Surface Laptop 7 13inch – Impressions
ARM Windows still feels pretty RAM-hungry. Honestly, 16GB on a normal laptop feels closer to 24GB here. That’s been my experience going back to devices like the Galaxy Book4 Edge 14, and it really hit me again after using the Surface Pro 12 last year.
With prices going up, this whole moment feels like a transition phase. Waiting for the next gen might be the smarter move.
The business models especially got a big price bump, and I wouldn’t be surprised if 2026 models just start at these higher prices. Not great.
One upside: Laptop 7 lets you swap the SSD. I think only the 1TB model had NAND 4.0 though. Just keep in mind you may have to revert changes for warranty (EHS).
Packaging is all paper (nice), except the cloth wrap. Charger is a 45W non-grounded brick, costs $77—honestly not worth buying separately.
Build-wise, it’s solid. Feels thick because it is thick, but the aluminum makes it feel premium. Kind of reminds me of a MacBook/Galaxy Book6 style. No lip to open it easily though.
Keyboard feels like the Pro 12 Type Cover. Korean layout is the same (for better or worse).
Trackpad is excellent—probably top-tier for a diving board design, though MacBooks still edge it out.
The aspect ratio is great for productivity. That’s a big win on Windows.
But 60Hz is rough. 90Hz on the Pro 12 felt fine, but dropping to 60Hz here is noticeable.
If you can, I’d say go 13.8 instead. Way more expensive, but you get Intel, optional 5G, IR camera, higher refresh rate. Otherwise, the Pro 12 honestly makes more sense for the price.
Portability-wise, this feels like the upper limit. The Pro 12 is more flexible overall.