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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Razer Blade 17 is designed for high performance and gaming, with a more powerful processor, more memory, and a higher quality graphics card; this makes it suitable for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering work. However, it's larger, heavier, and more expensive, potentially making it less ideal for frequent travel. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is smaller, lighter, and less expensive, which makes it more portable and practical for everyday tasks and general use, though less suited for resource-intensive applications. The Surface also offers a better balance between performance and battery life, while the Razer Blade is more focused on maximizing performance. 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
- Excellent portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the Razer Blade 17
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.4
8.5
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
400.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
486.0 nits
7.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
9.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Razer Blade 17 is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is acknowledged for its lightweight design and longer battery life, making it well-suited for portability and general everyday tasks, while the Razer Blade 17 offers a larger screen and superior CPU and RAM, enhancing performance for demanding applications at the expense of being less portable and having a shorter battery life. While both have high-quality screens and keyboards, the Razer's emphasis on power and screen size makes it more suitable for intensive tasks and entertainment, though this also results in increased heat and potentially more operating noise.
Gaming and AI
6.1
8.6
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.2/10
The Razer Blade 17 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13", with its integrated Iris Xe graphics, isn't as capable as the Razer Blade 17, which boasts a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti GPU, making the latter significantly better for gaming and 3D applications. Furthermore, the Razer's higher screen refresh rate enhances smooth visuals essential for gaming, compared to the Surface Laptop's lower refresh rate which is less optimal for such activities.
Engineering and Design
7.1
9.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Razer Blade 17 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
The Razer Blade 17 outperforms the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" due to its superior main processor, double the RAM, and a high-end dedicated GPU, crucial for demanding engineering and design tasks; it also boasts a larger and higher resolution screen which enhances visual detail and workspace. However, the Surface Laptop 5 offers greater portability and a higher quality keyboard, making it a better choice for users who prioritize mobility and typing comfort over peak performance.
Content Creation
7.4
8.5
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Razer Blade 17 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
8.5
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Razer Blade 17 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
8.6
13.5in
SIZE
17.3in
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
400.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
486.0 nits
The Razer Blade 17 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.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" boasts a high-resolution display with vibrant colors and substantial brightness, making it suitable for general use and detailed engineering or design work where color accuracy is critical. However, its standard refresh rate limits its effectiveness for gaming and 3D applications, where smoother motion provided by higher refresh rates is essential. The Razer Blade 17 also offers an excellent high-resolution screen with a wide color gamut ideal for precision tasks, but similar to the Surface, its refresh rate doesn't cater to the high-performance demands of gaming and 3D rendering.
Battery
7.5 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has 7.5 hours of battery life. The Razer Blade 17 has 5.5 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
Excellent
Fair
13.5in
SIZE
17.3in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
6.0 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has excellent portability, while the Razer Blade 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8
8.5
The Razer Blade 17 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
$4,300
$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 Razer Blade 17 costs $4,300.
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How the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and the Razer Blade 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" | Razer Blade 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,200 | $4,300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | February 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.57'' | 15.6'' x 10.2'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.86 lbs | 6.06 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.1" | 15.55" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.8" | 10.24" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | Intel i9-12900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7.5 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 47.4 Wh | 82 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.5" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2256 x 1504 | 3840 x 2160 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 400 nits | 486 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 7.3/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.8/10 | 9.1/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
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."
Razer Blade 17
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | July 2022
"Our test configuration of the Blade 17 targets gamers and creative professionals. A Core i9-12900H processor, GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU (175 watts TGP after the BIOS update, 16 GB of VRAM), and 32 GB of working memory equip the laptop for video processing, rending, and 4k gaming at the highest level. In addition, a fast PCIe-4 SSD (1 TB) ensures short load and storage times. With the Blade 17 (Early 2022), Razer delivers a successful and powerful work device for creative professionals. But this also has its price."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" or the Razer Blade 17
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.
About Razer
Razer is an American-Singaporean technology company. Razer is best known for their Blade series laptops, well known for their strong performance and sleek design. Although Razer charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a stealthy laptop with clean fit and finish and strong performance. All of their models offer great portability and build quality compared to other gaming laptops.
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