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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro is more portable and slightly less expensive than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, making it a good fit for budget-conscious users who prioritize mobility. It has a high-refresh rate screen which is good for smooth viewing experiences. On the other hand, the Surface Laptop Studio has a more powerful processor and graphics card, providing better performance for engineering, 3D rendering, and some gaming. It also offers a unique form factor with a screen that can be pulled forward for touch-based interactions. However, it is heavier and generally costs more, which could impact your decision if budget and portability are key concerns. 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 Pro
- Very good portability
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.7
8.0
14.0in
SIZE
14.4in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
395.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro for gaming and AI.
For general use, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio both offer high-resolution displays with bright panels, providing clear and vivid images for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming. In engineering and design, their displays cover a wider color gamut, ensuring accurate color reproduction essential for professional creative work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, their lower refresh rates may result in less smooth visuals compared to laptops with displays designed specifically for these purposes.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.4in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro 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 Pro has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$799
$1,700
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro has a price of $799 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio costs $1,700.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.3
7.4
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
395.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
8.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro is equipped with a high-resolution display, a solid processor, and ample RAM, making it well-suited for a variety of general tasks, while still being relatively lightweight and hence portable with a decent battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, offering a slightly more powerful CPU and dedicated graphics card as well as a versatile hinge design for creative tasks, stands out for its touch screen and high screen quality, although it is somewhat heavier which may affect its portability.
Gaming and AI
6.1
6.6
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro is equipped with an integrated Iris Xe GPU and a screen that refreshes at 90Hz, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti GPU and a higher 120Hz refresh rate on its display, which makes the latter generally more suitable for gaming and 3D applications due to better graphics performance and smoother visuals. However, the Lenovo might still perform reasonably well in less demanding gaming scenarios and shows quality with its high-resolution display.
Engineering and Design
7.0
7.3
5.0/10
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 Pro are both good for engineering and design.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro offers high CPU and RAM capacities necessary for demanding engineering applications, and its superior screen quality is beneficial for design work, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio features a robust GPU which is crucial for rendering and 3D tasks, and it also includes a high-quality screen with flexible orientation that caters well to design professionals; however, both are reasonably portable with quality keyboards and speakers, although operational noise may vary based on the intensity of the tasks being performed.
Content Creation
7.4
7.4
5.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro 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
7.3
7.3
5.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro 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.
Battery
8.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro has 8.5 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.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$799 | $1,700 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | September 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.62'' | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.04 lbs | 4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.29" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.74" | 8.98" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-11300H | 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 | 8.5 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 | 2880 x 1800 | 2400 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 90Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 395 nits | 491 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.8/10 | 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 | 7.5/10 | 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 | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | October 2021
"The main selling point of the IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro versus a regular IdeaPad Slim 7 is its faster Core H-series CPU. In reality, the Core i7-11370H is only marginally faster than the U-series Core i7-1165G7 to the point where most users are not likely to notice the benefits. The slight performance uptick comes at the cost of slightly higher power consumption as well meaning owners will have to deal with potentially warmer temperatures or louder fans to compensate. Unless if you happen to be a power user, then the regular non-Pro model will be more than enough. Once you go 90 Hz, you can't go back."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
See more
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 Pro 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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