A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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Updated January 16, 2024·
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 offers better performance with its AMD Ryzen processor and is less expensive, making it suitable for intensive tasks like 3D modeling or engineering work; it also has a 2-in-1 convertible design adding versatility for tablet use. However, it's heavier and thicker, which compromises portability. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a sleeker and more lightweight design, making it ideal for those who prioritize portability and premium build. Its screen offers a higher resolution, which might be preferable for media consumption, but its performance might not match the Lenovo for more demanding software applications. The battery life is also a consideration—users needing longer unplugged periods might lean towards the Lenovo. 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 14
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
- Good overall display quality
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.4
7.2
14.0in
SIZE
13.5in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
277.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a better screen than the Lenovo Flex 5 14 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Lenovo Flex 5 14's screen offers adequate resolution and brightness for daily tasks and productivity software typically used in engineering, but its limited color gamut may not display colors as accurately for professional design work. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" provides a higher-quality display with better resolution and brightness suited for both general and engineering use, as well as a wider color gamut for more precise color work in design. However, neither of these laptops have high refresh rates, which are crucial for smooth visuals in gaming and when working with 3D applications, potentially making them less ideal for those specific needs.
Battery
11.5 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 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
Very Good
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
13.5in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has excellent portability, while the Lenovo Flex 5 14 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and Lenovo Flex 5 14 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
$950
$1,200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 has a price of $950 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.4
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
277.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
11.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for general use.
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 offers ample screen quality, portability, and battery life for general use, supported by a robust AMD Ryzen 7 processor and plenty of RAM, while also doubling as a tablet, which enhances its versatility. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" delivers exceptional portability and a high-quality screen with a taller aspect ratio for productivity, alongside an Intel i7 processor and sufficient RAM, but has less battery longevity and storage compared to the Lenovo.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.1
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1200
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 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both considered fair for gaming and 3D because they come with integrated GPUs, the Vega 8 and Iris Xe respectively, which can handle games and 3D applications, but not as well as dedicated gaming GPUs. Moreover, both have standard screen refresh rates of 60Hz, which is adequate for casual gaming but below the higher refresh rates preferred for competitive gaming.
Engineering and Design
7.0
7.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and Lenovo Flex 5 14 are both good for engineering and design.
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 offers more storage space and a processor with integrated graphics that can handle engineering applications, but its screen is less sharp and vibrant in comparison to the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" which has a higher resolution display with better color accuracy. While the Flex 5 14 leans more towards a balance of power and versatility with its 2-in-1 form factor, the Surface Laptop 5 provides greater portability and a high-quality screen that benefits design tasks.
Content Creation
7.6
7.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 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
7.4
7.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 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.
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How the Lenovo Flex 5 14 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Flex 5 14 | Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$950 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2022 | October 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.9'' x 0.7'' | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.57'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.42 lbs | 2.86 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.32" | 12.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.85" | 8.8" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7730U | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 11.5 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 52.5 Wh | 47.4 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 13.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 2256 x 1504 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 277 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Lenovo Flex 5 14
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | May 2021
"The highlight of the latest IdeaPad Flex 5 14 is clearly its AMD CPU. The octa-core Ryzen 7 5700U is insanely fast even when compared to the best Tiger Lake Ultrabooks in the market or even Core H CPUs in many gaming laptops. It's a lot of raw processing power for what is supposed to be a budget 14-inch convertible. If your daily workloads can benefit from extra multi-thread CPU performance, then look no further than the inexpensive AMD-powered Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 14. For regular on-the-road browsing or video streaming, however, a slimmer and lighter 10th gen Core Yoga, Spectre, or XPS would be a more balanced option."
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Lori Grunin | October 2022
"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 14 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.
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