Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 vs. Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)

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 ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4). 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 ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4) Review

Advantages and disadvantages of Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4) based on its technical characteristics, features, user experience, expert reviews and price level.

powerful amd processor

high-resolution oled display

solid build quality

good battery life

efficient thermal management

heavier than competitors

expensive base model

limited port selection

noisy under load

Laptop Comparison and Tests

Difference between Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)
85 % - Design
85 % - Display
75 % - Performance
75 % - Connectivity
75 % - Battery
83 % - Design
85 % - Display
89 % - Performance
85 % - Connectivity
85 % - Battery

Laptop Specifications Comparison

Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 vs. Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4) Comparison Chart
DESIGN AND DIMENSIONS Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)
Product Type Notebook Notebook
Dimensions (WxDxH) 30.8 cm x 22.3 cm x 1.45 cm 35.44 cm x 23.74 cm x 1.58 cm
Weight 1.265 kg 1.94 kg
Case Material Aluminum Aluminium (top), aluminium (bottom)
Colour Platinum Black (bottom), arctic grey (top)
DISPLAY Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)
Screen Size (Type) 13.5" 16" OLED
Touchscreen Yes (10-point multi-touch) Yes (10-point multi-touch)
Screen Resolution 2256 x 1504 3840 x 2400 (WQUXGA)
Pixel Density (ppi) 201 -
Widescreen Yes Yes
Image Aspect Ratio 3:2 16:10
Image Brightness - 400 cd/m²
Colour Gamut - 100% DCI-P3
Features PixelSense Anti-reflective, One Glass Solution, anti-smudge, Low Blue Light technology, Dolby Vision, 92.3% screen-to-body ratio
PROCESSOR Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)
CPU Intel Core i5 (10th Gen) 1035G7 / 1.2 GHz AMD Ryzen 9 Pro 6950H / 3.3 GHz
Max Turbo Speed 3.7 GHz 4.9 GHz
Number of Cores Quad-Core 8-core
Cache 6 MB L3 - 16 MB
64-bit Computing Yes -
Features - Integrated memory controller
MEMORY Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)
RAM 8 GB 32 GB (provided memory is soldered)
RAM Type LPDDR4X SDRAM LPDDR5 SDRAM
Speed - 6400 MHz
Rated Speed - 6400 MHz
STORAGE Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)
Main Storage Size (HDD/SSD) 128 GB SSD M.2 - NVM Express (NVMe) 1 TB SSD M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 - TCG Opal Encryption 2, NVM Express (NVMe), Performance
AUDIO & VIDEO Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)
Multi-GPU Configuration - 1 single GPU card / integrated GPU
Graphics Processor (GPU) Intel Iris Plus Graphics AMD Radeon RX 6500M / AMD Radeon 680M
Max Monitors Supported - 3 external monitor(s)
Video Memory - 4 GB GDDR6 SDRAM
Camera Yes - 720p Yes - 1080p
Camera Features Windows Hello IR camera, Windows Hello, e-camera shutter
Sound Stereo speakers, two microphones Stereo speakers, dual array microphone
Codec - Realtek ALC3306
Compliant Standards Dolby Audio Premium High Definition Audio, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Voice
COMMUNICATIONS Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)
Wireless Bluetooth 5.0, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax Bluetooth 5.2, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax (Wi-Fi 6E)
Wireless Controller - Qualcomm NFA725A
Compliant Standards Bluetooth 5.0, IEEE 802.11ax DASH
Features - Dual stream (2x2)
WWAN
Generation - 4G
Technology - LTE
Controller - Quectel EM05-G - M.2 Card
BATTERY Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)
Technology - Lithium polymer
Battery Capacity (Size) - 72 Wh
Battery Life Up to 11.5 hours -
AC ADAPTER Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)
Input - AC 100-240 V (50/60 Hz)
Output - 135 Watt
INPUT Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)
Type Keyboard, trackpad Keyboard, TrackPoint, UltraNav
Keyboard Backlight Yes Yes
Features Multi-gesture trackpad, Alcantara material palm rest Spill-resistant, multi-touch touchpad, Fn keys with Unified Communications controls, glass touchpad
CONNECTIONS & EXPANSIONS Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)
Slots - 1 x Nano-SIM card (1 free)
Interfaces USB 3.0
USB-C
Headphone output
SurfaceConnect
3 x USB4 (supports DisplayPort 1.4a Alt Mode) (Power Delivery 3.0)
Headphone/microphone combo jack
Memory Card Reader - Yes (SD Card, SDXC UHS-II Card)
SOFTWARE Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)
Operating System (OS) Windows 10 Pro Windows 11 Pro - English
Software Included Microsoft 365 (30 days trial) Glance by Mirametrix
MISCELLANEOUS Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)
Dockable Yes -
Included Accessories Power adapter USB-C slim power adapter
Integrated Options Ambient light sensor -
Security Trusted Platform Module (TPM 2.0) Security Chip Discrete Trusted Platform Module (TPM 2.0) Security Chip with Microsoft Pluton, fingerprint reader
Security Slot Type - Kensington nano security slot
Theft/Intrusion Protection - Security lock slot (cable lock sold separately)
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
SAR Value 0.308 W/kg (body) -
ENERGY STAR Certified - Yes
EPEAT Compliant - EPEAT Gold
Max Operating Temperature - 35 °C
Min Operating Temperature - 5 °C
Humidity Range Operating - 8 - 95%
Manufacturer Warranty Limited warranty - 1 year Base warranty - 3 years - pick-up and return
Base warranty - battery - 1 year
Extended warranty - 3 years - on-site
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