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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated June 22, 2024·
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i offers a balance of performance and portability at a lower midrange price, making it suitable for general use and light engineering tasks with its 11th gen i7 processor and 16GB of RAM. Its 14-inch display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 is good for everyday tasks, and the IPS panel ensures wide viewing angles. The laptop is slim and lightweight, ideal for on-the-go use, with a battery life of 11.5 hours. It also features a backlit keyboard and a responsive fingerprint reader for added convenience. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" is positioned at a midrange price point and offers a unique 3:2 aspect ratio touchscreen display with a higher resolution of 2256 x 1504, which is excellent for productivity and consuming media. It's equipped with a newer Intel Core Ultra 7 processor and Intel Arc graphics, which should provide better performance for more demanding tasks, including gaming and machine learning, compared to the Lenovo. The Surface Laptop also boasts a longer battery life of 9 hours, a very good build quality, and comes with Windows 11 Pro for a more business-oriented experience. If you prioritize a high-resolution touchscreen, better performance for gaming and machine learning, and a premium build quality, the Surface Laptop 6 is the way to go. However, if you value longer battery life, a more affordable price, and a slightly larger screen with a more traditional aspect ratio, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i would be a more suitable choice. Both laptops are portable and have good keyboards, but the Surface Laptop has a better color-accurate screen, while the IdeaPad Slim 7i offers better value for general use. 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 battery life
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5"
- Good overall display quality
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.1
7.7
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i are both good for engineering and design, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Screen Quality
6.9
7.8
14.0in
SIZE
13.5in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
340.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Battery
11.5 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i has 11.5 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" has 9 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.
Cost
$899
$1,200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i has a price of $899 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
340.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
11.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i 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
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" 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.
Content Creation
7.7
7.7
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i 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
7.7
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i 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.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
13.5in
2.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i and Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8
7.4
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i and Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" 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 Slim 7i and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i | Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$899 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2020 | June 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 8.2'' x 0.59'' | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.99 lbs | 3.04 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.62" | 12.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.2" | 8.78" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1165G7 | Intel Core Ultra 7 135H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 11.5 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 60.7 Wh | 47 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 13.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2256 x 1504 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 340 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 8.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 9.5/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
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."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5"
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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