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What we think
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Updated June 22, 2024·
The LG Ultra 13 offers a competitive lower midrange price, making it a cost-effective choice without sacrificing essential features. It's equipped with a capable AMD Ryzen 7 processor and integrated Vega 7 graphics, which provide solid performance for everyday tasks and some light gaming or creative work. The 16GB of RAM ensures smooth multitasking, and the 256GB storage is sufficient for most users' needs. The 13.3-inch Full HD IPS display, while not touch-enabled, offers good color accuracy and a standard refresh rate of 60Hz, suitable for general use. Its portability is a strong point, with a slim design and a weight of just over 2 pounds, alongside a battery life of around 10 hours, making it ideal for on-the-go use. The keyboard is comfortable for typing, and the laptop has a decent selection of ports, including USB-C and Thunderbolt 3. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" commands a midrange price and brings several premium features to the table. The Intel Core Ultra 7 processor and Arc 8-Cores graphics deliver superior performance, particularly beneficial for more demanding tasks like 3D rendering or machine learning. The higher resolution touchscreen display with a 3:2 aspect ratio and a 120Hz refresh rate provides an exceptional visual experience, especially for creatives and professionals who require greater detail and smoother animations. The Surface Laptop 6 also boasts excellent build quality, a very good keyboard, and an improved webcam. It supports Windows Hello for facial recognition, adding a layer of convenience and security. However, these premium features come at the cost of portability, with a slightly heavier design and potentially less battery life compared to the LG Ultra 13. In summary, if you prioritize portability, cost-effectiveness, and general productivity, the LG Ultra 13 is a strong contender. However, if you're looking for a more powerful machine with a superior display, better performance for demanding tasks, and premium features like a touchscreen and facial recognition, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" is the way to go, provided you're willing to accept a slight tradeoff in portability and a higher price point. 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 LG Ultra 13
- Excellent portability
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5"
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.1
6.6
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" and LG Ultra 13 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
6.6
7.7
4.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" is good for engineering and design, while the LG Ultra 13 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Screen Quality
6.9
7.8
13.3in
SIZE
13.5in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" has a better screen than the LG Ultra 13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Portability
Excellent
Very Good
13.3in
SIZE
13.5in
2.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The LG Ultra 13 has excellent portability, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$529
$1,200
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The LG Ultra 13 has a price of $529 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.2
7.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" and LG Ultra 13 are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Content Creation
7.2
7.7
4.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" and LG Ultra 13 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
7.2
7.7
4.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" and LG Ultra 13 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
10.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The LG Ultra 13 has 10 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" has 9 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
7.4
7.4
The LG Ultra 13 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the LG Ultra 13 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| LG Ultra 13 | Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$529 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2021 | June 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.1'' x 8.1'' x 0.6'' | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.16 lbs | 3.04 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.08" | 12.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.14" | 8.78" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 4700U | Intel Core Ultra 7 135H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 51 Wh | 47 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 13.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2256 x 1504 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 8.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
LG Ultra 13
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Joshua Goldman | April 2017
"The 13.3-inch LG Gram is a fine fit if you need to travel as light as possible for as long as possible without spending a fortune to do it. It might not be particularly sturdy or have an eye-catching design and its webcam is less than ideal, but with its sharp touch display, comfortable backlit keyboard, responsive touchpad and a fingerprint reader for extra security, the Gram makes a respectible everyday laptop for business or school work."
Get a great deal on the LG Ultra 13 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5"
About LG
LG is a South Korean conglomerate company. While LG is mainly known for various products outside of technology, LG also develops laptops. Within the laptop industry, they are known for their thin-and-light Gram series, as well as their value-oriented Ultra series. LG laptops offer very thin and light laptops with phenomenal battery life, 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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