Best Microsoft Surface Laptop (2026): Which Model to Buy or Avoid

But most of all, the polish of the laptop’s design and the quality of its components is what makes it feel like an Apple. You can get it in a 13.8- or 15-inch screen size. The smaller model has a larger display than its predecessor (from 13.5 inches) with thinner bezels and rounded corners. It’s bright too, and has a 120-Hz screen refresh rate, giving it an edge over the MacBook Air. Content looks clear and sharp, even outdoors in broad daylight (but you’ll have to crank it up to full brightness under direct sunlight).

My favorite thing about the screen is the aspect ratio. Because it’s 3:2 rather than 16:10, the laptop has a longer screen that’s closer to square. This provides more vertical space for web pages, spreadsheets, and applications. When choosing between the two, I’ll always gravitate towards the Surface Laptop’s 3:2 screen, which is one of the few laptops that uses this feature. The 1080p webcam, customizable haptic feedback trackpad, and fast keyboard all feel as powerful as the MacBook Air, too.

None of this would matter if battery life wasn’t competitive though. Fortunately, the Surface Laptop 13.8 is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon X processors, with X Elite or X Plus options. It was one of the first laptops to adopt these chips and benefit from their exceptional battery life and efficiency. We tested the Elite, and performance was completely smooth, regardless of how many windows, tabs, and applications were open. This isn’t a machine for graphics-intensive tasks, like video editing or playing games, but it’s perfectly capable of powering all the common tasks that most people do on a laptop.

The 13.8-inch Surface Laptop used to start with an option with only 256 GB of storage, which is how Microsoft was able to sell it at a lower price. But now that starts at 512 GB, whether you choose the 13.8-inch model or the larger 15-inch. The 13.8-inch model now starts at $1,099, though you can usually find it for less at Best Buy or Amazon. In addition, Microsoft has a new (and more budget-oriented) option in the lineup called the Surface Laptop 13, launched in 2025 and starting with 256 GB of storage. While we haven’t tested the device yet, it does come with a few letdowns, including a low-resolution screen (that’s not a 3:2 ratio), no Surface Connect magnetic charging port, and no Windows Hello IR camera. With all the discounts available on larger models, I don’t find the price difference with the Surface Laptop 13 worth all the compromises.

The best 2-in-1 Laptop

The Surface Pro 13 is the best Surface tablet Microsoft has ever made. It uses the original Surface design, pairing a 13-inch tablet with a kickstand built into a detachable keyboard. You get the same two USB-C connectors as before, along with Microsoft’s Surface Connect port. It’s still hard to use on a lap, but on a desk, the new Flex Keyboard is a great (and expensive) upgrade—you can use the keyboard and Surface separately, so you can space out your setup.