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Updated January 10, 2024·
If your priority is a larger screen and more power for tasks like 3D work or engineering, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro with its dedicated Nvidia graphics and strong processor is suitable, but it's heavier and has a shorter battery life. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 offers a smaller, lighter build and longer battery life, making it more portable and touch-screen enabled, conducive for general use and mobility. However, it provides less storage and memory and is not as well-equipped for performance-intensive tasks or gaming as the IdeaPad. Choose based on whether portability or performance is more critical for your needs. 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
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Very good battery life
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.5
7.0
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
409.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for general use, though the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro is somewhat better.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro has a more powerful CPU and GPU, greater RAM, and a better screen resolution, which makes it suitable for more demanding tasks and it offers a longer battery life but is heavier, affecting its portability. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is lighter and extremely portable with a smaller, touch-capable screen and enough performance for light tasks; however, its lower RAM, CPU power, and battery capacity make it less suited for intensive use.
Engineering and Design
7.2
6.5
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro is good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro is more suited for engineering and design due to its higher RAM and dedicated Nvidia graphics card, providing better performance for software commonly used in these fields, alongside a larger and higher-resolution screen which is beneficial for detailed work. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, while highly portable with a smaller screen and lighter weight, has less RAM and relies on integrated graphics, so it's less capable in handling demanding engineering and design tasks.
Screen Quality
7.8
6.9
16.0in
SIZE
12.4in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
409.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 have screens that offer clear, sharp images and high enough brightness for satisfying everyday tasks and professional work like document editing and web browsing. For engineering and design, their ability to reproduce a wide range of colors is crucial for accurately viewing and editing images and designs, although they may not cover the professional color gamuts entirely. However, they fall short for gaming and 3D applications because they don't have high refresh rates, which are critical for smooth, fast-paced visuals in games and 3D modeling.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro has 10 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 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.
Portability
Good
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
12.4in
4.3 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has excellent portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$860
$774
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro has a price of $860 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 costs $774.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.5
6.0
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
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 Go 2 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro offers better gaming and 3D performance with its Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics chip and a higher screen refresh rate of 120 Hz, which can provide smoother visual transitions compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 that includes Intel's Iris Xe graphics and a standard 60 Hz refresh rate.
Content Creation
7.5
7.1
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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
7.0
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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 2 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 Go 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$860 | $774 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.67'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.3 lbs | 2.48 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.88" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 6600HS | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 128 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 75 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 409 nits | 401 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 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 | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | 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 | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
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 Go 2
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | August 2022
"The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 review is a compact companion with old hardware. The Surface Laptop Go 2 shows some weaknesses. Microsoft didn't really develop the second generation of the Surface Laptop Go 2 any further but has only equipped it with a slightly more powerful Core i5 processor. However, the performance still remains at a fairly low level overall, but for many users, it definitely should still be sufficient for everyday tasks."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 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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