Hands-on Experience: Microsoft’s New Snapdragon-Powered Surface Laptop – Your Questions Answered

The long-awaited Snapdragon X Elite has arrived, introducing Windows laptops that might finally rival MacBooks in areas where they’ve traditionally lagged. After spending a day with Microsoft’s latest Surface Laptop, I’m optimistic about this new direction.

As a lifelong Windows user, macOS never captured my interest. Each encounter left me increasingly frustrated. However, Apple’s success in key laptop features, particularly battery life, was undeniable. The transition to Apple Silicon made MacBooks more attractive than ever, ultimately leading me to reluctantly switch to a MacBook Air.

Enter the Snapdragon X Elite.

Qualcomm’s announcement of their new Windows chipset last year came with high expectations, following years of disappointing Windows on Arm experiences. Previous attempts were plagued by poor app support, lackluster performance, and problematic emulation. Yet, from the outset, the Snapdragon X Elite showed promise, maintaining excitement through to the hardware’s debut.

Eager to move on from my MacBook Air, I tested the Microsoft Surface Laptop, and after just one day, I’m pleased with the results.

Hardware Overview The new Surface Laptop is impressive. Its aluminum body is sleek and stylish in the "Platinum" finish I chose (though I plan to customize it with a skin, blue would have been my first pick). The keyboard, haptic touchpad, and screen are all top-notch. The keys offer substantial travel, and Microsoft’s inaugural haptic touchpad rivals the MacBook Air’s quality. The bright 13.8-inch screen is ideal for travel, my primary concern, and the abundance of ports is a welcome feature.

Battery Life and Performance While a single day isn’t enough to make definitive claims about battery life and performance, the initial results are promising. After a full day’s work—from 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM—the battery dropped from 100% to 24%. This performance is impressive, considering the intensive tasks I performed, including running numerous Chrome tabs, WordPress, and Photoshop throughout the day.