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Surface Laptop review: Microsoft's best MacBook Air competitor yet

14 points by neogodless 2y ago

ramesh31 2y ago
Sounds like a great Linux machine
- glitchc 2y ago
  If it's anything like the previous Surface machines, the BIOS will not have the option to turn Secure Boot off. That makes it much harder to get Linux on there, too hard for most people.
  - blumomo 2y ago
    “Great Linux machine” was my first thought, too. But if we can install our favorite OS, then this machine isn’t worth anything to me.
  - e12e 2y ago
    You mean the other arm surface devices? Linux boots a and runs quite well on the x86 ones? Looks like someone has Linux booting on the 11 already: https://github.com/linux-surface/linux-surface/issues/1476 https://github.com/linux-surface/linux-surface/issues/1476
daft_pink 2y ago
the reason why we’re running mac’s is the software not the hardware though, and microsoft’s software is going downhill while macOS is on the up and up.
- vundercind 2y ago
  If I had to run Linux as my main desktop again, for some reason, and it were an option, I would legit pay real money to have access to Apple’s various 1st party programs and tools on it. They’re so, so good.
- kyriakos 2y ago
  The reason I am not using a mac is the OS. If there was a fully working Linux for it the hardware is fantastic. I can only hope snapdragon x will get proper and official support cause many of the laptops with it I've seen tick most of the boxes in my wishlist.
- deergomoo 2y ago
  > while macOS is on the up and up Ehh I wouldn't go that far. I still vastly prefer it to Windows or desktop Linux, but I am growing very tired of the change-for-the-sake-of-change redesigns that are typically worse than what came before it. Half-baked changes that take years to be cleaned up, if they ever do. Though, that seems to be common across all software these days. It also requires a lot of little utilities for stuff that should really be built into the system (window management until Sequoia arrives, making third-party mice usable). The hardware is better than it's ever been though.
vundercind 2y ago
The earlier ones had glowing reviews but when I finally got to try one (expecting it to be good!) around IIRC the third generation, it was awful. This time, I’ll believe it when I feel it.
- neogodless 2y ago
  What did you find awful about the Surface Laptop (3rd generation)? I believe this one is considered the "7th Edition".
  - vundercind 2y ago
    Bad ui responsiveness, inaccurate and janky touch controls, slow to launch programs. Miserable to use, felt more like a (relatively solid) competitor to netbook-class devices than serious laptops, or iPads. [edit] oh and mediocre battery life as I recall.
  - rycomb 2y ago
    Not sure about the SP3, but my SP4 (which, btw, had no problems running Linux) was afflicted by the so called "flickergate", and I didn't manage to replace it. Since then, I sworn off any Microsoft hardware. Their software and OS, I had sworn these off years before, which makes these devices even less appealing...
AstroJetson 2y ago
It's pretty amazing how almost any computer will work with 16GB of memory and a fast SSD. So I'm not surprised that they are getting higher points.
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]
nwah1 2y ago
I like the powerful ARM chip, I like that the specs go very high, and that the RAM speed is maxxed out. I like that it uses 120HZ and Gorilla Glass 5 for the screen. I like that it offers the latest Wifi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 On the downside, it looks like a mac, which I don't consider to be a positive. Don't like that there is no USB-C charging port on the right side. Expensive.
- mcphage 2y ago
  > Expensive It starts at $1k, which seems like a pretty reasonable price for a good machine.
politelemon 2y ago
In consistently surprised that bezels are still a topic of conversation. Dell has been literally years ahead of everyone else in this regard, with everyone else still playing catchup. Excellent screens quality and bezels that just get out of the way. Even now the best offerings I see feel like compromises. Perhaps a dream laptop might exist which is a combination of every manufacturers strengths in one.
- robnado 2y ago
  Last I checked, the XPS 13 inch was still a serious risk of burning your lap if used as an actual laptop.
dartharva 2y ago
Nice to see it didn't go the Macbook way of losing main ports over "sleekness". It still has less ports than I would prefer though (there's only one USB-A port and no HDMI ports), but not bad considering its size.
deleted 2y ago
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14 points by neogodless 2y ago

ramesh31 2y ago

Sounds like a great Linux machine

glitchc 2y ago
If it's anything like the previous Surface machines, the BIOS will not have the option to turn Secure Boot off. That makes it much harder to get Linux on there, too hard for most people.
- blumomo 2y ago
  “Great Linux machine” was my first thought, too. But if we can install our favorite OS, then this machine isn’t worth anything to me.
- e12e 2y ago
  You mean the other arm surface devices? Linux boots a and runs quite well on the x86 ones? Looks like someone has Linux booting on the 11 already: https://github.com/linux-surface/linux-surface/issues/1476 https://github.com/linux-surface/linux-surface/issues/1476

daft_pink 2y ago

the reason why we’re running mac’s is the software not the hardware though, and microsoft’s software is going downhill while macOS is on the up and up.

vundercind 2y ago
If I had to run Linux as my main desktop again, for some reason, and it were an option, I would legit pay real money to have access to Apple’s various 1st party programs and tools on it. They’re so, so good.
kyriakos 2y ago
The reason I am not using a mac is the OS. If there was a fully working Linux for it the hardware is fantastic. I can only hope snapdragon x will get proper and official support cause many of the laptops with it I've seen tick most of the boxes in my wishlist.
deergomoo 2y ago
> while macOS is on the up and up Ehh I wouldn't go that far. I still vastly prefer it to Windows or desktop Linux, but I am growing very tired of the change-for-the-sake-of-change redesigns that are typically worse than what came before it. Half-baked changes that take years to be cleaned up, if they ever do. Though, that seems to be common across all software these days. It also requires a lot of little utilities for stuff that should really be built into the system (window management until Sequoia arrives, making third-party mice usable). The hardware is better than it's ever been though.

vundercind 2y ago

The earlier ones had glowing reviews but when I finally got to try one (expecting it to be good!) around IIRC the third generation, it was awful. This time, I’ll believe it when I feel it.

neogodless 2y ago
What did you find awful about the Surface Laptop (3rd generation)? I believe this one is considered the "7th Edition".
- vundercind 2y ago
  Bad ui responsiveness, inaccurate and janky touch controls, slow to launch programs. Miserable to use, felt more like a (relatively solid) competitor to netbook-class devices than serious laptops, or iPads. [edit] oh and mediocre battery life as I recall.
- rycomb 2y ago
  Not sure about the SP3, but my SP4 (which, btw, had no problems running Linux) was afflicted by the so called "flickergate", and I didn't manage to replace it. Since then, I sworn off any Microsoft hardware. Their software and OS, I had sworn these off years before, which makes these devices even less appealing...

AstroJetson 2y ago

It's pretty amazing how almost any computer will work with 16GB of memory and a fast SSD. So I'm not surprised that they are getting higher points.

deleted 2y ago
[deleted]

nwah1 2y ago

I like the powerful ARM chip, I like that the specs go very high, and that the RAM speed is maxxed out. I like that it uses 120HZ and Gorilla Glass 5 for the screen. I like that it offers the latest Wifi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 On the downside, it looks like a mac, which I don't consider to be a positive. Don't like that there is no USB-C charging port on the right side. Expensive.

mcphage 2y ago
> Expensive It starts at $1k, which seems like a pretty reasonable price for a good machine.

politelemon 2y ago

In consistently surprised that bezels are still a topic of conversation. Dell has been literally years ahead of everyone else in this regard, with everyone else still playing catchup. Excellent screens quality and bezels that just get out of the way. Even now the best offerings I see feel like compromises. Perhaps a dream laptop might exist which is a combination of every manufacturers strengths in one.

robnado 2y ago
Last I checked, the XPS 13 inch was still a serious risk of burning your lap if used as an actual laptop.

dartharva 2y ago

Nice to see it didn't go the Macbook way of losing main ports over "sleekness". It still has less ports than I would prefer though (there's only one USB-A port and no HDMI ports), but not bad considering its size.

deleted 2y ago

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