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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo Legion 7i Pro, generally more affordable, is a strong choice for those needing high performance in engineering and intensive gaming, as well as robust heat management. It has a more powerful GPU and a high refresh rate screen, but it's heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less portable. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 offers better portability with a lighter build and longer battery life, and includes touch functionality. Although it is usually more expensive and has a less powerful GPU, it provides ample processing power and RAM for engineering and creative tasks, making it a versatile option for professionals who also value screen quality and build. 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 7i
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
9.1
7.7
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
240Hz
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 7i is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is good.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i boasts a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU and a higher 240 Hz screen refresh rate, providing it with an edge for gaming and 3D applications compared to Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2, which has an Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a 120 Hz refresh rate. Furthermore, while the Legion Pro 7i is equipped with an Intel i9 processor and an IPS screen, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 includes an Intel i7 processor and a similar quality IPS display but adds touchscreen functionality.
Engineering and Design
9.3
8.7
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is excellent for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i's powerful CPU and GPU make it excellent for demanding engineering and design tasks, but it's heavier and less portable than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2, which offers great performance for engineering with the flexibility of a touchscreen and a hinge that enables tablet-like use.
Screen Quality
8.7
7.9
16.0in
SIZE
14.4in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
469.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 both offer sharp images and vivid colors due to their high resolutions and bright displays, ensuring texts and visuals are clear and enjoyable. In engineering and design, their wide color gamuts provide accurate color reproduction, crucial for tasks like photo editing or CAD work where color fidelity is paramount. However, for gaming and 3D applications, their lower refresh rates may result in less fluid motion and responsiveness, which can detract from the immersive experience that fast-paced games and 3D rendering often require.
Battery
5.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i has 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
6.1 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,499
$2,900
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i has a price of $2,499 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 costs $2,900.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.4
8.3
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
469.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 are both very good for general use.
The Lenovo Legion 7i Pro excels in performance with its top-tier CPU and ample memory, and while its screen is of high quality and its keyboard is rated excellent, its heavier weight affects portability and it has a shorter battery life, making it less ideal for on-the-go users.
Content Creation
8.5
8.4
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 are both very 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
8.2
8.2
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
32.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 are both very 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.
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 both have very 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 Legion Pro 7i and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion Pro 7i | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,499 | $2,900 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | September 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 10.3'' x 0.94'' | 12.7'' x 9.1'' x 0.86'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.17 lbs | 4.41 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.32" | 9.06" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900HX | Intel i7-13700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 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 | 5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99.9 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 | 240Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 469 nits | 503 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.5/10 | 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 | 9/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.8/10 | 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 | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | February 2023
"Passionate gamers who want to play demanding modern titles with maximum details and don't mind spending the moolah will find the Lenovo Legion 7 Pro to be the right choice. The bright, sharp, and color-accurate 16:10 QHD 240 Hz display makes for an immersive viewing experience. The hardware is housed in a stylish chassis that feels premium and scores well in terms of workmanship and stability. Other aspects such as sound quality, input devices, and connectivity also seem to be near-perfect."
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 7i 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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