Best Microsoft Laptops in 2020

Microsoft Corporation is a world leader in the field of information technology. The company operates in over 190 countries and supplies a wide range of software and electronics products.

In the production of portable computers, Microsoft has focused on long-playing compact devices that combine a laptop and a tablet. Therefore, the lineup consists of devices equipped with a touch screen and a fixed or removable keyboard.

To date, only 4 non-budget Surface portable computers can be found on sale. Microsoft competes fiercely with the popular Apple MacBook and occupies the premium segment of the market. On October 2, 2018, a presentation of new developments of this corporation will take place, among which there may well be an innovative laptop.

Choosing a premium gadget is not an easy task. The rating of high-quality laptops will help to decompose information and determine the model.

What to look for?

When buying a laptop, you need to carefully weigh the pros and cons of the chosen device. Chasing a brand can empty your wallet in vain and cause frustration. A high price does not mean perfect at all.

Microsoft laptop computers have the same type of metal case with a similar design. The robust design reliably protects the hardware and prevents repairs due to the absence of any screws. In addition, the manufacturer found it necessary to solder some components, for example, RAM. This laptop is not practical. A breakdown of the device will most likely cause its complete unusability. With careful use, the gadget will last for several years, but in the event of a fall or flooding, the device can be lost, since there are no official Microsoft service centers in Russia.

Ergonomics is an equally important selection criterion, and Surface laptops are famous for their comfort. The lid is easy to open with one hand, no need to constantly hold the bottom base. Quiet island-style backlit keyboard with wide keys in a standard QWERTY layout. Typing on it is a pleasure. The glass touchpad with two buttons is convenient for touch control.

Additionally, useful accessories are offered that expand the functionality of the device, albeit for a fee. A stylus called Surface Pen is suitable for drawing and quick access to OneNote, and the buttons on the pen replace mouse keys. Surface Dial adjusts the values ​​for contextual settings, such as brightness and volume. This cylinder-shaped accessory can be placed on the display or next to the gadget.

Features of Microsoft laptops

A distinctive feature of Microsoft products is the IPS screen. The 3: 2 aspect ratio touchscreen display is ideal for working with images, text documents and surfing the Internet, but videos and games can be distorted. The manufacturer prefers a glossy screen with an anti-reflective coating, but visibility is reduced in the sun.

The hard disk type in all devices is SSD. A solid state drive is much faster than its HDD counterpart. With a powerful processor, SSD quickly opens files and loads programs.

Laptops support only one Internet network - Wi-Fi. There are no 3G or 4G modules in them, and there is also no built-in network card.If necessary, you will have to buy a USB modem or an external network adapter.

To reduce the thickness, the manufacturer abandoned the DVD drive, which is not available in any model.

The devices are equipped with a power supply unit with a USB 2.0 output, which is used to charge other electronics. The specific connector of the charger will make it difficult to find an analogue in the event of a breakdown.

Touchscreen laptop

The best-selling Surface model for 2018 is the touchscreen laptop. Such a gadget can be operated without the help of a mouse and keyboard, even the touchpad is out of work. Although the usefulness of the touchscreen is still a controversial point, devices with it are in demand. The secret is simple: they choose laptops for hardware and quality. Display "goodies" are just add-ons.

• Touch control.

• High price;
• High battery consumption;
• The controls are suspended, you have to reach through the keyboard;
• The viewing angle is less than that of a conventional device.
• Fingerprints on the screen.

Microsoft Surface Laptop

The compact ultrabook is presented in several modifications. You can choose the processor, the amount of RAM and internal memory according to your needs and the final price. Intel i5 is suitable for photo processing and video editing. For 3D applications and demanding games, the Intel i7 is the best choice. The integrated graphics card can handle 2K video playback and can handle some games. For advanced gamers who value detailed graphics, such a gadget will only disappoint. 8 Gb of RAM is quite enough if you do not need to run a large number of applications and edit high-resolution video recordings at the same time.

For convenience, the technical characteristics of all modifications are summarized in the table below.

Characteristic	Modifications
CPU	Intel Core i5-7200U	Intel Core i5-7200U	Intel Core i7-7660U	Intel Core i7-7660U	Intel Core i7-7660U
Number of cores / threads	2/4	2/4	2/4	2/4	2/4
CPU frequency	2.5 Ghz	2.5 Ghz	2.5 Ghz	2.5 Ghz	2.5 Ghz
RAM	8 Gb	8 Gb	8 Gb	16 Gb	16 Gb
Video card	Intel HD Graphics 620	Intel HD Graphics 620	Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640	Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640	Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640
Graphics card type	Built-in	Built-in	Built-in	Built-in	Built-in
Hard disk space	128 Gb	256 Gb	256 Gb	512 Gb	1000 Gb
operating system	Windows 10S	Windows 10S	Windows 10S	Windows 10S	Windows 10S
Screen	13.5 inch	13.5 inch	13.5 inch	13.5 inch	13.5 inch
Screen resolution	2256x1504	2256x1504	2256x1504	2256x1504	2256x1504
Screen backlight	LED	LED	LED	LED	LED
Net	Wi-Fi 802.11ac	Wi-Fi 802.11ac	Wi-Fi 802.11ac	Wi-Fi 802.11ac	Wi-Fi 802.11ac
Bluetooth	4.0	4.0	4.0	4.0	4.0
Dimensions	308.1x223.27x14.48 mm	308.1x223.27x14.48 mm	308.1x223.27x14.48 mm	308.1x223.27x14.48 mm	308.1x223.27x14.48 mm
Weight	1.25 kg	1.25 kg	1.25 kg	1.25 kg	1.25 kg
Autonomy	Up to 14.5 hours	Up to 14.5 hours	Up to 14.5 hours	Up to 14.5 hours	Up to 14.5 hours
average price	RUB 58,890	RUB 85,990	RUB 87,700	RUB 119,990	RUB 205,990

The flagship ultrabook was released in 2017. The aluminum body is designed in a minimalist style. Straight lines, rounded corners and beveled edges on the bottom look strong and effective. The Ultrabook is available in four colors: red, gray, gold and blue.

The keyboard, with the exception of the keys, and the area around it is covered with faux suede - Alcantara. This material with a dense texture is practical and pleasant to the touch. Alcantara does not allow water to pass through well, therefore it serves as additional protection against damage.

There are only four connectors on the case: a USB 3.0 port, a mini DisplayPort, a combo headphone and microphone input 3.5 mm and a power jack. There are also built-in stereo speakers hidden under the keyboard and a microphone.

The touchscreen display with a diagonal of 13.5 inches is protected by glass. The resolution is 2256 × 1504 pixels. The screen brightness is adjustable to 322 cd / m2 and the contrast ratio is 1526 to 1. The image looks sharp with rich colors.

Under load the case heats up a little, but the almost silent cooling system prevents the hardware from overheating.

The Windows 10S operating system restricts downloading programs from the Internet. The user has one browser with a fixed search engine at his disposal. You can only download apps from the Microsoft Store. True, an OS upgrade to Windows 10 Pro is available, but now this option is paid.

The ultrabook is unlocked by Windows Hello, which instantly recognizes the owner's face.

The battery holds a charge long enough. Video without sound at maximum screen brightness drains the battery in 14 hours, with sound in 5 hours. If you actively use the ultrabook for work or study, then charging will be enough for 8 hours.

The average price of Microsoft Surface Laptop is 92,500 rubles.

• Loud stereo sound;
• Responsive microphone;
• High-quality assembly;
• Long battery life.

• Limited OS version;
• Few connectors on the case;
• No memory card slot;
• The stylus is not included.

Convertible laptop

A convertible laptop is a device that can be used as a tablet and as a laptop. Typically, the diagonal of the matrix in hybrids does not exceed 15 inches. The designs of such devices are of two types:

• with detachable keyboard
• with a hinged display unit when the screen can be rotated 360 degrees.

Microsoft uses the first technology in its hybrids. True, here the tablet and the keyboard are connected at the mechanical and hardware levels. To properly turn off the display, you must close all demanding graphics applications, since the discrete video card remains in the keyboard module. To avoid accidental disconnection, the Book 2 switches to tablet mode by pressing two keys simultaneously.

Transformers have a classic design with straight lines and rounded corners, but the gap between the lid and the keyboard spoils the view somewhat. The Furcrum hinge connects the tablet to the bottom and lets you open the laptop up to 130 degrees or quickly remove the display.

• Entering information on the screen;
• Comfortable to use when traveling;
• Compact dimensions;
• Capacious battery;
• Performs the tasks of two devices.

• Sometimes it does not work properly when attaching the tablet;
• The tablet battery does not charge from the keyboard module;
• No USB ports on the tablet;
• High price.

Microsoft Surface Book 2 13.5-inch Laptop

Book 2 is flexible in terms of price. According to your preferences, you can choose the processor, RAM and internal storage capacity. The technical characteristics of the five varieties of the model are presented in the table.

Characteristic	Modifications
CPU	Intel Core i5-7300U	Intel Core i5-7300U	Intel Core i7-8650U	Intel Core i7-8650U	Intel Core i7-8650U
Number of cores / threads	2/4	2/4	4/8	4/8	4/8
CPU frequency	2.6 Ghz	2.6 Ghz	1.9 Ghz	1.9 Ghz	1.9 Ghz
RAM	8 Gb	8 Gb	8 Gb	16 Gb	16 Gb
Video card	Intel HD Graphics 620	Intel HD Graphics 620	GeForce GTX 1050 and Intel HD Graphics 620	GeForce GTX 1050 and Intel HD Graphics 620	GeForce GTX 1050 and Intel HD Graphics 620
Graphics card type	Built-in	Built-in	Discrete and embedded	Discrete and embedded	Discrete and embedded
Hard disk space	128 Gb	256 Gb	256 Gb	512 Gb	1000 Gb
operating system	Windows 10 Pro	Windows 10 Pro	Windows 10 Pro	Windows 10 Pro	Windows 10 Pro
Screen	13.5 inch	13.5 inch	13.5 inch	13.5 inch	13.5 inch
Screen resolution	3000x2000	3000x2000	3000x2000	3000x2000	3000x2000
Screen backlight	LED	LED	LED	LED	LED
Net	Wi-Fi 802.11ac	Wi-Fi 802.11ac	Wi-Fi 802.11ac	Wi-Fi 802.11ac	Wi-Fi 802.11ac
Bluetooth	4.1	4.1	4.1	4.1	4.1
Dimensions	312х232х23 mm	312х232х23 mm	312х232х23 mm	312х232х23 mm	312х232х23 mm
Weight	1.53 kg	1.53 kg	1.53 kg	1.53 kg	1.53 kg
Autonomy	Up to 17 hours	Up to 17 hours	Up to 17 hours	Up to 17 hours	Up to 17 hours
average price	RUB 92,990	RUB 97,990	RUB 149,990	RUB 179,990	RUB 205,990

The most popular 2-in-1 device is the Book 2 with a diagonal of 13.5 inches. The hybrid laptop went on sale in 2017. The body is made of magnesium alloy with a metallic tint.

On the bottom of the device are a USB Type-C port, two USB 3.0 ports, a charging jack and a docking station. The presence of a card reader is also encouraging. The tablet still has a 3.5 mm combo jack and a charging jack. In addition, the laptop lid is equipped with mid-range speakers and two cameras that need good lighting: 8 megapixel (rear) and 5 megapixel (additional). The front camera is used to unlock the device using Windows Hello. Facial recognition is reliable, but slow at times.

The touchscreen display with a resolution of 3000 × 2000 pixels and a density of 267 ppi provides high-quality detailed images. The brightness is adjustable up to 455 cd / m2.

The assembly of such a device is not without its drawbacks. A powerful processor housed in a cover loses its performance as passive cooling forces you to lower the clock speed to avoid overheating. As a result, instead of the declared characteristics, the output remains 1.5 - 1.8 Ghz. The temperature of the flatbed can rise over 40 degrees.Nevertheless, the device copes well with demanding tasks, if they do not keep the processor under constant load.

For office work, video and simple games, a laptop with an integrated video card is enough. For more serious graphics tasks and advanced games, you should choose a discrete video chip. The GeForce GTX 1050 graphics card sits under the keyboard and is equipped with an active cooling system. Switching between video chips occurs automatically.

When disconnected from the keyboard, the tablet loses in performance and autonomy, since the laptop has two built-in batteries: one is in the lid, the other is under the keyboard. When working with the classic form of a laptop, the battery in the display module is discharged first, which is inconvenient during operation. You can control the battery life by choosing a mode from power saving to maximum performance. True, in the latter case, the battery will be discharged even when connected to a charger. With different loads, the transformer can last from 3.5 to 15 hours without recharging, and the tablet - from 1 to 4 hours.

Average price Microsoft Surface Book 2 13.5 - 153,990 rubles.

• Convenient mechanism for attaching the tablet to the keyboard unit;
• One of the best screens for 2018;
• Decent performance level;
• Long battery life;
• High-quality assembly;
• A slot for reading memory cards is installed.

• Decrease in processor performance under load;
• Stylus is not included;
• Fingerprints remain on the screen.

Microsoft Surface Book 2 15-inch Laptop

The manufacturer offers three modifications of this gadget, so you can save only due to the volume of the SSD. The discrete graphics card will delight gamers with good graphics for demanding games. The device will handle even the latest top games, however, at low or medium settings.

Characteristic	Modifications
CPU	Intel Core i7-8650U	Intel Core i7-8650U	Intel Core i7-8650U
Number of cores / threads	4/8	4/8	4/8
CPU frequency	1.9 Ghz	1.9 Ghz	1.9 Ghz
RAM	16 Gb	16 Gb	16 Gb
Video card	Intel HD Graphics 620 and GeForce GTX 1050	Intel HD Graphics 620 and GeForce GTX 1050	Intel HD Graphics 620 and GeForce GTX 1050
Graphics card type	Discrete and embedded	Discrete and embedded	Discrete and embedded
Hard disk space	256 Gb	512 Gb	1000 Gb
operating system	Windows 10 Pro	Windows 10 Pro	Windows 10 Pro
Screen	15 inch	15 inch	15 inch
Screen resolution	3240x2160	3240x2160	3240x2160
Screen backlight	LED	LED	LED
Net	Wi-Fi 802.11ac	Wi-Fi 802.11ac	Wi-Fi 802.11ac
Bluetooth	4,1	4,1	4,1
Dimensions	343x251x23 mm	343x251x23 mm	343x251x23 mm
Weight	1.91 kg	1.91 kg	1.91 kg
Autonomy	Up to 17 hours	Up to 17 hours	Up to 17 hours
average price	RUB 179,990	RUB 205,990	RUB 239,990

This convertible laptop hit the electronics market in 2017. The case design is the same as the smaller version. The only difference is in size and weight.

The large-sized hybrid has a 15-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 3240 × 2160 pixels and a density of 260 ppi. The device supports two color spaces: sRGB and Enhanced. The second is for graphics professionals.

The battery life of the hybrid is from 5 to 16.5 hours, depending on the load. The tablet will last up to 3.5 hours. However, a 15-inch tablet computer is not very convenient to use due to its size.

Average price Microsoft Surface Book 2 15 - 189,990 rubles.

The pros and cons of this hybrid mostly coincide with the smaller version, but they can be supplemented with a couple of points.

• Powerful hardware.

• Great weight.

Microsoft Surface Book with Performance Base Laptop

Specifications

Specifications	Value
CPU	Intel Core i7-6600U
Number of cores / threads	2/4
CPU frequency	2.6 Ghz
RAM	16 Gb
Video card	Intel HD Graphics 520 and GeForce GTX 965M
Graphics card type	Discrete and embedded
Hard disk space	512 Gb
operating system	Windows 10 Pro
Screen	13.5 inch
Screen resolution	3000x2000
Screen backlight	LED
Net	Wi-Fi 802.11ac
Bluetooth	4.0
Dimensions	312.3x232.1x22.8 mm
Weight	1.65 kg
Autonomy	Up to 16 hours
average price	RUB 169,990

The hybrid laptop came out in 2016 as an updated version of the first transformer in this Surface Book line. The design is straightforward and the body is made of aluminum.

The gadget has a modest set of connectors: a mini DisplayPort jack, two USB 3.0 ports and a charging jack. There is also a slot for a memory card. The tablet part is equipped with two cameras capable of taking good pictures in good lighting, a combined headphone and microphone jack, and speakers with rather weak sound. Unlocking is done with the front camera via the Windows Hello app.

Various configurations of this model are offered. The flexibility of choice is available in RAM and SSD capacity.

The display with a resolution of 3000x2000 pixels supports up to five simultaneous touches. The response time is 61ms, so this laptop is not suitable for gaming. The matrix displays almost the entire spectrum of the sRGB color space, which is useful for image editing.

The hybrid does a good job of multitasking. The processor does not reduce the frequency even under constant load and is capable of working in Turbo mode. In turn, the graphics chip does not cope with the high requirements of programs and periodically drops the frequencies from 924 MHz to 952 MHz. The components are cooled by two fans, one of which is located in the lid, the other under the keyboard. With prolonged operation, the transformer heats up a lot, and the temperature of the tablet part is higher.

The hybrid is able to hold out without load and recharge up to 25 hours, in operating mode - up to 9 hours, and at maximum load - 1.5 hours.

This unit is aimed at designers, photographers and other graphics-related professions. It is not positioned by the manufacturer as a game model.

Comes with a USB charger and a pen-shaped Surface Pen that mates with a laptop via Bluetooth and recognizes up to 1024 pressure levels.

The average price of Surface Book with Performance Base is 142,495 rubles.

• High-quality screen;
• Installed card reader;
• Long battery life;
• Stylus.

• Weak speakers;
• Great weight.

Outcome

When choosing a laptop, first of all, you should decide on your needs and purpose. For imaging, study and graphics work, the Surface Laptop is fine. If tablet portability is important, then the compact Surface Book 2 with a 13.5-inch screen can be considered. It will also show itself as a good gaming machine.

It is important to note that Microsoft laptops are not easy to acquire in Russia. For residents of most cities, only online order is possible, but buying a pig in a poke for that kind of money is risky.

Microsoft laptops are business class and their price is prohibitive. Surface is a line of professional devices that most people don't need at all. For your tasks, you can find a reliable device from another manufacturer with an adequate price-quality ratio.