Microsoft Surface Laptop Microsoft 13.8" Surface Laptop Copilot+ PC (7th Review

If you're looking for a super portable Windows laptop that's trying to go toe-to-toe with Apple's MacBooks, the new 13.8-inch Surface Laptop Copilot+ PC is Microsoft's answer. It's packing Qualcomm's new Snapdragon X Elite chip, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD, all in a sleek 1.34kg package. The 120Hz touchscreen is crisp, and the battery life is promising thanks to the ARM architecture. People searching for 'best compact Windows laptop' or 'Surface Laptop vs MacBook Air' will find this model right at the center of that conversation. It's priced between $1,700 and $2,000, depending on where you look, which puts it squarely in premium ultrabook territory.

Let's talk about that Snapdragon X Elite chip. In our benchmarks, its CPU performance landed in the 98th percentile. That's seriously fast for everyday tasks, web browsing, and office apps. It feels snappy and responsive. The 32GB of RAM is overkill for most people, but it means you can have dozens of browser tabs open without a hiccup. Now, the GPU is a different story. It's integrated, and its performance sits around the 37th percentile. This is not a gaming laptop, and our score of 9.9/100 for gaming confirms that. It'll handle light indie games or older titles, but forget about modern AAA games. For video calls, writing, and general productivity, though, it's a powerhouse.

The value really depends on the deal you find. Prices swing from $1,699 to $1,999. At the lower end, it's a compelling premium ultrabook. At the high end, you're paying a lot for the Copilot+ AI features and sleek design. The main alternative in this space is, of course, the Apple MacBook Air with an M3 chip, which offers similar portability and even better battery life, but in the macOS ecosystem. If you need Windows and want this level of polish and performance, the Surface Laptop is one of your best bets, but shop around for that $1,699 price.

Compared directly to the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4, the Surface wins on price and touchscreen capability, but the MacBook has a much more powerful GPU and arguably better software optimization. Against a Windows workhorse like the ASUS Zenbook Duo, you lose the dual-screen versatility but gain a more traditional, polished laptop experience. For someone considering a Lenovo Legion or MSI Vector for gaming, this Surface is the wrong choice entirely—those machines have dedicated GPUs that are in another league. The Surface Laptop Copilot+ PC is for the person who wants a MacBook Air-like experience but needs Windows.

So, should you buy it? If you're a student, business user, or anyone who needs a super portable, fast, and well-built Windows laptop for everyday tasks, web apps, and Office, this is an easy yes. It's fantastic for those uses. But if you play games, do video editing, 3D rendering, or rely on specific Windows x86 software that isn't yet optimized for ARM, you should look elsewhere, like a laptop with an Intel Core Ultra or AMD Ryzen chip and a dedicated GPU. For its target audience—people asking 'is there a Windows laptop as good as a MacBook?'—this is one of the best answers yet.