The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" offers a lower midrange price, making it a cost-effective choice with a larger screen and more storage, which is ideal for general use and everyday tasks. Its AMD Ryzen 7 processor and integrated Vega 8 graphics provide decent performance for light gaming and basic engineering tasks. The inclusion of a number pad and USB-C charging adds convenience. However, its portability is compromised by its larger size and weight, and the 60Hz refresh rate may not satisfy those looking for smoother visuals.
On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" commands a midrange price and boasts a higher-resolution touchscreen with a 3:2 aspect ratio, enhancing productivity and visual experience. The Intel Core Ultra 7 processor and Intel Arc graphics offer superior performance for more demanding tasks in 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering. Its slim design, excellent build quality, and longer battery life make it highly portable and suitable for professionals on the move. The Surface Laptop also features a backlit keyboard and advanced security with facial recognition, though it lacks a dedicated number pad and has fewer ports, which might require additional adapters.
In summary, if you prioritize a balance of performance and portability with a premium build and are willing to pay a bit more, the Surface Laptop 6 is the way to go. However, if you're looking for a more affordable option with a larger screen and more storage for everyday use, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is a solid choice. 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 6 13.5"
Good for engineering and design
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Very good portability
Very good speakers
Good keyboard
Key differences
Engineering and Design
6.6/10
7.7/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
12.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Screen Quality
6.4/10
7.8/10
15.6in
SIZE
13.5in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Portability
Good
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
13.5in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" has very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.0/10
7.4/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" 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 6 13.5" costs $1,200.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" 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
6.1/10
6.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Content Creation
7.4/10
7.7/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
12.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" 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
7.7/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
12.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" 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.
Battery
10.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has 10 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" has 9 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.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" 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."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5"
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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