Name: Microsoft Surface Laptop, 13-inch
Brand: Microsoft

The 13-inch Surface Laptop is a distinct machine from the 13.8-inch model. Its tall 3:2 touchscreen leaves a useful amount of a document visible, and the selected 16 GB model weighs about 1.22 kg. Microsoft saves space in part by trimming connections and using fixed UFS storage. Those choices have consequences after the first trip.

Battery Life

50Wh battery
16h 41m web at 150 nits
11h 22m web at maximum brightness

Notebookcheck’s 512 GB sample lasted 16 hours 41 minutes in its wireless browsing test at 150 cd/m². At maximum brightness it ran 11 hours 22 minutes. For someone who works under bright train windows the second figure may be the more useful one. Both refer to that reviewed configuration and the same light browser workload. ¹

Connectivity

2 USB-C 3.2 ports
1 USB-A port
3.5mm headphone jack

There are two USB-C ports, one USB-A port and a headphone jack. USB-C also handles charging. Someone relying on a particular USB4 dock or specialty Windows peripheral should check the dock connection and Windows-on-Arm driver support before changing machines. Choose storage up front, since the UFS device is fixed.

Display

13-inch IPS touchscreen
1920 × 1280, 3:2
60Hz

The smaller Surface uses a 13-inch, 1920 × 1280 IPS touchscreen with the same tall 3:2 shape that makes a page of notes easy to read. Its refresh rate is fixed at 60Hz. Someone coming from a 120Hz Surface will see that difference while scrolling, while someone typing into a mostly static document may notice the light 1.22kg body more.

Performance & Storage

Eight-core Snapdragon X Plus
16GB fixed RAM on selected model
256GB fixed UFS storage

The eight-core Snapdragon X Plus runs Windows on Arm. A browser-and-documents workload and a specialist application with an accessory driver are different buying decisions, so check the latter with its developer. The selected 16GB/256GB model has fixed UFS storage and soldered memory. A 512GB version leaves more room for local files without giving applications more RAM.

Keyboard & Camera

Built-in keyboard
Fingerprint power button
1080p front camera

The 13-inch has a built-in keyboard, a 1080p camera for calls and a fingerprint sensor in the power button for sign-in. Notebookcheck liked the keyboard on its 512GB sample. ¹ Those details make the smaller laptop a useful comparison for a Surface Pro shopper who mostly types: here the keyboard is already attached and the cost is part of the laptop price.

Alternatives

The 13.8-inch Surface Laptop offers 120 Hz and USB4. Notebookcheck preferred those features but also found the smaller model’s keyboard appealing and its operation generally quiet. The 12-inch Surface Pro suits tablet use, but needs a separate keyboard to reproduce this laptop’s basic job. ¹

Verdict

The 13-inch Laptop is a good traveling writing machine when 60 Hz and the port selection already fit. Buy enough storage for its lifetime. Pay for a larger Surface if the faster dock or screen will make a difference at your desk.

Microsoft Surface Laptop, 13-inch review

Pros

Cons