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Updated January 12, 2024·
If you're concerned about the cost and desiring a laptop with a larger screen and more storage, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" comes at a slightly lower price than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, with more built-in storage and a bigger display. On the other hand, if portability and a higher-quality build are your priorities, the Surface Laptop Go 3 is lighter and smaller, making it easier to carry around, though it comes with less storage. The Lenovo has a more powerful processor suited to more intensive tasks, while the Surface offers a unique 3:2 screen aspect ratio which could be better for productivity tasks and reading. Both devices provide a solid battery life, but keep in mind the difference in charging practices based on your usage. If applications and multitasking are part of your routine, the Lenovo's processor might handle these tasks more efficiently. However, for everyday use with an emphasis on mobility, the Surface Laptop Go 3 could be a better fit. 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 5 15"
- Very good battery life
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.5
6.8
15.6in
SIZE
12.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
341.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" for general use, and engineering and design.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 likely has a screen with adequate resolution and brightness for daily tasks and office applications, but it may lack the wide color gamut that professionals need for precise engineering and design work. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, with its superior display, probably offers better color accuracy and vibrancy, as well as sufficient brightness and resolution, making it suitable for both general use and detailed-oriented tasks like engineering and design. However, both laptops fall short for gaming and 3D applications due to their lower refresh rates, which results in less fluid motion, even if their resolutions and screen types are passable.
Battery
11.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has 11 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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.
Portability
Good
Excellent
15.6in
SIZE
12.4in
4.0 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has excellent portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$690
$788
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has a price of $690 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 costs $788.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
341.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has superior processing power and a larger screen, which contribute to its good rating for general use compared to the Surface Laptop Go 3's fair rating. While the Surface Laptop Go 3 is lighter and more portable, its smaller storage capacity, and shorter battery life make it less ideal for general use despite its excellent portability.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.1
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
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 IdeaPad 5 15" and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 both offer modest gaming and 3D performance primarily due to their non-dedicated GPUs—the AMD Ryzen 7 Vega 8 and Intel Iris Xe, respectively—and standard screen refresh rates of 60Hz, which are less suitable for fast-paced games that benefit from higher refresh rates. While their CPUs and screen quality are decent, the lack of powerful dedicated graphics and higher refresh rates limits their ability to handle more graphically intensive games and 3D applications effectively.
Engineering and Design
6.7
6.8
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" are both only fair for engineering and design.
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
7.3
7.3
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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
7.1
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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.
Build Quality
7.6
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$690 | $788 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2022 | October 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.2'' x 0.67'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.08 lbs | 2.49 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.01" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.18" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5825U | Intel i5-1235U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 11 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 57 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 341 nits | 337 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 9.3/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marcus Schwarten | August 2021
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 is convincing due to its long battery life. The device scores points especially with its large battery and long battery runtimes combined with its low consumption. The CPU and GPU perform in the test as one would expect, and in line with what was familiar from the somewhat smaller 14-inch sister model, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 14."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Joe Osborne | October 2023
"When it comes to affordably priced laptops, the numbers after the dollar sign are crucially important—more so than in any other price category. By increasing the starting price of its Laptop Go line by $200 and not changing much else, Microsoft irrevocably altered the calculus surrounding the decision of whether to buy the Surface Laptop Go 3. Sure, it has a newer processor and longer battery life, but don’t think for a second you’re not paying dearly for that extra RAM and SSD capacity at that new price."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
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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About the laptop team
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CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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