The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 offers a traditional laptop experience with a high-quality build and a comfortable keyboard, making it excellent for general use and productivity tasks. Its 3:2 aspect ratio screen is great for web browsing and document work, and the IPS panel provides good color accuracy for everyday tasks. However, its performance in 3D rendering, machine learning, and intensive engineering tasks may be limited compared to more powerful GPUs, and it's not designed for gaming.
On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 14 is a versatile 2-in-1 device with an OLED screen that delivers vibrant colors and deep blacks, which is fantastic for media consumption and creative work that benefits from high color accuracy. The Snapdragon processor offers decent performance for general use and excellent battery life, but it may not match the raw power of an Intel i7 for heavy computational tasks. Its convertible nature adds flexibility, allowing you to use it as a tablet, which could be beneficial if you need that functionality.
If you prioritize portability, battery life, and a versatile form factor, the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 14 is a compelling choice. However, if you value a more traditional laptop experience with a focus on productivity and general use, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" would be the better option. Consider your specific needs in terms of performance, screen quality, and usage scenarios to make the best decision. 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"
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has no clear advantages over the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 14.
Advantages of the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 14
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good battery life
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.1/10
8.0/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.3/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 14 is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
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.
Content Creation
7.4/10
8.0/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.3/10
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 14 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
7.2/10
7.9/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for software development, though the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 14 is somewhat better.
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
7.2/10
8.7/10
13.5in
SIZE
14.0in
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
400.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 14 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.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Battery
7.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has 7.5 hours of battery life. The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 14 has 10 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.
Cost
$1,200
$1,350
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a price of $1,200 and the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 14 costs $1,350.
The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 14 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
6.1/10
6.5/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
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.
Portability
Excellent
Excellent
13.5in
SIZE
14.0in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
2.5 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.4in
The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" both have excellent portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8/10
7.6/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 14 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 14 compare to other laptops
"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 Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" or the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 14
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 Samsung
Samsung Electronics is one of the largest technology corporation by revenue. Based in South Korea, they are very well known for their wide range of phones, tablets, TVs and appliances. Their main line of laptops is the Galaxy Book series, launched in 2017. This range includes 2-in-1 convertible devices and standard notebooks, with a focus on portability and value for money.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.