The seventh-generation Surface Laptop is a very interesting and attractive computer. It is the first traditional-shaped laptop from Microsoft to come exclusively with ARM processors from Qualcomm. Microsoft is so confident in these chips that it decided to leave Intel processors only for the business-focused Surface Laptop 6. And, of course, there is still the Surface Laptop 5, which is available with big discounts and 12th-gen Intel processors.
If you want a new laptop, specifically one of Microsoft's Surface Laptop models, the question arises: What generation should you go for? The new Surface Laptop 7, the not-so-new-anymore Surface Laptop 6 for Business, or the good-old Surface Laptop 5? This Specs Appeal article compares all three generations with their pros and cons and compares each spec side-by-side.
| Surface Laptop 7 | Surface Laptop 6 |
Surface Laptop 5 |
|---|---|---|
 Pros:
Cons:
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 Pros:
Cons:
|
 Pros:
Cons:
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Who is it for: Surface Laptop 7 is for customers who want an all-around great laptop with amazing battery life, no fan whine, and a solid display. Also, it's a good pick if you want to try Windows 11's latest AI features, which are not available on "traditional" PCs. |
Who is it for: Surface Laptop 6 is for business customers (it's in the name) as well as those who have specific requirements for apps and are not ready to experiment with emulation or wait for developers to catch up. Safe option for those who do not want to beta-test the first generation of Copilot+ AI PCs with ARM chips. |
Who is it for: Surface Laptop 5 is a solid pick if you can find it with a big discount (or a used one). Although its chips are not the latest, they still have enough power for daily tasks. |
Here is the detailed spec-by-spec comparison:
| Surface Laptop 7 | Surface Laptop 6 | Surface Laptop 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chassis |
13.8-inch: 11.85 x 8.67 x 0.69", 2.96 lbs |
13.5-inch: 12.1 x 8.8 x 0.66", 3.06 lbs |
13.5-inch: 12.1 x 8.8 x 0.57", 2.86 lbs |
|
15-inch: 12.96 x 9.41 x 0.72", 3.67 lbs |
15-inch: 13.4 x 9.6 x 0.67", 3.7 lbs |
15-inch: 13.4" x 9.6" x 0.58", 3.44 lbs |
|
| Colors | Sapphire, Dune, Black, Platinum | Platinum, Black | Platinum, Sage, Matte Black, Sandstone |
| Display |
13.8-inch: 2304 x 1536 (201 ppi) |
13.5-inch: 256 x 1504 (201 ppi) |
13.5-inch: 2256 x 1504 (201 ppi) |
|
15-inch: 2496 x 1664 (201 ppi) |
15-inch: 2496 x 1664 (201 ppi) |
15-inch: 2496 x 1664 (201 ppi) |
|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite |
Intel Core Ultra 5 135H Intel Core Ultra 7 165H |
Intel Core i5-1235U Intel Core i7-1255U |
| Memory | 16GB, 32GB LPDDR5x | 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB LPDDR5x | 8GB, 16GB, 32GB LPDDR5x |
| Storage | User-removable PCIe 4 SSD 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
User-removable SSD 256GB, 512GB, 1 TB |
|
| Security | Microsoft Pluton TPM 2.0 Windows Hello face sign-in Windows 11 Secured-core PC |
TPM 2.0 Chip Windows Hello face sign-in Windows 11 Secured-core PC Optional smart card reader |
TPM 2.0 Chip Windows Hello face sign-in Windows 11 Secured-core PC |
| Network | Wi-Fi 7 Bluetooth 5.4 |
Wi-Fi 6E Bluetooth 5.3 |
Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax Bluetooth 5.1 |
| Battery |
13.8-inch: 54Wh |
47Wh |
13.5-inch: Up to 18 hours of typical use |
|
15-inch: 66Wh |
15-inch: Up to 17 hours of typical use |
||
| Camera | 1080p front-facing camera with Windows Hello face sign-in | 720p HD front-facing camera with Windows Hello face sign-in | |
| Ports |
13.8-inch: 2x USB-C/USB4 |
13.5-inch: 1x USB-C/USB4 |
1x Thunderbolt 4/USB-C 4.0 1x USB-A 3.1 3.5 mm headphone jack Surface Connect |
|
15-inch: 2x USB-C/USB4 |
15-inch: 2x USB-C/USB4 |
||
| Launch Price | $999+ $1,299+ |
$1,199+ $1,399+ |
$999+ $1,299+ |
The Surface Laptop 7 is now available for preorder in the Microsoft Store. Shipments begin in the second half of June.
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