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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is designed for those who prioritize a sleek build and a high-resolution touchscreen display, making it suitable for productivity and media consumption. It tends to be more costly but offers a reputable brand experience with a modern design. On the other hand, the XPG Xenia 14, which is significantly less expensive, presents a strong value proposition, particularly for users who seek competent performance without breaking the bank. It slightly sacrifices screen resolution and battery life compared to the Surface but compensates with a range of connectivity options. Choosing the Surface Laptop 5 is investing in a premium experience, whereas the Xenia 14 is about getting the essentials right for a lower cost. 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"
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the XPG Xenia 14
- Very good battery life
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.2
6.9
13.5in
SIZE
14.0in
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
400.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a better screen than the XPG Xenia 14 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, both the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and the XPG Xenia 14 offer displays with sufficient resolution and brightness, making them pleasant for browsing, office tasks, and video streaming. They both have good color reproduction, beneficial for engineering and design work, where precise color representation can be crucial. However, neither laptop is ideal for gaming and 3D applications due to their screens' lower refresh rates, which can make fast-paced visuals less smooth compared to screens designed specifically for these purposes.
Battery
7.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has 7.5 hours of battery life. The XPG Xenia 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.
Build Quality
7.8
7.2
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and XPG Xenia 14 both have good build quality, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,200
$800
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a price of $1,200 and the XPG Xenia 14 costs $800.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.3
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
400.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
7.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and XPG Xenia 14 are both good for general use.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 is equipped with a higher-end CPU and a taller screen with better resolution and touch capability, making it well-suited for productivity and multimedia tasks, but it's slightly less portable and has a shorter battery life. The XPG Xenia 14 offers a less powerful CPU but comes with a longer battery life and is lighter, benefiting users who prioritize endurance and portability over processing power.
Gaming and AI
6.1
6.1
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
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
7.0/10
The XPG Xenia 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and XPG Xenia 14 are both rated fair for gaming and 3D due to their shared use of Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics, which offer modest performance compared to dedicated gaming GPUs, and both have the same screen refresh rate of 60Hz, which is lower than the rates preferred for smoother gaming visuals.
Engineering and Design
7.1
6.8
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" to be good for engineering and design, while the XPG Xenia 14 is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offers a higher-end CPU and a larger, higher-resolution screen, making it suitable for demanding engineering and design applications despite its somewhat poorer heat management; while the XPG Xenia 14, with a lower-tier CPU and lower screen resolution, still provides adequate performance for engineering and design, and benefits from better portability and heat management, which could enhance comfort and ease of use during extended work sessions.
Content Creation
7.4
7.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and XPG Xenia 14 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
7.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The XPG Xenia 14 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
14.0in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
2.2 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The XPG Xenia 14 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 XPG Xenia 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" | XPG Xenia 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,200 | $800 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.57'' | 12.2'' x 8.5'' x 0.59'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.86 lbs | 2.2 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.1" | 12.2" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.8" | 8.46" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7.5 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 47.4 Wh | 53 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.5" | 14" | |
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 | 321 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 9.3/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
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 | 2 | |
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."
XPG Xenia 14
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | July 2021
"The Xenia 14 is a top 14-inch laptop under 1 kg. ADATA isn't exactly known for its laptops and so we weren't expecting much from its first 14-inch Ultrabook. With that said, we're pleasantly surprised by how well the Xenia 14 looks and performs. Not only is it incredibly light, but it has a color accurate 16:10 display, high CPU and GPU performance, easy RAM and SSD serviceability, plenty of port options including Thunderbolt 4, and long battery life. It packs a lot of punch and features considering the size and weight to be better than even the LG Gram series."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" or the XPG Xenia 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.
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