Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 takes on Apple MacBook Air 15 and Intel machines in first test with Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100 chipset

[Redaktion]

Microsoft has taken aim at Apple and the MacBook Air with the release of the Surface Laptop 7. While independent reviews have not arrived yet, one commissioned by Microsoft offers various insights into how the Surface Laptop 7 15 and Snapdragon X Elite compare its Apple M3 and Intel counterparts.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Microsoft-Surface-Laptop-7-takes-on-Apple-MacBook-Air-15-and-Intel-machines-in-first-test-with-Snapdragon-X-Elite-X1E-80-100-chipset.840909.0.html

[Elias_40]

After having seen this small review it is clear to me that I am going to buy a MINISFORUM V3 with AMD Ryzen Zen 4 Hawk Point Series 8000 seeing the good reviews in YouTube videos and that many people in the US have already bought it and whose offer surpasses everything what was exposed by Surface. MINISFORUM V3 will really be a tough rival.
Hopefully this website can make a comparison between the different products independently.
Thank you.

[Neenyah]

After all that hype yet another unbelievably disappointing WoA chip even here in Microsoft-sponsored benchmarks (it's going to get massacred in true independent ones). Not particularly unexpected.

[Foo]

Passive cooling and lighter build is such a big advantage that the MacBook is still the clear winner.

[Neenyah]

Passive cooling and lighter build is such a big advantage that the MacBook is still the clear winner.

And that is just M3. When M4 drops into Airs these Snapdragons will be even more pointless than they are currently (if that's possible to be). M2 Air is much cheaper than these laptops here, M3 Air is about the same price. There is simply no value here with WoA.

[nontent]

imply that it may struggle against even AMD Ryzen Hawk Point-powered devices

I don't understand this statement. If it's beating an macbook air 15 m3 and meteor lake laptop in a battery life test, why would you think hawk point would fair any better? They tend to be among the worst.

Have you considered they didn't bother comparing to amd options because for many they don't even exist?

And that is just M3. When M4 drops into Airs these Snapdragons will be even more pointless than they are currently (if that's possible to be). M2 Air is much cheaper than these laptops here, M3 Air is about the same price. There is simply no value here with WoA.

I think if they can discount (snapdragon X plus version) to $850 by the time lunar lake, strix and m4 macbooks ship - they'll have a chance. Macbook airs are great but for many paying almost double ($1700) just for bare minimum 16 gb memory only to use it just for basic task usage isn't worth it.

Hope the additional pressure from intel/amd make Qcomm more aggressive with pricing and price cuts.

[Mr Majestyk]

Passive cooling and lighter build is such a big advantage that the MacBook is still the clear winner.

What a stupid statement. The Macbook Air with M3 throttles very badly and loses a huge chunk of performance. The fanless design is a stupid mistake and why I would not even bother updating my M1 Macbook Air. If I stayed Apple I'd get a second hand M2 based Macbook Pro over new Macbook Air M3 any day of the week.

[Kachen Ar]

Every test should be done in default/balance power profile as it is more practical.

Reading from the result, Snapdragon X is just a fraction improving over core ultra except for NPU.

[FunnyZa]

Passive cooling and lighter build is such a big advantage that the MacBook is still the clear winner.

What a stupid statement. The Macbook Air with M3 throttles very badly and loses a huge chunk of performance. The fanless design is a stupid mistake and why I would not even bother updating my M1 Macbook Air. If I stayed Apple I'd get a second hand M2 based Macbook Pro over new Macbook Air M3 any day of the week.

Funny I didn't feel much throttling from my M1... heck it was atleast 90% cooler on my lap & tables than my intel mac

[Toortle]

Funny I didn't feel much throttling from my M1... heck it was atleast 90% cooler on my lap & tables than my intel mac

90% cooler? Intel MacBooks used to run around 50°C chassis temperature so your M1 Air is at 5°C?

[X] Doubt

[George]

I'm sorry but these articles are just plain SILLY at best and dumb at worse!

While there might be a FEW "on the fence" for the most part there are WIN users and there are MAC users. PERIOD.

No 'whizzbang' MAC is going to get a WIN user to switch. Ditto for a 'whizzbang' WIN device - it ain't going to happen!

Keep in mind that MOST/many of the 'light computer use' folk have migrated their use to their SMART PHONE or Tablets so the market for super long runtime on battery is shrinking.

IMHO: the 'real' competition here is - Chromebooks!

MS & et-all need to price their X Elite offerings with a compelling price (IE: Read VERY inexpensive!!) to gather market share from much much more useful devices.

After all, much like the Chromebooks - there really is not MUCH you can do with WIN-on-ARM at this point. The pricing of the devices ought to reflect that.

Unless of course they are expecting "the lemmings" to simply flock to the new 'whizzbang' devices because they are 'new' and offer 'CoPilot+'.

Comical.