As is often the case when updating a line of computers, the Surface Laptop 4 doesn’t look much different from its predecessor on the outside. The external ports are the same, the weight is very similar, the screen is always a touch in the proportion 3: 2. What matters is under the body and represents a nice change compared to the Laptop 3. The predecessor in fact had a battery that was too short-lived for this type of laptop, which make autonomy one of their strengths, and was surpassed in performance by many competitors, often cheaper.
Il Surface Laptop 4 Microsoft allows you to mount for both versions in 13.5 and 15 inches or an Intel Core i7 processor or the Ryzen 7 4980U from AMD, as in the model under test. The results were not only decidedly superior compared to the previous generation but particularly interested for the whole panorama of medium / high-end laptops that can do more or less everything except run the most complex video games. The build quality is excellent, the design is elegant and minimal, perhaps more could be done on the front of the sockets, since we have a standard USB and a USB-C, without Thunderbolt, where a hub will certainly be connected to expand connectivity , an audio jack and the Surface Connect, dedicated to compatible hubs.
The Surface Laptop 4, especially in the 15-inch version, should be your choice if you need a computer that can do a little bit of everything from normal work functions to video rendering, through simpler games and or movie playback. in 4K. Either that or go to the esteemed competition from Apple, which in some cases offers superior performance, but often costs more. And all this despite the Ryzen mounted on this laptop is not exactly the latest generation, or the Ryzen 5000 with Zen 3 architecture, a detail that could make the most demanding ones turn up their mouths.
The screen is confirmed as excellent, the 3: 2 aspect ratio is particularly suitable for everyday work thanks to the greater vertical space even if the edges are perhaps a little too thick. Unfortunately, no HDR and a brightness that could have given something more, but in principle it will be fine for most uses.
The autonomy is excellent and without any kind of compromise, which well exceeds 10 hours of standard “office” use and comes just below if you decide to watch a TV series. Obviously in case of game with the screen at maximum brightness it is better to keep it attached to the power supply. High power consumption as soon as higher performance is required is perhaps the main difference with the new Ryzen and Apple’s MacBook M1s.
The price of the more expensive model may not be within everyone’s reach, we are talking about 1899 euros, which become 1499 if you are satisfied with half RAM, then 8 GB and a 256 GB hard drive instead of 512. Here it depends a lot on what you need. you have to do, probably for standard office use, smart working or other variables more or less on the move, the less expensive 15 ” edition is more than enough. The only thing that is perhaps worth not compromising on is the screen, unless you intend to reinvest the money saved in secondary screens.
In short, if you are looking to make the right investment in a Windows laptop that allows you to tackle everything, or almost everything, without too many problems, the Surface Laptop 4 seems just what you need and a huge step forward compared to the third generation.