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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i is a good fit for those who prioritize a lighter laptop with longer battery life, and it is suited for general use at a somewhat lower price. However, it does not have a touchscreen or the graphical power for more intense 3D, machine learning, or gaming activities. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio offers a robust performance for engineering tasks, creative work, or gaming due to its higher-end graphics card and faster screen refresh rate, but these features come at a somewhat higher price and result in a heavier laptop with shorter battery life. It also features a higher resolution touchscreen, which could be beneficial for creative professionals who need precise touch inputs. 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 Slim 7i
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.9
8.0
14.0in
SIZE
14.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
340.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio for software development, and content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio both have displays with high resolution and brightness, alongside quality panel types that ensure clear and vivid visuals for general use and detailed work in engineering and design. For creative professionals needing accurate color representation, the Surface Laptop Studio likely boasts superior color gamut coverage, crucial for precision in design tasks. However, both laptops lack the high refresh rates desired for 3D applications and gaming, which can lead to less fluid motion and reduced responsiveness in those scenarios.
Battery
11.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i has 11.5 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.4in
2.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i has very good portability, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8
8.5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has very good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$899
$1,700
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i has a price of $899 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio costs $1,700.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
340.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
11.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.6
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i 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
7.1
7.3
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i are both good for engineering and design.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio are both equipped with powerful processors and ample RAM, essential for engineering and design tasks, with the Surface Laptop Studio having a more high-end graphics card important for intensive applications; however, the Surface Laptop Studio also stands out with a higher resolution touchscreen that can enhance certain design workflows. While both laptops offer good screen quality, the Surface Laptop Studio's higher pixel density screen may provide a sharper display for detailed work, but the IdeaPad Slim 7i boasts slightly better battery life and weighs less, which could benefit users prioritizing portability and extended use away from power sources.
Content Creation
7.7
7.4
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
7.5
7.3
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$899 | $1,700 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2020 | September 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 8.2'' x 0.59'' | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.99 lbs | 4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.62" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.2" | 8.98" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1165G7 | Intel i7-11370H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 11.5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 60.7 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 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 | 340 nits | 491 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 9.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | 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 | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Ted Needleman
| January 2022
"Among Lenovo's multiple laptop brands, the IdeaPad family is decidedly the one designed for consumers: people who want decent performance at a reasonable price. Consider, then, this laptop a paragon for the pickier members of that crowd. With a 14-inch touch-enabled display, a comfortable keyboard, an Evo-certified Intel Core i7 11th Generation CPU, and the latest Windows 11 operating system, the IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro ultraportable ($1,199 as tested) is a slick mainstream machine at a bit of a premium price, and quite capable for everyday tasks."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Tom Brant | October 2021
"There’s no doubt that the Surface Laptop Studio is groundbreaking. We’ve come to expect such things from the Surface lineup, so it’s always nice to see a product that exceeds our expectations. The pull-forward laptop-screen concept has been tried before, but never in a device that’s so stylish and packed with innovative features like a haptic touchpad and robust digital stylus support."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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