Overview Microsoft Surface Laptop: productive and pleasant laptop. Battery life

Recently, Microsoft has replenished its laptop line new model - Microsoft Surface Laptop. A version of $ 1300 (85 250 p.) The Intel Core i5-7200U equipped with an Intel Core i5-7200U, 8 GB of RAM and a solid-state SSD-storage capacity of 256 GB equipped with an Intel Core i5-7200U processor.

Microsoft positions Surface Laptop as a laptop for schoolchildren and students, as well as for office work. Let's see what opportunities does the device offer and is it worth considering it to purchase.

Design Microsoft Surface Laptop

Surface Laptop is available in four color versions - burgundy, platinum, blue cobalt (model overlap) and graphite gold. The all-metal housing is felt strong and got a slightly rounded edge. Build quality at the highest level.

The area around the keyboard and between the keys is covered with Alcanthr, which gives the device nice to the touch and attractive appearance. Dell XPS 13 has a similar approach in the coating, only carbon fiber is used instead of Alcantara. I like this trend, as it greatly simplifies the process of opening a laptop and makes it use more fascinating.

The size of the housing is 308.1 × 223.27 × 14.48 mm, and the weight is 1.25 kg. In general, the corps here is not the most practical, but it is exactly one of the most stylish.

Connectors and ports

Microsoft Surface Laptop is not a small laptop, however, the set for connections is minimal. There is one USB 3.0 port, Mini DisplayPort and 3.5 headphone connector. Wireless options include Wi-Fi 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.0.

720p webcam installed above the display with face recognition function with using windows Hello.

Keyboard and touchpad

Microsoft Surface Laptop uses an island-type keyboard with backlit. The keys are located at a sufficient distance from each other and have a pleasant feeling when pressed.

Pick up the text on the laptop is quite comfortable. The backlight here is standard and with several levels of brightness.

Touchpad Surface Laptop is less impressive. This is a Windows compatible precision touch panel that simply performs its work. I would like to see here more responsive and large touchpad. Considering that competitors, like Apple and HP, still found a way to establish much large touch panels in their laptops, while not sacrificing them with quality.

Fortunately, there is one big touch surface here - the screen. I did not use it too often, but it is nice to realize that it is and compatible with the Pen and Dial stylus.

Windows 10 S operating system

Microsoft Surface Laptop laptop runs on Windows 10 S, it can only run applications from Windows Store.which currently have a limited set of opportunities, and this is a big problem. You will not be able to run the usual Google Chrome, Firefox, Steam, Discord or full version Photoshop.

Microsoft justifies the installation of Windows 10 S by the fact that it is easier in management and is great for educational institutions and business. Any organization that manages hundreds, and maybe thousands of devices, will like that through Surface Laptop you can not go to pirate sites and download malicious software.

However, for the user who wants to buy Surface Laptop for itself - Windows 10 S is a solid disappointment.

You can not use familiar applications as well as regedit or command lineWhat makes some possibilities inaccessible.

Bright display

Microsoft Surface Laptop is equipped with a non-standard 13.5-inch display with a 3: 2 aspect ratio, which looks much more than the numbers on paper show. The resolution is 2256 × 1504 or 201 pixel per inch (PPI). It is high enough to provide a satisfactory sharpness, but below the MacBook Pro 13 indicator with 220 PPI, as well as 267 PPI from Surface Pro.

However, in addition to the number of pixels, color and contrast are also of great importance. The Pixelsense screen provides a contrast ratio to 1020: 1, ahead of each competitor, with the exception of the MacBook Pro 13 by Apple, which reaches 1200: 1. Nevertheless, the Surface Laptop display is very bright and has an almost perfect color gamut.

Not bad sound

The sound quality from Surface Laptop speakers is above average, with a good balance between low and high frequencies. The speakers are arranged right under the keyboard, they provide an acceptable volume level that is enough for listening to music or watching movies. But I recommend using headphones.

Performance and tests

New Microsoft. Surface Laptop comes with Core i5 or Core i7 processors. The hero of my review is equipped with a Core i5-7200U chip and 8 GB of RAM. Such equipment does not provide premium performance, although it is distributed among high-end laptops and provides a good balance between performance and battery life.

In GeekBench 4, the test Surface Laptop reached 3681 points in the same-core and 7373 in a multi-core test.

These indicators are standard among most modern laptops with the Core i5-7200U processor, which I tested.

Slow SSD-Drive

The Microsoft Surface Laptop version overlooking me is equipped with a 256 GB solid-state drive. Although SSD uses the latest connection standards, it does not provide expected performance. Competitors like MacBook Pro 13, XPS 13 and Specter X360, more than two times higher than the speed of the drive.

The problem is that according to the Toshiba catalog, SSD in Surface Laptop (model ThNSN0256GTYA) is one of the slowest drives with M.2 interface.

Device in games

Surface Laptop from Microsoft is not for gamers and it is not surprising. In the test, this laptop with the Core i5-7200U processor and the Intel HD 620 graphics are ahead of some competitors only with a slight margin. This means that 3D games will be launched without problems, but the experience will become non-ideal.

Civilization VI with a resolution of 1080p and at the minimum settings reached the middle speed of only 17 FPS.

Battery life

The built-in battery with 47 W / h provides good autonomy of the Surface Laptop. Microsoft declares that one battery charge here is enough for 14.5 hours of reproduction of a loan video. In the PCMark 8 HOME test with a brightness of 200 cd / m2 laptop lasted 6 hours. With an average load and with automatic brightness tuning, you can count on 8 hours of operation.

As regards alternative, Dell XPS 13 looks more slender, offers better drive performance and excellent screen settings.

HP Specter X360 is approximately equal in size, but does not have such autonomy, but it is 2-in-1, and you can buy it with a 4K display.

ASUS ZenBook UX330UA worth $ 700 (45,900 p.) Is also an excellent option. Despite the display 1080p, it received a newer version of the same processor, such an SSD, as many RAM and similar connections, despite the fact that it is a little easier and thinner.

Apple MacBook Pro 13 is another good alternative with a faster drive, improved display and large number of ports.

Outcome

I thought, given the past successes that Microsoft Surface Laptop laptop would be best alternative In its segment. Nevertheless, the company found a way to complicate the installation of Windows 10 S, and having delivered the device in key areas as the quality of the screen and the performance of the solid-state drive.

Should I buy?

Not. Laptop Surface Laptop is a impressive device in almost all respects, but has a lot of flaws. Adding some money, you can buy equipment and better.

Advantages of Microsoft Surface Laptop

• Excellent keyboard.
• High-quality display.
• Coating a working surface from Alcantara.
• High performance processor.

The most straight shot Microsoft Po MacBook.

Verdict: Microsoft continues its victorious series with a brilliant Surface Laptop, which combines a thin and easy design with powerful components. Microsoft Surface Laptop Overview Next ...

• pros: Magnificent design | Assembly quality | Screen | Performance;
• Minuses: Windows 10 S Restrictions | No USB-C | No update | Ports;

Microsoft consistently impresses us the Surface Work Systems range, and the latest update of the company, Surface Laptop, continues this trend in the form of a smooth and powerful laptop, which was designed as a showcase for.

A few years ago, the thought of Microsoft devices designed specifically for the new version of Windows would make most people retreat, but there are a number of reasons to pay attention to Surface Laptop.

First of all, with such devices, like Microsoft showed that it is able to create impeccable premium-class devices capable of competing with Apple for their money. In addition, the Xbox One X game console design shows that the company knows how to embed powerful components into thin machines using an attractive design.

Secondly, Windows 10, along with the new version of Windows 10 S, received decent estimates, and most users that use it recognize that this is a big step forward after Windows 8, privacy problems aside.

Thus, in fact, this is a very welcomed device created to use Windows 10 functions, such as Windows Hello biometric safety and Windows Ink support for styluses.

Thanks to the excellent design and powerful characteristics of Surface Laptop, Microsoft offers its MacBook response from Apple, which is in direct competition. Does Microsoft developed a laptop that can overturn MAC positions? Read in our review ...

Surface.Laptop: price, availability and value

Of course, a premium-class device comes with a premium price tag, Microsoft's laptop is estimated at $ 999 (60.000 rubles). This is the cost of a base model that comes with an Intel Core i5 processor, 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of SSD drive.

The following configuration includes more powerful processor Intel Core i7, 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB SSD for 1599 dollars or 96,000 rubles. And while the availability of the average model is limited, it should go to the Russian market on August 8th.

—
Finally, you can buy Microsoft Surface Laptop with an Intel Core I7 processor, 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of SSD memory for $ 2199 (131.000 rubles). This version will also be available in Russia from August 8.

This is expensive update, is it worth waiting? While the doubling of memory increases the flexibility of the laptop, there are cheaper ways to get an additional place to store your files, including cloud services, such as Google Disk.

—
However, 16 GB of RAM may be tempting for some people who want to use Surface Laptop to start demanding software or multitasking. These users, most likely, will want to go with Windows 10 S, which allows you to run only applications from Windows Store - on Windows 10 Pro, the OS update will be free until December 31, 2017, and then it will cost an additional $ 49 (3000 rubles).

However, for most people, the cheapest Surface Laptop configuration must be absolutely beautiful - especially if you use Windows Store applications that have been verified and tested by Microsoft.

The main idea underlying Windows 10 S and restrictions on Windows Store applications is that these applications are less resource-intensive than traditional Windows programs, which means that they will work well on low power computers and slowly will discharge the battery .

The price of the Surface Laptop laptop sets it in one row C, as well as, offering several best features And the overall performance of the base model in comparison with MacBook, but yielding HP and Dell.

The whole triple of competitors is worthy opponents that are included in - so the Surface Laptop will have to work.

Surface.Laptop in the traditional "platinum".

Design

In our preliminary review Surface Laptop We suggested that this 13.5-inch device is quite possibly the most attractive computer product that has ever released Microsoft - and now when we spent more time with a laptop, we are ready to confirm this opinion.

In short, Surface Laptop is an incredibly attractive machine that shows that Windows laptops can be designed as brilliantly as Apple products.

The laptop has a fully aluminum lid and a housing resembling a "Surface Book", which provides a durable and excellent look. Despite the fact that the Surface Laptop looks very easy (more about this later), it also gives confidence that this expensive device will not be damaged even in the conditions of the most intensive use.

Unlike the Surface Book, Surface Laptop has no aluminum keyboard - instead, Microsoft selects plastic keys. Before you begin to worry about the fact that this solution can reduce your Surface Laptop, the keys are surrounded by the Alcantara woven material, which is imported from Italy and is cut into the laser to match the keyboard, it is this material gives Surface Laptop a very pleasant feeling, especially during text set .

Surface Laptop keyboard keys also feels satisfactory, thanks to the 1.5-millimeter stroke, which gives you a decent physical response when typing. Interesting designer solution Allows you to place the Surface Laptop speakers behind the keyboard using the gaps between the keys as the speaker grille.

This means that the body can remain thin, without speakers, which promise an increase in the overall size, and this compromise works simply excellent, the Surface Laptop sound remains loud and clear - although we have noticed some muffling during the text set. It may be a problem only if you like to listen to music while working, but at least the built-in audio connector allows you to connect Surface Laptop to external dynamics.

Strange lanes based on laptop? itWi-FI antennas.

Spokening about ports, Surface Laptop comes with a USB 3.0 port, Mini Displayport and the Surface Connect power from Microsoft, as well as the docking port on other Surface series devices.

Newer, faster connection USB Type-C It catches his absence. When we asked Microsoft about it, the manufacturer replied that she intends to expand the possibilities of connecting a laptop through the Surface Connect port and Surface Dock.

However, it is ashamed to see that there is no USB-C port, since an increasing number of peripheral devices comes with this compound, many surface laptop competitors offer it.

On the other hand, we also remembered that Microsoft did not follow the output of the USB-C from Apple.

Limited ports means Surface Laptop can maintain a thin profile - in fact, the laptop thickness is measured only 14.48 mm, which makes it thinner 15 mm laptop Dell XPS 13, although a little thicker MacBook (13.1 mm), and Also HP Spectre - 13.7 mm.

Thus, although this is not the thinnest laptop in the Surface series, but still quite thin, and it weighs only 1.25 kg, which is much easier than 1.9 kg of Dell, although again it is heavier MacBook, which weighs only 1, 08 kg.

However, this is an impressive light laptop that you can hold in one hand. From the point of view of mobility, this is one of the most convenient laptops that you can only buy.

However, the fine design has a flaw, it is incredibly difficult to disassemble and cannot be updated. This information comes from the IFIXIT website, where Surface Laptop is dismantled and noted that many components are either glued or soldered to the motherboard, which makes it difficult to remove and replace parts. It should not worry some, but if you damage your Surface Laptop or something will go wrong with the guarantee, the repair may be quite expensive.

Comparison Surface Laptop I. Surface Book.

The screen is a bright 13.5-inch Pixelsense touch panel, which is amplified by Corning Gorilla Glass 3 to protect against scratches. The resolution is 2256 x 1504, which gives the overall density of pixels 201 PPI (pixel per inch).

Fans of resolution abilities (there are also such, yes) will notice a somewhat unusual ratio of permission, this is due to the fact that the Surface Laptop screen has the aspect ratio of 3: 2 - while most video (and monitors) use a 16: 9 ratio (MacBook - 16:10).

In practice, this means that Microsoft Surface Laptop laptop screen is higher, which gives you a little more square when working - although it means that if you are watching widescreen videos, you will see large black stripes running along the top and bottom of the screen.

Keyboard panelSurface.Laptop is terribly comfortable.

The aspect ratio of the screen also matters for the size of the Surface Laptop, and also, due to this, the device has a wider housing.

In general, however, Surface Laptop is a fantastically attractive device, which will undoubtedly force others to turn around, while maintaining convenience in work and transportation.

Microsoft.Surface.Laptop: Characteristics

Here is the Surface Laptop configuration from our review:

• CPU: Intel Core i5 7200U (2.5 GHz);
• Graphics: Intel HD 620;
• RAM: 8 GB;
• Screen: 13.5-inch Pixelsense with a resolution of 2256 x 1504 pixels;
• Built-in memory: 256 GB SSD;
• Optical drive: Not;
• Ports: USB 3.0, 3.5 mm headphone jack, Mini DisplayPort, Surface Connect;
• Camera: HD camera 720p;
• Weight: 1.25 kg;
• The size: 308.1 mm x 223.27 mm x 14.48 mm (w x y x c);

As we have already mentioned, Surface Laptop is supplied in several configurations - although at the time of this review, only configurations are available to the smallest parameters.

This does not mean that the concept of a laptop does not work. In fact, even the basic model is equipped with some rather impressive components, including the seventh generation Intel Core i5 processor with clock frequency 2.5 GHz.

This is a much more perfect processor than the 6th generation Intel Core M5-6Y54, which is presented in Macbook 2016, while the Basic MacBook Model (2017) uses new processor Intel Core M3-7Y32, which is still inferior to Core i5 in Surface Laptop.

HP Spectre X360 is much better to blow in comparison of processors, because it offers an Intel Core i7-7500U with a clock frequency of 2.7 GHz (with a large reserve of 16 GB operational memory), just a little more expensive ($ 1049 / 63,000), which is much cheaper Options Surface Laptop with i7.

While the I5 processor is an excellent addition, 4 GB of RAM in the basic version of the Surface Laptop laptop seem to some limit, especially when competitors are offered two or four times more RAM. While 16 GB (and, of course, something higher than this indicator) are excessive for the daily tasks of the laptop, 4 GB of RAM can get to brake applications for editing photos and video. You can also test some slowdown when you try to simultaneously run multiple programs. In our review, Surface Laptop came from 8 GB of RAM, which makes this model faster than the basic version of the Surface laptop.

The argument for this relatively small reserve of RAM is that the Surface Laptop is limited to the launch of applications from Windows Store, which are less demanding of memory than the usual Windows programs. So, if you stick to Windows 10 S, the lack of RAM should not be too big a problem, but if you go to Windows 10 Pro and try to run ambitious programs, you can be disappointed. As we mentioned earlier, the design of the Surface Laptop components is represented by a spike on the motherboard, so you will not be able to open the laptop and set additional RAM.

To maintain the cooling of the components, ensuring the quiet operation of the Surface Laptop, Microsoft includes a completely new cooling system of steam cameras. It works by changing the physical condition of the heat, which passes through the center of the ventilating hole in the back of the base of the laptop and releasing it on the sides of the same ventilation opening.

Pay attention to the port of docking stationSurface.Connect - the answerMicrosoft onUSBC.

Performance

Before we spoke about the performance of Surface Laptop, we need to highlight the problem of our usual test methodology. Usually we conduct a number of tests on laptops that come to us on the review, they test the device and return the estimates that help us compare and rank competing products.

These tests, along with practical use devices, give us a good idea of \u200b\u200bhow good one or other laptops are. The problem here is that many test applications, including GeekBench 4, 3DMark and PC MARK, are not available via Windows Store, which means that they cannot be launched on Windows 10 S.

And while we could run these tests on the Surface Laptop, updating it to Windows 10 Pro, the PR team, which sent us a laptop for review, asked us to do this.

Thus, we cannot provide direct results of tests for comparison, but we can tell you how a laptop feels in everyday work - which is much more important.

It is also worth noting that Windows 10 S was designed in such a way that the device felt as fast and smooth as the first day of its use. This is due to the fact that Windows Store applications are installed in an isolated environment, that is, can not make changes to the registry or other important windows settingsHow this usually makes Windows programs. It also means that they can be easily installed and removed, without leaving traces.

And while we, unfortunately, cannot check the stated performance per thousand days, our time with Surface Laptop proves that even basic version The laptop works great with Windows 10 S, the various applications that we used are open and closed smoothly.

There are several games in Windows Store, and we have tried some of them. These are simple games similar to mobile, so they do not disturb the performance of Surface Laptop.

While Windows 10 S comes with some pleasant features, the fact that the system is limited to Windows Store applications may irritate some people, as you may find that some of the programs that you rely have no versions for Windows Store .

Despite the fact that Microsoft seeks to use all the popular programs in Windows Store, the adaptation process is long, and the likelihood of the fact that some of the applications you need simply will simply be in the store. In these cases, the limited nature of Windows 10 S is disappointment - and you can ask yourself why you spent such money on a computer that does not allow you to run your favorite programs.

Of course, it is possible to go to Windows 10 Pro, which will be free until the end of this year. However, updated to Windows 10 Pro, you skip the advantages of Windows 10 S. S. Microsoft's performance and security also stated that updates are one-way process, but fortunately, it is tracked, and you can return to Windows 10 S - although it will mean full formatting Laptop and loss of all installed programs and files.

If you are worried about the fact that Windows 10 S is too limited, Microsoft seeks to solve the problem, including a one-year subscription on Office 365 Personal, which is nice.

However, despite the fact that we were very pleased with the time spent with Surface Laptop running Windows 10 S if we continued to use it as a daily laptop, we simply would not have a choice but to go to Windows 10 Pro - Too many programs that we rely, inaccessible in Windows Store, do not last web browsers, such as Chrome (you are limited to Microsoft Edge with Windows 10 S).

However, the launch of Windows 10 S on the high-speed SSD (256 GB) was incredibly impressive, with an instant awakening in standby mode, Windows 10 S was loaded in seconds when loaded from a fully automatic state. This is a Windows laptop that you can quickly open and start working.

The touch screen works brilliantly, it quickly reacted to all the touch and gestures, especially when using the stylus and Windows Ink, a separate mention deserve the options for the Annotation of Windows 10.

The Trekpad also felt good, and the increased vertical size of the housing (due to the aspect ratio of 3: 2) provide a convenient place to relax palms when entering text.

At least we were able to launch our battery test, in which we looped high-definition video while the battery does not discharge. Surface Laptop coped perfectly, withstood 8 hours and 47 minutes, which makes it an excellent choice for watching movies on long journeys.

We also used Surface Laptop for moderately intensive work, including browsing web pages, streaming music playback and using Office applications. Surface Pro lasted the whole working day (from 9 am to 5 pm), retaining 20% \u200b\u200bof the battery, which means that you can safely use it to work without worrying about charging.

Final thoughts

In general, we were very impressed with the performance of the Surface Laptop, and thanks to Windows 10 S and the lack of pre-installed software that you will never use, although it often accompanies all Windows laptops, Surface Laptop competes, and sometimes exceeds laptops with higher characteristics.

We liked: Microsoft Surface Laptop is an absolutely magnificent device, Microsoft's attention to detail when it comes to the desired and thin car - brought dividends. This laptop feels and looks like a premium class device, and is also a powerful and reliable machine that you can carry with you without problems.

Laptop Surface Laptop also boasts excellent performance, mainly due to well utilized components and controlled windows Environment 10 S.

We did not like: Writing about Windows 10 S, the implementation of the system may cause disagreements. Some people will enjoy a simple and safe system, while others will find restrictions disappointing. At least update to Windows 10 Pro for free at the moment.

The limited nature of Surface Laptop does not stop on the software, since most of the components are glued and soldered together, which eliminates the independent update or simple repair of the laptop. If you want more control and flexibility from a laptop, Surface Laptop is not for you.

The laptop is also quite expensive in comparison with competing devices.

Summing up

Microsoft conquers a reputation on creating reliable, attractive and desirable premium products to demonstrate their Windows software. Thin and light design makes it easy to wear a laptop with you, while a careful combination of components and high-quality building materials make a laptop pleasant to use.

This is obviously a device that Microsoft developers and engineers created for a long time, and for the most part of their efforts paid off. This is one of the most modern Windows devices today, and thanks to some elegant specifications, along with a carefully managed Windows 10 S operating system, this is one of the smoother machines on Windows 10.

If you use the basic Microsoft tools and you can find everything you need in Windows Store, then you will enjoy Surface Laptop.

For those who worry about the fact that Windows 10 S is too limited, the ability to upgrade to Windows 10 Pro is long-awaited, and for many it makes the device useful and flexible in the blink of an eye.

However, the car is not quite ideal yet, and there are several design solutions that interfere with the laptop to achieve true greatness. The lack of USB-C disappoints on such a laptop, focusing on the future, the lack of ports means that you may have to resort to a USB hub to connect different devices.

You also pay a premium price for this laptop - there are more powerful laptops on the market (but less attractive) laptops at the same price - or cheaper.

Meanwhile, the glued and sealed design of the laptop is embarrassed by users who want to be sure that there is some breakdown, an expensive gadget can be easily fixed. Be that as it may, you may have to fully replace your Surface Laptop, if something breaks - even what it would be relatively simple and cheap solutions with other laptops.

8 Overall Score

Verdict:

Microsoft continues its victorious series with a brilliant Surface Laptop, which combines a thin and easy design with powerful components.

Just a few days with the flagship laptop Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 I was enough to find what to start cling. However, this does not change the fact that Surface Laptop 3 is something that attracts your attention.

Microsoft accepted a lot of wise decisions already at the stage of development of Surface Laptop 3. Someone in the company finally came to the conclusion that the laptop on Windows should be primarily practical. We already have a Surface Book and Surface Pro for compactness or transformation. Microsoft laptop line is primarily working horses for schoolchildren, students working, or business engaged in business. This is a classic workstation.

It was decided to get rid of the finishes from Alcantara, when the focus is on the improvement of the trackpad, keyboard and display. Much attention was also received by the processor of the new Surface Laptop. For the first time we have no publicly available integral iron, but a specially developed AMD chip from the Ryzen family. All this to make an updated computer as practical as possible, because Laptop has 3 very serious opponents. In particular, Matebook X Pro from Huawei is a laptop, which, in my opinion, is close to the ideal. Should I change it on Surface?

Operating system	Windows 10 HOME (consumer versions) Windows 10 Pro (corporate versions)
	15-inch Pixelsense, Touch, with a resolution of 2496 × 1664, 10-points, Support Surface Pen
CPU	Consumer versions: AMD Ryzen 5 3580U AMD Ryzen 7 3780U Business version: Intel Core i5-1035G7. Intel Core i7-1065g7.
RAM	Intel: 8/16 GB LPDDR4X-3733 AMD: 8/16/32 GB DDR4-2400
Data storage	SSD NVME 128/256/512 GB
	Intel Iris Plus 950, AMD Radeon VEGA 9, Radeon Vega 11
Connection and network	Intel: WiFi 6 (802.11AX) AMD: WiFi 5 (802.11ac) Bluetooth 5.0.
Keyboard and Trekpad	Light keyboard, keys with 1.3 mm increments. Trekpad Precision 115 × 76,66, Glass Surface, Signs Support (up to five fingers)
Security devices	Business version: TPM 2.0 chip, corporate-class protection using Windows Hello. Consumer versions: TPM software
Battery	Up to 11.5 hours of operation without recharging, function fast charging: up to 80% in 1 hour
	720p, F / 2.0, with the ability to log in with Windows Hello
	Dynamics, two microphones
Ports and connectors	1 × USB-C 1 × USB-A 1 × 3.5 mm audio 1 × Surface Connect
	Lightening
Power Supply
Size and weight	339.5 × 244 × 14,69 mm, 1.54 kg
	From $ 1199 (77 thousand rubles)

Overview equipment was equipped with a 15-inch touch screen with a resolution of 2496 × 1664 pixel (ratio of 3: 2, 201 PPI, with a stylus support). The performance responds to the 14-nanometer Ryzen 5 Raven Ridge processor with built-in Radeon RX VEGA 9 and 8 GB of DDR4 RAM, developed jointly AMD and Microsoft. My version's memory is represented by a 256 gigabyte SSD from Hitachi. The laptop works on Windows 10 HOME.

When it comes to available ports, we have one USB-C, uSB-A port, Headphone connector and Surface Connect. The computer is also equipped with a TPM module and a Windows Hello-compatible camera.

Design and minimalism

Design and beauty is a very individual business. Nevertheless, I can not not mention that I really like minimalism in Microsoft Surface Laptop 3. Uniform, simple designin which we will not even find holes for speakers. I have to admit, this type is very suitable for me, it reminds about once the favorite Laptops of the ThinkPad series.

Simplicity, does not mean oddificity. Surface Laptop 3 light, thin and perfectly balanced. The device weighs just over 1.2 kg, which is very good for its size. I did not feel this in a backpack, even when I had the opportunity to make a short journey with him. The design seems durable - no doubt, high-quality materials and accurate technological processes were used in its production. This is a very mobile car despite the size.

Unfortunately, the first reservation is also associated with minimalism. It's great that the Microsoft Surface laptop line finally received the USB-C port. It is a pity that one, and without ThunderBolt 3. Add to this the second normal USB and, that's it. I do not consider Surface Connect, because the connector requires very specific accessories.

Such a small number of ports on a 15-inch laptop is difficult to forgive the well-known manufacturer. In addition, their location is not the best, but in Surface Connect the insertion of the cable is difficult, even though the port is magnetic - I never coped with this without looking.

Laptop display

Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 uses the aspect ratio of the display 3: 2. For most applications, especially Microsoft software, the display with such proportions is much better than 16: 9 or 16:10. The quality of the panel is consistently high, it is bright, with excellent contrast. Colors are natural, although they could be better.

Competitors, including Microsoft partners, have already learned to produce displays with very thin frames. Surface Laptop 3 is slightly outdated in this regard. The laptop housing could be reduced, while maintaining the same diagonal of the display.

Great Keyboard and Trekpad

Pick up the text on the Surface Laptop 3 keyboard - the present pleasure. In any case, this is not surprised by anyone - Microsoft from time immemorial is famous for the highest quality keyboards. Mounted in Microsoft Surface Laptop 3, supports the highest standards. The height, elasticity and location of the buttons are close to perfection.

Supporting platform, devoid of alcantara, is very comfortable, it fully ensures rest to his hands. It is surprising that pressing the buttons are pleasantly deep - unthinkable, taking into account the thickness of the laptop.

I have a lot of good words and about the glass trackpad. The panel is huge, pleasant to the touch. All gestures are supported in Windows 10 (up to five fingers at the same time). Trekpad also shoes perfectly. I do not know if it is possible to do even better, as I have not yet met such solutions.

Processor performance

The usual interaction with a relatively small number of tools is clearly not enough to tell something interesting about the performance and culture of the laptop. Of course, Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 at any time behaves with dignity, in this regard.

Tools that I use to work - Chromium-based browser (multiple tabs at the same time), Word and Excel, system email client, as well as Lightroom and Photoshop, which processes the RAW files obtained from the Nikon camera. IN background mode Typically work messengers and other small applications. I have never been able to overload the Ryzen processor, in this laptop. Apparently, the above set of applications and actions is not too demanding for Surface Laptop 3.

Even at high speeds, the fan publishes a quiet sound, which means a well-designed cooling system. The problem is that it almost never stops. At the moment, when writing these words, I have been open and three tabs in the browser without Flash or multimedia. And I hear the fan noise in the background. It should not be so, especially since I have already noticed the noise from Laptop 3 during sleep. Not very optimistic.

Software

Surface Laptop 3 from Microsoft is running Windows 10 HOME (why not Pro?!). It would seem that the hardware and software from Microsoft is the best possible combination. Well, of course, if it comes to an important question in direct control of firmware or drivers. Unfortunately, Windows 10 has its drawbacks.

Take for example such an elementary question like battery maintenance. With the daily use of the Microsoft Surface Laptop laptop 3 stationary, it is worth installing a charge limit at 40-60%. So, the equipment will last much longer than with a fully charged battery. In other business laptops, we will find the appropriate tab in the operating system to include a special mode (called differently).

Do you know where it is worth looking for this switch in Surface Laptop 3? Well, in UEFI. In place, in which no user will think to look and should not look around. Microsoft adds only the Surface app. We can check the warranty status of the computer or configure the Surface Pen stylus.

Autonomousity Microsoft Surface Laptop 3

The autonomy period of the Surface Laptop battery 3 far from perfect. I would like to emphasize that I still had the opportunity to unload the battery twice.

First time soon after initial settingSo that the laptop can configure many things in the background, consuming the processor time. After about seven hours after a complete charge, I received a message that it was time to connect a computer to a power source or save data in applications.

This is a good result, as we are talking about real work, and not about the fiscal playback of video or similar dimensions, although not sensational. The fast charging system pleased: After about an hour, the battery is charged from 5 to 80 percent.

Outcome

Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 - Light laptop with a design that matches me very much. Keyboard and Trekpad are ideal, there is a very good display with the aspect ratio of 3: 2 for most applications. Performance seems sufficient, although I have to check it in more detail. Much attention to detail. Fast system Charging and worthy working time Departed from the charger. Here are the advantages of this laptop.

However, my Matebook X Pro also received a 3: 2 display - in a higher resolution. It works quietly (I have a version with Core i5). Despite smaller sizes, there is a single USB-C port here, and the device is better equipped in terms of software. In addition, it is cheaper than Microsoft equipment, also done well and finished.

Should I buy?

The new Surface Laptop 3 can be a successful computer, but, unfortunately, he has its drawbacks. Can I recommend it to someone? Definitely yes, by a very simple reason. Matebook X Pro in stores is practically absent, which means that Surface Laptop becomes the only alternative to the laptop market with a display 3: 2. In my opinion, a huge plus. If it comes to other Laptop features, the benefits clearly outweigh the disadvantages.

However, not everyone will share my enthusiasm. In general, Surface Laptop 3 from Microsoft is on the same level with the best equipment Apple, HP or Lenovo. And although I have a sympathy for Microsoft's laptop, is unsure that after the next few weeks, it is preserving this feeling. It seems to me that the key point will be the analysis of the work performed on the system developed in conjunction with AMD.

Microsoft Surface Laptop is a new replenishment in the line of the world-famous American corporation. It was presented simultaneously with the Surface Pro transformer computer, which turns from the tablet to the laptop after connecting the physical keyboard. Unlike him, Surface Laptop is a full-fledged laptop without the possibility of transformation. However, he has a lot of own advantages. In our review, Surface Laptop we appreciate the advantages and disadvantages of the new device from Microsoft.

What is it?

At first glance, Microsoft Surface Laptop is a kind of intermediate between Surface Pro and Surface Book, a more productive transformer released a year ago. Surface Laptop can boast a Gorilla Glass 3 coating screen, supporting the Windows Hello identification function, the 7th generation of Intel processors and the presence of Windows 10 S operating system. Surface Laptop is chic touchscreenWith which you can work with your fingers or corporate stylus Surface Pen.

One of the main external features of the Surface Laptop is the presence of a Keyboard with a coating of Alcantara. In addition, the laptop can be purchased in one of the four very steep colors. Another advantage declared on the Laptop presentation was the battery life. It reaches 13 hours when the Wi-Fi module is enabled. Also among the essential features of Surface Laptop, you can mark the design of the sound system. The laptop has no special cuts under acoustics - the sound passes directly through the keyboard.

Equipment

In addition to the laptop itself, the user will only detect the charger in the packaging box. Stylus Surface Pen, branded sensory pen, for Surface devices is not included in the laptop package and sold separately.

As an additional accessory, the manufacturer has released the Surface Arc Mouse branded mouse. It can be selected in one of the same beautiful colors in which the laptop is offered. The Surface Dial Wireless Manipulator is also suitable for working with the touch screen. It is also proposed to purchase separately.

Modifications

Microsoft Surface Laptop is proposed in a variety of modifications that differ in the processor type (I5 or I7), the volume of RAM (4, 8 or 16 GB) and volume hard disk (128, 256, 512 GB or 1 TB). The buyer has a choice of 4 colors in which a laptop is offered: Platinum, Graphite Gold, Burgundy, Cobalt Blue.

In our online store, the following modifications are available at the time of writing:

• Surface Laptop - 128GB / Intel Core i5 / 4GB RAM (Color Platinum)
• Surface Laptop - 256GB / Intel Core i5 / 8GB RAM (Color Platinum)
• Surface Laptop - 256GB / Intel Core i7 / 8GB RAM (Color Platinum)
• Surface Laptop - 512GB / Intel Core i7 / 16GB RAM (Color Platinum)
• Surface Laptop - 256GB / Intel Core i5 / 8GB RAM (Graphite Gold Color)
• Surface Laptop - 256GB / Intel Core i5 / 8GB RAM (Burgundy Color)
• Surface Laptop - 256GB / Intel Core i5 / 8GB RAM (Color COBALT BLUE)

We tested the modification of Microsoft Surface Laptop, which has an Intel Core i5 processor, 8 GB operational and 256 GB of integrated memory in the Platinum case color.

Design and design features

Like the past models of Surface Pro and Surface Book, the Surface Laptop novelty housing is made of aluminum alloy. The weight of the novelties is only 1.25 kg. The laptop is only 100 grams harder than Surface Pro 4, and the same 100 grams are easier than MacBook Pro 13 2016.

Ports and connectors are located on the side faces of the case. Power button is placed on the keyboard. The screen is covered with a protected glass Gorilla Glass 3. Moreover, the edging around the display is almost absent - the glass takes the entire surface.

Unlike the Surface Book transformer laptop, Laptop has no hinge connection between the screen and the keyboard. You can fold the lid to the maximum of the standard angle. In our opinion, this angle could be more. But in general, this is not critical. The loops between the screen and the keyboard look reliable and a well locks any angle of the display.

The impressions of the laptop are exceptionally positive. Thin, compact and light laptop is comfortable to carry with you, and work with it in any situations: in the office, sitting in a chair with a laptop on the knees, or even lying in bed.

Alcantara

The "Fishka" Surface Laptop was a keyboard covered with velvety, very pleasant to the touch and on the look of the coating - Alcantara. Its color corresponds to each of the body color options. Pros of her presence is that the laptop looks not only unusual, but also very stylish. On Alcantare, traces of fingerprints are not visible, and at low temperatures. ambient The cold corps will not deliver inconvenience to your wrists.

Keyboard and Touch Pad

The laptop received a keyboard with a size of 27.5 x 10 cm. It is equipped with a backlight with three brightness levels. The key of the keys is very smooth and deep. When you press the keys, there is no loud click. Pick up the text on the keyboard is very convenient. In articles on English-language resources, observers note that the Surface Laptop keyboard is more convenient, and the keys are much larger than the MacBook Pro 13 2016.

The surface of the touch pad is made of glass. Its size is 10.5 x 7 cm. The response is fast. Touch pad reacts very accurately to user actions - the cursor moves without delays and does not tremble. The action buttons on the touch pad are pressed with pleasant hearing with deaf clocks.

The Surface Laptop keyboard is an interesting combination of alcantra coating, comfortable keys and well-working touch pad. It can be unambiguously called one of their main advantages of the laptop.

Ports and wireless connections

Surface Laptop has not so many connectors on the housing. On the one hand there is a connector for the charger, and on the other - the USB port, the headphone jack and the minidisplay port.

Like other Surface, Laptop has a rather minimal set of connectors. In particular, there is no Thunderbolt 3 and USB Type-C port. But it is possible to additionally purchase a docking station that allows you to connect to the Laptop set of other devices.

The laptop provides Bluetooth 4.0. Surface Laptop connects to the Internet via a Wi-Fi-module, but LTE support does not have any modifications in any of the modifications.

Screen

The Surface Laptop laptop is equipped with a display, the diagonal of which is 13.5 inches. Display resolution 2256 x 1504. Pixel density ratio is 201 PPI. The screen has a protective glass coating Gorilla Glass. The display shows the aspect ratio of 3: 2, which makes a laptop well optimized for working with texts, photos. The matrix uses Panasonic VVX14T092N00, performed using IPS technology.

The screen demonstrates extremely bright and rich colors, and texts are displayed with a high definition. The display according to its properties is strongly reminiscent of the Surface Pro 4 screen, which has been awarded user feedback. Two displays have almost identical brightness and contrast indicator - 1000: 1. According to the manufacturer's assurances, the Surface Laptop screen matrix displays a 100% SRGB color space. Compared to MacBook Pro 13, the Surface Laptop laptop has a slightly large display diagonal (13.3 versus 13.5 inches). Given that all other characteristics of the Surface Laptop screen are simply excellent, we can say that the "battle of screens" laptop from Microsoft clearly defeats the model from Apple.

Windows S.

The laptop works on the Windows S operating system. During the presentation of the New Year 2017, Microsoft emphasized the potential of its devices in education and professional activities. For example, in this version of the OS features such as USB key and Microsoft Teams.

However, Surface Laptop cannot be considered a device, "sharpened" exclusively on schoolchildren and students. For those who appreciate increased data security, Surface Laptop is an excellent choice. The minus of Windows S is that in this version, the OS cannot be installed on the computer program from installation Files With extended EXE, but only from Windows Store's branded store store. For example, the problem will even install one of the popular browsers. Synchronize bookmarks will also fail. Chrome, Firefox or Opera Currently in Windows Store are not available, so you will have to use the Microsoft Browser EDGE on Windows s.

The high level of security can be attributed to the pluses of Windows S. as well as the speed of the operating system. This Windows S requires less time than Windows 10 Pro.

Free update to Windows 10 Pro

If a minuses of Windows. S for you outweigh the pros, it is possible to switch to Windows 10 Pro quick and free. Conduct an upgrade and update the Surface Laptop to the Windows 10 Pro version will be free until December 31, 2017. After this date for the transition, you will need to pay 49 dollars.

Russian language

The laptop supports Russian. Although the initial settings will have to be performed on english languageAfter logging in windows in the control panel, you can easily download an update that adds Russian. The keyboard layout on Cyrilice will also be available.

Notebooks Surface Laptop, which are available in the Readerone online store, performed a high-quality engraving of Russian letters on the keyboard. The Russian layout on the keyboard is highlighted as well as English letters.

Windows Hello feature

Laptop front camera supports Windows Hello feature. This infrared chamber allows the recognition of individuals, with which the laptop is unlocked. The work of this function is extremely well implemented. When entering Windows, the message on the screen asks you to look into the chamber, after which the camera recognizes the camera with the owner of the laptop. The camera in Surface Laptop allows you to determine the volume, which means it will not be able to deceive the demonstration of the photo. The Windows Hello feature is another confirmation of the high-level Surface Laptop and simply a convenient feature that allows you to not enter the password every time you enter the system.

Performance

As we have already said, we tested the modification of the Surface Book with the Intel Core i5 processor, rAM 8 GB and 256 GB built-in memory. This modification was tested by us using the PC Mark 8 package, designed to measure desktop performance and laptops. PC Mark 8 makes it possible to use multiple load scenarios. We provide test results in Home, Work and Creative modes.

As can be seen from test results, Surface Laptop I5 8 GB 256 GB stably takes up top places in comparison with novel bugs analogs. Laptop from Microsft is not a top device for hardware relics, but it can definitely be called a quick and productive personal computer for everyday work. The best Surface Laptop results showed in the Creative script, which just implies the test of daily working tasks: work in a web browser, editing photos and video, work with microsoft package Office.

The performance of the Surface Book processor is more than enough for convenient work In a web browser with a dozen open tabs, with documents, editors of photos and video. The performance of the video card is sufficient for the quality drawing of the interface of the operating and system or video playback in the resolution to 2k. This can be judged from the test results using a 3D Mark 8 Sky Diver package.

Obviously, Surface Laptop is not leaders in terms of playing powerful 3D graphics or video processing in high resolution 4K. The leader here is another model from Microsoft - Laptop Transformer Surface Book with Perfomance Base. For these purposes it is better to choose this model, which was released a year ago, and on which we also did a review. See Microsoft Surface Book with Perfomance Base (I7 16GB 512GB): Power to the entire coil.

Cooling system

Laptop Surface Laptop uses a cooling system with a fan. If you perform the task laptop that do not require the use of large resources (editing tests, mail check), then the fan does not turn on at all. At the same time, Surface Laptop works almost silently. The inclusion of the cooler occurs when viewing the video in good resolution or when working with websites. However, even in these situations, the laptop works quite quietly.

In idle mode, the laptop is not heated with any of the parties, and with an increase in the load, the lower part is heated slightly. This can be called one of the features of the Surface Laptop, as usually laptops are evenly heated from both sides. It may be explained by the presence of a coating from Alcantara on the keyboard, which does not miss the heat. In addition, the heating of the housing is felt when charging the battery. In general, the laptop heats a little, but not so much so that it could be impossible on his knees.

Sound

One of the unique solutions that was applied to Surface Laptop is the absence of a slot under the dynamics of the acoustic system. The sound of the speakers literally passes through the keyboard, due to the fact that the keyboard coating is not metallic and not plastic, but is made of a premium suede - Alcantara. I must say that it is implemented on an extremely qualitative level. Omnisonic speakers are used on the laptop. Their quality of their sound is very good, and the balance between high and low frequencies can be called optimal. With increasing volume, the speakers do not hoars, any noticeable ear distortion of sound is not observed. Originally implemented acoustic system You can call one of the advantages of Surface Laptop.

Autonomous work

The autonomous time indicators of the Surface Laptop time varies depending on what mode you use the device. When the Wi-Fi module is enabled and on the Internet, the laptop will work approximately 13 hours without the need to connect the charger. I must say, it is longer than the Surface Book and MacBook Pro 13. When working in standby mode, the screen on the minimum brightness of Surface Laptop will work out somewhere 22 hours. The autonomy of the laptop was also measured by us using PC Mark 8. Test results - in the screenshot:

Charging the laptop battery from zero to 100% occurs in about 2.5 hours. Duration of work time on one charging battery can also be attributed to the pluses of the laptop. With Surface Laptop, you will be able to be away from the electrical outlet for a very long time, actively working with a laptop on the Internet.

Microsoft Surface Laptop VS. Apple MacBook Pro 13

Comparison Microsoft Surface Laptop with MacBook laptops from apple companies It is logical, since in both cases we are dealing with models from the most authoritative manufacturers of the computer market. With Surface Laptop, the most similar to its MacBook Pro 13 parameters.

Since Surface Laptop is designed and released quite recently, it has "chips", which will not boast MacBook, for example, login through the face recognition windows User. Hello. Microsoft laptop is offered in a large number of modifications. MacBook does not touch screen, and Surface Laptop is a screenshot, which can be convenient in some cases. Screen diagonal at Surface Laptop a little more. In addition, Surface Laptop looks like a stylish choice: four spectacular colors will allow you to supplement your image truly stylish gadgetAnd MacBook is offered only with one color of the case. And also Surface Book is thinner, easier and portable MacBook Pro 13. In our opinion, at the moment Surface Laptop from Microsoft looks more modern choice both by technical parameters and design.

Conclusions:

Minuses:

• related set of ports on the housing;
• Windows S has a number of restrictions (however, an update to Windows 10 Pro is available, which removes these restrictions);
• high price top modifications.

Pros:

• original, thoughtful design;
• four attractive colors of the case;
• low weight, minimum size;
• excellent touch screen;
• high performance;
• long battery life;
• original, very comfortable keyboard with excellent touch pad and coated from Alcantara;
• qualitative sound;
• windows feature Hello;
• large selection of modifications.

At first glance, Surface Laptop is a regular ultrabook on Windows premium level. It is thin, light and portable. However, only the Surface Laptop has a superior design and a unique, extremely comfortable keyboard with a Alcantara coating. Surface Laptop has the ability to choose the color of the body. Also in the advantages of the Laptop luxury screen, long autonomy, a wide selection of modifications. The problem with Windows S, which allows you to install programs only from the Windows Store brand store, is easily solved by installing free update to Windows 10 Pro.

With the release of the Surface Laptop, Microsoft has moved to the segment of the mass audience devices. If Surface Book and Surface Pro act as special devices for designers and video specialists, the Surface Laptop is a real "mainstream" laptop. According to the experts of the Readerone online store, for those who are in finding a productive, ultra-modern portable laptop in an attractive design, and at the same time prefers the device on Windows, the Surface Laptop looks an excellent option, an ideal alternative to Apple laptops.

With the Laptop Surface Laptop Microsoft celebrates two premieres. We are not only the first classic Microsoft laptop, but also the first computer with the Windows 10 S operating system. However, as our test showed, Microsoft came to a lot to be too conservative, so competitors may not worry.

The Surface Laptop laptop in appearance is very similar to Surface Pro and. But the similarity is not only visual: Microsoft Surface Laptop relies on key features of two kindred models; These include compatibility with Surface Pen and display format 3: 2. Surprises, both positive and negative, a little.

With Surface Laptop Microsoft offered the first classic laptop.

Four configurations are available. The initial level Surface Laptop model with Core i5-7200U, 4 GB RAM and 128 GB SSD will cost 65 thousand rubles or 1.149 euros. The laptop with the same processor, but with memory and drive two times more, it will cost from 76.5 thousand rubles or 1.449 euros. Just such configuration we received on tests. Two "older" configurations Microsoft offers with the Core i7-7500U processor. Laptop with 8 GB of RAM and 256-GB SSD costs from 111 thousand rubles or 1.799 euros. Finally, the most expensive Surface Laptop is equipped with 16 GBBA RAM and 512-GB SSD. In Russia, we did not find it, but in Europe the laptop can be bought from 2.499 euros. Coloring red bordeaux, platinum gray, cobalt blue and graphite gold. But only for the second on the seniority of the model.

Considering that the operating windows system 10 s aims to use in educational institutionsThe price seems very high. But Microsoft sees the Surface Laptop as the flagship of its platform, mass laptops on Windows 10 s will be much cheaper. Nevertheless, the main competitor here is Chromebook. In addition, in several steps you can perform an upgrade on Windows 10 Pro, after which the laptop turns into a full-fledged windows computer. But about 50 euros will have to pay extra. Is that by the end of 2017 a free transition will be performed. In addition, only the transition from Windows 10 S is officially possible on Windows 10 Pro, but not back. But with Microsoft, you can download the appropriate system images.

All tests we spent under Windows 10 Pro. The reason lies in windows restrictions 10 S: a new version The operating system allows you to install applications only from Windows Store. But there are no test packets there. Microsoft claims that the Surface Laptop under Windows 10 S gives a higher battery life, and in some scenarios, for example, during a system start, a greater level of performance and less response time. I failed to confirm anything in our tests.

Not so many interfaces

Even before turning on the Surface Laptop laptop pay attention to a significant drawback. On interfaces, Microsoft equipment cannot be called modern. If you do not consider the Surface Connect power supply, only three physical interfaces will be left: the audio connector, the MINI-DISPLAYPORT output and one USB port 3.1 Gen 1 Type A. There is no ThunderBolt 2 or 3 nor USB Type C, which for 2017 is not quite Clear, given the price. If you need more ports, you will have to buy Surface Dock from 17.2 thousand rubles or 229 euros, but the dock is focused on stationary use. For trips, he is too cumbersome. Why Microsoft has not installed a more modern set of interfaces, as the same, remains a mystery.

One USB and Mini-DisplayPort: Microsoft Surface Laptop laptop has not so many interfaces

By wireless interfaces The situation is a little better. Surface Laptop is equipped with a WLAN module with two bands and 802.11ac support and Bluetooth 4.0.

The TPM chip provides additional protection, including the login through the Web Camera, which is compatible with the Windows Hello face recognition technology. In tests, she showed itself well, but not perfect. The cause lies in the face recognition speed, entering the password or PIN code works faster.

WLAN AC and Bluetooth 4.0 complement the Surface Laptop interface set, but the docking station is optionally available.

Stereo speakers located under the keyboard received Dolby Audio Premium certification. They provide more than a sufficient volume level. Middle I. low frequencies Feels, distortions are not even at maximum volume. However, for listening to music, we still recommend using headphones, since the design of such acoustics still leads to compromises in quality.

For video calls and other similar scenarios, an array of microphones will be useful. It reliably captures the user's voice and filters outsiders. We liked the 720p Web Camera. It gives acceptable quality only in well-lit environments, otherwise you will have to come down with noise and other problems.

Not always the best material

The design of the Surface Laptop can be called quite modest. Microsoft focused on the appearance of Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book, but added small accents. You can note the antenna insulators on the left and right end, the transition from side ends to the bottom of the housing or ventilation holes under the display loop. Finally, the form of a laptop is slightly wedge-shaped, so Surface Laptop from different angles can look different.

Alcantara instead of aluminum: Microsoft used inside Surface Laptop fabric coverage

ATTENTION Attracts two design elements: the logo of the Windows cover and fabric covering the interior, namely the panels for leisure hands and the area around the keyboard. Microsoft used artificial suede or alcantar. This microfiber is usually used in the light industry and the automotive industry, it is considered a high-quality alternative to the skin. A similar material gives the Surface Laptop tint of style contrasting with the rest of the case. Of course, the appearance is a personal taste. But still there are doubts about the durability of such a coating and its hygienicness.

Of course, the tissue coating seems to be high-quality, but it still flashes, and much stronger than aluminum or plastic. If you constantly use a laptop, sooner or later, dirty or polished areas will begin to appear on the fabrics, etc.

Visually Surface Laptop looks like a Surface Book, but there are also unique features

With the exception of this potential lack, Surface Laptop leaves the impression of high quality. In addition to Alcantara Microsoft used aluminum and the Gorilla Glass coating that protects the display from damage. The laptop dimensions are 308.0 x 223.2 x 14.5 mm, the weight is about 1.3 kg. In addition to not very neatly done touch pad, the quality of the manufacture of a laptop complaints does not cause, which is connected with the solid construction of the case. Even with a strong press, we could not sell the housing, did not crack anything, and the Gorilla Glass coating gives additional strength to the display lid. The loop of the display cover is well kept, they are not amenable to strong jogs. At the same time, the display cover can be opened with one hand, without holding the main body.

There is another little remark. Microsoft paid attention to the high quality of manufacture, but ignored the issue of convenience of access to components. The laptop does not have a removable bottom panel, all components are simply glued. As a result, as a result of repair.

Touchscreen and Surface Pen

The overall tendency of Microsoft equipped the Surface Laptop touch screen, trying to create a universal model. Nevertheless, classic laptops are rarely equipped with a touch screen - although this option is sometimes available for extra charge. But the support of the feather Surface Pen is preserved, one of the best models on the market. The stylus recognizes between 4.096 by pressing, the tilt recognition for hatching is also supported. Unfortunately, Surface Pen is not included in the supply of Surface Laptop, so we did not add it to our tests. The price is about 10 thousand rubles in Russia or 110 euros in Europe, which is completely expensive.

Maximum brightness 400 cd / m² Laptop Microsoft Surface is not enough to effectively deal with reflections

Microsoft laptop display has not exactly the usual 3: 2 format. 13.5 "Panasonic IPS panel has a resolution of 2.256 x 1.504 pixels. The built-in sensor defines ten clicks, the panel is protected by Gorilla Glass, but the coating leads to the appearance of a large number of highlights.

In tests, we received the maximum level of brightness of 408 cd / m², which seems sufficient, but it is not always comfortable to work on the street. You should look for a shaded place, because the brightness of the screen is not enough to compensate for the glare at the direct sunlight. In addition, the uniformity of the backlight was only about 85%, the brightness drops, in particular, in the corners of the laptop. On a completely black screen, the difference is noticeable with the naked eye. With contrast, the situation is better: Surface Laptop showed 1.316: 1 - good value for a laptop.

Microsoft speaks about ultra-thin frame, in fact it is just a little bit of the usual level

The color reproduction is not all good. The display of the display is adjusted to a very cold temperature of 7.400 K, so the ferments are given to blue. If you are armed with a colorimeter, then you can squeeze 6.800 k, which is also not optimal. In color coverage, the situation is better. The AdoberGB space is 60% closed, SRGB is 92%. Subjectively saturated, but not excessively, they retain naturalness. So if you often work with photos, then you will probably be satisfied.

It is rather strange that Microsoft emphasizes the ultra-thin frame of the Surface Laptop. In fact, it is much wider than the same Dell XPS 13 or Huawei Matebook X, we get about 11 mm from the sides, from above - 9 mm. Of course, this disadvantage cannot be called serious, but as a result, Microsoft laptop turned out to be a larger Matebook X. The increase in 3% on the display area led to a 13% increase in the base.