As the title suggests, the Surface Laptop 5 will use more power and Thunderbolt support in its fifth iteration, even though the same MacBook Air design was circa 2008.
The Surface Laptop hasn''t been around as long as the MacBook Air wedge design it inspired, but in its seventh year of offering, the minimalist design may be somewhat thin for those who desire the device to keep up with new technological limitations such as thinner bezels and more port choices.
In Thunderbolt 4, the Surface Laptop 5 is returning with at least more power and support for a more modern connection.
Fans of the sleek design should enjoy the addition of Intel''s 12th Gen Core i5 and i7 U-processor to Windows 11''s branded Evo platform standards. Microsoft is now promising more power from the last Surface Laptop experience as well as "all-day battery life."
The Surface Laptop 5 will come in its standard 13.5 and 15-inch display options, which includes the 3:2 PixelSense touchscreen with Dolby Vision IQ at 2256x1504 (201 PPI) and 2496x1664 (201 PPI).
The Laptop 5 has a 4.7-inch screen, with a light weight of 2.86 pounds for the 13.5-inch screen and a 3.7-inch screen.
Microsoft is bringing back its signature Alcantara keyboard materials, but they will be available in Platinum, Sage, and Sandstone to match each 13.5 Laptop 5 exterior''s anodized aluminum color choices this year. 15-inch Surface Laptop models are relegated to the standard Platinum and Matte Black options as previously.
Despite the Surface Laptop and Surface Laptop Studio''s differences, Microsoft will maintain its GPU performance by preserving Intel''s Iris Xe graphics and the Laptop Studio, allowing the better-equipped NVIDIA GPUs.
The Laptop 5 will include the standard 8,16, and 32GB (15-inch models) LPDDR5x RAM, 256, 512, or 1TB of removable solid-state storage, all paired with Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax and Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity.
The Laptop 5 features the 720p HD front facing camera with Windows Hello Face authentication enabled, a USB-C port with Thunderbolt 4, a USB-A 3.1, a 3.5mm audio port, and a proprietary Surface connector with quick charge support.
Microsoft is proposing that the Surface Laptop 5 should be charged for 18 to 17 hours of battery life combined with "normal device usage" for the 13.5 and 15-inch laptops.
We get a bit of a disclosure about how Microsoft gives its battery claim numbers for the Surface Laptop 5 this year, and it might assist buyers with their next purchase.
A battery life of up to 18 hours was determined based on the average Surface laptop use on the 513.5 Intel Corei5, a 256GB, a 28-GB RAM device. A web browsing test with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, OneNote, and Outlook was conducted in August 2022, and the battery life of the devices was varying greatly depending on settings, usage, and other factors.
If Microsoft tries to deliver similar battery performance than its previous laptop, thanks to Intel''s 12th Gen processor, which allows the company to gain 50 percent more power, then this year, there might be some Surface Laptop buyers interested in the company.
The last significant tweak to the Surface Laptop 5 this year is AMD''s removal from the release party. Microsoft may release some AMD versions down the road, but as of today, even 15-inch models of the laptop will only rock Intel chips this year.
Pre-orders begin today.