Specs Appeal: Here is how Surface Laptop 5 compares to Laptop 4 and Laptop 3

Surface Laptop 5 135 and 15 inch models with their backs against each other

The Surface Laptop 5, Microsoft's latest and greatest laptop in the traditional form factor, features fewer changes compared to its predecessors than the Surface Pro 9. This Specs Appeal article will help owners of the previous-gen Surface Laptops decide whether the new Surface Laptop 5 is worth upgrading, and those planning to buy a Surface Laptop can determine if they should opt for the older models to save some money.

"A slightly better device" is how you can describe the Surface Laptop 5. The computer has newer processors, better memory, Bluetooth 5.1, Thunderbolt 4, and a new color variant. Unlike the preceding generations, the Surface Laptop 5 no longer offers AMD processors. If you want a modern Windows 11 laptop with fresh AMD silicon, you better watch elsewhere or consider grabbing the Surface Laptop 4 with a discount.

Surface Laptop 4 press images showing various colors — Surface Laptop 4 (and the Surface Laptop 3)

Here are key changes summed up in a list:

New color variant: green (Sage)
Dolby Vision IQ support
12th Gen Intel processors with the new architecture consisting of efficiency and performance cores
Newer LPDDR5X memory
Improved security with Windows 11 Secure-core PC standard
Bluetooth 5.1
Improved battery life
Thunderbolt 4 and USB 4 support

	Surface Laptop 5	Surface Laptop 4	Surface Laptop 3
Chassis	13.5-inch: 12.1" x 8.8" x 0.57", 2.86 lbs 308 x 223 x 14.5 mm, 1.27 kg 15-inch: 13.4" x 9.6" x 0.58", 3.44 lbs 340 x 244 x 14.7 mm, 1.56 kg
Colors	Platinum, Sage, Matte Black, Sandstone	Platinum, Ice Blue, Matte Black, Sandstone	Platinum, Cobalt Blue, Matte Black, Sandstone
Display	13.5-inch: 2256 x 1504 (201 ppi) Dolby Vision IQ 10-point multi-touch 15-inch: 2496 x 1664 (201 ppi) Dolby Vision IQ 10-point multi-touch	13.5-inch: 2256 x 1504 (201 ppi) 10-point multi-touch 15-inch: 2496 x 1664 (201 ppi) 10-point multi-touch
Processor	Intel Core i5-1235U Intel Core i7-1255U	Intel Core i5-1135G7 Intel Core i7-1185G7 AMD Ryzen 5 4680U AMD Ryzen 7 4980U	Intel Core i5-1035G7 Intel Core i7-1065G7 AMD Ryzen 5 3580U AMD Ryzen 7 3780U
Memory	8GB, 16GB, 32GB LPDDR5x	8GB, 16GB, 32GB LPDDR4x	8GB, 16GB, 32GB DDR4
Storage	User-replaceable SSD 256GB, 512GB, 1 TB		Non-user-replaceable SSD 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
Security	TPM 2.0 Chip Windows Hello face sign-in Windows 11 Secured-core PC	TPM 2.0 Windows Hello face sign-in	Firmware TPM Windows Hello face sign-in
Network	Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax Bluetooth 5.1	Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax Bluetooth 5.0
Battery	13.5-inch: Up to 18 hours of typical use 15-inch: Up to 17 hours of typical use	47.4 Wh nominal capacity	Up to 11.5 hours of typical use
Camera	720p HD front-facing camera with Windows Hello face sign-in
Ports	1x Thunderbolt 4/USB-C 4.0 1x USB-A 3.1 3.5 mm headphone jack 1x Surface Connect	1x USB-C 1x USB-A 3.5 mm headphone jack 1x Surface Connect
Price	TBA TBA	$1,000 $1,300	$1,000 $1,200

It appears that the only reason to pick the Surface Laptop 5 over its predecessors is better battery life (which is still something reviews have to prove) and newer processors. But it is hard to tell if those upgrades justify the price difference. You can buy the Surface Laptop 4 with significant discounts, and renewed Surface Laptop 3 configurations are available for as little as $500. It is probably safe to say that if your Surface Laptop provides sufficient battery life and enough horsepower, skip the Surface Laptop 5 and wait for more meaningful upgrades next year.