The Lenovo Flex 5 16 offers the flexibility of a 2-in-1 convertible, used as both a laptop and a tablet, which could be advantageous if you value versatility and touchscreen capabilities. While both laptops feature similar processing power, the Lenovo Flex 5 16 has a larger screen and is heavier, which might affect portability compared to the lighter and more compact Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" that could be better suited for travel or on-the-go use. If a longer battery life is crucial, the Lenovo has an edge, but if a more premium build and a higher-resolution screen are priorities, the Surface Laptop might be the preferred choice despite its higher price. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Lenovo Flex 5 16
Very good battery life
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
Excellent portability
Very good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.3/10
7.2/10
16.0in
SIZE
13.5in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
400.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" for software development.
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" both have displays with resolutions and brightness suitable for everyday tasks like browsing and office work, contributing to their good general-use screen quality. Their panels cover a broad range of colors, meeting the needs for accuracy in engineering and design work, where precise color representation is important. However, for gaming and 3D applications, where higher refresh rates are crucial to provide more fluid motion, both laptops fall short, as they prioritize color and resolution over fast screen refresh capabilities.
Battery
11.5 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has 11.5 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has 7.5 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Good
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
13.5in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has excellent portability, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0/10
7.8/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and Lenovo Flex 5 16 both have good build quality, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$779
$1,200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has a price of $779 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" costs $1,200.
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
6.1/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both fair for gaming and 3D tasks primarily because they are equipped with the same integrated GPU, which provides decent but not top-of-the-line graphics performance. Additionally, they both have a standard screen refresh rate, which is adequate for casual gaming but may not be as smooth for more demanding games or professional 3D work; their CPUs and screen quality contribute positively to their performance, yet they are not as crucial as the GPU or refresh rate in this context.
Engineering and Design
7.2/10
7.1/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for engineering and design.
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 is equipped with a larger screen and higher resolution, which is beneficial for engineering and design tasks that require more screen real estate and clarity, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offers superior portability and keyboard quality, making it a convenient option for on-the-go professionals who also value a comfortable typing experience. Both laptops have similar CPU, RAM, and GPU capabilities, ensuring they handle engineering software efficiently, but the Lenovo's bigger display might provide an edge in detailed design work.
Content Creation
7.6/10
7.4/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for content creation.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
7.5/10
7.2/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for software development.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Give feedback
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How the Lenovo Flex 5 16 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" compare to other laptops
"The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 is a solidly equipped, 2-in-1 in the lower price segment. Performance is definitely sufficient for everyday tasks and in tests the battery proved itself to be very economical. That aside, there is a lot of standard fare on show and a search for real highlights ends in vain. The low color coverage and reflective display can be avoided by going for an optional 2.5K display but this also presumably results in poorer battery life. The cooling uses only one fan and leads to a raised temperature on one side of the device under load. Additionally, there is very loud fan noise, also under load or when gaming. On top of that, we also occasionally noticed electronic noises."
"The Surface Laptop 5 remains afloat as a solid machine. It's just not one that stands out in any particular way. Just like the last one. The biggest upgrade were some new components, but they perform in the same range as other laptops with them, and frequently at the bottom of that range. I suspect Microsoft's settings are very conservative to help keep cooling and battery life within reason in the older chassis design."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Flex 5 16 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
About Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
About Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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