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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro is typically more expensive and offers better performance for engineering tasks and more demanding work with a more powerful processor and graphics card; it also has a longer battery life but is heavier, which affects portability. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is slightly less expensive and lighter, making it more portable, and it has a touchscreen; it's more suited to general use and less demanding tasks due to having less storage and a less powerful processor. 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 3
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.8
6.8
16.0in
SIZE
12.4in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
409.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 both offer displays with resolutions and brightness levels that are well-suited for everyday tasks such as browsing and document editing, which is why they are good for general use. Their screens display a range of colors that meet the precision requirements for engineering and design work, although they may not cover the widest color gamuts entirely. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the refresh rates on these laptops are lower than what is ideal, which can result in less fluid motion and responsiveness, a drawback for fast-paced visual content.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro has 10 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
16.0in
SIZE
12.4in
4.3 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has excellent portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$516
$996
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro has a price of $516 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 costs $996.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.2
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
409.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
337.0 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 3 are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro outshines the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 for general use with a more robust CPU, double the RAM, a higher resolution and bigger screen, and a dedicated GPU, enhancing performance for multitasking and media-intensive tasks, though it is heavier and offers slightly less battery life. On the other hand, the Surface Laptop Go 3, despite having a less powerful CPU and half the RAM, excels in portability due to its lighter weight and smaller size, has a touchscreen, and is generally quieter and cooler under load, but its smaller storage space and lower screen resolution might limit its versatility for some users.
Gaming and AI
6.5
6.1
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 3 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro with an RTX 3050 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 120Hz would generally offer a better gaming and 3D experience than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 which uses the integrated Iris Xe graphics of the i5 processor and has a standard refresh rate of 60Hz. However, the Surface Laptop Go 3's smaller size and lower weight make it more portable, despite having a lower graphical performance compared to the IdeaPad 5 Pro which trades off some portability for enhanced gaming capability.
Engineering and Design
7.2
6.8
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro to be good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro is preferred for engineering and design use due to its more powerful AMD Ryzen processor, Nvidia RTX GPU, and a higher resolution screen, making it well-suited for intensive tasks that require better CPU and GPU performance and screen quality. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, while more portable and with a good quality display, has a less powerful Intel processor and integrated graphics, along with less RAM and storage, which makes it adequate for less demanding engineering and design tasks but not for heavier workloads.
Content Creation
7.5
7.3
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
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 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
7.4
7.1
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
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 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 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 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$516 | $996 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | October 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.67'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.3 lbs | 2.49 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.88" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 6600HS | Intel i5-1235U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 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 | 337 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 3
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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 Pro 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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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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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.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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