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Company ProductName Specs
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
- Excellent portability
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.4
8.3
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
400.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
7.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offers a smaller and lighter design with a strong balance of CPU performance and screen quality for general use, supported by decent battery life, making it very portable and suitable for everyday tasks. In contrast, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 provides a more powerful CPU, significantly more RAM, a higher quality screen with better resolution and color accuracy, and improved battery life, but it is heavier and less portable, making it very good for more demanding general use and creative tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.1
7.7
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a less powerful integrated GPU and a standard screen refresh rate, meaning it can handle some light gaming and 3D tasks but may not perform as well in demanding situations. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 features a stronger discrete GPU that's better suited for intensive graphics and a higher screen refresh rate allowing for smoother visuals, making it more capable for gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
7.1
8.7
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is equipped with less RAM and a less powerful integrated GPU compared to the Surface Laptop Studio 2, which has much more RAM and a dedicated high-performing Nvidia GPU, making it more suitable for demanding engineering and design tasks.
Content Creation
7.4
8.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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
7.2
8.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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
7.2
7.9
13.5in
SIZE
14.4in
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
400.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Surface Laptop 5's screen is crisp, bright, and offers a high resolution, making it pleasing for everyday tasks and media consumption, but the Surface Laptop Studio 2 excels with an even brighter and sharper display. In tasks related to engineering and design, the Laptop Studio 2 provides a wider color gamut, ensuring more precise color representation which is critical for professional design work. However, both devices have lower refresh rates, which is not ideal for 3D rendering and gaming, where smoother motion and quicker screen updates are essential.
Portability
Excellent
Good
13.5in
SIZE
14.4in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has excellent portability, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8
8.5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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
$1,200
$2,900
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a price of $1,200 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 costs $2,900.
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Key similarities
Battery
7.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has 7.5 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,200 | $2,900 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | September 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.57'' | 12.7'' x 9.1'' x 0.86'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.86 lbs | 4.41 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.1" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.8" | 9.06" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | Intel i7-13700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 64 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7.5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 47.4 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.5" | 14.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2256 x 1504 | 2400 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 400 nits | 503 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.8/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | March 2022
"The new Surface Laptop Studio with its foldable display is supposed to replace the old Surface Book and the overall impression is good after our review. The build quality and the materials are top-notch, the performance utilization of the two components is solid and the device does not show any major flaws in terms of display or speakers, either. The folding mechanism leaves a sold impression as well, but it remains to be seen how it will hold up over the years. The so-called presentation mode is also not ideal since it covers the whole keyboard."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
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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