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Microsoft Surface (i7-7660U) Laptop Review

The wolf in sheep's clothing? Why is there another review of the Microsoft Surface Laptop i7? Is this just a rebranding of the recently released i5-based Surface Laptop, but with an Intel Core i7-7660U instead of the i5-7200U? So it is faster and more expensive. And this is what comes to mind at a first glance, however the devil is in the details. There is one thing that we can tell you right off the bat, though: It is becoming scarce!
Microsoft Surface Laptop (i7-7660U)

For the original German translation, click here

After our extensive review of the i5-based Microsoft Surface Laptop, we now move on to examine the more powerful variant, the Microsoft Surface Laptop that is based on the Intel Core i7-7660U. At a first glance, the Surface Laptop i7-7660U appears to be a more capable sibling of the Microsoft Surface Laptop that comes equipped with the Intel Core i5-7200U, only with a premium of 350 Euros (~$406) over the i5 variant with the same SSD capacity and amount of RAM. Had things really been that simple, Notebookcheck would have had much less work to do. But upon closer examination and after new intensive tests, we have found that the devil is, as always, in the details and is invisible to most consumers. When thinking about the Surface Laptop i7, one should keep the following points in mind: Although the Intel Core i7-7660U comes with the more capable Iris Plus Graphics 640 GPU, the i7 cannot reach its full potential due to throttling. Microsoft's new laptop is equipped with a faster SSD from Samsung, instead of the slower SSD from Toshiba that we found inside the i5 variant.

Therefore, in our review, we lay emphasis on the benchmark results in the areas of performance and graphics power, in order to better show the differences. On this occasion, we have also thrown the Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) into the mix, which is equipped with the same Intel Core i7-7660U processor and should be comparable, in terms of CPU power to the Surface Laptop i7. It has been known at least since our review of the Surface Pro (2017) that the Core i7-7660U cannot use all of its power, because after a few minutes of operation performance starts to deteriorate and the clock rate drops to the levels of an Intel Core i7-7500U.You can learn more about this in the “Performance” section.

At first, we will take a look at the available configurations. Unlike the i5 variant with its top SSD capacity of 256 GB, the i7-based laptop provides a larger selection of SSD capacities, offering SSDs with 512 GB and 1 TB of storage space, which are only available in combination with 16 GB of RAM. For this reason, the upper price bracket extends all the way up to a hefty 3099 Euros (~$3606) for the 1 TB version, which comes solely in the “Platinum Grey” color scheme. For those who seek a more reasonably priced i7 variant: The MSRP for the i7 version with a 256 GB SSD and 8 GB of RAM is 1799 Euros (~$2094). A direct price comparison between the i5 and the i7 processor with the same 256 GB SSD and 8 GB of RAM shows that the i7 luxury is going to cost one an extra 350 Euros ($407).

So the question in the room is: Whether or not the i7 processor is worth that extra 350 Euros (~$407). We try to answer that question in the following sections. 

Microsoft Surface Laptop i7 (Surface Laptop Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-7660U 2 x 2.5 - 4 GHz, Kaby Lake
Graphics adapter
Memory
16 GB 
, Soldered DDR3-1866 10-10-10-28
Display
13.50 inch 3:2, 2256 x 1504 pixel 201 PPI, Yes, ID: MEI96A2, Name: Panasonic VVX14T092N00, IPS, glossy: yes
Mainboard
Intel Kaby Lake-U Premium PCH
Storage
Samsung PM971 KUS040202M, 512 GB 
Soundcard
Intel Kaby Lake-U/Y PCH - High Definition Audio
Connections
1 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 DisplayPort, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm combo, Brightness Sensor
Networking
Marvell AVASTAR Wireless-AC Network Controller (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 14.5 x 308 x 223 ( = 0.57 x 12.13 x 8.78 in)
Battery
45 Wh Lithium-Polymer
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 720p
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.25 kg ( = 44.09 oz / 2.76 pounds), Power Supply: 200 g ( = 7.05 oz / 0.44 pounds)
Price
0 USD
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The i5 and i7 cases are structurally identical and from the outside, we cannot tell which is which. The overall build quality and the rigidity of the i7 leaves a very positive impression. The unusual use of Alcantara for the wrist rest area is particularly striking. This may cause some problems for certain users. The question of how well the material is going to hold up after some time in use can only be answered after a long-term review. Fresh out of the box, the material looks elegant and feels nice to touch.

The following color variants are available: Platinum grey, burgundy, graphite gold and cobalt blue. There are only minor changes in terms of weight. At 1.283 kilograms (~2.83 lb), the i7-based model weighs just 31 grams (~1.1 oz) more than its smaller sibling. This should not be noticeable in day-to-day use. 

Size Comparison

312 mm / 12.3 inch 232 mm / 9.13 inch 23 mm / 0.906 inch 1.7 kg3.66 lbs308 mm / 12.1 inch 223 mm / 8.78 inch 14.5 mm / 0.571 inch 1.3 kg2.76 lbs308 mm / 12.1 inch 223 mm / 8.78 inch 14.5 mm / 0.571 inch 1.3 kg2.76 lbs304 mm / 12 inch 212 mm / 8.35 inch 15 mm / 0.591 inch 1.4 kg3.02 lbs304 mm / 12 inch 200 mm / 7.87 inch 15 mm / 0.591 inch 1.2 kg2.71 lbs292.1 mm / 11.5 inch 201.4 mm / 7.93 inch 8.5 mm / 0.3346 inch 1.1 kg2.38 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Due to the identical structure of the cases, there is no hope that the significantly more expensive device can offer better I/O than its cheaper and slower counterpart. Unfortunately, that is the case. As with the i5, the i7 version lacks a Thunderbolt 3 port, as well as a USB Type-C port, and even a simple SD card reader. These ports, which are nowadays considered standard fare, should not be missing in a laptop that exceeds the 3000-Euro (~$3500) mark.

Display

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Intel Core i7 uses exactly the same Panasonic panel VVX14T092N00 as the Intel Core i5 model. There are only minor differences between the two laptops in terms of the display. With its LG Display LP123WQ112604, the Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) provides better results, as far as brightness and contrast are concerned. There are also differences in resolution between the Panasonic and the LG panels. Whilst the Surface Laptops come with a native resolution of 2256x1504, the Surface Pro (2017) supports a resolution 2736x1824.

409
cd/m²
420
cd/m²
376
cd/m²
406
cd/m²
398
cd/m²
391
cd/m²
391
cd/m²
372
cd/m²
374
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
ID: MEI96A2, Name: Panasonic VVX14T092N00 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 420 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 393 cd/m² Minimum: 11.6 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 89 %
Center on Battery: 398 cd/m²
Contrast: 948:1 (Black: 0.42 cd/m²)
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
ID: MEI96A2, Name: Panasonic VVX14T092N00, , 2256x1504, 13.50
Microsoft Surface Laptop i5
ID: MEI96A2, Name: Panasonic VVX14T092N00, , 2256x1504, 13.50
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
LG Display LP123WQ112604, , 2736x1824, 12.30
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017 Touchbar i5
APPA034, , 2560x1600, 13.30
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
SHP1449, , 1920x1080, 13.30
Display
Display P3 Coverage
67.8
66.6
98.6
51.6
sRGB Coverage
94.3
96.5
100
77.4
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
69.5
67.8
86.5
53.3
Response Times
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
50.8 ?(25.6, 25.2)
37 ?(16, 21)
48 ?(23.6, 24.4)
41.2 ?(22.8, 18.4)
Response Time Black / White *
37.2 ?(20, 17.2)
25 ?(13, 12)
33.6 ?(16.4, 17.2)
30 ?(17.6, 12.4)
PWM Frequency
22130 ?(55)
119000 ?(80)
19530 ?(80)
Screen
4%
16%
15%
43%
Brightness middle
398
384.2
-3%
482
21%
551
38%
461
16%
Brightness
393
378
-4%
466
19%
514
31%
418
6%
Brightness Distribution
89
90
1%
92
3%
88
-1%
85
-4%
Black Level *
0.42
0.36
14%
0.395
6%
0.48
-14%
0.2
52%
Contrast
948
1067
13%
1220
29%
1148
21%
2305
143%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
1.8
4
0.8
5.4
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
4.2
7.2
1.4
12.2
Greyscale dE 2000 *
1.2
5.7
1
5.4
Gamma
2.21 100%
2.28 96%
2.16 102%
2.15 102%
CCT
6708 97%
7950 82%
6672 97%
7258 90%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
63.7
62
48.6
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
94.2
96
76.9
Total Average (Program / Settings)
4% / 4%
16% / 16%
15% / 15%
43% / 43%

* ... smaller is better

Performance

We were already somewhat surprised during our extensive testing of the Surface Laptop i5 that Microsoft had decided to go with the rarely-used Core i7-7660U instead of the much more common Core i7-7600U. Here, the decision was made in favor of graphics power, which is the only differentiating feature between the two CPUs. While the Core i7-7660U has the Iris Plus Graphics 640 GPU at its disposal, the Core i7-7600U comes with a 6-month old HD Graphics 620 GPU. On account of the Iris Plus Graphics 640, we expect to see a clear advantage with the i7-based laptop in GPU-intensive application, but we do not expect any wonders in video games.

Processor

Compared directly with the Surface Laptop Intel Core i5-7200U, the more powerful Surface Laptop i7-7660U is clocked much higher, and with the Turbo boost it can reach 4 GHz, whereas the i5 variant can only hit 3.1 GHz with the Turbo. Therefore the i7 gets an acceptable score in the Cinebench R15 (Multi-Core) test, which puts it a touch above the devices with the Intel Core i7-7600U. But wait! It only looks that way on paper and in the lab. Things are different in real life. The party-crasher here is called “throttling”.

Even though there was some throttling present with the Surface Laptop i5, it never led to performance drops of more than 7% (such drops are barely noticeable in practice), and that is after multiple benchmark runs. The Surface Laptop i7 with the Intel Core i7-7660U, on the other hand, registers huge performance drops after only a few minutes under continuous load. The Surface Laptop i7 as well as the Surface Pro i7 (2017), both of which come with the same CPU, lose anywhere from 12 to 17% in terms of CPU performance in the Cinebench R15 continuous loop. Taking into account all these performance declines, the Intel Core i7-7660U processors take their place a little below the i7-7500U, which can be found in the Acer Switch 5 SW512-52-5819.

Put it another way: Thanks to its throttling, the Surface Laptop i7 comes dangerously close to the cheaper Surface Laptop i5. When it is experiencing throttling, the performance advantage in CPU-intensive tasks of the significantly more expensive i7 laptop is reduced to a ridiculous 6%.

0102030405060708090100110120130140150160170180190200210220230240250260270280290300310320330340350360370380390400Tooltip
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Intel Core i7-7660U
163 Points +6%
Lenovo ThinkPad P51s 20HB000SGE
Intel Core i7-7600U
162 Points +5%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga 2017 20JES03T00
Intel Core i7-7600U
160 Points +4%
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Intel Core i7-7660U
154 Points
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Intel Core i7-7560U
153 Points -1%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Intel Core i5-7360U
145 Points -6%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Intel Core i5-7360U
140 Points -9%
Acer Switch 5 SW512-52-5819
Intel Core i7-7500U
143 Points -7%
Microsoft Surface Laptop i5
Intel Core i5-7200U
126 Points -18%
Samsung Notebook 9 NP900X3N-K01US
Intel Core i5-7200U
123 Points -20%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Intel Core i7-7660U
410 (335.35min - 409.45max) Points +3%
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Intel Core i7-7660U
397 (337min - 397max) Points
Lenovo ThinkPad P51s 20HB000SGE
Intel Core i7-7600U
379 Points -5%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga 2017 20JES03T00
Intel Core i7-7600U
373 Points -6%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Intel Core i5-7360U
362 Points -9%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Intel Core i5-7360U
346 Points -13%
Acer Switch 5 SW512-52-5819
Intel Core i7-7500U
339 Points -15%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Intel Core i7-7560U
336 Points -15%
Samsung Notebook 9 NP900X3N-K01US
Intel Core i5-7200U
328 Points -17%
Microsoft Surface Laptop i5
Intel Core i5-7200U
324 Points -18%
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
6126
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
13779
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
9703
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.84 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
4.39 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
154 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
60 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
397 Points
Help

System Performance

As expected, the system performance of the Microsoft Surface Laptop i7 lies well above that of the i5 model, and also above the Surface Pro i7 (2017). There are two results in the benchmark list, the lower one was observed with the energy saving function enabled.

PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
4182 Points
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
3395 Points -19%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
4095 Points -2%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga 2017 20JES03T00
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, Samsung SSD PM961 1TB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVLW1T0)
3860 Points -8%
Samsung Notebook 9 NP900X3N-K01US
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Samsung CM871a MZNTY256HDHP
3728 Points -11%
Lenovo ThinkPad P51s 20HB000SGE
Quadro M520, i7-7600U, Samsung SSD PM961 1TB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVLW1T0)
3232 Points -23%
Microsoft Surface Laptop i5
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Toshiba THNSN0128GTYA
3071 Points -27%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga 2017 20JES03T00
HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U, Samsung SSD PM961 1TB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVLW1T0)
4852 Points +3%
Samsung Notebook 9 NP900X3N-K01US
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Samsung CM871a MZNTY256HDHP
4786 Points +2%
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
4700 Points
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
4280 Points -9%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
4431 Points -6%
Lenovo ThinkPad P51s 20HB000SGE
Quadro M520, i7-7600U, Samsung SSD PM961 1TB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVLW1T0)
4193 Points -11%
Microsoft Surface Laptop i5
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Toshiba THNSN0128GTYA
4106 Points -13%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
4182 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
5509 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4700 points
PCMark 10 Score
3812 points
Help

Storage Devices

Although, the performance decline that we saw from the CPU was sobering, comparing the integrated Samsung PM971 KUS040202M 512 GB SSD with the Toshiba THNSN0128GTYA of the i5 model (which we harshly criticized in our review) yielded pleasant results. The i7 with its built-in Samsung SSD is considerably ahead of the Surface Laptop i5 in almost all categories. 

Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
Microsoft Surface Laptop i5
Toshiba THNSN0128GTYA
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
Lenovo ThinkPad P51s 20HB000SGE
Samsung SSD PM961 1TB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVLW1T0)
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
-65%
5%
47%
32%
Read Seq
1021
425.6
-58%
1308
28%
1189
16%
1314
29%
Write Seq
973
128.2
-87%
961
-1%
1138
17%
617
-37%
Read 512
253
278.5
10%
227.5
-10%
782
209%
1058
318%
Write 512
778
126.7
-84%
792
2%
959
23%
502
-35%
Read 4k
53
22.15
-58%
53.6
1%
54.8
3%
37.31
-30%
Write 4k
130.4
40.45
-69%
136.3
5%
161.4
24%
133.6
2%
Read 4k QD32
453.3
77.8
-83%
485.6
7%
642
42%
425.1
-6%
Write 4k QD32
389.7
41.18
-89%
421.5
8%
549
41%
431.3
11%
Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
Sequential Read: 1021 MB/s
Sequential Write: 973 MB/s
512K Read: 253 MB/s
512K Write: 778 MB/s
4K Read: 53 MB/s
4K Write: 130.4 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 453.3 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 389.7 MB/s

GPU Performance

We were quite excited to examine the gaming performance of the Iris Plus Graphics 640. It should blow the HD Graphics 620 of the Intel Core i5 out of the water. The Iris Plus Graphics 640 can go as high up as 1050 MHz, and it has twice as many execution units set up in a GT3e configuration. 

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, Intel Core i7-7660U
2493 Points +4%
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, Intel Core i7-7660U
2401 Points
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, Intel Core i7-7660U
1980 Points -18%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, Intel Core i5-7360U
2379 (2355min - 2425max) Points -1%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, Intel Core i7-7560U
2124 Points -12%
Microsoft Surface Laptop i5
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
1467 Points -39%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, Intel Core i5-7360U
11495 (10969min - 11750max) Points +10%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, Intel Core i7-7660U
11264 Points +7%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, Intel Core i7-7560U
11232 Points +7%
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, Intel Core i7-7660U
10486 Points
Microsoft Surface Laptop i5
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
6539 Points -38%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, Intel Core i5-7360U
1541 (1484min - 1547max) Points +17%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, Intel Core i7-7660U
1418 Points +8%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, Intel Core i7-7560U
1369 Points +4%
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, Intel Core i7-7660U
1315 Points
Microsoft Surface Laptop i5
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
789 Points -40%
3DMark 06 Standard Score
13164 points
3DMark 11 Performance
2561 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
7558 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
1236 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
476 points
Help

Gaming Performance

The Iris Plus Graphics 640 of the Surface Laptop i7 will be of at least some use to the gamers. With the minimum graphics settings, the GPU can run a number of current titles, but with higher settings and at higher resolutions getting playable frame rates is really tough on account of all the throttling. As one would expect, the gaming performance of the Surface Laptop i7 is comparable to that of the Surface Pro i7, which is equipped with the same hardware.

0102030405060Tooltip
Surface Laptop i7-7660U Iris Plus 640 - Team Fortress 2 high
0102030405060Tooltip
MSI CX61-2QC Pentium 2970M GeForce 920M - Team Fortress 2 high


Overwatch
1920x1080 Epic (Render Scale 100 %) AA:SM AF:16x
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i5-7360U, Apple SSD AP0128
19.5 fps
1920x1080 High (Render Scale 100 %) AA:SM AF:4x
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i5-7360U, Apple SSD AP0128
36.5 fps
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7560U, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
29.9 fps
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
15.9 (12min - 20max) fps
1366x768 Medium (Render Scale 100 %) AA:FX AF:2x
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i5-7360U, Apple SSD AP0128
52.9 fps +120%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
41 (29min - 50max) fps +70%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7560U, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
36.5 fps +51%
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
24.1 (16min - 35max) fps
1280x720 Low (Render Scale 100 %) AA:FX AF:1x
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i5-7360U, Apple SSD AP0128
67.3 fps +26%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
63.3 (46min - 81max) fps +18%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7560U, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
56.1 fps +5%
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
53.6 (39min - 70max) fps
The Evil Within 2 - 1280x720 Low Preset AA:T
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
13.8 (12min - 17max) fps
Middle-earth: Shadow of War - 1280x720 Lowest Preset
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
28 (10min - 54max) fps
FIFA 18
1920x1080 Medium Preset
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
38.8 (34min - 43max) fps
1280x720 Low Preset
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
69.5 (59min - 78max) fps
F1 2017
1920x1080 Medium Preset AF:4x
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7560U, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
15 fps 0%
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
15 (13min - 21max) fps
1280x720 Ultra Low Preset
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
38 (31min - 47max) fps
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7560U, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
33 fps -13%
Team Fortress 2
1920x1080 maximum AA:8x MS AF:16x
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
31.8 (29min) fps
1920x1080 high AF:16x
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
48 (42min) fps
1366x768 medium AF:4x
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
99 (88min) fps
Playerunknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) - 1280x720 Very Low Preset
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
22.9 (18min - 28max) fps
Rocket League
1920x1080 High Quality AA:High FX
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i5-7360U, Apple SSD AP0128
33.6 fps +35%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
29.3 (13min - 40max) fps +18%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7560U, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
25.3 fps +2%
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
24.9 (17min - 33max) fps
1920x1080 Quality AA:Medium FX
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i5-7360U, Apple SSD AP0128
48.2 fps +42%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
42.6 (30min - 55max) fps +26%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7560U, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
35.8 fps +6%
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
33.9 (23min - 46max) fps
1280x720 Performance
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
103 (70min - 131max) fps +7%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i5-7360U, Apple SSD AP0128
101 fps +5%
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
96 (60min - 152max) fps
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7560U, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
69.3 fps -28%
Titanfall 2
1920x1080 High / Enabled AA:TS AF:8x
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i5-7360U, Apple SSD AP0128
22.9 fps
1366x768 Medium / Disabled AF:4x
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i5-7360U, Apple SSD AP0128
31.4 fps
1280x720 Low / Disabled AF:Trilinear
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
45 fps
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i5-7360U, Apple SSD AP0128
42.9 fps -5%
Dota 2 Reborn
1920x1080 ultra (3/3) best looking
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
23 (21min) fps
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
19.8 (17min) fps -14%
1920x1080 high (2/3)
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
29.5 (26min) fps +7%
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
27.6 (25min) fps
1366x768 med (1/3)
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
63.7 (55min) fps +16%
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
55 (40min) fps
1280x720 min (0/3) fastest
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
92 (75min) fps +35%
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
68 (58min) fps
Battlefield 1
1920x1080 High Preset AA:T
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i5-7360U, Apple SSD AP0128
11.1 fps
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
9.2 (8min - 11max) fps
1366x768 Medium Preset AA:FX
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i5-7360U, Apple SSD AP0128
24.2 fps
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
19.6 (16min - 21max) fps
1280x720 Low Preset
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i5-7360U, Apple SSD AP0128
38.6 fps +32%
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
29.2 (26min - 32max) fps
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
26.6 (24min - 30max) fps -9%
The Witcher 3
1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i5-7360U, Apple SSD AP0128
4 fps
1366x768 Medium Graphics & Postprocessing
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i5-7360U, Apple SSD AP0128
13.4 fps
1024x768 Low Graphics & Postprocessing
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
21.7 (17min - 28max) fps +32%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i5-7360U, Apple SSD AP0128
21 fps +28%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7560U, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
17.5 fps +7%
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
16.4 (12min - 22max) fps
Sims 4
1920x1080 Ultra Preset
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
20.8 (11min - 33max) fps +3%
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
20.2 (4min - 31max) fps
1920x1080 High Preset
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
28.6 (16min - 41max) fps
Diablo III - 1920x1080 High AA:on
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
35.2 (24min - 51max) fps
World of Warcraft - 1280x1024 high
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
28.5 (20min - 42max) fps
low med. high ultra
World of Warcraft (2005) 28.5
Diablo III (2012) 35.2
Sims 4 (2014) 28.6 20.2
The Witcher 3 (2015) 16.4
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 68 55 27.6 23
Overwatch (2016) 53.6 24.1
Battlefield 1 (2016) 29.2
Titanfall 2 (2016) 45
Rocket League (2017) 96 33.9 24.9
Team Fortress 2 (2017) 99 48 31.8
Playerunknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) (2017) 22.9
F1 2017 (2017) 38 15
FIFA 18 (2017) 69 (some slowdowns in game) 38 (some slowdowns in game)
Middle-earth: Shadow of War (2017) 28
The Evil Within 2 (2017) 13.8

Emissions

System Noise

At idle or under low load, e.g. surfing the web or editing text documents, the Surface Laptop i7 is almost silent. However, under full load, the fan is clearly audible and is about 10% louder than the less powerful Surface Laptop i5. This is due to the i7 processor, which produces more heat than the i5; the fan has to run at a higher speed to dissipate the heat away from the CPU. One big drawback of our test device is the relatively loud and annoying coil whine, which can be perceived even at zero load.

Noise Level

Idle
30.9 / 30.9 / 30.9 dB(A)
Load
40.2 / 40.2 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 30.5 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2037.341.340.940.138.22531.93432.832.332.43132.930.732.93231.24030.731.634.432.633.45029.531.234.231.131.16329.328.228.729.829.8802929.228.632.131.810027.926.226.227.227.112531.925.525.826.831.416025.524.625.624.325.92002423.82524.124.725027232422.82731525.321.622.222.125.340032.421.121.521.430.950032.620.720.620.531.963032.119.819.919.532.28002818.71919.228.2100025.918.518.818.325.8125028.41818.11828.116002817.717.817.728.2200026.817.817.917.627.125002917.617.517.528.9315027.417.617.917.527.540002817.920.117.428.1500027.217.517.617.527.3630026.317.717.817.626.3800026.517.517.917.526.81000024.117.517.917.624.21250020.117.717.717.420.41600018.717.717.717.419SPL40.130.530.930.540.1N3.61.51.51.53.6median 27.2median 18median 18.8median 18median 27.1Delta1.51.52.22.51.2hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseMicrosoft Surface Laptop i7

Temperature

As with the Surface Laptop i5, the temperature difference between the upper side and the underside of the i7-based laptop is quite striking, especially so in the area of the wrist rest. Here we have measured a difference of 10 degrees Celsius (~18 degrees Fahrenheit). The temperature levels off in the keyboard area, though.

Max. Load
 37 °C
99 F
36 °C
97 F
34 °C
93 F
 
 34 °C
93 F
35 °C
95 F
32 °C
90 F
 
 30 °C
86 F
30 °C
86 F
29 °C
84 F
 
Maximum: 37 °C = 99 F
Average: 33 °C = 91 F
36 °C
97 F
40 °C
104 F
39 °C
102 F
34 °C
93 F
34 °C
93 F
33 °C
91 F
37 °C
99 F
40 °C
104 F
39 °C
102 F
Maximum: 40 °C = 104 F
Average: 36.9 °C = 98 F
Room Temperature 20.4 °C = 69 F | Fluke 62 Mini
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 33 °C / 91 F, compared to the average of 30.7 °C / 87 F for the devices in the class Subnotebook.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 37 °C / 99 F, compared to the average of 35.9 °C / 97 F, ranging from 21.4 to 59 °C for the class Subnotebook.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 40 °C / 104 F, compared to the average of 39.4 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.4 °C / 78 F, compared to the device average of 30.7 °C / 87 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 30 °C / 86 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.3 °C / 82.9 F (-1.7 °C / -3.1 F).

Speakers

Due to the identical construction design, there are no big differences between the Microsoft Surface Laptop i5 and its i7 counterpart in terms of the sound quality. The so-called “OmniSonic” stereo speakers are located beneath the keyboard. There are no holes or slits that are provided for them. But because the sound quality remains at a high level, we consider this solution to be optimal (speaker openings covered with grills in the area of the keyboard tend to turn into unsightly dust catchers over time).

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2033.640.134.72531.132.329.83132.13230.64035.932.630.85030.631.1306332.529.830.88036.932.129.310044.127.226.512556.826.826.116050.824.325.320064.424.123.425065.422.82331560.122.122.140063.421.421.650068.820.520.963071.719.519.980067.519.219100067.218.318.6125067.21818.316006817.717.920006717.617.9250065.517.517.731506217.518.2400062.617.419.650006417.517.9630062.217.618.5800064.117.5181000059.817.618.11250055.717.417.8160004917.417.8SPL7840.130.530.930.530.9N45.13.61.51.51.51.5median 64median 18median 18.6median 16.2median 16median 16.2Delta5.22.52.114.714.514.73941.63536.832.83533.934.433.334.133.43331.935.431.238.830.44530.253.428.355.127.758.427.759.826.258.825.464.625.763.32562.824.564.223.861.423.762.923.661.923.361.423.256.122.958.422.957.322.957.92357.322.958.222.959.422.948.136.172.92.733.2median 23.8median 58.42.14.435.335.330.733.931.732.731.735.630.13927.745.626.447.726.450.326.262.125.753.3246323.562.62263.221.671.420.675.719.277.719.275.818.678.418.174.417.776.817.675.417.375.517.267.517.368.917.372.617.269.417.671.117.668.417.462.817.56430.486.21.470.5median 18.1median 70.52.66.2hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseMicrosoft Surface Laptop i7Microsoft Surface Laptop i5Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017 Touchbar i5
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (78 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 7.7% lower than median
(-) | bass is not linear (15.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.8% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.6% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (11.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 10% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 86% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 6% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 92% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Microsoft Surface Laptop i5 audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (64.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 7.1% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.1% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (15.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 30% of all tested devices in this class were better, 5% similar, 65% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 19% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 77% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017 Touchbar i5 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (86.2 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.5% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.2% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (6.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (11.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 10% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 86% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 6% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 92% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

 Frequency diagram in comparison (checkboxes can be selected/unselected!)

Energy Management

Power Consumption

While idling, the Microsoft Surface i7’s energy consumption is very close to that of the Surface Laptop i5. Under full load, the more capable i7 CPU draws 25 % more power. On a positive note, Microsoft has managed to reduce the energy consumption of the Microsoft Surface i7 at idle as compared to the Surface Pro, which has the same CPU. However, it bears repeating that when we were reviewing the Surface Pro we had found that its energy consumption was well above what we saw from its competitors.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.18 / 0.44 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 2.7 / 7.6 / 7.8 Watt
Load midlight 37.5 / 41.6 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
i7-7660U, Iris Plus Graphics 640, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M, IPS, 2256x1504, 13.50
Microsoft Surface Laptop i5
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620, Toshiba THNSN0128GTYA, IPS, 2256x1504, 13.50
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
i7-7560U, Iris Plus Graphics 640, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK), IPS, 1920x1080, 13.30
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
i7-7660U, Iris Plus Graphics 640, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M, IPS, 2736x1824, 12.30
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
i5-7360U, Iris Plus Graphics 640, Apple SSD AP0128, IPS, 2560x1600, 13.30
Power Consumption
9%
6%
-28%
-7%
Idle Minimum *
2.7
3.2
-19%
3.32
-23%
4.2
-56%
3.7
-37%
Idle Average *
7.6
6.5
14%
5.27
31%
10.1
-33%
5.2
32%
Idle Maximum *
7.8
6.8
13%
6.32
19%
14
-79%
7.6
3%
Load Average *
37.5
28.2
25%
32
15%
37.4
-0%
41.6
-11%
Witcher 3 ultra *
31.7
38.1
-20%
Load Maximum *
41.6
36
13%
45.9
-10%
34
18%
50.5
-21%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

As far as battery life goes, the Surface Laptop i7, with the Wi-Fi turned on and under full load, behaves very similarly to the Surface Pro (2017), just as we expected. When playing back video, the i7-based laptop lasts longer than the Surface Pro or the MacBook Pro 13, although it cannot reach the same stellar battery runtimes as the Dell XPS 13.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
7h 34min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
12h 47min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 51min
Microsoft Surface Laptop i7
i7-7660U, Iris Plus Graphics 640, 45 Wh
Microsoft Surface Laptop i5
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620, 45 Wh
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
i7-7560U, Iris Plus Graphics 640, 60 Wh
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
i7-7660U, Iris Plus Graphics 640, 45 Wh
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
i5-7360U, Iris Plus Graphics 640, 54.5 Wh
Battery Runtime
23%
33%
-4%
3%
H.264
767
899
17%
614
-20%
683
-11%
WiFi v1.3
454
602
33%
655
44%
489
8%
681
50%
Load
111
124
12%
154
39%
112
1%
78
-30%
Reader / Idle
1351
1521
Witcher 3 ultra
115

Verdict

Pros

+ better graphics performance on account of the Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640
+ faster Samsung SSD
+ unique Alcantara texture
+ outstandingly good speakers
+ support for Windows Hello
+ wrist rest remains cool
+ quiet fan
+ long battery life

Cons

- relatively loud coil whine
- difficult-to-open case gets in the way of repairs and upgrades
- poor I/O
- throttling - also during graphics loads
- high premium for the i7
In review: Microsoft Surface Laptop (i7-7660U)
In review: Microsoft Surface Laptop (i7-7660U)

It does not come easy for us to draw a definitive conclusion about the Microsoft Surface Laptop i7. The Intel Core i7-7660U is and remains a double-edged sword. On the one hand, we have the disappointing results with the Turbo performance, and it appears as though Microsoft has learned nothing from the mistakes of the past which it made with the Surface Pro i7 (2017).

On account of the throttling, the higher Turbo frequency of the Intel Core i7-7660U cannot be fully utilized under continuous load. In terms of price, one must pay a premium of 350 Euros (~$407) for the i7 over the i5-7200U. 

On the other hand, the first drawback is cancelled out; let it be known that the i7 is not the only contributor to the price. One must also take into account the significantly faster SSD and the Iris Plus Graphics 640 GPU, which is integrated into the Intel Core i7-7660U. This is the time and the place to criticize the sluggish SSD from Toshiba in the i5 model and to praise the fast Samsung SSD in the i7 laptop. The more powerful Iris Plus Graphics 640 is, by all means, the better solution for graphics-intensive applications, although this does not turn the i7-based Surface Laptop into a gaming notebook. 

As is the case with the i5 model, the i7 variant is also missing a USB Type-C port and an SD card reader, even if these things are not front of mind for every buyer. The Alcantara surface material does not play a decision-making role either, although it is a nice change compared to the usual plastic surfaces. There is nothing bad to say about the build quality, and the case is also of high quality. It leaves a very good general impression. The mobility can also be described as very good, thanks to the long battery life. With the Surface laptops, Microsoft targets students, who should have no trouble getting through a day at college with the more affordable i5 model.

In conclusion, the initial question is still open, whether getting a Surface Laptop i7 is advisable. In our view, the only point of criticism are the constantly mentioned performance drops that occur after a few minutes in Turbo mode. Despite all that, the i7 laptop still remains a faster device with better CPU and GPU performance, even during the throttling. Taking the faster Samsung SSD into account, the decision to get a Surface Laptop i7 seems absolutely reasonable.

Microsoft Surface Laptop i7 - 10/24/2017 v6(old)
Klaus Hinum, Daniel Puschina

Chassis
79 /  98 → 81%
Keyboard
79%
Pointing Device
86%
Connectivity
32 / 80 → 40%
Weight
72 / 35-78 → 86%
Battery
92%
Display
90%
Games Performance
60 / 68 → 88%
Application Performance
87 / 87 → 99%
Temperature
93 / 91 → 100%
Noise
84%
Audio
60 / 91 → 66%
Camera
53 / 85 → 62%
Average
74%
85%
Subnotebook - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Microsoft Surface (i7-7660U) Laptop Review
Klaus Hinum, Daniel Puschina, 2017-10-26 (Update: 2020-05-19)