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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 is tailored more towards gaming and intensive tasks with its high refresh rate screen and dedicated graphics, but is slightly heavier than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio. The Surface Laptop Studio offers a high-resolution touchscreen with a unique 3:2 aspect ratio useful for productivity and creative work, along with a more portable design and built-in stylus support. Choose the Lenovo if gaming or GPU-intensive applications are a priority; opt for the Surface Laptop Studio for portability, a versatile touchscreen experience, and tasks like digital art or design. Both have similar storage, RAM, and are in a midrange price bracket. 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 Slim 7 15.6"
- Good for gaming and AI
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.4
6.6
7.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 offers superior graphics performance for gaming and 3D purposes, courtesy of its Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU, alongside a higher screen refresh rate of 165 Hz, compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio's Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti and a 120 Hz refresh rate. While both have quality displays and capable CPUs, the Lenovo's advantages are particularly beneficial for fast-paced gaming scenarios where graphic performance and screen fluidity are paramount.
Engineering and Design
7.8
7.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
7.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio are both good for engineering and design, though the Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" is somewhat better.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 features an AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU which excel in engineering tasks, but has a lower-resolution screen compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio's higher-resolution and touchscreen capabilities which may be more suitable for design work.
Screen Quality
7.7
8.0
15.6in
SIZE
14.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
350.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a better screen for general use, and engineering and design.
When considering general use, both the Lenovo Legion Slim and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio offer screens with crisp resolution and brightness; however, the Surface excels with a panel type that provides better viewing angles and a higher resolution that sharpens image detail. For engineering and design work, the Microsoft Surface stands out with superior color accuracy and a wider color gamut, delivering greater precision for color-critical tasks, while the Lenovo offers respectable quality that may satisfy less demanding design needs. On the other hand, neither is ideal for gaming or 3D, as they lack the high refresh rates required for smooth visuals in fast-paced scenes, which is more critical than resolution or panel type in this context.
Build Quality
7.6
8.5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has very good build quality, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,200
$1,700
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" has a price of $1,200 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio costs $1,700.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
350.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio are both good for general use.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 offers a solid balance of a powerful processor, ample RAM, and a high-quality but standard screen, making it well-suited for everyday tasks as well as some gaming, all in a relatively light package with decent battery life. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio provides a similar setup with a versatile display that supports touch and can double as a tablet, offering a more creative user experience with a slightly better screen and build quality, but at the expense of slightly less battery life and a bit more weight.
Content Creation
7.7
7.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
7.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" 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
9.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 has 9 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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.4in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,200 | $1,700 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | September 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.69'' | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.92" | 8.98" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | Intel i7-11370H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 1 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 71 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2400 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 350 nits | 491 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | 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 | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 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 | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Benjamin Herzig | November 2022
"The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 is a slim Legion notebook that is just as excellent with Nvidia & Intel. However, the Legion Slim 7i slightly sullied by lacklustre battery life. You get a slim aluminium chassis, great input devices, decent port selection, fast high-quality WQXGA display and great performance. Supporting Thunderbolt 4 is one advantage of the Intel/Nvidia model tested in this review. Moreover, this variant has slightly higher CPU performance as well as better GPU performance in certain applications (e.g. CUDA-based apps). The Lenovo Legion S7i is thin, premium and performant – but less efficient than its AMD counterpart."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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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 Legion Slim 7 15.6" 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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