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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is a budget-friendly choice that offers moderate performance for general use and has a reasonable battery life, making it suitable for everyday tasks and light productivity work. It's lightweight with a larger screen, but it lacks the higher-end processing power and graphics performance that you'll find in the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2. On the other hand, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 is pricier but packs a powerful processor and graphics card suitable for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, engineering simulations, and gaming. It also has a better display with a higher resolution and refresh rate. It is slightly heavier and has a smaller screen, which could affect portability and screen space for multitasking. Choose the Lenovo if you prioritize budget and battery life for everyday use, or the Microsoft if high performance and a superior display for advanced tasks are your top concerns. 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
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
Key differences
General Use
7.4
8.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
341.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is good.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is considered very good for general use because it offers a high-quality screen with better resolution, higher RAM for smoother multitasking, and a more advanced CPU and GPU which contribute to better overall performance, although it is less portable and has shorter battery life than the Lenovo IdeaPad 5. The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 is a solid choice for general use, providing good portability with its lighter weight and longer battery life, adequate RAM and CPU for everyday tasks, and a good quality screen, making it a practical option if these features align with your needs.
Gaming and AI
6.2
7.7
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 offers superior gaming and 3D capabilities with its Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate of 120Hz, compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" which has an integrated AMD Ryzen 7 5825U Vega 8 graphics and a standard 60Hz refresh rate. While both displays are IPS, which generally means good screen quality, the Microsoft laptop will deliver a smoother visual experience in fast-paced games and better performance for 3D rendering due to its more powerful GPU and refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
6.7
8.7
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is suitable for engineering and design due to its reasonable processor and graphics capabilities, but the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 stands out with a significantly more powerful CPU and GPU combination, along with ample RAM, making it highly suitable for demanding engineering and design tasks. While both have quality screens, the Lenovo offers better portability and longer battery life, and the Microsoft has a higher-resolution, superior-quality display with more versatile form-factor but is heavier and may have a shorter battery life.
Content Creation
7.3
8.4
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is good.
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
8.2
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is good.
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
6.5
7.9
15.6in
SIZE
14.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
341.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5, with its fair screen quality, offers a balance between resolution and brightness suitable for everyday tasks and productivity work, but the screen may not dazzle with color accuracy or vibrancy, which could be a downside for design and engineering applications where color precision is key. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2, on the other hand, boasts a high-resolution display with excellent brightness and strong color representation aligned with professional design standards, elevating the experience for engineering and creative tasks. However, both laptops fall short for serious gaming and 3D applications, as their screens lack the high refresh rates needed for fluid motion and rapid frame changes that gamers and 3D designers expect.
Battery
11.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has 11 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.
Build Quality
7.6
8.5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$690
$3,300
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has a price of $690 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 costs $3,300.
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Key similarities
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.4in
4.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$690 | $3,300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2022 | September 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.2'' x 0.67'' | 12.7'' x 9.1'' x 0.86'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.08 lbs | 4.41 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.01" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.18" | 9.06" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5825U | Intel i7-13700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 64 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 11 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 57 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2400 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 341 nits | 503 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 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 | 7.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
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 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 5 15" 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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