Microsoft unveils the Surface Laptop 4 with AMD Ryzen and Intel Tiger Lake processors, but there are compromises ↺
Microsoft has launched the Surface Laptop 4, its second hardware refresh of 2021. As expected, Microsoft revealed its Surface Laptop to little fanfare, and will begin to ship orders on April 27. There are no surprises with the outside of the Surface Laptop 4. Microsoft has made no changes from the Surface Laptop 3 (affiliate link), but it has replaced the Cobalt Blue colour option with Ice Blue, a lighter hue that is only available on select Intel and 13.5-inch configurations. Matte Black and Platinum remain available on both display sizes, as does Sandstone for the 13.5-inch version.
The biggest changes with the Surface Laptop 4 compared to its predecessor are inside. We have outlined the differences between the two display sizes below and the various configurations in which Microsoft will offer them. In short, AMD and Intel processors will be available with both display sizes this time around, but there are compromises. For some reason, Microsoft has reserved the Ryzen 5 4680U for the 13.5-inch model and the Ryzen 7 4980U for the 15-inch model. Additionally, 32 GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD is only available on Intel configurations.
The Surface Laptop 4 has a larger battery than its predecessor too, albeit only by 2 Wh. Previously, Roland Quandt had suggested that Microsoft would equip the Surface Laptop 4 with a 49 Wh battery, which would have been a 4 Wh jump on the 45 Wh battery in the Surface Laptop 3.
The Surface Laptop 4 starts at €1,129 in the EU, US$999.99 in the US and £999 in the UK, for reference. Prices rise to US$2,299.99 for the flagship 13.5-inch and 15-inch models though, while an Intel model costs at least US$1,499.99.
| Surface Laptop 4 13.5-inch | Surface Laptop 4 15-inch | |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 13.5-inch PixelSense display, 2,256 x 1,504, 3:2 aspect ratio, 10-point multi-touch, 201 PPI | 15-inch PixelSense display, 2,496 x 1,664, 3:2 aspect ratio, 10-point multi-touch, 201 PPI |
| Colours | Ice Blue (Alcantara), Sandstone, Platinum (Alcantara), Matte Black | Platinum (Metal), Matte Black |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 4680U Surface EditionIntel Core i5-1145G7Intel Core i7-1185G7 | AMD Ryzen 7 4980U Surface EditionIntel Core i7-1185G7 |
| Configurations | Ryzen 5 4680U SE, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, US$999.99Ryzen 5 4680U SE, 16 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, US$1,199.99Intel Core i5-1145G7, 8 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, US$1,299.99Intel Core i5-1145G7, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, US$1,499.99Intel Core i7-1185G7, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, US$1,699.99Intel Core i7-1185G7, 32 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD, US$2,299.99 | Ryzen 7 4980U SE, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, US$1,299.99Ryzen 7 4980U SE, 8 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, US$1,499.99Ryzen 7 4980U SE, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, US$1,699.99Intel Core i7-1185G7, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, US$1,799.99 Intel Core i7-1185G7, 32 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD, US$2,299.99 |
| Battery | 47 Wh | 47 Wh |
| Dimensions & weight | 308 x 223 x 14.5 mm Alcantara - 1.265 kg/Aluminium 1.288 kg |
339.5 x 244 x 14.7 mmAll models - 1.54 kg |
| Connectivity | Surface Connect, USB Type-A, USB Type-C, Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 ax) | Surface Connect, USB Type-A, USB Type-C, Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 ax) |
| Features | Windows Hello, Surface Pen and Surface Dial compatible | Windows Hello, Surface Pen and Surface Dial compatible |
| OS | Windows 10 Home | Windows 10 Home |
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