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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" would be better for tasks requiring a high-resolution screen due to its greater pixel count, making it suitable for detailed visual work. It's also lighter and thinner, enhancing its portability. However, the Razer Book 13 has a longer battery life, which is important if you plan to use it extensively without access to a power outlet. The Razer Book also offers more varied connectivity options with additional ports. For performance, both laptops have similar CPU and memory, making them equally capable for general use and some demanding applications, but they may not be ideal for highly intensive tasks like advanced gaming or heavy video editing. The Surface Laptop runs on Windows 11, while the Razer Book comes with Windows 10 and a more colorful keyboard backlighting. Consider what matters most to you in terms of screen quality, battery life, portability, and connectivity when making your choice. 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"
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the Razer Book 13
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent battery life
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.2
7.3
13.5in
SIZE
13.4in
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
400.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
507.0 nits
The Razer Book 13 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" for content creation.
For general use, both the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and the Razer Book 13 offer screens with high resolution and brightness, making them sharp and easy to view under various lighting conditions. Their displays cover a wide range of colors, which is crucial for professionals in engineering and design to ensure accurate color representation and detail. However, the screens on both laptops have a standard refresh rate, which is less suitable for gaming and 3D applications that benefit from higher refresh rates for smoother visuals and better responsiveness.
Battery
7.5 Hours
14.0 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has 7.5 hours of battery life. The Razer Book 13 has 14 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
7.8
8.5
The Razer Book 13 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
$1,389
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a price of $1,200 and the Razer Book 13 costs $1,389.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.6
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
400.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
507.0 nits
7.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
14.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Razer Book 13 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for general use.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offers a crisp IPS screen with a 3:2 aspect ratio, a strong contrast ratio which enhances screen quality, and good portability with long battery life, making it suitable for general use. The Razer Book 13 also has a sharp IPS display, slightly superior screen brightness, and extensive connectivity options like Thunderbolt 4, with excellent heat management and speaker quality, fitting for users who need a high-quality keyboard and greater port selection while maintaining portability.
Gaming and AI
6.1
6.2
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Razer Book 13 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and the Razer Book 13 are only fair for gaming and 3D because they both have integrated Intel Iris Xe GPUs, which are less powerful than dedicated gaming graphics cards, and their screens have a modest refresh rate of 60Hz, which is not optimal for the high frame rates sought after in gaming experiences. While their CPUs and screen qualities are decent, they do not compensate for the limited GPU power and lower refresh rates when it comes to gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.1
7.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Razer Book 13 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for engineering and design.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and the Razer Book 13 both offer robust CPUs and ample RAM, suitable for demanding engineering and design software, with the Surface boasting a slightly newer processor and the Razer sporting an older but reliable chip. While both have high-quality displays, the Surface has a taller 3:2 screen which benefits design work, and both have integrated Iris Xe graphics, yet those seeking quieter operation might prefer the Razer Book 13, which also offers superior battery life but is slightly heavier and thicker, making the Surface a bit more portable.
Content Creation
7.4
7.6
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Razer Book 13 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
7.2
7.5
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Razer Book 13 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.
Portability
Excellent
Excellent
13.5in
SIZE
13.4in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Razer Book 13 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" both have excellent portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and the Razer Book 13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" | Razer Book 13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,200 | $1,389 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | April 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.57'' | 11.6'' x 7.8'' x 0.6'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.86 lbs | 3.09 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.1" | 11.64" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.8" | 7.81" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | Intel i7-1165G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7.5 Hours | 14 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 47.4 Wh | 55 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.5" | 13.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2256 x 1504 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 400 nits | 507 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 9.1/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.8/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
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 | 1 | |
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 Book 13
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | December 2020
"The Razer Book is like an XPS 13, but faster. The Book 13 combines the design philosophy and performance of a Blade Stealth with the 16:10 display of a Dell XPS 13 for an impressive piece of hardware. Office users who want something more stylish than the typical Dell, HP or Lenovo will certainly find themselves drawn to this Razer subnotebook. If your priorities are to have the best-looking and fastest 13-inch laptop in the office over auxiliary features, however, then the Book 13 proudly fulfills that niche."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" or the Razer Book 13
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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Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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