The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is a more budget-friendly option with a larger screen, and it offers solid performance suitable for general use and multitasking, thanks to its AMD Ryzen processor and ample storage. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is pricier but is lighter and more portable, featuring a higher-resolution screen in a 3:2 aspect ratio that can be beneficial for productivity tasks. It also benefits from a more recent Intel processor and may offer better graphics performance. If you prefer a compact and higher quality display for frequent travel, the Surface Laptop could be worth the extra cost. However, if you prioritize a larger screen and want to keep your spending down, the IdeaPad could meet your needs well. 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 IdeaPad 1 15"
Very good battery life
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
Good for engineering and design
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Excellent portability
Very good speakers
Good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.4/10
7.2/10
15.6in
SIZE
13.5in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" likely has a display with adequate resolution and brightness for daily tasks and productivity software but doesn't cover wider color gamuts necessary for precision in engineering and design. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offers a higher quality display with better resolution and brightness, and likely more accurate color representation which benefits professionals in engineering and design. However, neither laptop has the high refresh rate preferred for smooth visuals in gaming and 3D work, with their screen capabilities being less optimal for these fast-paced, graphics-intensive applications.
Battery
10.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has 10 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
15.6in
SIZE
13.5in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has excellent portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.0/10
7.8/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$741
$1,200
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has a price of $741 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" costs $1,200.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" with its larger screen, substantial RAM, and AMD Ryzen processor is well-suited for general tasks, benefiting from a decent battery life and a comfortable keyboard with a number pad, but it's bulkier, affecting its portability. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offers a high-quality, smaller touchscreen with a better aspect ratio and higher resolution, making it more portable and giving it a longer battery life, with slightly better CPU and GPU performance suitable for various general-use scenarios.
Gaming and AI
6.1/10
6.1/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" with an AMD Ryzen 7 5700U Vega 8 graphics and a 60Hz refresh rate offers a fair gaming experience, which is the same for the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" that comes with Intel i7-1255U Iris Xe graphics and the same refresh rate; both laptops hold their ground for casual gaming and basic 3D tasks thanks to their integrated GPUs and adequate screen quality, but they aren't ideal for more demanding games or professional 3D work due to the lack of high-performance dedicated graphics cards and higher screen refresh rates.
Engineering and Design
6.6/10
7.1/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
12.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" to be good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has a capable AMD Ryzen 7 processor and integrated Vega 8 graphics, but the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" boasts a more powerful Intel i7 processor with Iris Xe graphics, providing superior performance for engineering and design tasks. Additionally, the Surface Laptop 5 offers higher screen resolution and quality, making it more suitable for detail-oriented work, though the IdeaPad 1 has a larger screen which might be preferable for some users who prioritize a broader working area over higher pixel density.
Content Creation
7.4/10
7.4/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
12.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" 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
7.3/10
7.2/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
12.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" 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 IdeaPad 1 15" and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" compare to other laptops
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is affordable and pretty efficient. At the end of the day, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 (15″, 2023) is one of the better affordable laptops money can buy right now. It has a decent performance, albeit coming from a CPU that is based on old architecture. Playing low-intensity games is possible but at low to medium settings. We are really happy with the cooling setup, but the main event here is the battery life. We got 9 hours of either Web browsing or video playback, which is a great result. Especially if you compare this device with the ASUS E410."
"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 IdeaPad 1 15" 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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