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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 generally offers better performance for intensive engineering tasks due to its higher-end processor and dedicated graphics card, making it suitable for 3D modeling, machine learning, and gaming. However, it's larger and heavier, which compromises portability. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is lighter and more portable, ideal for general use and on-the-go productivity, with a clear and high-resolution touchscreen. It's also slightly less expensive than the ThinkPad P16. However, its graphics are integrated, which may not handle demanding tasks as well. The ThinkPad P16's larger battery lends it a longer battery life, beneficial for extended use without charging. Choose the ThinkPad P16 for demanding tasks and the Surface Laptop for everyday use and better portability. 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 ThinkPad P16
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good battery life
- Excellent speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
- Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
8.0
7.4
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
569.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
5.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16, with a high-end CPU, substantial RAM, and a premium screen, caters well to general use but is less portable and has only adequate battery life despite its power; on the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" balances moderate performance with better portability and battery life, making it also suitable for general use, and includes a touchscreen display which adds to its user-friendly design. While both laptops have similar storage and are equipped with high-quality keyboards, the ThinkPad P16's larger screen and resolution offer better screen quality, yet the Surface Laptop maintains a higher level of portability due to its smaller size and lighter weight.
Gaming and AI
6.9
6.1
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is somewhat better.
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is better suited for gaming and 3D applications thanks to its stronger Nvidia RTX A1000 GPU, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has an Intel i7-1255U Iris Xe GPU which is less powerful for such tasks. Both laptops have similar screen refresh rates, but the superior GPU in the Lenovo makes a significant difference for demanding visual workloads.
Engineering and Design
8.3
7.1
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 stands out for engineering and design with its high-performance CPU, dedicated professional-grade GPU, and superior screen quality, but it's heavier and less portable. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offers adequate power for design tasks, comes in a more portable package, and has a high-quality touch screen, but it forgoes the dedicated GPU and has a less powerful CPU, making it less suited for the most demanding engineering applications.
Content Creation
8.2
7.4
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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
8.4
7.2
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for software development, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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
8.2
7.2
16.0in
SIZE
13.5in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
569.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 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 ThinkPad P16 offers excellent visuals with vibrant colors and high resolution, improving the experience during tasks like photo editing or CAD design due to the wide color gamut coverage, which is less pivotal for general web browsing or document editing. Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" provides a balance of good resolution and brightness that suits everyday activities and decent color accuracy for design work, although it lacks the higher color fidelity professionals might need. Both laptops, with limited refresh rates and without specialized gaming features, fall short for 3D applications and gaming, where smoother motion and rapid on-screen changes are key.
Battery
10.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has 10 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.
Portability
Poor
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
13.5in
6.5 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
1.2in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has excellent portability, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.8
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 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
$1,449
$1,200
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has a price of $1,449 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" costs $1,200.
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How the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad P16 | Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,449 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | July 1, 2023 | October 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 10.5'' x 1.2'' | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.57'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.5 lbs | 2.86 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 12.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.5" | 8.8" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12800HX | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 4 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 94 Wh | 47.4 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 13.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2400 | 2256 x 1504 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 569 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.8/10 | 9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.1/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
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 | 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 | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Lenovo ThinkPad P16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Eric Grevstad | February 2023
"It's only a few months since we gave the MSI CreatorPro X17 one of our rare 4.5-star ratings and our top mobile workstation honor, but the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 1 matches that achievement in a more premium overall build. Ultimately, its build quality, screen, and keyboard give our latest Editors' Choice nod to the Lenovo—it's enough of a monster on almost all fronts that it simply cannot be ignored."
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 ThinkPad P16 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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