Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 vs. Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)

Laptop Comparison, Reviews and Tests
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3

Our Rating: 75 %

In depth comparison and review of Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 and Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF). 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.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Review

Advantages and disadvantages of Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 based on its technical characteristics, features, user experience, expert reviews and price level.

lightweight and portable

responsive touchscreen display

stylish aluminum design

fast charging support

solid performance benchmarks

limited port selection

no dedicated graphics

higher price point

average battery life

Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF) Review

Advantages and disadvantages of Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF) based on its technical characteristics, features, user experience, expert reviews and price level.

robust metal design

crisp full HD display

backlit keyboard feature

adequate processing power

reasonable price point

average battery life

limited graphics performance

heavier than competitors

no USB-C port

Laptop Comparison and Tests

Difference between Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 and Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)
85 % - Design
85 % - Display
75 % - Performance
75 % - Connectivity
75 % - Battery
75 % - Design
72 % - Display
72 % - Performance
73 % - Connectivity
65 % - Battery

Laptop Specifications Comparison

Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 vs. Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF) Comparison Chart
DESIGN AND DIMENSIONS Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)
Product Type Notebook Notebook
Dimensions (WxDxH) 30.8 cm x 22.3 cm x 1.45 cm 37.8 cm x 26 cm x 2.2 cm
Weight 1.265 kg 2.2 kg
Case Material Aluminum Metal
Colour Platinum Golden
DISPLAY Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)
Screen Size (Type) 13.5" 15.6" - IPS
Touchscreen Yes (10-point multi-touch) -
Screen Resolution 2256 x 1504 1920 x 1080 (Full HD)
Pixel Density (ppi) 201 -
Widescreen Yes Yes
Image Aspect Ratio 3:2 16:9
Image Brightness - 250 cd/m²
Features PixelSense Anti-glare
PROCESSOR Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)
CPU Intel Core i5 (10th Gen) 1035G7 / 1.2 GHz Intel Core i5 (8th Gen) 8550U / 1.8 GHz
Max Turbo Speed 3.7 GHz 4 GHz
Number of Cores Quad-Core Quad-Core
Cache 6 MB 8 MB
64-bit Computing Yes -
Features - Integrated memory controller
MEMORY Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)
RAM 8 GB 8 GB (1 x 4 GB + 4 GB (soldered))
Max RAM Supported - 16 GB
RAM Type LPDDR4X SDRAM DDR4 SDRAM
Speed - 2133 MHz
Rated Speed - 2400 MHz
Form Factor - SO-DIMM 260-pin
Slots Qty - 1
Empty Slots - 0
STORAGE Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)
Main Storage Size (HDD/SSD) 128 GB SSD M.2 - NVM Express (NVMe) 2 TB HDD SATA 6Gb/s / 5400 rpm
Optical Drive - DVD±RW
AUDIO & VIDEO Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)
Multi-GPU Configuration - 1 single GPU card / integrated GPU
Graphics Processor (GPU) Intel Iris Plus Graphics NVIDIA GeForce MX150 / Intel UHD Graphics 620
Video Memory - 4 GB GDDR5 SDRAM
Camera Yes - 720p Yes - 720p
Resolution - 1 Megapixel
Camera Features Windows Hello Fixed focus
Sound Stereo speakers, two microphones Stereo speakers, dual array microphone
Compliant Standards Dolby Audio Premium High Definition Audio, Dolby Audio
Audio Features - Output: Harman audio technology
COMMUNICATIONS Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)
Wireless Bluetooth 5.0, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.1
Wireless Controller - M.2 Card
Network Interface - Gigabit Ethernet
Compliant Standards Bluetooth 5.0, IEEE 802.11ax -
Features - Single stream (1x1)
BATTERY Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)
Technology - 2-cell lithium polymer
Battery Capacity (Size) - 35 Wh
Battery Life Up to 11.5 hours Up to 6 hours
AC ADAPTER Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)
Input - AC 100-240 V (50/60 Hz)
Output - 65 Watt
INPUT Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)
Type Keyboard, trackpad Keyboard, touchpad
Numeric Keypad - Yes
Keyboard Backlight Yes Yes
Features Multi-gesture trackpad, Alcantara material palm rest -
CONNECTIONS & EXPANSIONS Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)
Interfaces USB 3.0
USB-C
Headphone output
SurfaceConnect
USB-C 3.0
2 x USB 3.0
HDMI
LAN
Headphone/microphone combo jack
Memory Card Reader - 4 in 1 (SD Card, MultiMediaCard, SDHC Card, SDXC Card)
SOFTWARE Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)
Operating System (OS) Windows 10 Pro Windows 10 Home 64-bit Edition - English
Software Included Microsoft 365 (30 days trial) -
MISCELLANEOUS Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)
Dockable Yes -
Included Accessories Power adapter Power adapter
Integrated Options Ambient light sensor -
Security Trusted Platform Module (TPM 2.0) Security Chip Fingerprint reader
Security Slot Type - Kensington mini security slot
Theft/Intrusion Protection - Security lock slot (cable lock sold separately)
Features - Administrator password, hard drive password, power-on password
Compliant Standards - RoHS
SAR Value 0.308 W/kg (body) -
Manufacturer Warranty Limited warranty - 1 year Limited warranty - 1 year - pick-up and return
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