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Updated January 16, 2024·
Considering a less expensive option such as the LG Ultra 16 can be a wise choice if cost is a major factor for you. It also offers a larger 16-inch screen which may be beneficial for multitasking and productivity work, but it's heavier and less portable than the smaller and lighter Surface Laptop 5. On the other hand, the Surface Laptop 5 has a higher resolution display which means sharper images and text, and its more compact size could be better for those who are often on the go. Both laptops seem to offer a good balance of performance and features for their respective prices; the LG may be better for power users needing a bigger screen and a quieter operation, while the Surface Laptop 5 appeals to those seeking a more premium build and portable design with better screen clarity. 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 16
- Excellent battery life
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.2
7.2
16.0in
SIZE
13.5in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
270.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The LG Ultra 16 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" for software development, and content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The LG Ultra 16's screen may not have the vibrancy and clarity that engineering and design tasks often benefit from due to a more limited color gamut, although it's suitable for general use due to acceptable resolution and brightness. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offers a higher-quality display that can represent colors more accurately which is crucial for engineering and design workflows, along with having a suitable resolution and brightness for comfortable everyday tasks. However, neither is ideal for Gaming and 3D applications, as they likely lack high refresh rates, which are essential for smooth motion and quick visuals in these scenarios, despite their resolutions and panel types being moderately adequate.
Battery
17.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The LG Ultra 16 has 17 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
Good
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
13.5in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has excellent portability, while the LG Ultra 16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has good build quality, while the LG Ultra 16 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$1,200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The LG Ultra 16 has a price of $1,000 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.4
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
270.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
17.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The LG Ultra 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 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.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.1
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The LG Ultra 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The LG Ultra 16, with AMD Ryzen 7 graphics, and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13", featuring Intel Iris Xe graphics, both offer average gaming and 3D capabilities, with standard screen refresh rates of 60Hz that are not ideal for high-frame-rate gaming. Regarding screen quality, LG's IPS display and Microsoft's touch-enabled IPS panel provide good visual experiences, but they fall short of the high refresh rates and powerful GPUs preferred by hardcore gaming and 3D rendering enthusiasts.
Engineering and Design
7.0
7.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and LG Ultra 16 are both good for engineering and design.
The LG Ultra 16 is well-suited for engineering and design work due to its AMD Ryzen 7 processor with integrated Vega 8 graphics, paired with 16 GB RAM, making it capable for CPU and GPU-intensive tasks, while its 17-hour battery life and silent operation enhance its usability in diverse work environments. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offers a high-quality screen with a 3:2 aspect ratio and touch capability, an Intel i7 processor with Iris Xe graphics, and excellent keyboard quality, making it a strong contender for design tasks where display and user interaction are critical, despite its lower battery life.
Content Creation
7.7
7.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The LG Ultra 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 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
7.5
7.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The LG Ultra 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 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.
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How the LG Ultra 16 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| LG Ultra 16 | Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | October 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.64'' | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.57'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.63 lbs | 2.86 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 12.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.78" | 8.8" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7730U | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 17 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 72 Wh | 47.4 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 13.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 2256 x 1504 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 270 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
LG Ultra 16
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Jentsch | October 2022
"Unlike the gram, the Ultra PC isn't designed to be as lightweight as possible. The 16-inch laptop is a whole 400 g (0.88 lb) heavier than its 16-inch gram counterpart partly because its chassis is not made of magnesium. Other than that, the Ultra PC seems like a copy of the gram – but with longer battery life, lower noise levels, and a clean, delicate look."
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 LG Ultra 16 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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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CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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