with Dolby Audio Premium.
Despite having a sturdy aluminum casing, the laptop does not weigh more than 1,283 grams. The laptop comes with Surface Connect for charging. However, you are more likely to use it less as the laptop offers amazing battery backup- up to 14.5 hours of video playback.
The Surface laptop comes pre-loaded with Windows 10 S. if you are interested in using non-store apps; you have the option to switch to Windows 10 Pro for free until the 31st December 2017.
How does Microsoft Surface Laptop compare with other Surface devices?
Surface Laptop versus Surface Book
The clamshell design of the Surface laptop adds another aspect to Microsoft’s Surface premium lineup of devices. The laptop has unique features and a beautiful display. Though the Surface Book looks somewhat similar, it has major differences.
The Surface Book was built around Windows 10 Pro while the Surface laptop is built around the newer Windows 10 S. The performance components inside the Surface laptop are marginally superior to those of the Surface Book.
The Surface laptop has the newer Intel Kaby lake chip while the Surface Book has an older Skylake processor. The Surface Book has a lower display resolution screen and camera. It also offers fewer storage options to the buyer. The Surface Book weighs 3.48 lb. while the Surface laptop is almost one pound lighter at 2.76 lb.
Surface Laptop versus Surface Pro 4
The Surface Pro 4 is a premium tablet that can become a full-fledged computer when needed. You can connect an external keyboard to it.
The Surface Pro 4 is lighter than the Surface Laptop. The Surface Pro 4 has 11.5-inch screen and weighs around 2.41lb while the Surface laptop having 12.13-inch screen weighs 2.76 lb. The Surface Pro 4 has an older generation processor (Skylake), the one fitted in the Surface Book. Like the Surface laptop, it also comes in several configurations and you have multiple options in terms of memory (4GB/8GB/16GB) and storage space (128GB SSD/256GB SSD/ 512GB SSD).
The Surface laptop offers 14.5 hours battery life while the Surface Pro 4 offers only 9 hours.
The Freebies
Microsoft is offering Office 365 Personal one-year free subscription with the Surface laptop. Since the Windows 10 S does not allow third-party apps, the 365 Office suite online comes handy as it offers all popular productivity applications you will need – Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook, Publisher, OneNote, and others. One good thing about Office 365 is you can use it across different platforms including Mac and Android. Besides advanced productivity tools, a one–year free subscription to Office 365 also gets you OneDrive cloud storage that is useful to store documents and photos in the Cloud. If you are still inclined to use third-party apps, you can always choose to upgrade to Windows 10 Pro through the Microsoft store before the end of 2017.
Since the Surface laptop is designed for students and the education category, students and teacher can save up to 10% on their Surface laptop purchase.
Best Care and Support
When you buy the Surface Laptop from the Microsoft store, you are entitled to get the following benefits:
- 30-day return policy
- 1 free training session and Surface device health check
- Free technical phone support for 90 days
- 1-year in-store support and technical assistance
Words from the experts
The introduction of the Surface laptop marks the significant entry of Microsoft into the laptop segment. The laptop is well built and has impressive aesthetics. It is extremely thin and light-weight and you can easily open it with one hand. The Alcantara fabric that surrounds the keys and tabs of the Surface laptop adds to the premium feeling.
The Surface laptop has world class hardware; the latest processors, inbuilt GPU, bigger battery for extended battery life, superior 4.5 display and lots of RAM. This allows the laptop to render superior performance even when multitasking.
The thin frame and the light-weight aspect of the Surface Laptop make it comfortable to carry. The laptop is truly a match for MacBook and a good alternative for Windows users.
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