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Updated March 22, 2024·
When considering the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, keep in mind that the ThinkPad usually offers higher performance suitable for demanding tasks and may have better build quality and business features, but at a higher cost. The Surface Laptop Go 2 is more budget-friendly, offers good performance for everyday tasks like browsing and office work, and is lighter and easier to carry around, which could be beneficial if you travel frequently or prefer a more portable device. However, the ThinkPad's added cost is reflected in its endurance and power for rigorous applications and multitasking. 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 X13
- 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
8.4
7.0
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
321.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
8.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13, with a stronger CPU and more RAM, handles multitasking and demanding applications effortlessly, making it excellent for general use, while its high-quality screen, long battery life, and robust build enhance the experience. Comparatively, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is highly portable with decent screen quality and sufficient battery life for everyday tasks, though its lower specs in CPU and RAM might limit performance under intensive workloads.
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
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is somewhat better.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 have integrated GPUs that provide adequate performance for casual gaming and basic 3D work, but they lack the high-refresh-rate displays and powerful dedicated graphics cards needed for demanding gaming and 3D applications. Additionally, their CPUs and screen quality, while sufficient for general use, may not meet the requirements of users who need top-tier performance and vivid displays for intensive tasks.
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 X13 is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 typically comes with a more powerful CPU, more RAM, and a higher quality GPU that cater to the demanding nature of engineering and design tasks, whereas the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, being a lighter and more portable device with lower specs, may not handle such intensive work as efficiently. However, the Surface Laptop Go 2 offers greater portability and is still suitable for lighter tasks, with both laptops having quality screens and keyboards that contribute to overall usability.
Content Creation
8.2
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 X13 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
8.1
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 X13 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
13.3in
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 X13 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 for software development, and content creation.
For general use, both the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 offer displays that are sharp, bright, and have decent color reproduction, making everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming quite satisfying. In engineering and design work, where precise color rendering is key, both models deliver a broad color spectrum coverage, ensuring that designs and visual projects retain true-to-life colors. However, gamers and 3D professionals would find the screen refresh rates on both models lacking, as they do not match the higher rates preferred for smooth motion and fast-paced action inherent in gaming and complex 3D modeling.
Build Quality
8.5
7.8
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has 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.
Cost
$1,459
$774
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has a price of $1,459 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 costs $774.
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Key similarities
Battery
8.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has 8.5 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.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
13.3in
SIZE
12.4in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 to have excellent portability, while the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X13 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,459 | $774 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2023 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.9'' x 8.5'' x 0.63'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.87 lbs | 2.48 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.88" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.46" | 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 | 8.5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 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 | 8.5/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 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 | 7.5/10 | 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 X13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Benjamin Herzig | September 2023
"The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 G4 has very good input devices, a wide array of security features and ports as well as 5G in the tested configuration. It is more compact and lightweight compared with its predecessor, and it has improved speakers and a slightly better webcam. On the other hand, the fan is more annoying and the performance is barely improved. The battery is worse as well, but this is primarily attributable to the OLED screen - if this aspect is important, buyers should choose the IPS Low Power LCD."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
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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 X13 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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