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Updated January 16, 2024·
The Lenovo Legion 7 is better for performance-intensive tasks such as gaming, 3D applications, and engineering software, thanks to its AMD Ryzen processor and Nvidia RTX 3070 graphics card; however, it's also heavier and less portable. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is much lighter and has a more compact design, making it ideal for everyday use and portability. It's less expensive but comes with less powerful Intel graphics, which may not be suited for heavy tasks. If portability and saving money are your priorities, go with the Surface Laptop; for higher performance at a higher price, choose the Legion 7. 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 7
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
- Excellent portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.8
6.1
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 7 is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion 7 is equipped with a more capable Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU and a high screen refresh rate of 165, making it well suited for gaming and 3D applications. Whereas, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a less powerful Iris Xe GPU and a standard refresh rate of 60, which is why it is only considered fair for those tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.2
7.1
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 7 is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
The Lenovo Legion 7 excels in engineering and design applications due to its higher-end AMD Ryzen 7 processor and Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU, which deliver robust performance for demanding computational tasks and graphics-intensive software, complemented by a high-quality, large screen. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offers greater portability thanks to its lighter build and smaller form factor, along with a high-resolution touchscreen, but sports a less powerful Intel i7 CPU with integrated graphics, making it suitable for less intense engineering work where portability is a key concern.
Screen Quality
8.3
7.2
16.0in
SIZE
13.5in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
469.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion 7 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Lenovo Legion 7 offers a display with high resolution and brightness, combined with a panel type that brings out crisp details and vibrant colors, which is ideal for general use and professional engineering and design tasks that require accuracy in color representation. However, its lower refresh rate, which is crucial for smoothness and responsiveness in fast-paced 3D games, makes it less optimal for gaming. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" provides a more than adequate resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and engineering work, but similar to the Lenovo, it doesn't cater to the needs of gamers due to its refresh rate limitations.
Portability
Good
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
13.5in
5.5 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has excellent portability, while the Lenovo Legion 7 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.8
The Lenovo Legion 7 has very good build quality, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,500
$1,200
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo Legion 7 has a price of $1,500 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.4
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
469.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo Legion 7 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for general use.
The Lenovo Legion 7 boasts a powerful CPU and ample RAM, making it adept for general tasks; its sizeable screen with high refresh rate and quality offers a superior viewing experience, although it is less portable due to its weight and bulkier build, with moderate battery life. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" delivers a balance of performance with its competent CPU and RAM, alongside portability due to its lightweight, slim design and better battery life, with a touchscreen that enhances interactivity but has a smaller display with standard refresh rate, suitable for everyday use on the go.
Content Creation
7.9
7.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion 7 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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
7.6
7.2
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Legion 7 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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
6.5 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Lenovo Legion 7 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has 7.5 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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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo Legion 7 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion 7 | Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,500 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | October 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 10.3'' x 0.86'' | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.57'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.5 lbs | 2.86 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.01" | 12.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.27" | 8.8" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 80 Wh | 47.4 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 13.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2256 x 1504 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 469 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7/10 | 9/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
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 | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Lenovo Legion 7
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | September 2022
"The Lenovo Legion 7 is a fast 16-inch gamer with 165 Hz display. The new Lenovo Legion 7 is a very good gaming notebook that, despite its comparatively compact compact 16-inch case, does not have to do without the most powerful components. Thanks to good cooling, no compromises are made in terms of performance. Both the Core i9-12900HX and the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti perform at a very high level."
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Lori Grunin | October 2022
"The Surface Laptop 5 remains afloat as a solid machine. It's just not one that stands out in any particular way. Just like the last one. The biggest upgrade were some new components, but they perform in the same range as other laptops with them, and frequently at the bottom of that range. I suspect Microsoft's settings are very conservative to help keep cooling and battery life within reason in the older chassis design."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Legion 7 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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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