Surface Laptop 5 vs Surface Laptop Studio: Which one is right for you?

Microsoft recently introduced the Surface Laptop 5 during its latest hardware event, and while many may have hoped to see a Surface Laptop Studio 2, that wasn’t the case. The Surface Laptop 5 still has newer hardware on the inside compared to the Surface Laptop Studio, but there are still reasons to prefer the latter, like its convertible form factor that allows it to shift from a laptop to a tablet.

But which one should you get? We’ll take a closer look at these two devices to help you figure out which one you should get depending on your needs and budget.

Surface Laptop 5 vs Surface Laptop Studio: Specs

Performance: The Surface Laptop 5 has faster processors, but no GPU

As we said at the top, the Surface Laptop 5 has newer components than the Laptop Studio. After all, it’s just been refreshed, while the Studio is a year old. Intel’s 12th-generation processors bring a big boost to performance, and while the Surface Laptop Studio has more power-hungry 35W CPUs, the Surface Laptop 5 comes out ahead in terms of performance thanks to the big increase in core and thread count. It’s very impressive how far ahead it comes out in benchmarks like Cinebench and Geekbench,

However, there’s one thing the Surface Laptop 5 doesn’t have: a discrete GPU. The Surface Laptop Studio, specifically the Core i7 models, comes with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti (or an RTX A2000 in the business models), which gives it a huge advantage when it comes to 3D rendering and other tasks that benefit from the GPU. You can see how much of a difference that makes in benchmarks like 3DMark. Performance-wise, the Core i5 Laptop Studio may not make a lot of sense, but the Core i7 models still have value.

Of course, there’s a flip side to this, and that’s battery life. While Microsoft touts similar numbers for both laptops, it will depend a lot on your usage. The Surface Laptop Studio has more power-hungry processors, and the discrete GPU also consumes more power, so battery life will tend to be shorter, as we found in our review. There are other factors that affect this, like the 120Hz screen on the Laptop Studio, but you can always turn that off if you need the best battery life possible.

In terms of RAM, both laptops have a maximum of 32GB, though the Surface Laptop Studio is a bit more powerful by default because it starts with 16GB in the base model. The Laptop Studio also has up to a 2TB SSD, so you can get a bit more storage space than with the Surface Laptop 5, which maxes out at 1TB.

Display: Equally sharp, but the Surface Laptop Studio is smoother

Moving on to the display, the two laptops actually have a lot in common. The Surface Laptop 5 comes in 13.5-inch or 15-inch sizes, while the Surface Laptop Studio comes with a 14.4-inch display, and they all have different resolutions. However, they all have the same exact pixel density of 201PPI, which means they all look great and sharp.

The big difference is in the refresh rate, where the Surface Laptop Studio comes out ahead with a 120Hz display that can dynamically adjust the refresh rate depending on the situation. That helps animations and motion look much smoother on this screen, making the whole experience feel more pleasant. Plus, it’s great for gaming, so you can take better advantage of the discrete Nvidia GPU.

Both laptops support the Surface Pen or Slim Pen, but the Surface Laptop Studio is the only one of the two that supports Tactile signals on the Surface Slim Pen 2, meaning it can create tiny vibrations in the pen to make it feel like you’re using a real pen on real paper. On the flip side, while both displays support Dolby Vision, the Laptop 5 is the only one that supports Dolby Vision IQ, meaning it can do a better job with HDR in different lighting conditions.

Another advantage of the Surface Laptop Studio is right above that display. It has a Full عالية الجودة HD (1080p) webcam, which is what you should expect in a laptop in 2022. For whatever reason, Microsoft decided to keep the 720p camera on the Surface Laptop 5, so if you want to look your best during meetings, the Surface Laptop Studio is definitely the better option.

As for sound, both laptops use Omnisonic speakers, which essentially means the speakers are hidden under the keyboard and blast in your direction. However, the Surface Laptop Studio has a more powerful setup with four speakers, while the Laptop 5 has just two. Both laptops have two Studio Mics, but the Surface Laptop 5 supports the Voice Clarity feature, which makes it easier to be heard and hear others during voice calls.

Design: The Surface Laptop Studio has a versatile form factor

This is arguably the biggest defining factor when it comes to choosing between these two laptops. The Surface Laptop 5 is just that — a laptop — and for many people, that’s all you need. All you can do is use it as a laptop, though, so even though it has a touchscreen and pen support, it’s not very convenient to use in that way.

The Surface Laptop Studio is much more versatile. It looks like a laptop at first, but once it’s open, you can pull the bottom of the screen closer to you if you want to watch a movie or play a game with a controller, or you can lay the screen over the base of the laptop, essentially making it a tablet. This is much more inviting for touch and pen usage, and it helps make this a fantastic device for creative work. The Surface Laptop Studio is more than a laptop, and while not everyone needs that, it’s very cool for those who needs something more.

Both laptops look as modern and sleek as you’d expect for a Surface device. The Surface Laptop 5 has the benefit of coming in multiple colors, including Matte Black, Sage, and Sandstone, but the Surface Laptop Studio only comes in the signature Platinum color Surface devices are known for. While we’d say it still looks great, it’s a bit less unique because of it.

As for portability, as you might have expected, the Surface Laptop 5 is the clear winner. If you go for the 13.5-inch model, it weighs just 2.8 pounds, and the 15-inch model weighs 3.44 pounds. Meanwhile, the Surface Laptop Studio comes in at 3.83 pounds without a discrete GPU or 4 pounds for models with Nvidia graphics. Because it’s designed to house powerful specs like the 35W CPUs, the Surface Laptop Studio has to be thicker and heavier, though it’s still decently portable. Still, if you’re a student or someone who’s on the move often, the Surface Laptop 5 may make more sense.

Ports and connectivity: The Surface Laptop 5 has USB Type-A

Finally, let’s talk ports, which frankly aren’t that different between the Surface Laptop 5 and Laptop Studio. The Surface Laptop 5 comes with one Thunderbolt 4 port, which is a new addition this year, along with USB Type-A, a Surface Connect port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The physical connectors haven’t changed from the Surface Laptop 4, but the USB-C port was upgraded to Thunderbolt 4.

On the other hand, the Surface Laptop Studio has most of the same things, but instead of a USB Type-A port, it has a second Thunderbolt 4 port. Whether that’s an advantage depends on your stance on docking stations and hubs. USB Type-A grants you compatibility with more peripherals, considering most of them still connect using that port. You’re more likely to need adapters when you only have Thunderbolt ports. On the other hand, Thunderbolt can also handle things like monitors and external GPUs, so you get a bit more versatility by having two ports available.

As for wireless connectivity, they’re essentially the same. Both support Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1, but neither has cellular connectivity. If you want something meant for that kind of mobility, the Surface Pro 9 with 5G may make more sense for you.

Surface Laptop 5 vs Surface Laptop Studio: Final thoughts

As tends to be the case, which laptop you choose is entirely up to your personal needs and how you plan on using your device. If you care more about CPU performance and power efficiency, the Surface Laptop 5 is the better option thanks to 12th-generation Intel processors. It’s also the lighter option, with even the 15-inch model being lighter than the 14.4-inch Surface Laptop Studio. For most people, whether that’s students, office workers, or more casual users, it’s the way to go.

The Surface Laptop Studio is meant for a more specific audience. If you need the GPU performance for gaming or creative work, it’s a far more suitable option, even if it is older at this point. It also has a more versatile form factor that’s great for creative professionals (in addition to just being a lot of fun). Additionally, you get a smoother 120Hz display, and the webcam has a higher resolution. This is a great laptop to work from home where battery life and portability aren’t as much of a concern.

Of course, there’s also the matter of price, and the Surface Laptop Studio is quite a bit more expensive right off the bat, starting at $1,599 compared to the $999 Surface Laptop 5. And if you want it with a discrete GPU, it actually starts at $2,099.99. That reinforces that you should only buy the Surface Laptop Studio if you really need the extra GPU performance or the form factor. For the majority of people, the Surface Laptop 5 makes more sense.

Regardless of your preference, you can buy either of these laptops using the links below. Both are great devices in their own way, and some of the best Surface PCs you can buy right now. You may also want to check out the best laptops in general if neither of these is right for you.

Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio

The Surface Laptop Studio is a powerful laptop for creators with 35W Intel processors and Nvidia RTX graphics. Plus, it comes in a unique form factor that can be used in different modes.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 5

The Surface Laptop 5 is a lightweight laptop that comes in 13.5-inch or 15-inch models, and it packs 12th-generation Intel processors with up to 10 cores and 12 threads.