Microsoft Surface Laptop 5G
ZDNET Highlights
- The Surface Laptop 5G for Business is available to enterprise customers starting at $1,499.
- With an impressive build and always-on connectivity, it’s one of the most premium productivity-focused laptops of the year.
- It’s expensive and there’s no OLED option.
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Microsoft’s surface laptop 5g The For Business is one of the most premium Windows laptops this year, with an attractive physical build, haptic trackpad, crisp display, and impressive performance for business users and enterprise settings.
However, its standout feature (ahem) lies beneath the surface: it has a six-antenna array for 5G connectivity, supporting both physical nano SIM cards and eSIM technology from major carriers.
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In combination with Wi-Fi 7, the aim here is seamless connectivity that works in the background, eliminating manual switching between Wi-Fi and 5G, as the device automatically connects to the strongest signal, whether you’re on office Wi-Fi or out in the field.
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Along these lines, the laptop dynamically switches between six antennas located on the front and sides of the device, giving priority to the antenna that is least obstructed by the user’s hands, lap, or external objects.
The Surface Laptop 5G for Business is the latest addition to Microsoft’s Surface Laptop family, offering a more professionally minded configuration of the Surface Laptop. Unlike the Qualcomm Snapdragon ARM-compatible version, it is equipped with an Intel CPU.
Construction and Hardware
You have an Intel Core Ultra 5 or 7 268V, 16GB or 32GB of LPDDR5x RAM, a removable Gen 4 SSD up to 1TB capacity, and an Intel Arc GPU. Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 allow additional compatibility on top of 5G, as well as two USB-C/USB4 ports, a USB-A and, of course, the nano SIM tray on the right side.
The 120Hz, max 600 nits, PixelSense touchscreen display is crisp and vivid, with no surface distortion or warping when viewed from the side, and is constructed from a single panel with no physical bezels. The glossy surface reflects some light, but no more than normal, resulting in a very nice looking photo.
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In my review of the consumer Surface Laptop, I lamented its lack of an OLED display, and I feel the same way here. For the price, there’s no reason this laptop shouldn’t have OLED, especially given its status as a top-tier business laptop.
Furthermore, the build of the Surface Laptop 5G is no less than premium. At 3.06 pounds, it’s light and sleek, yet feels substantial and well-built, passing the one-handed open test with flying colors and staying steady on the desk thanks to its rubberized grips.
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The keyboard seems equally well-designed, with a matte slate-colored panel that offsets the silver body (more on that in a moment). The haptic trackpad is a great touch – it’s the right size, responsive, and completes the package.
The wrist rest and bottom panel are a unique material. It’s not plastic, but it’s definitely not metallic either; It’s smooth – silky, even, and satisfying to work on. However, it’s not just about emotions. The anodized aluminum casing is optimized for antennas located below the surface, as typical plastic or aluminum construction materials will disrupt the signal.
problem with 5g
During my testing of this laptop, 5G really was great to use. Not having to worry about being tied to Wi-Fi was a game-changer, and I had almost no connection problems on the Verizon network when I was walking around New York.
I want to reiterate that the intended demographic for this laptop is business users in an enterprise setting – not as a standalone consumer PC. This means that its 5G connectivity will be deployed by an IT team before it is delivered to the end user.
Although there are consumer-facing PCs from other companies that feature 5G connectivity, setting them up with carriers can be expensive and technical. We still have some way to go before 5G connectivity on laptops will be as easy as choosing a cellphone plan.
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In that sense, the price of this laptop matches this commitment to the enterprise market. That’s $500 more than the Surface Laptop for Business with a Snapdragon X Plus processor, pushing up to and beyond the $2,000 mark with higher-end hardware.
It’s true that enterprise-only laptops are usually more expensive than mainstream laptops, but when the most impressive devices are made so niche, it limits the market. I also think there’s real interest in 5G technology for laptops, but again, until manufacturers have incentives to make it more accessible, it will remain wrapped up in enterprise packages.
Features and daily use
When I reviewed the Surface Laptop with the Snapdragon X Elite chip last year, I praised its marathon battery life, which earned it a spot on our best battery life laptops list.
On the Surface Laptop 5G, the 54Wh battery is a little less robust, as the extra modem and antenna structure takes up space and requires power. That said, you’re still expected to get great battery longevity, around 20 hours of video playback and more than 16 hours of normal office use in balanced mode.
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Finally, if you’re using this laptop for work, you’re definitely using it for video calls as well. The full HD (1080p) front-facing Surface Studio camera produces very good image quality that approaches MacBook territory. With dual studio mics and 5G connectivity, you’ve got a laptop that’s unlikely to lag or make your voice sound robotic during calls.
ZDNET’s shopping advice
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5G for Business Provides a top-tier experience for enterprise users who need reliable, always-on connectivity. Although an OLED display would seal the deal on a premium business laptop, it still looks great, and paired with the haptic trackpad, sleek build, and commendable hardware, it makes for a nice package.
If you are a business user and looking for a thin and light laptop with 5G connectivity, this is one of the best options in the market.
However, its price point, targeted at the enterprise space, is prohibitive for individual consumers, whom Microsoft would rather direct its consumer-oriented product line toward. It just goes to show that laptop manufacturers can develop premium, well-designed products that hit all (or almost all) the right marks; They won’t do this without a guarantee at a premium price.
