Mark Coppock / Digital Trends
When it descend out originally this year , theSurface Laptop 7th Editionwas a breathing place of fresh melodic line . So much so that ourcomputing editoradopted it as his “ young daily carry ” after reviewing the equipment .
And while we still highly recommend that laptop , there ’s a new competitor in townspeople . TheLenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Editionis one of the rare laptops comes with a 15 - inch display that can match the Surface Laptop 7th Edition — and it also come with the late Intel chip . It ’s the perfect foil to the Surface Laptop 7th Edition , and in some ways , might be an even secure alternative .
Mark Coppock / Digital Trends
Specs and configurations
The Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition starts at $ 1,280 for a Core Ultra 7 256V , 16 GB of RAM , a 512 GB SSD , and a 15.3 - inch 2.8 K IPS exhibit ( the only option ) . A big 1 TB SSD is a $ 42 upgrade , and going to a faster Core Ultra 7 258V , 32 GB of RAM , and a 1 TB SSD is $ 1,422 .
By compare , the 15 - inch version of the Surface Laptop 7th Edition starts at $ 1,300 , descend with a Snapdragon X Elite chipset , 16 GB of RAM , a 256 GB SSD , and a 15.0 - column inch 2496 x 1664 IPS display ( also the only pick ) . you may max out a high - end configuration with 64 GB of RAM and a TB of storage for $ 2,500 . The only way to get a cheaper Surface Laptop 7th Edition is to jump down to the smaller 13 - inch model , which starts at $ 999 .
That makes the Yoga Slim 7i a lot more attractive for price - conscious buyers .
Design
The Surface Laptop 7 did n’t exchange much from its previous generation , with just a few pinch such as slightly thinner display bezel and corners that are more rounded . Those tweaks combine to take a very attractive , if minimalist , aim and make it face slightly good . There are still four distinct colour , including Sapphire , Dune , Black , and Platinum , which compete more instantly against the MacBook Air than a laptop like the Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition that comes in a single dark gray color . The Lenovo is also minimalist , with rounded bezels edge that give it a slimly balmy esthetic . They ’re both honest - looking laptops .
They ’re both also built extremely well . They ’re all atomic number 13 , to begin with , and they both feel self-colored . There ’s no bending , flexing , or twisting anywhere , and they both exude timber . That ’s not unusual among New premium laptop computer , though , so it ’s to be await . You wo n’t take either base on build quality alone .
Perhaps more crucial is their overall size . The Yoga Slim 7i has a somewhat larger presentation and so is wider , but the Surface Laptop is deep , thicker , and heavier . You ’ll sense it a lot more when you ’re carrying it around . The Yoga Slim 7i lives up to its name — it ’s not quite as insanely flimsy as the MacBook Air 15 , but meaningfully thinner than the Surface Laptop .
The Surface Laptop has a better keyboard , though . Both keyboard have gravid keycaps and comfortable key spatial arrangement , but the Surface Laptop ’s switches are notably deeper and frosty . That take a leak it just a little more comfortable for long - full term typing , although most users might not notice the difference . And the Surface Laptop ’s tactual touchpad is a bit smaller than the Yoga Slim 7i ’s mechanical adaptation , but tactual touchpads are more responsive and customizable . Both laptops have touch - enabled displays , while the Surface Laptop ’s display also supports Microsoft ’s participating pen .
Connectivity is close , with both have fast , modernistic ports and the Yoga Slim 7i distinguish itself with an additional HDMI connecter . Both also have up - to - particular date wireless connectivity .
ultimately , both also have equally incisive 1080p webcam with infrared cameras , and both sustain the full complement of Microsoft Copilot+ PC AI feature .
Performance
Both laptops are among the first to infix their respective chipsets . The Surface Laptop has the Qualcomm Snapdragon X chipset , which aims at both performance and efficiency , while the Yoga Slim 7i is one of the first with Intel ’s Lunar Lake , a more efficiency - orient choice . The Snapdragon X Elite is a 12 - core chipset artwork with execution in between Intel ’s earlier U - Series and H - Series Meteor Lake chipsets , while the 17 - watt Core Ultra 7 258V in the Yoga Slim 7i is closer to the 15 - James Watt U - series offer .
That ’s manifest in our benchmarks , where the Surface Laptop is well fast than the Yoga Slim 7i in multi - core tasks , and the Lenovo is slightly faster in exclusive - core performance . The Intel Arc 140V and Adreno integrated graphic are rough the same speed , which is still considerably slower than even entry - level distinct GPUs .
in the end , the Surface Laptop will be faster than the Yoga Slim 7i for the most demanding productivity users , but neither machine is meant for creators or gamers .
Display
Both laptop computer have likewise sized exhibit that are similarly sharp , and both are IPS displays . Both displays ply at up to 120Hz , so they ’re equal in terms of how smoothly they ’ll launch the Windows substance abuser interface .
According to our colorimeters , the Surface Laptop has wider colors that will be better for creator . Both exhibit are hopeful and precise and have equally good direct contrast for IPS engineering , and neither is as adept as the OLED displays you ’ll find in many competing laptops .
Portability
As bring up above , the Yoga Slim 7i is a bit thinner and lighter than the Surface Laptop . They ’re both reasonably portable for 15 - in machine , but you might notice Microsoft ’s laptop computer in your haversack a footling more .
But these two use chipsets that are aimed at efficiency . Both do well for Windows laptops , specially in our web - browsing test , but the Surface Laptop lasts a deal longer looping our examination video recording .
at long last , both will last you a full day ’s work doing typical productivity tasks , and then some .
The Yoga Slim 7i is an attractively priced option
The Surface Laptop 15 is a warm competitor . It ’s build up well , looks great , and has a majuscule keyboard and touchpad . Its Qualcomm chipset is slimly faster and , depending on the usance , its battery life is better . The tall 3:2 aspect proportion really makes it stomach out too . But the 15 - in model costs a pretty cent .
The Yoga Slim 7i is also a solidly built laptop that appear keen and is slight and lighter , and its keyboard and touchpad are still jolly unspoilt . It ’s a little slower , but live on as long when you ’re push it harder . More importantly , though , it ’s a tidy sum less expensive . We still urge the Surface Laptop 7th Edition as the more premium alternative , but the Yoga Slim 7i is solid as a cheaper alternative 15 - column inch laptop .
