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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro could be a good choice for you if you're looking for a more budget-friendly option with a solid balance of performance and features. It offers an AMD Ryzen processor combined with an Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics card, which makes it capable for a wide range of tasks including some that are more graphics-intensive. It also boasts a higher refresh rate display, potentially giving you a smoother visual experience, especially in fast-moving tasks like gaming. However, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" asks for a higher investment but provides a more premium build with a higher resolution display and a more compact and lightweight design, which makes it highly portable. The Surface's Intel Iris Xe graphics may not be as powerful for heavy graphics tasks, but its overall performance is well-suited for general use and may benefit mobility-focused users due to its longer battery life. Choose the Lenovo if you need more graphics power and are okay with a slightly heavier and bulkier device, or the Surface if you prioritize portability, a high-resolution touch screen, and are willing to pay more for a sleeker design. 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 Pro
- Very good battery life
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.8
7.2
16.0in
SIZE
13.5in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
409.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, both the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offer screens that shine with high resolution and brightness, ensuring crisp text and vibrant images that are easy on the eyes. Their displays are also a boon for engineering and design work, where details matter, thanks to their wide color gamuts, allowing for precise color work and smooth gradients. However, when it comes to gaming and 3D applications, these laptops fall short, as their screens don't offer the high refresh rates needed for smooth motion and quick gameplay responsiveness.
Battery
10.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro 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
16.0in
SIZE
13.5in
4.3 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has excellent portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$516
$1,200
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro has a price of $516 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.4
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
409.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro, with its AMD Ryzen processor and dedicated Nvidia graphics, offers substantial performance for multitasking and media creation, backed by ample RAM and a high-resolution screen, although its size and weight reduce portability and its battery life is shorter compared to the lighter Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13", which offers a touch-enabled high-contrast screen and very good portability due to its lower weight, without compromising on CPU and RAM for reliable general use.
Gaming and AI
6.5
6.1
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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.
Engineering and Design
7.2
7.1
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for engineering and design.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro is equipped with an AMD Ryzen 5 CPU and Nvidia RTX GPU, which together offer strong performance for engineering and design tasks, and it's bolstered by a high-resolution, high-refresh-rate display well-suited for detailed work, but it's heavier and thicker, making it less portable compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13", which has an Intel CPU with integrated graphics, a high pixel density touchscreen ideal for design works and is much lighter, enhancing portability at the expense of some graphical performance.
Content Creation
7.5
7.4
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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
7.4
7.2
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro 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.
Build Quality
7.6
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro 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 Pro and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro | Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$516 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | October 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.67'' | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.57'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.3 lbs | 2.86 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 12.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.88" | 8.8" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 6600HS | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 75 Wh | 47.4 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 13.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2256 x 1504 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 409 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | September 2022
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro turns out a successful all-rounder that, aside from 3D applications, always strikes a good or very good figure. This begins with the elegant metal case that isn't particularly light but fairly robust, giving a high-quality impression. The input devices are also better than those of many competitors. Both the keyboard and the touchpad are attractive and comfortable. In addition, the performance of the Ryzen 5 6600HS is easily able to keep up with the Intel competitors."
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Lori Grunin | October 2022
"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 5 Pro 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.
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