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Updated January 12, 2024·
Choosing between the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 depends significantly on your needs and budget. The Lenovo is far less expensive, suited for basic tasks with its less powerful processor and graphics, and offers the reliability of silent, fanless operation with lower storage and memory, making it ideal for everyday computing tasks, web browsing, and office applications. On the other hand, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 is more costly but brings high-end specifications, including a potent processor, advanced graphics suitable for gaming, 3D work, and machine learning, higher memory and storage, and a flexible display that doubles as a drawing tablet, meeting the demands of intensive engineering tasks, creative professionals, and users who need top performance. Also, it boasts a superior display resolution and refresh rate. While the Lenovo is lightweight and more portable, the Surface offers more capabilities in a slightly heavier package. Consider the Lenovo for cost-effective essential functions, or invest in the Surface for a premium, versatile computing experience with the ability to tackle complex tasks and creative endeavors. 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 14"
- Very good portability
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.1
8.3
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
239.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is only fair.
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
5.5
7.7
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is poor.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" falls short in gaming and 3D applications due to its basic Intel UHD Graphics 600 GPU and a lower screen refresh rate of 60Hz, whereas the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 excels with its powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a higher refresh rate screen of 120Hz. Additionally, the Surface Laptop Studio features a higher quality IPS display for better color accuracy and viewing angles which benefits gaming and 3D tasks, compared to the Lenovo's TN panel which offers less color accuracy and narrower viewing angles.
Engineering and Design
5.5
8.7
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
4.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is poor.
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.
Content Creation
6.2
8.4
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
4.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is only fair.
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
6.4
8.2
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
4.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is only fair.
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.
Screen Quality
5.3
7.9
14.0in
SIZE
14.4in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
239.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" may have a lower resolution and dimmer display, which can make viewing documents and browsing less pleasant, while the Surface Laptop Studio 2 offers a high-resolution, brighter screen, enhancing everyday usability. In engineering and design tasks, the IdeaPad's limited color gamuts can lead to less accurate color representation, whereas the Surface Laptop Studio 2's broader color coverage ensures more precise visuals critical for detailed work. However, for Gaming and 3D applications where high refresh rates matter, both may fall short, with the Surface's strengths in resolution and panel type less impactful without the smooth motion provided by higher refresh rates.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.4in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" has very good portability, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.0
8.5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$153
$3,300
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" has a price of $153 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 costs $3,300.
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Key similarities
Battery
9.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" has 9 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has 8 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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How the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$153 | $3,300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2022 | September 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.9'' x 9.3'' x 0.7'' | 12.7'' x 9.1'' x 0.86'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.09 lbs | 4.41 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.88" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.25" | 9.06" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Celeron N4020 | Intel i7-13700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 64 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 64 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 32 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 14.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | TN | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1366 x 768 | 2400 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 239 nits | 503 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14"
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Tom Brant | August 2021
"The IdeaPad 1 14 is a simple machine, but it’s well-designed and has nearly everything you’d expect from a no-nonsense laptop that allows you to check emails and get schoolwork or other light tasks done with relative ease. A "true" 128GB SSD (as opposed to an eMMC drive) and a roomy 14-inch full HD display are arguably the star attractions, with the comfortable keyboard and reasonably modern styling playing important backup roles."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | March 2022
"The new Surface Laptop Studio with its foldable display is supposed to replace the old Surface Book and the overall impression is good after our review. The build quality and the materials are top-notch, the performance utilization of the two components is solid and the device does not show any major flaws in terms of display or speakers, either. The folding mechanism leaves a sold impression as well, but it remains to be seen how it will hold up over the years. The so-called presentation mode is also not ideal since it covers the whole keyboard."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
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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