An editor's note gives it five stars as the best Windows-on-Arm laptop, with stunning battery life and a premium, repairable design, though the top spec is very expensive.
Microsoft Surface Laptop (7th Edition)
The Microsoft Surface Laptop (7th Edition) has a critic score of 85 out of 100 from 5 professional reviews, including IT Pro, CNET and Windows Central. 4 of 5 recommend it, and scores range from 66 (Laptop Mag) to 100 (IT Pro). 2 of the scores are printed by the outlets and 3 are our estimates from the review text. Most praised: battery life (5 of 5); performance (4 of 5). Most common complaints: price (3 of 5). It ranks #4 of the 6 laptops we score.
Our verdict
5 professional reviewers tested the Microsoft Surface Laptop (7th Edition), and 4 recommend it. Most praised: battery life and performance. Most common complaint: price.
The catch: Upgrades are expensive, and Arm app compatibility varies.
3 of these 5 outlets print no score. We estimated theirs from the review text and corrected for the known tendency of estimates to run high.
Scores range from 65 to 100, and one reviewer reports severe display ghosting..
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What do critics say about the Microsoft Surface Laptop (7th Edition)?
A sleek, well-built ultraportable with class-leading battery life and strong Snapdragon performance.
Reviewer calls the Surface Laptop 7 the clamshell perfected and possibly the best laptop ever, praising the design, input devices, display and Snapdragon X Elite performance and battery life.
Praises the build, design and record-setting battery life, but the high price, especially for memory and storage upgrades, makes it feel like a luxury buy.
Strong performance and battery life, but severe display ghosting, a shallow keyboard and weak graphics leave the reviewer calling it a disappointment that does not earn a spot on the best-laptops list.
Scores are converted to 0–100. "est." means the outlet gave no number, so we estimated one from its verdict. How we score
What critics praise most
What critics dislike most
Not sure about the Microsoft Surface Laptop (7th Edition)?
Common questions
Is the Microsoft Surface Laptop (7th Edition) worth it?
Most critics think so: 4 of 5 recommend it. Upgrades are expensive, and Arm app compatibility varies.
Do critics agree about the Microsoft Surface Laptop (7th Edition)?
Agreement is low: scores range from 66 (Laptop Mag) to 100 (IT Pro), a spread of 34 points across 5 reviews. Reviewers disagree, so read the individual reviews before buying.
What do critics dislike about the Microsoft Surface Laptop (7th Edition)?
Price (3 of 5 reviews).
What is the best alternative to the Microsoft Surface Laptop (7th Edition)?
The Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M5) (critic score 88), best for creative work.