Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.5" 6 Platinum 2024

A gorgeous, fast business laptop that absolutely cannot game. Buy it for work, not for play.

The Core Ultra 7 165H surprised us. This 16-core chip sits in the 79th percentile for CPUs, which means it punches well above what you'd expect from a thin-and-light business machine. Multitasking with 16GB of LPDDR5X feels snappy, and Windows 11 Pro flies. The screen is a standout too, 2256x1504 at 400 nits with sRGB and Enhanced profiles puts it in the 83rd percentile. But the GPU is the weak link. Intel Arc integrated graphics land at 66th percentile, which sounds okay until you realize the gaming score is 9.2 out of 100. That's not a typo. This thing is not built for play.

The Surface Laptop 6 sits in an awkward spot. Against the MacBook Pro M4 Max, it loses on raw power, battery life, and GPU performance, but it's also way cheaper and runs Windows natively. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 and Lenovo Legion 5i absolutely destroy it in gaming and creative workloads, but they're heavier and less business-friendly. The HP OMEN Transcend 14 is probably the closest competitor in spirit, a thin machine with some gaming chops, but it trades away the Surface's polish. If you want a pure productivity machine, the Surface makes sense. If you want any gaming or creative muscle, the Legion or Zephyrus are better buys.

The Surface Laptop 6 is priced like a premium machine but delivers like a mid-range one in some areas. The USD spread is wild, from $1,425 to $2,299 across three listings. At the low end, you're getting a solid business laptop with a great screen and strong CPU. At the high end, you're overpaying for what you get. If you're buying, hunt for the $1,425 listing and don't look back. Paying over two grand for this config is a mistake.

The Surface Laptop 6 is Microsoft doing what Microsoft does best: a clean, compact, well-built machine that nails the basics. The one thing to know? This is a business laptop first, and it shows. The Core Ultra 7 165H gives it real muscle for productivity work, and the 13.5-inch touchscreen is genuinely lovely. But if you're hoping to game or push creative workloads hard, look elsewhere. The integrated Intel Arc Graphics are fine for spreadsheets and streaming, not much else.

Skip this if you want any gaming performance, period. The 9.2 gaming score is a dealbreaker. Also skip it if you need lots of ports or storage. The single USB-C and USB-A combo is limiting, and 512GB fills up fast. If you're a student who wants to game between classes, get a Lenovo Legion 5i or ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 instead. If you're a creative pro, the MacBook Pro M4 Max is the obvious upgrade, assuming you can stomach the price.

Buy the Surface Laptop 6 if you want a premium Windows business laptop that's light, fast for office work, and has a beautiful screen. Don't buy it if you have any gaming or heavy creative ambitions. The Core Ultra 7 is a legit performer, but the integrated graphics and small battery hold this machine back from being a true all-rounder. At the right price, it's a great tool. At the wrong price, it's a trap.