Surface Laptop 7 Long Term Review

Summary

In this video, the reviewer shares their long-term experience with the Surface Laptop 7, praising its premium feel, stunning design, and quiet operation, thanks to its fanless Qualcomm Snapdragon X processor. They highlight its portability, excellent trackpad, and keyboard, as well as the display's utility and refresh rate. However, they also discuss the battery life not meeting expectations, software compatibility issues, and minor annoyances like palm rejection problems and the sluggish brightness control. The Surface Laptop 7 is recommended for office work and browsing at a competitive price, but potential buyers should consider application support and the lack of powerful graphics for specialized tasks.

Takeaways

• 😀 The reviewer transitioned from a corporate job to a full-time YouTuber and entrepreneur, seeking a lighter, more portable laptop.
• 💼 The reviewer previously used a MacBook Pro 14 for business management, research, script writing, and gaming while traveling.
• 🌟 The Surface Laptop 7 has become the reviewer's daily driver due to its premium feel, stunning looks, and modern sapphire blue color.
• 🔋 The Surface Laptop 7 is praised for its quiet operation and minimal heat, thanks to the use of Qualcomm's Snapdragon X processors.
• 💻 The laptop's portability is comparable to the MacBook Air, with a larger display and similar weight distribution for easy handling.
• 🖥 The 13.8-inch display with a 3:2 aspect ratio provides more vertical screen real estate, enhancing productivity for tasks like web browsing and document editing.
• 🔌 The laptop features charging capable ports on both sides, offering flexibility in cable management.
• 🔊 The built-in speakers are good, ranking in the top 10% of the reviewer's experiences, and the SSD is upgradeable.
• 💰 The Surface Laptop 7 offers excellent value for its price, with a recommended configuration costing significantly less than an equivalent MacBook Air.
• 🔌 Battery life is not all-day as claimed by some influencers, requiring adjustments for optimal usage and facing limitations with certain applications.
• 🛠 Some software compatibility issues were noted, with certain applications not running natively on the laptop's architecture.
• 🔄 Minor annoyances include palm rejection issues with the trackpad and the lag in brightness adjustment using the dedicated buttons.

Q & A

What is the main reason the reviewer was attracted to the Surface Laptop 7 as a daily driver?

The reviewer was attracted to the Surface Laptop 7 due to its all-around premium experience similar to a MacBook but running on Windows, its stunning look, portability, and the absence of fan noise and annoying heat.

What were the reviewer's primary use cases for their previous laptop, the MacBook Pro 14?

The MacBook Pro 14 was primarily used for business management tasks, research, script writing, video editing, programming, and playing games like Team Fight Tactics.

How does the Surface Laptop 7 compare to the MacBook Air in terms of weight and portability?

The Surface Laptop 7 is slightly heavier than the MacBook Air but has a larger display, making them feel similar to hold due to their weight distribution. The Surface Laptop 7's chassis is very sturdy, contributing to its portability.

What are some of the unique features of the Surface Laptop 7's display?

The Surface Laptop 7 has a 13.8-inch display with a 3:2 aspect ratio, allowing more content to be seen on the page compared to regular laptops. It also has a fast refresh rate, making scrolling smoother, and no fan noise due to the use of a Qualcomm Snapdragon X processor.

What are the advantages of the Surface Laptop 7's processor in terms of heat and noise?

The Surface Laptop 7 uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon X processor, which is more power efficient and generates less heat and noise compared to processors from Intel or AMD, making the laptop more enjoyable to use.

What is the recommended configuration of the Surface Laptop 7 according to the reviewer, and how much does it cost?

The recommended configuration includes the X+ processor, 16 GB of memory, and 512 GB of storage, and it costs around $11,200.

What are some of the issues the reviewer encountered with the Surface Laptop 7's battery life?

The reviewer found that the battery life was not as amazing as claimed by influencers and the media. It does not deliver all-day battery life unless the screen brightness is significantly reduced and the laptop is used sporadically.

What are some applications that the reviewer mentioned might not run well or at all on the Surface Laptop 7?

The reviewer mentioned that some non-native applications might run slowly, and specific applications like DJ software or League of Legends did not work at all on the Surface Laptop 7 due to the different processor architecture.

What minor issues did the reviewer notice with the Surface Laptop 7's trackpad and display?

The trackpad had minor palm rejection issues, causing the cursor to occasionally jump to a random spot. The display's pixel density was not as sharp as on high-resolution displays, making small text less crisp.

What was the reviewer's opinion on the brightness control buttons on the Surface Laptop 7?

The reviewer found the brightness control buttons to be frustrating as they only changed brightness by a small amount and had a lag in response.

How does the reviewer summarize the overall value of the Surface Laptop 7 for certain use cases?

The reviewer concludes that the Surface Laptop 7 offers great value for office work and general web browsing, especially at its price point of around $11,000, where it gets many things right compared to other laptops in the same price range.

Outlines

00:00

💻 Transition to a Surface Laptop 7

The narrator discusses their transition from a corporate job to a YouTuber and entrepreneur, highlighting the perks of being able to choose any laptop as a daily driver. They express a particular fondness for the Surface Laptop 7, which has become their go-to device. The narrator compares it to their previous choice, the MacBook Pro 14, which served well for business, research, and gaming. They appreciate the MacBook's performance, quiet operation, and lack of heat issues. As a full-time content creator, the narrator's needs have evolved, and they've been seeking a more portable and lighter laptop, leading them to the Surface Laptop 7, which offers a premium Windows experience without the drawbacks they've encountered with other Windows laptops.

05:01

🔋 The Surface Laptop 7: Pros and Cons

The narrator provides an in-depth review of the Surface Laptop 7, praising its design, portability, and performance. They note the laptop's sapphire blue color, sturdy chassis, and high-quality trackpad and keyboard. The large 13.8-inch display with a 3:2 aspect ratio and fast refresh rate is also commended for productivity. The absence of fan noise and minimal heat output due to the use of Qualcomm's Snapdragon X processors is highlighted as a significant advantage. The narrator appreciates the charging ports on both sides and the good quality speakers. They also mention the SSD's upgradability and the laptop's competitive pricing. However, they also point out several issues, including subpar battery life, incompatibility with some applications due to the unique processor architecture, and occasional performance slowdowns. Other minor annoyances include palm rejection issues with the trackpad, less sharp display resolution compared to high-end competitors, and awkward brightness control buttons. Despite these drawbacks, the narrator considers the Surface Laptop 7 an excellent choice for office work and general browsing, especially at its price point.

Keywords

💡Laptop Reviewer

A laptop reviewer is an individual who tests and evaluates laptops, providing insights on their performance, features, and suitability for various users. In the video's context, the reviewer discusses the transition from a corporate job to reviewing laptops on YouTube, highlighting the unique experiences and challenges they face in this role.

💡Daily Driver

In the tech community, a 'daily driver' refers to the primary device one uses on a daily basis for various tasks. The script mentions the Surface Laptop 7 becoming the reviewer's daily driver, indicating it meets their needs for regular use, from business management to content creation.

💡Surface Laptop 7

The Surface Laptop 7 is a specific laptop model from Microsoft that the reviewer has been using extensively. It is central to the video's theme as the reviewer shares their long-term experience with it, discussing its advantages and drawbacks in comparison to other laptops.

💡MacBook Pro 14

The MacBook Pro 14 is a high-performance laptop from Apple that the reviewer used for three years prior to the Surface Laptop 7. It is relevant to the video as it sets a benchmark for comparison, allowing the reviewer to contrast features, performance, and user experience between the two devices.

💡Portability

Portability refers to the ease with which a device can be carried and used in different locations. The script discusses the portability of the Surface Laptop 7, comparing its weight and size to the MacBook Air and emphasizing its suitability for on-the-go use.

💡Premium Experience

A premium experience typically indicates high-quality features, materials, and overall user satisfaction. The reviewer uses this term to describe the Surface Laptop 7's build quality, design, and performance, drawing parallels with the MacBook's premium feel.

💡Qualcomm Snapdragon X

The Qualcomm Snapdragon X processors are mentioned as the power-efficient chips used in the Surface Laptop 7, contributing to its lack of fan noise and minimal heat generation. This is a key feature that differentiates the laptop from others using Intel or AMD processors.

💡Battery Life

Battery life is a critical aspect of laptop performance, referring to how long the device can operate without charging. The script addresses the battery life of the Surface Laptop 7, noting that while it's better than some, it doesn't deliver all-day use as some influencers claim.

💡Application Compatibility

Application compatibility refers to whether software can run on a device without issues. The reviewer points out that the Surface Laptop 7's unique processor architecture may cause compatibility issues with some applications, which is an important consideration for potential buyers.

💡Trackpad

A trackpad is the touch-sensitive surface on a laptop that allows for cursor control and gesture input. The script praises the Surface Laptop 7's haptic trackpad for feeling natural and accurate, but also mentions minor palm rejection issues.

💡Pixel Density

Pixel density is a measure of the resolution of a display, expressed in pixels per inch (PPI). The reviewer notes that the Surface Laptop 7's display, while better than some, does not offer the sharpness of higher-resolution displays, like those found on MacBooks.

Highlights

The reviewer transitioned from a corporate job to a YouTuber and entrepreneur, finding the freedom to choose any laptop as a daily driver.

Surface Laptop 7 has become the reviewer's daily driver due to its premium feel and modern design.

For the past 3 years, the MacBook Pro 14 was used for business management, research, and script writing.

The MacBook Pro 14 was chosen for its portability, power for video editing, and quiet operation.

The reviewer's lifestyle change to a full-time YouTuber and entrepreneur led to the need for a lighter, more portable laptop.

The Surface Laptop 7 offers a premium Windows experience similar to a MacBook but with unique advantages.

The Surface Laptop 7's sapphire blue color is described as modern and refreshing, setting it apart from other laptops.

Portability is enhanced by the laptop's weight and larger display, making it feel similar to hold as a MacBook Air.

The Surface Laptop 7's trackpad and keyboard are praised for their natural feel and satisfying clickiness.

The 13.8-inch display with a 3:2 aspect ratio allows for more content visibility compared to regular laptops.

The absence of fan noise and minimal heat makes the Surface Laptop 7 more enjoyable to use.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon X processors are noted for their power efficiency, contributing to the laptop's quiet operation.

Charging capable ports on both sides of the laptop provide flexibility in cable management.

The laptop's speakers are ranked in the top 10% of those the reviewer has used.

The SSD is upgradeable, offering a customizable storage solution.

The Surface Laptop 7 is priced competitively at $11,200 for the recommended configuration.

Battery life is not as impressive as claimed, with the reviewer experiencing around 5-6 hours of continuous use.

Some applications may not run natively due to the different processor architecture, causing occasional slowdowns.

The laptop can get warm when charged via USB-C, and there are minor palm rejection issues with the trackpad.

The display's pixel density is not as sharp as high-resolution MacBook displays, and the brightness controls are laggy.

The Surface Laptop 7 is recommended for office work and general web browsing, offering premium value at its price.

For specialist applications, buyers should ensure compatibility before purchasing the Surface Laptop 7.

The reviewer still prefers the MacBook Pro 14 with the M3 Pro chip for its powerful graphics and application support.

Transcripts

there are many really tough things about

being a laptop reviewer on YouTube

especially when you move over from a

great corporate job like what I did but

there are also some pretty cool things

too one of them is that I can go into

our storage room and pick up any laptop

as my daily driver but over the last

couple of weeks I've continuously been

drawn to one device the surface laptop 7

in fact it's become my daily driver so

today I'm going to share my long-term

thoughts on it why I love it and all the

niggling issues that I discovered with

it which you'll have to live with if you

buy one now for the past 3 years I've

been using the MacBook Pro 14 as my

personal laptop I primarily use it for

business management tasks as well as

research and script writing before I

became a full-time YouTuber I was also

traveling a lot and I needed a portable

laptop that was powerful enough for

video editing and programming plus I was

also playing a lot of Team fight tactics

to relax the MacBook Pro 14 did all

these tasks exceptionally well Plus I'm

very fussy when it comes to my laptops I

don't want to hear noise while using it

I don't want to feel uncomfortably warm

temperatures nor do I want issues like

poor battery life or a bad trackpad for

my use case Apple products as a whole

they give you the best all round

experience roll the clock forward a lot

in my life has changed I'm a full-time

YouTuber and entrepreneur trying to

build a sizable business we now have

editors who can edit videos while I

travel and I'm way too busy to do too

much gaming and even if I do I can play

them on gaming laptops that we're

currently testing by the way if you're

new to this channel channel one of the

unique things about us is we use the

laptops we review for everything we do

that way we can give you a deeper

insight into what it's like to actually

own them anyway I've been keeping my

eyes open for a lighter more portable

laptop for some time now the MacBook Air

was out as I find its keyboard low

travel and uncomfortable thus far every

Windows laptop I've tried has had

annoying issues that is until I bought

this one the surface laptop 7 it is the

first laptop that I've tried that gives

you that all around MacBook premium

experience but running Windows and after

30 days of using it I'm mostly loving it

it looks stunning it is lighter to carry

around than my MacBook Pro 14 and it

feels premium as I've said the sapphire

blue color is so modern and refreshing

it looks better than 99% of laptops I've

seen when it comes to portability this

laptop weighs a little more than a

MacBook Air which is Apple's lightest

laptop however the surface has a larger

display so overall they end up feeling

similar to hold due to their weight

distribution

the surface is chassis is very sturdy

and the haptic trackpad feels natural

and accurate its keyboard is a winner

satisfyingly clicky without being overly

noisy which a lot of clicky keyboards

suffer from the display is incredibly

useful for getting real work done a 13.8

in panel which is pretty large for a

laptop this size and it uses a 3x2

aspect ratio this allows you to see more

content for applications that go down

the page like websites and Word

Documents at least compared to regular

laptops unlike the MacBook Air this

display has a fast refresh rate which

makes moving content on screen like

scrolling a web page just look smoother

this is all nice but one of the biggest

things you'll notice when using a

surface compared to other Windows

laptops is that there is no fan noise

and very rarely annoying heat you feel

small laptops powered by Intel or one of

amd's older and3 or4 processors often

feel warm and may have some annoying fan

noise the surface not having this is

huge and just makes it so much more

enjoyable to use this is made possible

by using one of qualcomm's Snapdragon X

processors they are noticeably more

power efficient than the processors from

Intel or AMD that I just mentioned

rounding out what I like I appreciate

that there are charging capable ports on

both sides of the laptop no need to run

a cable around the back if your power

outlet is on the other side the speakers

are also quite good on this laptop not

the very best out there but in the top

10% of the ones that I've used and the

SSD is upgradeable which is really nice

to see but what really makes the surface

laptop 7 so special is it price you can

buy the configuration that I recommend

for

$11,200 that has the X+ processor 16 gig

of memory and 512 gig of storage an

equivalently spec MacBook Air would cost

$1,500 which is $300 more and that

laptop isn't net better the surface

laptop has many benefits over it and the

air has a few benefits over the surface

I do have a video out comparing the two

which I will link below but all is not

perfect during my time using the surface

la laptop 7 I noticed many little

annoyances firstly the battery life is

not as amazing as influencers and the

media re claiming qualcom has funneled

huge dollars into promoting their

processes inside these laptops and they

have likely given talking points to

those that they have sponsored look the

battery life is definitely incrementally

better than laptops with Intel and of

course one of amd's older processors

prior to Zen 5 that is but this laptop

at least for my use case definitely

doesn't deliver all day battery life not

unless you significantly the screen and

use it in a way where you are only say

sporadically using it throughout the day

I.E you are often doing something else

that allows the laptop to turn off its

screen and go into a lower power State I

personally don't use my laptops that way

I tend to use them continuously so I'd

say this one gives me a comfortable 5

hours at Best six further on battery

life I'd follow my lead by saving money

by buying the X+ configuration over the

X Elite its battery life is better and

it is still plenty powerful for

day-to-day tasks the xelite processor in

the surface laptop 13 unfortunately it

underperforms you really need to get it

in the larger 15-in chassis to unleash

its potential now one important downside

of the processor in this laptop is that

not all applications will run or run

well it uses a different architecture to

most Windows laptops and some software

doesn't run natively for my day-to-day

tasks everything worked office web

browsing collaboration tools Etc but

occasionally I notice some slowdowns my

my guess is this could be caused by some

non-native applications running in the

background I also noticed some Oddities

for example when I charged the laptop

via USBC it got noticeably warm once it

was fully charged though it cooled back

down over time I imagine software will

be improved but be prepared for

situations like this in fact on several

occasions like trying to DJ or playing

League of Legends I had to switch to

other laptops as those applications just

didn't work at all a couple of other

niggling issues before we wrap the track

Bo although awesome it does have minor

Palm rejection issues the cursor on

occasion just jumped to a random spot

also the displays pixel density it isn't

the best small text does not look as

sharp as on high resolution displays

like those of a Macbook now this

display's resolution it is better than

on a cheap 1920x 1200 panel but not by

much one minor thing though that drives

me absolutely batty is Microsoft's

brightness up and down buttons they only

change brightness by a microscopic out

you have to press them a lot or hold

them down to change the brightness and

even if you do there is a lag before it

responds and lastly the hyped AI

features on the new co-pilot key didn't

use any of them the whole time so

overall I really like the surface laptop

7 and it has become my go-to laptop for

office work and general web browsing if

your use case matches this its value

really can't be beat you get an

absolutely premium laptop that looks

stunning for around $11,000 no other

laptop in this price range gets as much

right Del's XPS is more expensive and

its keyboard just doesn't have a

physical function role Samsung's Galaxy

book for edge4 does have a larger

display but its trackpad is worse and on

occasion you'll hear some high-pitch fan

noise asus's mbook 14s feel noticeably

cheaper and as mentioned Apple's MacBook

airs they cost more if you use more

specialist applications you want to be

super careful that they run well on this

laptop before purchasing one or you'll

want to be buying this as a secondary

device to offset a another computer just

like how I'm using it and to be clear

because of application support and the

fact that these new Qualcomm chips don't

have powerful Graphics in my case if I

could only own one device it would still

be the MacBook Pro 14 with the M3 Pro

chip if you do decide to buy the surface

laptop 7 or any laptop please try to use

one of our links you'll be helping to

keep this channel remain unbiased free

from relying on sponsors you could also

become a patreon subscriber or YouTube

member plus if you head over to our

website you'll see all the laptops that

we recommend and where to go to get the

best deals on them YouTube is stck time

get subscribed and smash that like

button not only does it help this

channel grow but it makes my dearest

mother very proud till next time go do

something awesome with your day and I

will catch you later