Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8" ZGM-00037 Graphite 2024

The Windows laptop that finally beats the MacBook Air at its own game, with a brilliant screen and multi-day battery life. Just make sure your must-have apps play nice with the ARM chip before you buy.

The Snapdragon X Plus is a beast for everyday tasks. It sits in the 95th percentile for CPUs, and you feel it. Apps open instantly, and the whole system is snappy and responsive. What surprised us most was how cool and quiet it runs. You can push it hard and the fans barely whisper. The integrated Adreno GPU is the weak link, landing in the 39th percentile. It's fine for streaming and light photo editing, but don't even think about modern gaming. The 16GB of RAM is solidly middle-of-the-pack, but for this class of machine, it's exactly where it needs to be.

This laptop's soulmate is the MacBook Air. The Surface Laptop 7 matches it on build quality and battery life, then one-ups it with a better 120Hz touchscreen and a more versatile port selection that includes USB-A. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is the pick if you need actual GPU power for gaming or creative work, but it's heavier and has worse battery life. The HP OMEN Transcend 14 is in a similar boat. If you live in a world of niche Windows software or need guaranteed compatibility, the Lenovo Legion Pro Series 7i Gen 10 with its Intel chip is a safer, albeit bulkier, bet.

Pricing is all over the map, with a spread from $979 to $1655 across vendors. At the low end, this is a steal and an easy recommendation over a similarly priced MacBook Air. At the high end, you're getting into MacBook Pro territory, and the value proposition gets shaky. Our advice? Shop around and don't pay a penny over $1,100 for this configuration. The best deal we're seeing is from the vendor at the $979 mark.

The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 is the Windows laptop that finally makes you forget about the MacBook Air. Seriously, this thing is a statement. It's got a gorgeous 120Hz touchscreen, a keyboard and haptic trackpad that feel incredible, and battery life that genuinely lasts for days. The big story here is the Snapdragon X Plus chip. It's not just fast, it's efficient in a way Windows laptops have been chasing for a decade. For everyday productivity, web browsing, and media, this is a top-tier machine. Just know that the ARM architecture means you're buying into a future that's still working out a few kinks with niche software.

If you're a gamer, this isn't it. The integrated graphics are one of the worst we've seen for gaming, landing in the bottom tier. Go get an ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 instead. Also, if your job depends on a specific piece of software that hasn't been updated for ARM, don't be a beta tester for your own livelihood. Grab a Lenovo Legion Pro with an Intel chip and call it a day.

The Surface Laptop 7 is the best Windows alternative to a MacBook Air we've ever tested. It nails the premium feel, display, and battery life in a way that feels effortless. The ARM chip is a calculated risk. For 90% of people doing 90% of things, it's a non-issue and the benefits are huge. For the other 10%, it's a dealbreaker. If your workflow is web-based, Office 365, and streaming, buy this laptop and don't look back. It's a joy to use.