Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 3 (Intel) vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (2nd Edition)
VS
36.7Performancechip50
35.1Display29.8
62.7Battery33.3
62.5Portability82.7
5 spec wins — Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 3 (Intel)4 spec wins — Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (2nd Edition)
InnoReviews verdict
This one is close to a dead heat: Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 3 (Intel) scores 46.7 against 47.2 for Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (2nd Edition). Pick by the categories that matter to you — Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (2nd Edition) edges ahead in portability and performance, or by price.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 3 (Intel)
- Stronger display score: 35 vs 30
- Stronger battery score: 63 vs 33
- 100% higher Refresh rate: 120 Hz vs 60 Hz
- 100% higher storage: 1,024 GB vs 512 GB
- 44% higher charging: 65 W vs 45 W
- Lower launch price: $923 vs $1,200
Reasons to pick the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (2nd Edition)
- Stronger performance score: 50 vs 37
- Stronger portability score: 83 vs 63
- 50% higher RAM: 24 GB vs 16 GB
- 26% lower weight: 1.23 kg vs 1.65 kg
- 26% lower thickness: 15.6 mm vs 21.2 mm
Display
| Spec | Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 3 (Intel) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (2nd Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 16 ″+23% | 13 ″ |
| Panel type | IPS (anti-glare, non-touch, VRR) | PixelSense LCD (touchscreen) |
| Resolution | 2560x1600 | 1920x1280 |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz+100% | 60 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 400 nits | 500 nits+25% |
Performance
| Spec | Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 3 (Intel) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (2nd Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core Ultra 5 225U | Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Plus X2P-42-100 |
| Graphics | Intel Graphics (integrated) | Qualcomm Adreno X2-45 |
| RAM | 16 GB | 24 GB+50% |
| RAM type | DDR5-5600 (SO-DIMM, 2 slots) | LPDDR5x |
| Storage | 1,024 GB+100% | 512 GB |
| Storage type | PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD (M.2 2242, second M.2 2280 slot) | UFS (removable) |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 3 (Intel) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (2nd Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 2,390Bottom 15% | — |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 9,276Bottom 8% | — |
Battery
| Spec | Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 3 (Intel) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (2nd Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 64 Wh+28% | 50 Wh |
| Web browsing endurance | 12.8 h | — |
| Charging | 65 W+44% | 45 W |
Design
| Spec | Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 3 (Intel) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (2nd Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 1.65 kg | 1.23 kg+26% |
| Thickness | 21.2 mm | 15.6 mm+26% |
| Material | Aluminum top and bottom (PC-ABS bottom on some configurations) | Anodized aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 3 (Intel) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (2nd Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 1x Thunderbolt 4 (USB4 40Gbps, USB PD, DisplayPort 2.1), 1x USB-C 20Gbps (PD, DP 1.4, optional), 1x USB-A 10Gbps (always-on), 1x USB-A 5Gbps, HDMI 2.1 (up to 4K/60Hz), RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet, 3.5mm combo jack | 2x USB-C/USB 3.2, USB-A 3.2, 3.5mm headphone jack |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E (Wi-Fi 7 on some configurations) | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Webcam | 1080p with IR and privacy shutter (5MP or 720p on some configurations) | 1080p Full HD |
| Biometrics | Fingerprint reader in power button and IR face unlock (both optional) | Fingerprint (Windows Hello) |
Software
| Spec | Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 3 (Intel) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (2nd Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 11 (Home or Pro) | Windows 11 Home (Arm) |
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