Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 1 (21D2) vs. Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 for Business

Laptop Comparison, Reviews and Tests
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 for Business
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 for Business

Our Rating: 85 %

In depth comparison and review of Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 1 (21D2) and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 for Business. Compare sizes, performance, storage capacities, batteries and other important specifications and features to easily choose the right laptop for you. Our goal is to help you uncover differences between the products and find the laptop that will best fit your needs.

Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 1 (21D2) Review

Advantages and disadvantages of Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 1 (21D2) based on its technical characteristics, features, user experience, expert reviews and price level.

excellent build quality

powerful AMD processor

high-resolution display

sustainable materials used

compact and lightweight

higher price point

no HDMI port

limited upgradeability

average battery life

Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 for Business Review

Advantages and disadvantages of Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 for Business based on its technical characteristics, features, user experience, expert reviews and price level.

excellent pixel sense display

sleek aluminum design

improved quad-core performance

comfortable keyboard feel

good battery life

limited port variety

no dedicated graphics

higher price point

average storage options

Laptop Comparison and Tests

Difference between Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 1 (21D2) and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 for Business
82 % - Design
83 % - Display
85 % - Performance
84 % - Connectivity
85 % - Battery
81 % - Design
86 % - Display
85 % - Performance
85 % - Connectivity
85 % - Battery

Laptop Specifications Comparison

Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 1 (21D2) vs. Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 for Business Comparison Chart
DESIGN AND DIMENSIONS Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 1 (21D2) Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 for Business
Product Type Notebook Notebook
Dimensions (WxDxH) 29.94 cm x 19.96 cm x 1.399 cm 30.8 cm x 22.3 cm x 1.45 cm
Weight 1.19 kg 1.272 kg
Case Material Aluminium (top), aluminium (bottom) Aluminum
Colour Black (bottom), arctic grey (top) Platinum | Matte black
DISPLAY Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 1 (21D2) Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 for Business
Screen Size (Type) 13.3" - IPS 13.5"
Touchscreen - Yes (10-point multi-touch)
LCD Backlight Technology LED backlight -
Screen Resolution 1920 x 1200 (WUXGA) 2256 x 1504
Pixel Density (ppi) - 201
Widescreen Yes Yes
Image Aspect Ratio 16:10 3:2
Image Brightness 400 cd/m² 400 cd/m²
Colour Gamut 100% sRGB -
Features Anti-glare, 178° viewing angle, Low Power, 91.6% screen-to-body ratio Vivid Color, Corning Gorilla glass 3, Color Calibrated, sRGB Color Space, PixelSense, Dolby Vision IQ
PROCESSOR Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 1 (21D2) Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 for Business
CPU AMD Ryzen 5 Pro 6650U / 2.9 GHz Intel Core i5 (12th Gen) 1245U / 1.6 GHz
Max Turbo Speed 4.5 GHz 4.4 GHz
Number of Cores 6-core 10-core
Cache 16 MB 12 MB
Platform Technology - Intel Evo
Features - Hyper-Threading Technology, Intel Smart Cache
MEMORY Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 1 (21D2) Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 for Business
RAM 16 GB (provided memory is soldered) 8 GB
RAM Type LPDDR5 SDRAM LPDDR5X SDRAM
Speed 6400 MHz -
Rated Speed 6400 MHz -
STORAGE Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 1 (21D2) Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 for Business
Main Storage Size (HDD/SSD) 256 GB SSD M.2 2242 PCIe 4.0 x4 - TCG Opal Encryption 2, NVM Express (NVMe) 256 GB SSD
AUDIO & VIDEO Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 1 (21D2) Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 for Business
Graphics Processor (GPU) AMD Radeon 660M Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Max Monitors Supported 2 external monitor(s) -
Video System Features - Functions as Intel UHD graphics (for single-channel memory)
Camera Yes - 1080p Yes - 720p
Camera Features IR camera, Windows Hello, e-camera shutter Windows Hello
Sound Stereo speakers, dual array microphone Stereo speakers, dual far-field studio microphones
Codec Realtek ALC3306 -
Compliant Standards High Definition Audio, Dolby Atmos Dolby Atmos
Audio Features - Output: Omnisonic speakers
COMMUNICATIONS Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 1 (21D2) Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 for Business
Wireless 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.2 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.1
Wireless Controller Qualcomm NFA725A -
Compliant Standards DASH -
Features Dual stream (2x2) -
BATTERY Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 1 (21D2) Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 for Business
Technology Lithium polymer -
Battery Capacity (Size) 51.5 Wh 47.4 Wh
Battery Life Up to 22.8 hours Up to 18 hours
AC ADAPTER Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 1 (21D2) Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 for Business
Input AC 100-240 V (50/60 Hz) -
Output 65 Watt -
INPUT Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 1 (21D2) Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 for Business
Type Keyboard, TrackPoint, UltraNav Keyboard, touchpad
Keyboard Backlight Yes Yes
Features Spill-resistant, multi-touch touchpad, haptic feedback, Fn keys with Unified Communications controls, glass touchpad Microsoft Pen Protocol (MPP), Alcantara material palm rest
CONNECTIONS & EXPANSIONS Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 1 (21D2) Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 for Business
Interfaces 2 x USB4 (supports DisplayPort 1.4a Alt Mode) (Power Delivery 3.0)
Headphone/microphone combo jack
USB4 (supports Thunderbolt 4) (Type C)
SurfaceConnect
Headphone/microphone combo jack
USB 3.1
SOFTWARE Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 1 (21D2) Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 for Business
Operating System (OS) Windows 11 Pro - English Windows 11 Pro
Software Included Glance by Mirametrix Microsoft 365 Business Standard, Business Premium or Microsoft 365 Apps (30 days trial), Microsoft 365 Apps (requires licence or subscription)
MISCELLANEOUS Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 1 (21D2) Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 for Business
Dockable - Yes
Included Accessories USB-C power adapter Power adapter
Integrated Options - Ambient light sensor
Security Discrete Trusted Platform Module (TPM 2.0) Security Chip with Microsoft Pluton, fingerprint reader Trusted Platform Module (TPM 2.0) Security Chip
Features Administrator password, power-on password, RapidCharge, MIL-STD-810H tested, self-healing BIOS, NVMe password, USB FIDO (Fast Identity Online) device integration, pen upgradable, certificate based BIOS authentication -
Compliant Standards RoHS, TUV Rheinland Low Blue Light Certification, Energy-Related Products (ErP) Lot 3, TCG Certified -
ENERGY STAR Certified Yes Yes
EPEAT Compliant EPEAT Gold EPEAT Gold
Max Operating Temperature 35 °C -
Min Operating Temperature 5 °C -
Humidity Range Operating 8 - 95% -
Manufacturer Warranty Base warranty - 3 years - pick-up and return
Extended warranty - 3 years - on-site - response time: next business day
Limited warranty - 1 year
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