Surface Laptop 4 — Microsoft Finally Got It Right!

Photo by Christian Lambert on Unsplash

Score: 8 / 10

Pros: Stylish Industrial Design, Bright and Crisp Display, Long-Lasting Battery, Comfortable Touchpad & Keyboard, Fast Performance, Loud Speakers

Cons: Lacking Ports, Low-Res Webcam, No Discrete GPU

After four iterations, Microsoft has finally made a Surface Laptop to properly challenge the other Windows-based machines and Apple Macbooks.

Style and speed is Microsoft’s description of the Surface Laptop 4, and boy have they ever gotten it right. The razor thin case comes with invisible hinges, a smooth tactile keyboard and responsive touchpad. The minimalist design is a nod to the M1 Macbook competition, and looks absolutely stunning. The hardware under the hood is quite powerful as well. The Surface comes with a USB-C, USB-A, and Surface connect ports, and sports a 2256 resolution 15" touchscreen (with a 13" option as well). While overall a gorgeous product, users should note the somewhat weak 720p webcam camera, as well as thicker bezels around the screen itself.

Under the hood, the Surface Laptop 4 sports your choice of an AMD or Intel processor, with the beefier Intel i7 chip, when paired with the 16 GB of RAM, makes the device capable of running everything from AutoCAD to Overwatch. While there is no option for a dedicated discrete GPU, the Surface Laptop 4 should be able to handle anything you throw it’s way graphically. Battery life is also impressive; with the most powerful configuration listed above providing over 16 hours of use, and the more conservative specifications mustering over 19 hours of battery life. The sound quality is absolutely superb, and on top of this Microsoft also gives you the option of using either wireless or *gasp* wired headphones as well.

Conclusion: The overall package is impressive to say the least with pricing starting at $999 USD. While the webcam may be lacking, I have no problem recommending this device to professionals or students alike if you want a modern, fast laptop without being chained down the Apple’s ecosystem.