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Updated March 21, 2024·
If you value higher performance for tasks like engineering or gaming, and don't mind investing more, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is a suitable choice; it usually offers stronger processing capabilities and a more robust build. However, if portability and cost are major concerns, and your usage mainly involves general tasks like web browsing, document editing, or light media consumption, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is more budget-friendly, lighter, and offers better ease of carrying, though with lower performance and potentially shorter battery life compared to the more expensive option. 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 T14
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
8.5
7.0
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
321.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14, with its more powerful CPU and greater RAM, excels in performance for demanding applications, has a high-quality screen, and offers long battery life for extended use, but it's larger and heavier, which affects portability. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is lighter and more portable, with a screen that is still quite good for everyday tasks, sufficient battery life, and adequate performance for general use, though it trades off some speed and multitasking capability for its compact size and lower cost.
Gaming and AI
6.7
6.0
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.3/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is somewhat better.
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14, with a more robust GPU, handles gaming and 3D applications better than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, yet both will have limitations for high-end gaming due to moderate screen refresh rates. While the Surface offers a high-quality screen and adequate CPU for casual use, the ThinkPad's superior processing power makes it more suitable for demanding tasks within the fair gaming and 3D performance range.
Engineering and Design
8.0
6.5
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 typically offers higher CPU, RAM, and GPU capabilities that are crucial for demanding engineering and design tasks, along with a superior screen quality for fine detail work. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, while more portable and possibly having a better keyboard and quieter operation, may not offer the same level of performance due to less powerful internal components.
Content Creation
8.3
7.1
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is very good for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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
8.3
7.0
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is very good for software development, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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
6.9
6.9
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
321.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 for software development, and content creation.
For general use, both the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 offer panels with resolutions and brightness that provide clear and vibrant displays, making them suitable for daily tasks such as browsing and video streaming. Engineering and design professionals will appreciate that both laptops have displays with a range of colors, allowing for precision in color-sensitive work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, their screens fall short because they lack the high refresh rates needed for smooth motion rendering, although their resolutions and panel types are sufficient for moderate use.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
2.9 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has excellent portability, while the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,241
$774
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has a price of $1,241 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 costs $774.
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Key similarities
Battery
9.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has 9 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 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.
Build Quality
8.0
7.8
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkPad T14 to have very good build quality, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has 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 ThinkPad T14 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,241 | $774 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2023 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.5'' x 8.9'' x 0.7'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.96 lbs | 2.48 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.51" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.93" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840U | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 128 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 39.3 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 321 nits | 401 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.5/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.4/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1440p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Lenovo ThinkPad T14
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Benjamin Herzig | December 2023
"We like a lot about this laptop. It has many ports, with the inclusion of RJ45-Ethernet as a defining feature. WWAN is upgradable for maximum flexibility and the ThinkPad has many security functions. Working with the ThinkPad input devices is a lot of fun, and Lenovo puts in a serviceable Low Power panel. The AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 7840U delivers a great performance and does not drain the battery fast. Fan noise and temperatures are nothing special, but also far away from bad. With the user replaceable keyboard, the ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 has a special feature rarely present on most modern laptops."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | August 2022
"The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 review is a compact companion with old hardware. The Surface Laptop Go 2 shows some weaknesses. Microsoft didn't really develop the second generation of the Surface Laptop Go 2 any further but has only equipped it with a slightly more powerful Core i5 processor. However, the performance still remains at a fairly low level overall, but for many users, it definitely should still be sufficient for everyday tasks."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 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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