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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo Legion 5 Pro tends to be less expensive and offers robust performance with a higher refresh rate display and sizable battery, making it suitable for intensive gaming and engineering tasks. However, it's heavier and less portable than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2, which is more expensive but provides a touchscreen, a more compact and lighter build, and higher battery life. The Surface Laptop Studio 2 also has a higher amount of RAM for demanding multitasking and creative work. Consider the Legion 5 Pro if you prioritize gaming and high-performance tasks, and the Surface Laptop Studio 2 if you need a versatile laptop for creative work that is easier to carry around. 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 Legion Pro 5
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
- Very good for general use
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall build quality
- Good portability
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.8
8.3
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
340.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
3.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 is good.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has a superior CPU and more RAM than the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro, enhancing its multitasking and performance, and it boasts a higher quality screen with superior brightness and contrast, improving visual clarity. Additionally, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 offers a higher battery life and increased portability due to its lighter weight and smaller size, alongside better keyboard and speaker quality, making it very good for general use compared to the satisfactory Legion 5 Pro in these aspects.
Gaming and AI
8.4
7.7
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is good.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 is equipped with the Nvidia RTX 4070 and a high screen refresh rate of 165Hz, providing very smooth and responsive gameplay, whereas the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has a slightly less powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 and a screen refresh rate of 120Hz, offering good but not as high-end gaming performance. Both have strong CPUs and high-quality screens, but the higher GPU capabilities and refresh rates in the Lenovo make it preferable for the most demanding gaming and 3D tasks.
Content Creation
7.8
8.4
9.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 is good.
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
7.6
8.2
9.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for software development, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 is good.
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.
Screen Quality
8.0
7.9
16.0in
SIZE
14.4in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
340.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
Both the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 have high-resolution displays and bright panels, ensuring crisp and clear visuals for general use such as web browsing, document editing, or watching videos. For engineering and design, their screens cover a wide range of color gamuts, providing accurate colors that are essential for professional photo editing or CAD work. However, for gaming and 3D modeling, these laptops may not be ideal as their lower refresh rates can result in less smooth motion and lower responsiveness compared to displays designed specifically for these tasks.
Battery
3.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 has 3.5 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
Fair
Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.4in
5.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
8.5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,320
$3,300
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 has a price of $1,320 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 costs $3,300.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
8.5
8.7
9.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and Lenovo Legion Pro 5 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5, with its high-end CPU, ample RAM, and dedicated GPU, handles resource-intensive tasks seamlessly which makes it ideal for demanding engineering software, and its screen quality ensures precise work; however, it may be heavier and noisier under load, affecting portability and operating noise. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 offers a balance with a capable CPU, sufficient RAM, and a strong GPU for various engineering applications, and it boasts a high-resolution screen with excellent keyboard and speaker quality, making it slightly more portable and versatile for presentations or client meetings, at probable cost to raw performance.
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How the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion Pro 5 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,320 | $3,300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | September 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 10.3'' x 0.97'' | 12.7'' x 9.1'' x 0.86'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.6 lbs | 4.41 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.31" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.25" | 9.06" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX | Intel i7-13700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 64 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 3.5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 80 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 14.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2400 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 340 nits | 503 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.6/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 4 | 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 | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Lenovo Legion Pro 5
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | July 2023
"It doesn't quite match its Legion Pro 7i sibling as an Editors' Choice winner, but Lenovo's AMD-powered Legion Pro 5 Gen 8 is a stylish, well-built gaming laptop with solid performance at both 1080p and its sharper native resolution. It's cheaper than some comparably equipped machines and better than some similarly priced ones. That's a recipe for success, even without its frequent availability of discounts or sales. A brighter screen and longer battery life would be nice, but even as is the Legion Pro 5 earns a solid recommendation."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | March 2022
"The new Surface Laptop Studio with its foldable display is supposed to replace the old Surface Book and the overall impression is good after our review. The build quality and the materials are top-notch, the performance utilization of the two components is solid and the device does not show any major flaws in terms of display or speakers, either. The folding mechanism leaves a sold impression as well, but it remains to be seen how it will hold up over the years. The so-called presentation mode is also not ideal since it covers the whole keyboard."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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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