Microsoft continues trying to copy Apple with the Surface Laptop Ultra

Several new high-end laptops featuring Nvidia's RTX Spark processors were unveiled last week, including Microsoft's new Surface Laptop Ultra. Alongside its high performance, the product presentation emphasized the bright Mini-LED display and magnetic USB-C charging port, both of which show clear similarities with Apple's MacBook Pro.

The Mini-LED panel is particularly surprising, as virtually all manufacturers apart from Apple with its MacBook Pro now use high-quality OLED displays in their multimedia laptops. Even Apple is expected to use an OLED display in the upcoming MacBook Ultra.

In our review, we also found that the implementation of the Mini-LED panel is problematic, as local dimming is not supported, which negatively affects black levels and contrast. Despite its enormous brightness of up to 2,000 nits, overall image quality is therefore worse than that of the MacBook Pro's Mini-LED panel and its OLED competitors. The panel also suffers from slow response times.

Microsoft also highlighted the magnetic USB-C charging port, which works as intended, although the right-angle connector is not ideal here either. Otherwise, the Surface Laptop Ultra impresses with excellent build quality and a premium chassis, and its input devices are also high quality. However, the hinges are a little too wobbly, and the 15-inch laptop is also relatively heavy and thick overall. Battery life is likewise only average at just over 10 hours, although the Asus ProArt P16 with RTX Spark performed even slightly worse in this respect.

We are already keen to see how the other RTX Spark laptops perform in our tests, but the Surface Laptop will likely face a tough challenge. All further information about the new Surface Laptop Ultra is available in our in-depth review.