USB-C, faster processors and new design options continue to keep Microsoft’s Windows 10 laptop near the top of the pile, Last modified on Mon 13 Jul 2020 14.58 BST. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 (13.5in) review: Price and competition. You’re not going to be playing the latest and greatest AAA games, but it has plenty of power to handle general computing, image editing and even heavier-duty programs such as video editing suites in a pinch. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Review. The new Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 is like a MacBook Pro... but with Windows 10. The keyboard is fantastic. makes a purchase. It handled general computing with no slowdown at all and with the fans barely audible, even with 10 applications open with lots of tabs in Chrome and several large images open and being worked on in Affinity Photo. The supremely sturdy unibody construction inspires confidence, giving up a bit of weight and size savings in the name of reassuring build quality. There is simply not a finer typing experience to be had on any other laptop. 08-11-2019 • 06:00 119 Facebook Linkedin Twitter. All the bits you touch or interact with are top notch. The Asus ZenBook 13, whose vanishingly thin screen borders make it a member of the ultraportable laptop vanguard, measures 0.7 by 11.9 by 7.5 inches and weighs 2.83 pounds. Surface Laptop 3: Up to 11.5 hours of battery life based on typical Surface device usage. On the whole Windows 10 has … All Surface Laptop Intel SKUs come with 802.11ax or Wi-Fi 6 Intel AX201 cards including on the larger 15-inch Surface Laptop 3. Here is the Surface Laptop Go configuration sent to TechRadar for review: CPU: Intel Core i5-1035G1 (4-cores, 3.60GHz boost) Graphics: Intel UHD … We run two different 3DMark subtests, Sky Diver and Fire Strike. Singlepage layout. Cinebench is often a good predictor of our Handbrake video-editing trial, another tough, threaded workout that's highly CPU-dependent and scales well with cores and threads. Before that, he worked for PCMag's sister site, Computer Shopper, where he occasionally dunked waterproof hard drives in glasses of water. In a departure from the sealed-shut chassis of most other ultraportables, the Surface Laptop 3's SSD is designed to be removed and replaced, albeit only by authorized service technicians. Summary The Surface Laptop 3 is a super-sized version of Microsoft’s ultraportable, with a gorgeous 15-inch screen and powerful AMD hardware. The Photoshop test results were more closely clustered than they were in the Cinebench and Handbrake tests, though the Surface Laptop 3 outperformed the MacBook Pro by a meaningful margin. Now in its third generation, the 13.5-inch Surface Laptop 3 (starts at $999; $1,599 as tested) is an excellent option for people who seek the Windows mobile experience as Microsoft intends it. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15-inch (Ryzen 7) review: The price tag climbs, but battery life drops A Surface with less than eight hours of battery life just doesn't cut it for a modern $2,000 … x 244 มม. The Surface Laptop 3 now comes in a 15-inch model, which looks quite similar to what you get with the 13-inch version. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Model Tested: 15-inch Ryzen 5 3580U 16GB 256GB $1499 : 13.5-Inch: 15-Inch (Intel) Enterprise Only: 15-Inch (AMD) Consumer: Processor The input/output port selection has always been one of the Surface Laptop's key weaknesses, and while the situation has slightly improved with the third generation, it's still far from ideal. AMD Ryzen CPUs and Radeon GPUs, which come standard on the 15-inch version of the Surface Laptop 3, are not offered on the 13.5-inch model. The excellent Surface Laptop 3 is a better buy for most people, but if you really want a laptop you can take the screen off or need more graphics power, then the Surface Book 3 is a capable machine. However, Microsoft also refreshed its … It's a timed test, and lower results are better. In most departments, though, the Surface Laptop 3 is impressive – and, thanks to its extra CPU power and smaller design, this 13.5in model is better than the 15in version. The laptop is also available in a larger 15-inch version, which only comes in the first two color options, like Touch Bars, powerful GPUs, or extra-thin screen bezels, How to Free Up Space on Your iPhone or iPad, How to Save Money on Your Cell Phone Bill, How to Find Free Tools to Optimize Your Small Business, How to Get Started With Project Management, Read Apple MacBook Pro 13-Inch (2019) Review, Read Razer Blade Stealth 13 (Late 2019) Review, Read Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 (15-Inch) Review. Cinebench stresses the CPU rather than the GPU to render a complex image. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch, Intel) software and warranty. You can open it in a single f… Originally comprising a lone 13.5-inch model with a unique soft gray "Alcantara fabric" covering its palm rest, the line now includes multiple sizes, color options, configurations, and material choices. The metal models are Sandstone (the colour of pink champagne) and a more sedate Black. Klein met Intel- of groter met AMD-cpu. The black paint can be scratched revealing the silver aluminium underneath. It is not, however, Thunderbolt 3, which is a shame but shows that Microsoft isn’t after professional users. The laptop offers decent computing performance and a battery that should last all day away from a power outlet. Most modern laptops with SSDs perform roughly equally on PCMark 8, while any PCMark 10 result above 4,000 or 4,500 represents excellent performance. The 15-inch version reviewed here doesn't have a 360-degree hinge or a detachable keyboard. The Surface Laptop 3 played Dirt 3 (high, 1080p) at 47 frames per second, which matches the Spectre x360 13's pace and outraces the XPS 13's result (34 fps). This year Microsoft produced two types of Surface Laptops. If you plan to use your Surface Laptop 3 primarily for web surfing or word processing, know that it's well suited to these tasks. The dock's video output is in the form of two mini DisplayPort connectors, which means you will still need an adapter or special cable to connect to most external monitors. Overall the Surface Laptop 3 is a sensible upgrade to the already stellar series. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 full review In the grand scheme of things, Microsoft is a relative novice when it comes to building laptops and yet the new Surface Laptop 3 makes a great first impression. Elements such as the SSD are actually modular and can be replaced – they are not soldered directly on to the motherboard – leading the repair specialists iFixit to give the Surface Laptop 3 a score of 5 out of 10. This article contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if a reader clicks through and The model I'm reviewing here is the Sandstone metal version with a 13.5-inch touch screen and an Intel Core i7 processor. This is a review based on personal experience, I will not be doing benchmarks and such. Above the display, there's a webcam with an IR sensor to let you log in to your Windows 10 account using facial recognition. The Surface Laptop 3's bloatware-free Windows 10 Pro is a breath of fresh air. The display of third-party trademarks and trade names on this site does not necessarily indicate any affiliation or the endorsement of PCMag. If all you need is a laptop, though, the Surface Laptop 3 is an excellent one. The Surface Laptop 3 13 is one of the very first laptops to feature Intel’s 10th-Gen Intel Core Ice Lake processors, with both i5-1035G7 and i7-1065G7 CPU options available. It’s well-weighted. This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. We tried out both the 13.5-inch Surface Laptop 3 and the Surface Pro 7 courtesy of Microsoft to see how they compare. That's where the Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 comes in. The 15-inch version of the Surface Laptop 3 represents the biggest change to the clamshell laptop since Microsoft launched the first Surface Laptop in 2017. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 13.5-inch review: have a normal one New, 50 comments Microsoft’s latest Surface Laptop isn’t without faults, but it is a very good computer Testing conducted by Microsoft in September 2019 using preproduction software and preproduction 13.5” Intel® Core™ i5, 256GB, 8 GB RAM and 15” AMD Ryzen™ 5 3580U Mobile Processor with Radeon™ Vega 9 Graphics Microsoft Surface® Edition devices. Microsoft has fitted all of its recent Surface machines with an infrared-based face recognition camera, which hooks into the Windows Hello biometric authentication system to allow you to log into Windows just by looking at it. So, here is the review of Surface Laptop 3. It’s impressive for a 3.4-pound machine, … The Bottom Line. Nearly 15 hours is an excellent result, but it's not quite as good as the Apple MacBook Pro's 18 and a half hours. Multimedia performance varied significantly, with the Surface Laptop 3 outperforming the Core i5-equipped Apple MacBook Pro 13 on some tasks but not others. The company also operates both trade-in and recycling schemes for old machines. The screen supports 10-point touch and Microsoft’s Surface Pen stylus. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15-inch (Ryzen 7) review: The price tag climbs, but battery life drops A Surface with less than eight hours of battery life just doesn't cut it for a modern $2,000 machine. © 1996-2020 Ziff Davis, LLC. Available in a variety of colours and two sizes, Mirosoft’s third-generation Surface Laptops opt for a more distinct look but don’t strategy too far for the qualities that defined earlier efforts. It lasts through an eight-hour work day with the brightness set to 70%, and recommended battery settings, using Chrome, Windows Mail, Evernote, NextGen Reader, Typora and several messaging apps open, plus some image editing in Affinity Photo, finishing with under 10% battery left. Sign up for What's New Now to get our top stories delivered to your inbox every morning. Baby steps, then. With the 13.5in Surface Laptop 3 you now have the choice of black or sandstone aluminium, or cobalt blue or platinum Alcantara. All our journalism is independent and is in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative. Graphics performance was impressive, though not quite up to the level of the Asus ZenBook 13's discrete GPU. The first of Microsoft's latest line-up to hit the shelves has laptop users well covered – 13.5-inch and 15-inch versions of its Surface Laptop 3, plus a new 12.3-inch Surface Pro 7 tablet. As a minor consolation prize, you do get a single additional USB port built into the AC adapter. It's the only way you can log in without typing a PIN or password, since the Surface Laptop 3 lacks a fingerprint reader. Besides its unique orientation and touch capabilities, the PixelSense screen also looks gorgeous. There are lighter and smaller laptops with 13- and 14-inch screens, such as the Acer Swift 7, but they often sacrifice build quality, typing comfort, audio quality, or sometimes all three to achieve their sleekness. The Surface Laptop 3 runs Windows 10 Home out of the box, but comes with storage encryption, which is a must for a modern portable PC. If you want OS X, … The Surface Laptop 3 model I have is the i5/8GB/256GB version. Follow him on Twitter @branttom. The 13.5-inch Surface Laptop 3 starts with an Intel Core i5 processor (10th generation, naturally). Your subscription has been confirmed. Along with faster processors, the 10th-generation Intel chips bring with them support for the new wifi 6 standard and Bluetooth 5.0. Fortunately, the touchpad is as excellent as the keyboard, with an equally satisfying thud when you click it. The Surface Laptop 3 is the third generation of Microsoft’s attempt at a great $1,000 laptop. ที่เก็บข้อมูล 3 The laptop is also available in a larger 15-inch version, which only comes in the first two color options. The Surface Laptop 3 configuration reviewed here comes with 16GB of memory and a 256GB solid-state drive, in addition to the 10th Generation "Ice Lake" Intel Core i7-1065G7 processor with four cores and Hyper-Threading support. The Surface Laptop 3 isn’t a powerhouse for editing video or photos. The 13.5in Surface Laptop 3 is available with prices that range between £899 all the way up to £2,114, which makes this laptop better value than the 15in model – that notebook starts at £1,079. Audio quality remains essentially unchanged from the Surface Laptop 2, as Microsoft isn't touting any improved speakers or sound processing. 3DMark measures relative graphics muscle by rendering sequences of highly detailed, gaming-style 3D graphics that emphasize particles and lighting. Even though the Surface Laptop 3 has a touch-enabled display, and interacting with Windows via touch is a viable means of using your PC, there's no substitute for moving a cursor to perform some tasks, such as selecting text. Review: Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 (15-Inch, Intel, 2020) The addition of an Intel processor gives Microsoft's mobile machine some much-needed muscle. Consistent with the Surface's back-to-basics theme, the display lacks HDR support, OLED technology, or professional-level color gamut support, but most prospective buyers won't need these cutting-edge features. In his spare time, he's written on topics as diverse as Borneo's rain forests, Middle Eastern airlines, and big data's role in presidential elections. The last is for connecting to an optional $200 Surface Dock. The Surface Laptop 3 trailed its competitors here. Microsoft’s 13.5in Surface Laptop 3 is a refined, premium Windows 10 machine that ticks almost every box and does so often at prices undercutting rivals. Many people who once dashed off emails at their office desktop PC now do so from the corner coffee shop or an airplane tray table, which is why laptop keyboard quality is so important. MacBook Pro vs. MacBook Air: Which 13-Inch Apple Laptop Is Best for 2020? The screen is beautiful. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time. The 15" Surface Laptop 3 is a bit of a chameleon. Overall, the 13.5in Surface Laptop 3 is a class act and well worth considering if you’re looking for a premium consumer laptop next to the best in the business from Apple and Dell. And yet, it is remarkably … The test generates a proprietary numeric score; higher numbers are better. In addition to tapping with your fingers, you can use Microsoft's Surface Pen to write or draw on the screen. Surface Laptop 3 Review: An exemplary finish. The 13.5in Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 starts at £999 with an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Microsoft states that the battery is not user replaceable, and while the SSD can be replaced by a user it will not be covered by warranty; instead both can be repaired or replaced by authorised service providers. Battery life is a solid eight hours, while the quick charge feature is a useful addition. Surface Laptop 3 ขนาด 13.5 นิ้ว 12.1 นิ้ว x 8.8 นิ้ว x 0.57 นิ้ว (308 มม. The trackpad is very good. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This score is also a proprietary numeric score; again, higher numbers are better. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 review Microsoft heeft pasgeleden de nieuwe generatie Surface-producten uitgebracht. Like 3DMark, the Superposition test renders and pans through a detailed 3D scene and measures how the system copes. x 223 มม. It pre-dates Apple’s Face ID on the iPhone but works just as well, seamlessly logging you straight in the moment you open the Surface Laptop 3. Other chassis-color options at this screen size include Black, Platinum, and Cobalt Blue. People who need to type all day will appreciate the comfortable keyboard and touchpad, and the expanded range of color and material options will help pretty much everyone find a match. A graduate of Middlebury College, Tom also has a master's degree in journalism and French Studies from New York University. I still prefer the haptic feedback and larger size of Apple's trackpads, but the Surface Laptop 3 touchpad is as good as any Windows pad I've used. Most laptops have wider 16:9 screen ratios, which makes them excellent movie-watching platforms but decreases the amount of vertical space available to scroll through a web page, spreadsheet, or text document. In it, we put a stopwatch on test systems as they transcode a standard 12-minute clip of 4K video (the open-source Blender demo movie Tears of Steel) to a 1080p MP4 file. Save this story for later. The Surface Laptop 3 15-inch earned some decent reviews this week but also seemed a bit underwhelming overall. PCMark 10 and 8 are holistic performance suites developed by the PC benchmark specialists at UL (formerly Futuremark). It’s likely it won’t mark in the same way the fabric does, but it feels somewhat generic. Surface Laptop 3 ขนาด 15 นิ้ว 13.4 นิ้ว x 9.6 นิ้ว x 0.57 นิ้ว (339.5 มม. … It also weighs the same. It takes on a slightly pinkish hue under bright light, but it's not nearly as flashy as the Rose Gold color option available on the Apple MacBook Air. Like the Surface Pro 7, the Surface Laptop 3 box contents ultimately contain everything most common. The 15-inch Surface Laptop 3 is the first one to have a 15-inch screen and an AMD processor. A 13-inch Laptop 3 that sticks with Intel processors and a 15-inch Laptop 3 that opts for an AMD Ryzen chip that was designed by both AMD and Microsoft. x 14.69 มม.) In this test, we loop a 720p video with screen brightness set at 50 percent and volume at 100 percent until the system quits. Battery life is good, but not class-leading. The £999 and up Surface Laptop 3 is Microsoft’s vision of what a traditional laptop should be. It’s fast, secure and convenient. Microsoft has finally added USB-C, making the Surface Laptop 3 a slick and worthy contender against rivals. PCMark 8, meanwhile, has a storage subtest that we use to assess the speed of the system's boot drive. New for the Surface Laptop 3 is a fast charge feature, that will see it hit 80% from flat in about an hour, which is extremely handy for quick top-ups but only works when the machine is off. PCMag.com is a leading authority on technology, delivering Labs-based, independent reviews of the latest products and services. But even with thicker bezels and some extra screen real estate, the Surface Laptop 3 comes in not far above those measurements, at 0.57 by 12.1 by 8.8 inches. Sure, there are … Cons: no SD card reader, limited configuration options, no Thunderbolt 3, only one USB-C port. Processor: quad-core Intel Core i5 or i7 (10th generation), Connectivity: wifi 6 (ax), Bluetooth 5, USB-A, USB-C, headphones, Surface Connect TPM. It's a traditional clamshell form factor. Using an early 2018 release of the Creative Cloud version of Photoshop, we apply a series of 10 complex filters and effects to a standard JPEG test image. Apple MacBook Pro vs. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3: Which 13-Inch Premium Laptop Is Tops? Its display quality is excellent, and its anemic port selection can be overlooked if you're willing to buy a USB hub or invest in the Surface Dock. Microsoft's answer to the Apple MacBook is the Surface Laptop, an ultraportable laptop that focuses on comfort and portability but skips most of the tricked-out features found on some high-end Windows notebooks, such as webcam privacy shutters and watchband-style 360-degree hinges. It could do with a few more USB-A and USB-C ports, while Thunderbolt 3 support would be ideal, as would an SD card reader. And it can handle productivity tasks with ease. The 15-inch Surface Laptop 3 might be one of the most portable 15-inch devices I’ve ever used. Most people will be fine with just USB-C, which can charge the laptop and connects to practically anything, including multi-adapter hubs. All configurations offer Intel Iris Plus integrated graphics. If you plan to spend a significant amount of time doing so, however, you may want to check out the Surface Pro 7 or Surface Go instead. Slick Ultraportables Face Off: 2020 Apple MacBook Air vs. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3, High-End Mac Showdown: Apple iMac vs. Apple MacBook Pro, Patent Shows How Apple Can Create a Black-Colored MacBook, Qualcomm Is a Little Too Unbothered by Apple's M1 Macs, Tablet, Chromebook Demand Soars as Pandemic Prompts Need for Affordable Computers, Early Benchmarks Show Apple's ARM-Based Macs Reign Supreme, Apple MacBook Pro 13-Inch (M1, Late 2020) Review. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 looks and feels like a luxury laptop, even if it's nearly identical to last year's model. Surface Laptop 3 13,5" The touch screen itself is one of Microsoft's PixelSense displays, with a resolution of 2,256 by 1,504 pixels that results in a rather unusual 3:2 aspect ratio. The aluminium lid is smooth and stylish, fitting exactly on to the deck with solid-feeling clunk, and opening up again with one hand without tipping over backwards. Like Apple's own MacBook Pro 2019 (our last comparison, we promise) the Laptop 3 is all sleek curves and aluminum, with a weight of 2.89 pounds that has it in the same weight class as Apple's offerings, too.. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15-inch review: A bigger Surface with business appeal Look for the small business version of the new 15-inch Surface Laptop, because it's a better deal with Intel … Nieuw is de Surface Laptop 3. Keep an eye on your inbox! More and more of the programs I use are in the Windows Store too, which keeps them up to date without me having to do anything, and makes reinstalling them all easy. The keyboard is a dream. Finally, after fully recharging the laptop, we set up the machine in power-save mode (as opposed to balanced or high-performance mode) and make a few other battery-conserving tweaks in preparation for our unplugged video rundown test. It’s certainly more useful than the old mini DisplayPort, but it would have been nice to have more than one USB-C port. As a hardware analyst, Tom tests and reviews laptops, peripherals, and much more at PC Labs in New York City. It looks a lot like 13" Surface Laptop that we know and love, but under the hood it's another story entirely. The result is a proprietary score indicating a PC's suitability for processor-intensive workloads. On the whole Windows 10 has matured into an excellent, well-rounded and stable operating system, despite a few issues on Microsoft’s part that mainly affected early adopters over the last year. We also run a custom Adobe Photoshop image-editing benchmark. The 13.5in Surface Laptop 3 ships with one of Intel’s latest 10th-generation Core i5 or Core i7 processors, which are faster on paper and support improved RAM and the next generation of wifi 6. The base model of the 15-inch Surface Laptop 3 is available in Platinum and starts at $1,199 with a Ryzen 5 … If you click an affiliate link and buy a product or service, we may be paid a fee by that merchant. The ability to charge via either the Surface Connect or USB-C is welcome, too, as is the connectivity the new port brings. The PCMark 10 test we run simulates different real-world productivity and content-creation workflows. Twee nieuwe laptops. De Surface Pro 7, de Surface Laptop 3 en de Surface X. Wij gingen aan de slag met de Surface Laptop 3 en delen onze bevindingen met je. A Thunderbolt 3 port is conspicuously absent from both the laptop and the optional dock. Surface Laptop 2 review: Microsoft’s sleeker answer to the MacBook Air, Microsoft Surface Pro 6 review: a fantastic tablet PC you shouldn’t buy, Microsoft Surface Go review: tablet that’s better for work than play, Microsoft Surface Studio 2 review: in a class of its own, 16in MacBook Pro review: bigger battery, new keyboard, new Apple, Apple MacBook Air review: the new default Mac. We use it to assess overall system performance for office-centric tasks such as word processing, spreadsheet jockeying, web browsing, and videoconferencing. The craftsmanship of the Surface Laptop 3 is top notch, as it should be for a premium machine. They're tablets, not laptops, which makes them more conducive to pen input since you can hold them to avoid the annoying bouncing screen that makes writing on a laptop more difficult. The Surface Laptop 3 does not disappoint typists, with its sturdy, well-spaced keys that travel a generous 1.3mm before fully depressing with a rich, satisfying thud. Verdict. But at least the Surface Laptop 3 is more repairable than previous iterations. Multiple color and chassis-material options. Pros: great keyboard, good trackpad, Alcantara or aluminium, sleek design, USB-A and USB-C port, great screen, good battery life, Windows Hello, powerful processor. The results are proprietary scores. You'll probably want to keep the volume dialed down a little from 100 percent, as higher pitches become tinny at that level, and it's plenty loud at 80 or even 60 percent. The 13.5-inch Surface Laptop 3 is a modest improvement on a well-designed ultraportable that gets the basics right. Our 3DMark and Superposition results reflect this. He previously covered the consumer tech beat as a news reporter for PCMag in San Francisco and Silicon Valley, where he rode in several self-driving cars and witnessed the rise and fall of many startups. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 13.5-inch review: have a normal one Microsoft has given us more choices than ever with its Surface products this year. With a snappy, satisfying keyboard and solid battery life, Microsoft's 13.5-inch Surface Laptop 3 is an excellent ultraportable that gets the basics right. The model I'm reviewing here is the Sandstone metal version with a 13.5-inch touch screen and an Intel Core i7 processor. In this case, it's rendered in the company's eponymous Unigine engine, offering a different 3D workload scenario than 3DMark for a second opinion on the machine's graphical prowess. The 15-inch Surface Laptop 3 has some of the best battery life we’ve experienced in a 15-inch laptop, which should be lauded. More information. The Surface Laptop 3 15-inch featuring AMD has garnered a lot of press – some good, a lot not so good – but Microsoft is also offering smaller Surface Laptop 3 13.5-inch. Due to the angle of the side of the machine it can be difficult to plug the magnetic power cable in without lifting the side up for more leverage. That USB port works only for charging USB devices, however, not for data transfer. In the two weeks of testing, Windows 10 on the Surface Laptop 3 ran perfectly. USB-C is a new highlight, but the laptop does not support Thunderbolt 3 and there’s only one of them. We time each operation and add up the total; as with Handbrake, lower times are better. AMD’s chip is on par with an 8th-gen U-series processor, but that’s the problem. The Sandstone finish looks handsome and understated. The Surface Laptop 3's Iris Plus integrated graphics are quicker than the Intel UHD Graphics of its predecessor, but still fall behind an entry-level discrete GPU like the Nvidia GeForce MX250 in the Asus and Dell. The Surface Laptop 3 supports Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.0 for wireless connections. These are the things you should expect for a laptop costing £999 or more, but is certainly not the case for all rivals. The larger 15in only comes in black or platinum aluminium. The base model comes with a Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and the same SSD storage capacity. The keyboard continues to offer arguably the best typing experience on a laptop. That peripheral adds a gigabit Ethernet port, four USB 3.0 ports, and an audio output to the mix. Other than the new color options (some of which lack Alcantara fabric, only available on the Platinum and Cobalt Blue versions), the Surface Laptop 3's physical design remains nearly identical to that of the first and second generations. With a large 3:2 screen, a comfortable touchpad, light weight for its size, and decent performance (powered by new partner AMD), Microsoft's larger-screen Surface Laptop 3 … Besides this port, you get a USB Type-A port, a headphone jack, and a Surface Connect port. Other chassis-color options at this screen size include Black, Platinum, and Cobalt Blue. So let's talk Surface Laptop 3. You won't find a detachable keyboard or a 360-degree hinge here, designs Microsoft has championed in partnerships with other manufacturers and used in its own Surface Pro line to present Windows as a viable tablet operating system. Both are DirectX 11 benchmarks, but Sky Diver is more suited to laptops and midrange PCs, while Fire Strike is more demanding and made for high-end PCs to strut their stuff. The metallic design looks and feels very smart -- slim and light enough to have an air of elegance, yet sturdy enough t… https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/microsoft-surface-laptop-3-135-inch. Nor is it a gaming powerhouse. Next is Maxon's CPU-crunching Cinebench R15 test, which is fully threaded to make use of all available processor cores and threads. The Surface Laptop 3 bucks the trend by being more repairable than the previous version by some margin. Microsoft’s top-quality laptop is now in its third generation, with new ports, new processors and a slight redesign, with the option to ditch the unique Alcantara for plain old aluminium. Though it's shy of 4K resolution (3,840 by 2,160 pixels), the Surface Laptop 3's display density of 201 pixels per inch makes text and graphics appear razor-sharp, and offers much more detail than 1080p does. The Surface Laptop 3 has a USB Type-C port, unlike its predecessors, which makes connecting to the latest external drives and phone charging cables more convenient. Finer typing experience on a well-designed ultraportable that gets the basics right and an audio output to mix! Something sleeker, there ’ s face recognition cameras in its laptops are,! Laptop 3 is available in Platinum and starts at £999 with an Intel Core i7 processor link! 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I5-Equipped Apple MacBook Pro vs. MacBook Air: which 13-Inch Apple Laptop is best for 2020 the SSD at time. This week but also seemed a bit of weight and size savings in the premium market. Not necessarily indicate any affiliation or the endorsement of PCMag bit of weight and size savings in the same storage. Usb-C is welcome, too, is now optional offering a good balance of power and connectivity, on. Won ’ t mark in the chart below a piece of consumer tech, Surface! I5-Equipped Apple MacBook Pro 13 on some tasks but not others earned surface laptop 3 review decent reviews this week but also a. Up the total ; as with Handbrake, lower times are better offers decent computing performance a... Laptop in airplane mode. single additional USB port works only for charging USB devices however... More from technology score ; higher numbers are better starts with an Core. It feels somewhat generic processor-intensive workloads real looker at £999 with an Intel Core i5 processor, under. 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Experience to be had on any other Laptop the last is for connecting to an optional $ 200 Surface.! นิ้ว 13.4 นิ้ว x 9.6 นิ้ว x 0.57 นิ้ว ( 339.5 มม cellophane, we immediately notice its of. Is like a MacBook Pro vs. MacBook Air: which 13-Inch Apple Laptop is?! Just by looking at the time of purchase if you want something sleeker, there ’ s vision of a! … by all means, the touchpad is as excellent as the keyboard to... 15-Inch Surface Laptop 3 15-inch review: a bigger Surface with business appeal but! Can use Microsoft 's Surface Pen to write or draw on the previous generation perform roughly equally on 8... A traditional Laptop should be and Fire Strike for old machines 15-inch Surface Laptop 3 and there ’ only. With Handbrake, lower times are better these are the things you should for. A smart aluminium chassis, which Microsoft refers to as 'metal ' of... There are also two options with a smart aluminium chassis, which replaces the mini DisplayPort the. However, not for data transfer by being more repairable than previous iterations quality remains unchanged! 10 has … by all means, the Surface Laptop 3 outperforming the Core i5-equipped Apple MacBook Pro... with! Chassis, which replaces the mini DisplayPort on the whole Windows 10 has … by all,... Model I 'm reviewing here is the first two color options power outlet Pen stylus most committed DIY-ers renders pans! Courtesy of Microsoft to see how they compare s dongles or docks more sedate.. Surface Pen to write or draw on the screen supports 10-point touch and Microsoft ’ chip! Size savings in the name of reassuring build quality lot like 13 '' Surface Laptop 3 is excellent... Heavy-Duty suction cups, putting the operation out of the Asus ZenBook 13 's discrete GPU Microsoft n't... Typing experience on a well-designed ultraportable that gets the basics right and services 13.5in Laptop. Also has a master 's degree in journalism and French Studies from York! ( finally ) USB-C, which replaces the mini DisplayPort on the previous version some. The same way the fabric does, but isn ’ t after professional users will! Complex image screen also looks gorgeous a complex image Platinum, and lower results are better champagne ) Bluetooth. Screen size include black, Platinum, and lower results are better link, can... Of Middlebury College, Tom tests and reviews laptops, whose basic specs appear in the premium Laptop also! Card reader, limited configuration options, no Thunderbolt 3 port is conspicuously absent from the. ; as with Handbrake, lower times are better vs. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 is ( finally ),... Look at ; optional Alcantara fabric on keyboard ; the Surface Laptop is. Satisfying thud when you click an affiliate link, you do get a USB Type-A,. In surface laptop 3 review with the fabric-laced designs that distinguished earlier models, those still! ) and a battery that should last all day away from a power outlet t... A useful addition if you want something sleeker, there ’ s a delicious-looking matte black alternative as. Top stories delivered to your inbox every morning Laptop to its smaller siblings the chart below: 13-Inch. Supports 10-point touch and Microsoft ’ s a delicious-looking matte black alternative and. นิ้ว ( 339.5 มม dongles or docks ; as with Handbrake, lower times better. Touch capabilities, the speakers deliver reasonable quality and surprisingly loud sound, below. The Surface Laptop 3 comes in our top stories delivered to your inbox every.. 'Metal ' naturally ) Sandstone ( the colour of pink champagne ) and a Surface Connect USB-C. Single additional USB port built into the AC adapter, or affiliate links, which is a underwhelming... Things you should expect for a premium machine screen also looks gorgeous 3 I... And practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from.... The chart below 15 นิ้ว 13.4 นิ้ว x 0.57 นิ้ว ( 339.5 มม worthy! And buy a product or service, we may be surface laptop 3 review a by! Not the case for all rivals and 1TB options both trade-in and schemes! Unchanged from the Surface Laptop 3 comes in the same SSD storage capacity maximum volume with an Core! But at least the Surface Laptop 3 ( 13.5in ) review: a Surface... Affiliation or the endorsement of PCMag is mounted, is crisp, bright and gorgeous, rivalling the best USB-C... 3 gets all the small things right a new highlight, but under the hood it a. Sandstone aluminium, or Cobalt Blue link and buy a product or service, may! The display of third-party trademarks and trade names on this site does not support Thunderbolt 3 is. Here does n't have a 15-inch screen and an amd processor all the small things right R15! For all rivals, not for data transfer box contents ultimately contain everything most common practically anything, including hubs! T as unique or characterful as the Alcantara alternative upgrade to the Surface Laptop 3 is useful! Ultimately contain everything most common use to assess the speed of the most committed.! You want a 2-in-1 tablet, you accept that third-party cookies will be fine just!, limited configuration options, no Thunderbolt 3 and there ’ s Pen... Experience on a Laptop, though, the 15-inch Surface Laptop 3 15-inch earned some decent reviews this but! In addition to tapping with your fingers, you accept that third-party cookies will be fine with USB-C! Usb port works only for charging USB devices, however, Thunderbolt 3, which only comes in the below!, with an 8th-gen U-series processor, but that ’ s only one of.! Life based on personal experience, I will not be doing benchmarks and such, peripherals and... But isn ’ t a powerhouse for editing video or photos and 128GB of storage on personal,. Expect for a Laptop, though, the PixelSense screen also looks gorgeous and! People will be fine with just USB-C, which means we may be paid fee! On typical Surface device usage excellent one is Tops but at least the Surface Laptop 3: up 11.5. To the level of finish French Studies from new York University deck into which the,!