The Surface Laptop Is Still One Of My Favorite Copilot+ Pcs (and Now It's Over $500 Off)

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The 2024 Microsoft Surface Pro Laptop is connected sale, starting astatine $1,099.
• It's a well-designed Copilot+ PC pinch a lightweight, stylish shape facet and a marathon artillery life.
• It mightiness beryllium lacking successful larboard action for immoderate users, and an OLED action would person made it a small much premium.

The 2024 Microsoft Surface Laptop is connected waste during Amazon Prime Day, pinch nan 13-inch starting astatine $1,099 and nan 15-inch starting astatine $1,179. Both are respective 100 dollars disconnected nan regular prices. 

It's been a large twelvemonth for Microsoft. All eyes person been connected Windows pinch nan merchandise of nan caller Copilot AI feature, followed by a new statement of laptops moving connected Snapdragon's ARM-compatible spot architecture and a barrage of new, hyped-up AI features. Naturally, some were welcomed, while others… did not spell arsenic planned (and continue to airs questions).  

Also: Microsoft's 12-inch Surface Pro improves connected its champion traits - and it's already connected sale

At nan halfway of each this are Microsoft's 2 flagship devices, some of which are innovative and nosy to use: nan Microsoft Surface Laptop, and nan Surface Pro, a tablet/laptop hybrid. ZDNET's Kerry Wan went hands-on pinch nan Surface Laptop, but I wanted to return a person look astatine this laptop aft nan particulate had settled connected nan first information of Copilot+ PCs. 

The first point I noticed astir nan Surface Laptop is its sleek, lightweight design, which would beryllium exceedingly reminiscent of a MacBook if not for nan cool bluish color. There's thing very neutral -- non-descript, moreover -- astir nan Surface Laptop, moreover while retaining a unsocial silhouette. Minimal? Doesn't sound peculiarly Microsoft, does it? And yet, present we are. 

Available successful a 13.8- and 15-inch shape factor, nan Surface's aluminum assemblage comes successful a fewer unsocial colorways. It sports a bright, 120Hz HDR touchscreen display, basal larboard selection, and, astir importantly, nan latest Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processor. 

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The show looks great, though an OLED would person really been nan cherry connected apical for this flagship device. I understand Microsoft's creation prime here, though: make a good-looking HDR show pinch a accelerated refresh complaint that looks an OLED but requires half nan power. It makes sense. 

Regarding nan processor, we've discussed nan pros and cons of ARM architecture successful Windows each year, and nan bottommost statement remains: it's still successful its early stages, truthful location is simply a imaginable for compatibility hiccups pinch definite apps, games, and accessories. 

Windows (mostly) does a bully occupation of emulating programs via Prism, but issues tin arise. I tin say, however, that tons of advancement has been made successful nan fewer months since nan Snapdragon laptops person been connected nan market, peculiarly pinch productivity apps. 

Also: The champion laptops of 2025: I've tested dozens of laptops and these are nan champion ones

Earlier this summer, I retrieve struggling done Adobe Premiere connected immoderate of nan brand-new Copilot+ PCs, but only a fewer months later, things look to beryllium much optimized. Running done immoderate video editing package successful Adobe and DaVinci Resolve connected nan Surface wasn't 100% flawless, but it was soft capable to beryllium considered fresh to spell for creators. In fact, it performed a small amended connected this instrumentality for maine than connected other, higher-priced models.

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET

The Snapdragon X Elite connected nan Surface feels well-optimized. In our benchmarking of nan device, we sewage numbers comparable to different Copilot+ PCs astir nan aforesaid value point, namely nan Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x and nan Dell XPS 13. 

This spot is what powers this laptop's snappy capacity and awesome artillery life, and besides what sets it isolated from erstwhile versions successful nan Surface statement (which had alternatively mixed reviews), and different Copilot+ PCs. 

This is simply a laptop that feels accelerated and ray and multitasks pinch easiness crossed nan Windows ecosystem. Web browsing pinch dozens of tabs, while connected to an outer show feels responsive and smooth, a must for maine to beryllium considered a main driver. 

Also: How to clear nan cache connected your Windows 11 PC (and why you shouldn't hold to do it)

The touchpad is efficient, if connected nan delicate side, but well-placed. The larboard action is average, pinch 2 USB-Cs, a USB-A, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Unfortunately, Microsoft chose to support its proprietary charging larboard alternatively of a modular USB-C, which would person fixed nan laptop moreover much utility.

The keyboard is very satisfying to type on, pinch well-textured and responsive keys that lucifer nan device's colour scheme. If there's immoderate laptop wherever nan Windows Copilot cardinal would make sense, it'd beryllium connected this laptop. The Snapdragon X Elite's integrated NPU allows for seamless relationship pinch nan on-device AI that powers features accessible via nan Copilot key, your voice, and nan taskbar. 

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET

I person been integrating Copilot into my workflow arsenic I study much astir really to usage it effectively, and connected a instrumentality for illustration nan Surface, it feels useful and efficient. I've been utilizing it to summarize nan latest emails from circumstantial contacts, and it's peculiarly applicable because of its velocity and accuracy successful this task. 

Also: This affordable Lenovo ThinkPad rivals laptops doubly nan value - and now it's moreover cheaper

The Surface's artillery life has been fantastic, too. I get complete 15 hours of usage from a azygous charge, and it has yet to afloat deplete to zero by nan clip I telephone a benchmarking test. 

The operation of smart creation pinch meaningful trade-offs is what gives this laptop its marathon artillery life, and opens it up for a assortment of usage cases from a creator aliases productivity perspective. Basically, this is simply a laptop you tin activity remotely pinch for nan full time without a charger.

ZDNET's buying advice

I mentioned this before, but nan guidance that Microsoft took pinch this laptop is, well, alternatively uncharacteristic. The 2024 Microsoft Surface Laptop is light, airy, and brings immoderate nosy to nan Copilot+ line. I would person loved to spot this laptop pinch an OLED display, but nan 1 we get alternatively is still rather nice, particularly pinch this awesome artillery life. 

The Surface Laptop is simply a flagship mid-range instrumentality that's well-rounded capable to return connected a assortment of roles. Despite a fewer trade-offs, it's everything it should beryllium for nan price.