Surface Laptop 3 review

The superb ultraportable Surface Laptop 3 gets some welcome improvements

Surface Laptop 3
(Image: © Microsoft)

Our Verdict

Microsoft’s flagship Surface Laptop 3 gets a welcome power-up and better connectivity options, but the 13-inch prioritises portability over being a real workhorse – for more graphical grunt look at the 15-inch version or Surface Book 2.

For

  • Latest-gen processors
  • USB-C at last
  • Premium look and feel

Against

  • Limited ports
  • No Thunderbolt
  • Middling battery life

Why you can trust Creative Bloq Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

Microsoft has just refreshed its range of Windows 10-based Surface devices and sitting at the top of the new models is this – the third generation of the Surface Laptop; Microsoft’s traditional ultraportable clamshell laptop. It doesn’t have a removable screen like its sister devices, but it still boasts a superb touch panel and you can use it with Microsoft’s Surface Pen stylus – as such it has a distinct differentiator versus Apple’s notebook lineup.

Its closest competitor is undoubtedly Apple’s MacBook Air, though as with the specs across Apple’s MacBook Air range, some of the Surface Laptop configurations are similar to what you’d get inside the MacBook Pro. There are more rivals then ever in this space and Dell’s XPS 13 and HP’s Spectre range definitely join Apple and Microsoft’s efforts at the top table.

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The Verdict
8

out of 10

Microsoft Surface Laptop 3

Microsoft’s flagship Surface Laptop 3 gets a welcome power-up and better connectivity options, but the 13-inch prioritises portability over being a real workhorse – for more graphical grunt look at the 15-inch version or Surface Book 2.

The Creative Bloq team is made up of a group of design fans, and has changed and evolved since Creative Bloq began back in 2012. The current website team consists of eight full-time members of staff: Editor Georgia Coggan, Deputy Editor Rosie Hilder, Ecommerce Editor Beren Neale, Senior News Editor Daniel Piper, Editor, Digital Art and 3D Ian Dean, Tech Reviews Editor Erlingur Einarsson and Ecommerce Writer Beth Nicholls and Staff Writer Natalie Fear, as well as a roster of freelancers from around the world. The 3D World and ImagineFX magazine teams also pitch in, ensuring that content from 3D World and ImagineFX is represented on Creative Bloq. 

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