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Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15-inch Review: Far From The Cutting Edge


Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15-inch review: Far from the cutting edge


Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15-inch review: Far from the cutting edge

Deja vu. Just like last year's Microsoft Surface Laptop 3, the 2021 Surface Laptop 4 indistinguishes itself by its utter averageness. It's still not particularly light, or fast or feature-packed. It's not inexpensive or full of cutting-edge tech and it doesn't have an especially long battery life. It's faster and has better battery life than the older model, but so does every other laptop updated for 2021. But it's also still reasonably portable, sufficiently fast, pleasantly sleek looking, durable, somewhat upgradeable, and backward-compatible with previous power supplies and Surface Connect accessories sold by Microsoft. 

Very little has changed for this generation. It's been bumped to the 4000-series of the AMD Ryzen 7 mobile processor and 11th-gen Intel Core i7-11875G7, plus storage and memory increases and newer Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Given the rote upgrades, it's a bit annoying that Microsoft chose to use the last generation (Zen 2) of the AMD CPUs rather than the current and faster 5000 series (Zen 3), though that's probably due to the timing of the laptop's release. It's also par for the course: the Surface Laptop 3's AMD CPU was also an older-than-current generation.

Like

  • Retains the thin, sleek look
  • Solid performance and battery life

Don't Like

  • Screen still has wide-ish bezels
  • Too few ports
  • Can't upgrade memory

The Ryzen 7 4980U processor in the 15-inch system is dubbed the Ryzen 7 Microsoft Surface Edition. That made sense last year when the processor differed from the rest of its siblings by the addition of an extra graphics core (compute unit) its Vega 9 integrated graphics. But this year's CPU is effectively identical to the Ryzen 7 4800U, albeit with clock speeds a mere 200MHz faster, and in fact its Vega 8 integrated GPU has one CU less than the chip in the Surface Laptop 3

Note that this year's AMD model will always outperform last year's simply because the older model used a lower-end Ryzen 5, not a Ryzen 7, and the AMD model will likely outperform the Intel model, at least on multicore-intensive tasks, simply because it has 8 cores compared to the Intel's 4. 

The 3:2 aspect ratio, 201 pixel-per-inch display is the same as before; nothing to get excited about unless you're upgrading from an old laptop with a dim screen. It's fine for work, but somewhat washed out for Netflix. There are two color profiles which come with it, a standard sRGB and an "Enhanced" mode, but the latter seems to be the native screen profile and looks like it just increases the contrast. It retains the same old sufficient 720p webcam and the paucity of ports -- one each USB-A and USB-C plus an analog headphone jack. 

Read moreMeet Microsoft's new Modern family of work-from-home audio accessories

The under-the-hood-only updates mean much of what we liked and disliked about the Surface Laptop 3 remain the same, from the slim and sleek design to the insufficient number of ports and soldered memory. This year I'll toss in the somewhat stodgy looking  screen bezels because it uses the same screen in the same chassis as before; even Apple finally overcame bezel inertia for the MacBook Pro a few years ago. 

microsoft-surface-laptop-4-2021-023

Still slim and still Microsoft Surface Connector powered.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Down to business

Microsoft offers only AMD processors in its consumer-focused models, but both AMD and Intel for its Surface Laptop 4 for Business line. The two sales channels differ by the variety of configurations and version of Windows they offer -- Windows 10 Home versus Windows 10 Pro. The biz prices are about $100 higher.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 (15 inch)

Price as reviewed $1,700, £1,649, AU$2,699
Display 15-inch 2,496 x 1,664 (201 ppi, 3:2 aspect ratio) pen and touch display
PC CPU 2.0GHz AMD Ryzen 7 4980U
PC Memory 16GB 4,267MHz LPDDR4
Graphics AMD Vega 8
Storage 512GB SSD
Ports 1 x USB-C, 2 x USB-A (1 in power brick), headphone jack, 1 x proprietary (Surface Connect port)
Networking Intel(R) Wi-Fi 6 AX200, Bluetooth 5.1
Operating system Microsoft Windows Home (2H20)
Weight 3.4 lbs/1.5 kg

The pricing for the 15-inch model starts at $1,300 (£1,469, AU$2,499) for AMD and $1,800 (£1,799, AU$2,849) for Intel, but the AMD base models have only 8GB of RAM. You really can't run Windows 10 very well in 8GB except for maybe lightweight cloud-based applications and possibly enterprise remote PC software like Citrix Desktop. The flip side is that 32GB is overkill for most software you'd be running on this laptop. So if you're going to opt for the 15-inch Surface Laptop 4, I recommend the 16GB memory, 512GB SSD models.

That's still a lot to pay for what you get compared with competitors: Laptops like the Lenovo Yoga 9i, a 2-in-1 which is smaller at 14 inches but superior in almost every other way for hundreds less. On sale, it might be a different story. That model even has discrete graphics for gaming; there's not a ton of graphical muscle here with the integrated Intel Iris Xe or AMD Radeon Vega 8 graphics. The heavyweight multiplatform shooter Outriders was choppy even at the lowest graphics preset, but lightweight Hades, the recent award-winning indie game, ran perfectly. 

Overall, the Surface Laptop 4's AMD CPU performed very well for its size class. At 11-12 hours, battery life was much improved over the previous generation, to the tune of about 2.5 hours, and quite competitive for its size. 

Toss in some wonky USB-C and touchscreen behavior I experienced -- they both stopped working until a random reboot fairy sprinkled some magic dust on them -- and it's hard to place the Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 in the top tier of models we've tested over the past couple of years. But you'll probably be perfectly happy with it, especially if your IT department buys it for you.

Geekbench 5 (multicore)

Surface Book 3 (15-inch)

Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch Intel)

Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482

Surface Laptop 4 (15-inch AMD, 2021)

Note:

Longer bars indicate better performance.

Cinebench R20 (multicore)

Surface Book 3 (15-inch)

Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch Intel)

Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482

Surface Laptop 4 (15-inch AMD, 2021)

Note:

Longer bars indicate better performance.

3D Mark Fire Strike Ultra

Surface Book 3 (15-inch)

Surface Laptop 4 (15-inch AMD, 2021)

Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch Intel)

Note:

Longer bars indicate better performance.

Video streaming battery test

Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch Intel)

Surface Laptop 4 (15-inch AMD, 2021)

Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482

Surface Book 3 (15-inch)

Note:

Longer bars indicate better performance.

PCMark 10 Pro Edition (complete)

Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch Intel)

Surface Book 3 (15-inch)

Surface Laptop 4 (15-inch AMD, 2021)

Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482

Note:

Longer bars indicate better performance

System configurations

Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482 Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit); 2.8GHz Intel Core i7-1165G7; 8GB DDR4 SDRAM 4,267MHz; 128MB Intel Iris Xe graphics; 512GB SSD
Microsoft Surface Book 3 (15-inch) Microsoft Windows 10 Home (1909); 1.3GHz Intel Core i7-1065G7; 32GB DDR4 SDRAM 4,267MHz; Intel Iris Plus Graphics and 6GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with Max-Q design; 512GB SSD
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 (15-inch, Intel) Microsoft Windows 10 Home (1903); 1.3GHz Intel Core i7-1065G7; 16GB DDR4 SDRAM 2,667MHz; 128MB (dedicated) Intel Iris Plus Graphics; 256GB SSD
Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 (15-inch, AMD, 2021) Microsoft Windows 10 Home (2H20); 2.0GHz AMD Ryzen 7 4980U; 16GB LPDDR4 SDRAM 4,267MHz; tkGB (dedicated) AMD Radeon Vega 8 Graphics; 512GB SSD

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Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 Deal Saves You 20%, Grab One For $1,360 Today


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Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 Deal Saves You 20%, Grab One for $1,360 Today


Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 Deal Saves You 20%, Grab One for $1,360 Today

Shopping for a new laptop? If you want to stay productive on the go and bring your entertainment with you wherever you travel, consider investing in Microsoft's Surface Laptop 4. It's packed with a lot of storage and power in a small enough package that's easy to take anywhere.

You can save $340 on a Surface Laptop 4 right now at Amazon for a limited time, bringing the price to just $1,360.

The Surface Laptop 4 is a great option for a lot of people. It's lightweight and features a versatile 13.5-inch touchscreen. Plus it comes equipped with Windows 11, the latest Windows OS. And this PC is up to 70% faster than previous models, so you can stream movies, music and more hassle-free.

This edition of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 has 16GB of memory, allowing for graphics-heavy gameplay and multitasking as well as a 512GB solid state drive for storage of all your files, games and applications. You won't have to worry too much about staying power, either. It has a long-lasting battery and it comes equipped with fast charging, getting up to 80% in about an hour.   

And staying connected is easier than ever with 720p HD video, dual far-field studio mics and Omnisonic speakers backed by Dolby Atmos audio for clear video calls and content creation.

Keep in mind that in order to access popular Microsoft Office programs like Word, Excel and PowerPoint you will need to subscribe to Microsoft 365 or buy an individual license, which are sold separately. 

If this laptop is a little overpowered for your specific needs, be sure to check out some other great laptop deals happening now.


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Microsoft Surface Event: Surface Pro 8, Laptop Studio, Duo 2 And More


Microsoft surface event microsoft surface event september 2021 microsoft surface event live microsoft surface event 2021 date microsoft surface event stream microsoft surface event september 22 microsoft surface event rumors microsoft surface microsoft surface book 4 microsoft surface go 4 microsoft surface pro 8 microsoft surface book microsoft surface laptop 4

Microsoft Surface event: Surface Pro 8, Laptop Studio, Duo 2 and more


Microsoft Surface event: Surface Pro 8, Laptop Studio, Duo 2 and more

It's been nearly a decade since Microsoft surprised the tech industry with its first Surface hybrid tablet featuring a detachable keyboard. Until that moment in 2012, Microsoft had primarily been a software company -- if you don't count its wildly successful entrance into game consoles with the Xbox in 2001 and its failed foray into Windows-based phones in 2010 with Microsoft Lumia

Today, Microsoft is a hardware veteran, making well-regarded Surface tablets, laptops and desktops. 

On Oct. 5, the company will begin rolling out Windows 11, its biggest Windows software update in six years. New hardware, announced today, will also arrive Oct. 5. Today, Microsoft unveiled the upcoming changes to its Surface lineup, from the new Surface Laptop Studio to the revamped Surface Duo 2, with a lesser update for the Surface Pro 8 and minor refreshes to the Surface Go 3 (new processors) and Surface Pro X (Wi-Fi). Also unveiled were a new Surface Slim Pen 2 that introduces haptics for the first time in a stylus and the company's first mouse made from ocean-bound plastics, reinforcing its environmental pledges for 2030.

Microsoft

Surface Laptop Studio

With a three-position display, a slimmer, sleeker profile and 14-inch size, the Surface Laptop Studio replaces the Surface Book 3 with a complete overhaul. There are things that we don't like, such as the nonremovable memory and service center-only storage upgrades, but it sounds like a very intriguing option.

Read our Surface Laptop Studio preview.

Microsoft

Surface Pro 8 and Surface Pro X

Microsoft's hero Surface device grows to 13 inches and gets the essential component updates for better performance. A new Type Cover (still optional) has a resting place for the new, wirelessly charged Slim Pen 2.

The Surface Pro X now has a Wi-Fi only version, too.

Read our Surface Pro 8 preview.

Microsoft

Surface Duo 2

Microsoft takes a small step toward making the Duo 2 dual-screen phone/tablet hybrid more phone-like by adding a trio of rear cameras. We still think it has more walking to do before it's an appealing product, though.

Read our Surface Duo 2 preview.

Microsoft

Surface Go 3

The smallest and least expensive Surface has been modestly updated with faster chips. However, its $399 starting price remains unchanged.

Read our Surface Go 3 preview.

Microsoft

Surface Slim Pen 2

Microsoft has updated it Slim Pen in a few notable ways: haptics for a more paper-like feel, a sharper nib, Zero-Force Inking for better responsiveness and wireless charging.

Read Surface Slim Pen 2 preview.

Microsoft

Surface Adaptive Kit

Microsoft's making it easier for folks who have trouble navigating standard laptop keyboards and connections with its new Surface Adaptive Kit, a set of bumpy decals and more you can use for tactile identification and operation.

Read our Surface Adaptive Kit preview.

Microsoft/Screenshot by CNET

Microsoft Ocean Plastic Mouse

Microsoft launched its first product made with ocean-bound plastics -- a big trend these days -- the Ocean Plastic Mouse, along with promising improvements to its sustainability practices.

Read our Microsoft Ocean Mouse preview.

Our liveblog remains below.


It's been nearly a decade since Microsoft surprised the tech industry with its first Surface hybrid tablet. Until that moment in 2012, Microsoft had primarily been a software company. Fast-forward to 2021, and Microsoft is a hardware veteran, making well-regarded Surface Pro tablets, its Surface Laptops, and Surface Studio desktops too. The company today announced the Surface Pro 8, faster, bigger and cooler and the Surface Go 3. The Surface Adaptive Kit looks really cool for helping folks who have issues with using keyboards and ports and the Surface Duo 2 improves upon its imperfect predecessor. And the Surface Laptop Studio does an articulating display the Microsoft way.

And that's it

8:51 a.m. PT

After a brisk 49 minutes, Microsoft concludes its event.


PCs are 'essential'

8:49 a.m. PT

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella joined the presentation to talk about how the last 18 months has put so much more attention on PCs. 

"Technology for technology's sake serves no one," Nadella said. "We must advance both the frontiers of technology and its impact on the world."

"Ultimately though, we build windows for you," he added. "So you have the tools to dream big and turn those dreams into reality. We are so excited to see what each of you will create with these new devices and how together we will shape the next wave of computing for everyone."


screen-shot-2021-09-22-at-11-35-38-am-2.png
Microsoft

'Most powerful' Surface

8:41 a.m. PT

Microsoft replaced its Surface Book laptop with a new design that shifts from it being a laptop to being a "studio"-like device, the Surface Laptop Studio.

So the screen has a kickstand that allows the screen to be put at an angle, like the typical Surface devices. Microsoft says this is "stage mode." And you can fold it down to "studio" mode where the screen is flat like a piece of paper. 

Microsoft also includes an Nvidia RTS 3050 GTI GPU, Thunderbolt 4 and an 11th gen Intel chip. It also has an "AI"-enabled camera, which has a face tracker (a popular feature on Apple's iPads, Facebook's Portals and others).


Dual-Screen Life

8:33 a.m. PT

One of the key features of the original Surface Duo was its ability to "span" apps across both its displays, putting an image on one side for example, and editing options on the other. You can also drag and drop items from one screen to the other, taking that photo you were editing for example and dropping it into a Microsoft Teams chat.

"Surface Duo 2 is for the creator in each of us," Microsoft said.


screen-shot-2021-09-22-at-11-26-01-am-2.png
Microsoft

That light bar

8:30 a.m. PT

Since it has no outer screen, Microsoft has added a light bar on the hinge to help you tell how many notifications are waiting when the screens are closed. Microsoft said it'll also help you tell battery life, and of course if someone's trying to connect with you through Microsoft Teams.


Surface Duo 2

8:27 a.m. PT

Microsoft's not-a-phone is official, and promises better cameras, faster chips and 5G wireless.

It also has a light bar on its spine to help get your attention. Microsoft calls it "notifications at a glance."


Inclusive design

8:25 a.m. PT

Microsoft got a lot of accolades for its Xbox Adaptive Controller, which was designed to help disabled gamers play Xbox titles. Now, it's taking that approach to its Surface products with the "Surface Adaptive Kit." The kit adds features to make it easier to use their devices, with glue-on raised keyboard labels. There's also port labels, to make it easier to identify which ports you can plug items into. And there's a stick-on lanyard tab, Microsoft said, which allows someone to more easily pull out the kickstand for their Surface device.

"When you're designing products for someone like me today we're actually building for for our future selves," said one Microsoft employee, born with cerebral palsy.


screen-shot-2021-09-22-at-11-20-56-am-2.png
Microsoft

Ocean Plastic Mouse

8:18 a.m. PT

Microsoft announced a new Ocean Plastic Mouse, which is made of 20% recycled ocean plastic, and the box is 100% recyclable. (Other device makers have also started including ocean plastics in their products, for what it's worth.)


Surface Go 3 is 'fastest' yet

8:15 a.m. PT

Microsoft says its new Surface Go 3 is 60% faster than before, powered by a 10th Gen Intel processor.


screen-shot-2021-09-22-at-11-10-55-am-2.png

Surface Slim Pen 2 in its new charging spot.

Microsoft

Microsoft built a special chip for pen haptics

8:13 a.m. PT

Part of what Microsoft says sets the Slim Pen 2 apart is its custom "G6" processor, which can talk to Windows 11 in interesting ways. Among them, Microsoft said the pen creates "tiny mechanical vibrations that mimic the feel of pen on paper." 

Microsoft said the pen tip is also sharper, and it has "ultra low latency."


Surface Pro 8

8:10 a.m. PT

Microsoft begins by talking about Surface Pro 8, which has a new "Slim Pen 2," Thunderbolt 4 and other features that Microsoft says has 43% more compute power and 75% faster graphics. Microsoft will also offer 32GB of RAM, Dolby Atmos and a high-res 13" display. And it has 16 hours of battery life.


Eight devices: Be prepared

8:09 a.m. PT

Panay says there's a new Surface Go, Surface Duo 2 and a "transformed Surface Pro lineup," which he said "brings you incredible power in modern design and details throughout this product."

Panay says the company's also got an "ocean plastics" mouse, and an adaptive kit for accessibility.


And so it begins

8:04 a.m. PT

Microsoft's event begins with Product Chief Panos Panay, who starts by talking about Windows 11. "Windows is a driving force for innovation. It's an enduring platform for each one of us to create," he said. "And it's home for billions to do their jobs, live their dreams, connect with the people they love. Windows 11 gives you a place that feels like home. It's an area of calm, security, openness, and it's designed to be centered around you."

A bunch of different companies have Windows 11 devices they're building, but today is about Surface, he said. "Surface has always been a stage for software and hardware to come together," he adds. "For the last 10 years it's been a force for revolution in this industry, creating products that push the boundaries of what's possible." 


Windows 11 around the corner

7:30 a.m. PT

All these Surface announcements aren't happening in a vacuum. This event is happening less than two weeks before Microsoft begins rolling out Windows 11, its biggest Windows software update in six years. Though Microsoft is focusing on its devices for this launch, many of its partners like Dell, HP and Lenovo have PCs prepped for the big release. 

Microsoft's also started an ad campaign around the launch. We don't know how much Microsoft is spending to get the word out, but in the past it's laid out hundreds of millions of dollars as part of its ad blitzes.


Surface not-a-phone

7 a.m. PT

Probably the biggest rumors for Microsoft's event suggest the company has an upgrade for the Surface Duo phone-not-a-phone in the works. A leaked image earlier this year pointed to a trio of much better cameras, which was a key complaint of the original device. Whether it'll have 5G is still an open question -- last year, Microsoft made it clear that omitting the wireless technology last year was about tradeoffs of battery life, thickness and other issues.

READ MORE: Here are all the rumors swirling ahead of Microsoft's big Surface event


Modern times

6:30 a.m. PT

In nearly a decade since, Microsoft has done a lot more work to make its Surface appealing. In 2013, it announced the Surface Pro, a more performant version of the Surface that's since become what CNET's reviewer Dan Ackerman now says is "the best overall Windows two-in-one tablet."

Microsoft also revamped the Windows software to be more tablet friendly when it released Windows 10 in 2015, and will go even a step further by giving Windows 11 and Apple-like feel when it launches on Oct. 5.

Microsoft's also expanded out its lineup of Surface devices. There's now the Surface Go, a smaller more small-bag-friendly Surface. Ackerman called last year's Surface Go 2 an improvement on the "good-but-not-great" design. He did say that the smaller tablet may become popular though when the pandemic wanes, and people start considering taking their computers to the park, coffee shop or plane.

There's also the Surface Book, a more powerful two-in-one that leans more into being a laptop than a tablet.

Don't forget the Surface Pro X, a two-in-one that's more of a tablet than a laptop, down to the specialized chips inside that are more akin to the innards of a smartphone than a power-sucking laptop.

And I didn't even get into the Surface Duo dual-screen phone-that's-not-a-phone, the unreleased Surface Neo dual-screen tablet and the $3,500 Surface Studio massive-screen computer.


Bumpy ride

6 a.m. PT

The thing I remember from when Microsoft announced its first Surface tablet devices in 2012 was how upset PC makers were with Microsoft. I was covering the PC industry at the time, and Microsoft gave them little warning about this new device.

Microsoft had been playing with tablet ideas for years, even creating a prototype called the Courier, that lit up the internet when it leaked back in 2009. Microsoft eventually killed the project, in favor of its Windows 8 software and the Surface tablet project.

By the way, if you want to go down memory lane, here's the video demo that leaked:

When the Surface launched in fall of 2012, CNET's Eric Franklin said it was "innovative" in his review at the time, and that its keyboard cover accessories were "the best way to type on a tablet, period." But he also said Windows software wasn't a good match, and that it left users in an "app desert."


Long way

5:30 a.m. PT

It's been interesting to follow Microsoft's hardware ambitions over the years. The company started its Surface line of products back in 2012, ahead of the release of Windows 8.

At the time, the Surface an unusual take on the still burgeoning tablet form factor. Microsoft's surprise announcement wasn't so much the idea of a Windows tablet -- plenty of companies had been trying to sell those -- but rather the keyboard cover. Though some iPad cases had keyboards integrated into them, the Surface largely changed how we thought of tablet accessories. It had so much impact in fact that Apple followed Microsoft's lead, and created its own take on the keyboard cover with the first iPad Pro in 2016.


Welcome

5 a.m. PT

Well, here we are, ahead of Microsoft's big hardware event for the year. Rumors seem to have settled on the company announcing an updated phone-not-phone Surface Duo 2, in addition to the pretty much expected updates to the Surface Pro, Surface Go and other Surface products.

READ MORE: Microsoft Surface event 2021: All the rumors, predictions and announcements to expect on Sept. 22


Microsoft also teased at least one other change in its announcement for the event, tweeting a profile image of what appears to be a thinner Surface tablet device than it's offered so far. We'll be keeping our eyes peeled.

When is the Microsoft Surface Event?

Microsoft's event will be held entirely online, starting Sept. 22 at 8 a.m. PT, 11 a.m. ET, 4 p.m. BST and Sept. 23 at 1 a.m. in Sydney, Australia.

Where can I stream Microsoft's announcements?

The event will be livestreamed on Microsoft's website. CNET will cover the event live, as we always have, with real-time updates, insights and analysis you can only find here.

What can expect from the Surface event?

Microsoft's gotten progressively better at holding online events. Despite the glitchy struggles it faced during its Windows 11 reveal, the tech giant's taken a similar tack as companies like Apple, Samsung and Sony, which have put significant resources into creating slickly edited presentations. With the company putting so much effort into its surface line, as well as the recent promotion of product chief Panos Panay to Microsoft's senior leadership team, it's a good sign the presentation will be a worthwhile watch.


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Asus ZenBook S UX391UA Review: A More Comfortable Premium Ultraportable


Asus ZenBook S UX391UA review: A more comfortable premium ultraportable


Asus ZenBook S UX391UA review: A more comfortable premium ultraportable

The Asus ZenBook S UX391U looks every bit the part of a premium ultraportable. Clad in deep blue or burgundy metal with rose gold edges, the 13.3-inch laptop is only 13mm thick (0.51 inch) and 2.4 pounds (1.1 kg). It's the right size if you spend more time working in tight spaces such as coffee shops and airport lounges than at a desk. 

Open it up and you'll notice the key design feature that separates it from most of the others in this category: The lid's hinge lifts the back of the keyboard up for a more comfortable typing angle. It also helps keep your legs and the laptop's eighth-gen Intel Core i7 processor from getting too hot. This isn't the first time this design's been done -- HP's latest 13-inch Envy laptop has a similar feature -- but it's still a cool touch. 

The current configuration in the US is priced at $1,499 and includes a 4K UHD-resolution touchscreen, 16GB of memory and a 512GB SSD. In the UK, you'll currently find it with a Core i5 or i7, but with half the memory and storage, for £1,199 or £1,299, and in Australia it'll set you back AU$2,699 with a Core i7, 16GB of memory and a 256GB SSD. 

Sarah Tew/CNET

Asus ZenBook S UX391UA

Price as reviewed $1,499
Display size/resolution 13.3-inch, 3,840x2,160-pixel touchscreen
CPU 1.8GHz Intel Core i7-8550U
Memory 16GB DDR3 SDRAM 2,133MHz
Graphics 128MB (shared) Intel UHD Graphics 620
Storage 512GB PCIe SSD
Networking 802.11ac wireless, Bluetooth 4.2
Operating system Windows 10 Professional (64-bit)

Those prices are competitive for the category, but models such as Dell's XPS 13, HP's Spectre and Acer's 14-inch Swift 7 offer designs that potentially make them better choices depending on your needs. Even Asus' own ZenBook 13 might be a better choice because of its discrete graphics. 

Rising above the competition

The biggest hurdle for the ZenBook S is that it has plenty of competition including from its stablemates at Asus, and with its ErgoLift hinge as the main design feature, it's not an easy recommendation. The Dell XPS 13, for example, is the world's smallest 13.3-inch laptop, comes in multiple configurations starting at less than $1,000 and is just a generally excellent laptop. The same goes for the HP Spectre, which along with being thin and light, has a unique privacy screen feature to give you more peace of mind while working in public. Then there's the regular 13-inch Asus ZenBook that looks similar -- minus the ErgoLift hinge -- but is less expensive and has better graphics performance.  

The hinge is definitely nice to have because, combined with the excellent backlit keyboard, it does make typing more comfortable. Also, since the bottom hit 120 degrees Fahrenheit (49 Celcius) under load in my testing, it keeps the heat up off your lap and allows for better air circulation. 

Sarah Tew/CNET

There are other things to like about the ZenBook S's design, too. There's a glass Windows Precision touchpad that's smooth and responsive, and has a built-in fingerprint sensor for Windows Hello sign-ins. Far-field mics let you use Cortana and eventually Amazon Alexa from up to 4 meters (13 feet) away. And it meets MIL-STD 810G military standard for reliability and durability. This doesn't mean you should go tossing it around, but it is built with durability in mind. The body does collect fingerprints like crazy, though, and it is hard to get them off completely. 

The 4K UHD-resolution touchscreen is bright with good color performance and it's surrounded by thin bezels to make it look more elegant. As for ports, all you'll find are three USB-C ports and a headphone and mic jack. Two of the USB-C ports are Thunderbolt 3, however, and Asus includes adapters for HDMI output and a USB-A port as well as a padded laptop sleeve. 

Ready to run

This laptop will keep up with your average on-the-go business needs. The ZenBook S's eighth-gen quad-core Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of memory, 512GB PCIe SSD and integrated graphics didn't disappoint. I zipped through everyday activities such as streaming videos and music while running Google Chrome with a dozen or more tabs open. 

With its integrated graphics, you're not going to be doing demanding video or photo edits. Anything more than casual gaming won't be fun. Still, if you need to cut up clips or crop an image for a PowerPoint presentation, you'll be fine. On our benchmark tests, it was on par with its competition. 

That hinge.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Where the ZenBook S lagged a little was on battery life. On our video streaming test it ran for 8 hours, 26 minutes, which isn't a bad run considering the size of the laptop and its 4K touchscreen. But if you're looking for all-day battery life, you probably won't get there from here with this configuration. On the bright side, the USB-C port can quick charge to 60 percent in less than an hour. 

Executive decision

All in all, Asus put together a strong premium ultrabook with the ZenBook S UX391U. It isn't quite the standout as other ZenBooks we've reviewed this year, and there are a lot of equally good or better options that might better suit your needs or style. Still, if you're looking for a little laptop that'll get noticed when you take out at a cafe, an airport lounge or conference room, this should do the trick. 

Geekbench 4 (multicore)

Asus ZenBook S UX391U 13619 Dell XPS 13 9370 (i7) 12961 HP Spectre 13 (2017) 12941 Microsoft Surface Laptop 7176 Acer Swift 7 6027 LG Gram 15 4756
Note: Longer bars indicate better performance

Cinebench R15 CPU (multicore)

Dell XPS 13 9370 (i7) 568 LG Gram 15 522 Asus ZenBook S UX391U 519 HP Spectre 13 (2017) 517 Microsoft Surface Laptop 328 Acer Swift 7 263
Note: Longer bars indicate better performance

Video playback battery drain test (streaming)

LG Gram 15 838 Microsoft Surface Laptop 610 Acer Swift 7 561 Dell XPS 13 9370 (i7) 548 Asus ZenBook S UX391U 506 HP Spectre 13 (2017) 490
Note: Longer bars indicate better performance (in minutes)

System configurations

Asus ZenBook S UX391U Microsoft Windows 10 Pro (64-bit); 1.8GHz Intel Core i7-8550U; 16GB DDR3 SDRAM 2,133MHz; 128MB dedicated Intel UHD Graphics 620; 512GB SSD
Acer Swift 7 Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit); 1.3GHz Intel Core i7-7Y75; 8GB DDR3 SDRAM 1,866MHz; 128MB dedicated Intel HD Graphics 615; 256GB SSD
LG Gram 15 Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit); 1.8GHz Intel Core i7-8550U; 16GB DDR4 SDRAM 2,133MHz; 128MB dedicated Intel HD Grpahics 620; (2) 512GB SSD
Dell XPS 13 9370 (i7) Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit); 1.8GHz Intel Core i7-8550U; 16GB DDR3 SDRAM 2,133MHz; 128MB (dedicated) Intel UHD Graphics 620; 512GB SSD
HP Spectre 13 (2017) Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit); 1.8GHz Intel Core i7-8550U; 8GB DDR4 SDRAM 2,133MHz; 128MB (dedicated) Intel HD Graphics 620; 256GB SSD
Microsoft Surface Laptop Microsoft Windows 10 Pro (64-bit); 2.5GHz Intel Core i5-7200U; 8GB DDR3 SDRAM 1866MHz; 128MB (dedicated) Intel HD Graphics 620; 256GB SSD

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Lenovo Ideapad 100S Review: A Budget Laptop With Great Battery Life


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Lenovo Ideapad 100S review: A budget laptop with great battery life


Lenovo Ideapad 100S review: A budget laptop with great battery life

There was a time, not too many years ago, when $999 was considered the cutoff price for a budget laptop. How times, and expectations, have changed. Today, along with $50 Amazon Fire tablets and sub-$200 smartphones, it's possible to get a reasonably functional PC experience for much less than you might think.

The latest example of this new low-cost computer trend is the Lenovo Ideapad 100S, an 11-inch clamshell laptop that sells for $199 in the US (£179 in the UK, AU$299 in Australia). It's among the most refined of the ultra-budget PCs, but it's not the first. Note that as of December 2015, Lenovo is selling the system online for a discounted price of $179 in the US.

Sarah Tew/CNET

The $200-and-less (using US prices) computer has been growing category since mid-2014, anchored by products such as the $200 HP Stream 11 laptop and the Intel Compute Stick, a tiny desktop PC that can be found for as little as $119. All run Windows 10 and Intel Atom or Celeron processors, and are intended primarily for web surfing and cloud apps (note the very small amount of onboard storage, ranging from 8GB to 32GB).

The advantage is, unlike a similarly priced Chromebook (a simple laptop running Google's Chrome OS, which is essentially the Chrome web browser and little else), you can install and run regular Windows software, such as photo editing programs or alternate web browsers, as long as they'll fit on the tiny hard drives. You won't be doing pro-level photo editing or playing PC games, but at these prices, there's virtually no good reason to go for a Chrome OS system instead if you only have $200 to spend.

Sarah Tew/CNET

With a colorful chassis (our model was bright red) that doesn't feel too flimsy, and a typically excellent Lenovo keyboard design, this could easily be the clear winner in the ultra-budget category, if not for one issue. The touchpad here is not a simple clickpad-style model, as seen in the HP Stream 11 and nearly every other laptop available today. Instead, it's an older design with separate left and right mouse buttons. But more importantly, the older touchpad design does not currently support common gestures such as two-finger scrolling. For someone who does a lot of long-form reading online, that can be a deal breaker, but you'll have to judge for yourself if the excellent keyboard makes up for it.

Lenovo Ideapad 100S

Price as reviewed $199
Display size/resolution 11.6-inch 1,366 x 768 screen
PC CPU 1.33GHz Intel Atom Z3735F
PC Memory 2048MB DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz
Graphics 32MB (dedicated) Intel HD Graphics
Storage 32GB SSD
Networking 802.11ac wireless, Bluetooth 4.0
Operating system Microsoft Windows 10 Home (32-bit)

Design and features

The challenge of any ultra-budget laptop is to look and feel like it costs just a little more than it actually does. No one is expecting a unibody aluminum chassis or sleek edge-to-edge glass over the display -- but a flimsy hinge, a lid that bends and flexes when you move it, or a creaky body that feels like it won't stand up to even modest handling isn't worth it at any price.

Lenovo avoids those missteps by building the 100S into a body that's a little larger and thicker than some other 11-inch laptops, giving the system some protective bulk. The sturdy hinges also fold back a full 180 degrees to lie flat, so you get a lot of useful viewing angles. The matte red outer color, which covers the back of the lid and the bottom panel, is fingerprint-resistant, and the darker red color also looks more upscale than the glossy black plastic on so many budget laptops.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Inside, the keyboard keeps the same basic design as most other Lenovo laptops, with widely spaced island-style keys that curve out just a bit at the bottom on each key, giving you a little more usable surface to hit. It's miles beyond the keyboard on HP's Stream 11, for example.

The touchpad, however, is the single biggest stumbling block for the 100S. The pad loses valuable surface area by breaking its left and right mouse click functions out into separate physical buttons. It's a style of touchpad you rarely see any more, and for good reason. The pad here is also not set up for multitouch gestures. That's important to note, as the standard two-finger scroll won't work, nor will tapping two fingers on the pad for a right-click action. It makes the system harder to use when scrolling down long Web pages, and it's a deficiency to seriously consider before buying.

Sarah Tew/CNET

You also can't expect much from the screen on an ultra-budget laptop, although the basic 1,366x768 display here is fine for the price. It has a pleasing matte finish that keeps glare to a minimum, but it's also confined to limited viewing angles compared to the IPS (in-plane switching) displays on more expensive laptops, which means that the image gets washed out quickly when you view the screen from side angles.

Ports and connections

Video HDMI
Audio Combo headphone/microphone jack
Data 2 USB 2.0,  microSD card reader
Networking 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Optical drive None

Connections, performance and battery

While the thicker chassis could fit in more, you're limited to a budget-feeling pair of USB 2.0 ports, an HDMI output and a micro-SD card slot. Faster USB 3.0 and a full-size SD card slot would be have been handy, but a reach considering the price. One of the USB ports will most likely be used for an external mouse to make up for the hard-to-use touchpad.

Sarah Tew/CNET

The only option offered right now is the chassis color, in white, red, blue and silver. All models include the same Intel Atom Z3735 CPU, 2GB of RAM and 32GB of solid-state storage, which matches up with other ultra-budget PCs.

In benchmark testing with other low-cost Intel Atom and Celeron systems, the Lenovo 100S hung around the middle of the pack. To get a significant boost in performance, you'd have to look towards something like the Surface 3, the Atom-powered entry level version of Microsoft's Surface line, which uses a faster Atom processor and more RAM, but also costs more than twice as much, even without adding a keyboard cover. In hands-on testing, the 100S ran well when used for casual websurfing and online tasks, but it's important to keep a few best practices in mind -- especially that Microsoft's own browsers, Edge and Internet Explorer, tend to run much smoother on low-power Windows laptops.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Battery life was a pleasant surprise in the Lenovo 100S. The system ran for 11:17 on our offline video playback battery drain test, which is near MacBook territory, and for 9:57 in an online streaming playback test. The HP Stream 11 ran for 7:58 in the offline test, and the Surface 3 for 7:41. The advantage in all these cases is that Intel's lower-performance CPUs are almost always very efficient at sipping battery power, so these systems tend to run for a long time on a single charge.

Conclusion

Spending less than $200 on a laptop is a surprisingly viable option right now, and for those who mainly use Gmail, Facebook, Netflix and Amazon (or your own list of mail, social media, streaming video and online shopping tools), a laptop with an Intel Atom processor, low-res screen and paltry 32GB of storage may very well be all you need.

Of the current ultra-budget options, the overall design and build quality of the Lenovo Ideapad 100S is my favorite, but the dated, non-gesture-supporting touchpad can be a deal breaker if you plan to scroll through long online articles or Facebook feeds. If the next generation of 100S swaps in a modern touchpad, it would get my highest budget-laptop recommendation. As it is, my generally very positive impressions come with a large asterisk.

Multimedia Multitasking test 3.0

Acer Aspire Switch 10 Special Edition 1191 Microsoft Surface 3 1220 Lenovo Ideapad 100S 2182 Asus Transformer Book Flip TP200 2881 HP Stream 11 3742
Note: Shorter bars indicate better performance (in seconds)

Apple iTunes encoding test

Microsoft Surface 3 300 HP Stream 11 342 Asus Transformer Book Flip TP200 346 Lenovo Ideapad 100S 428 Acer Aspire Switch 10 Special Edition 450
Note: Shorter bars indicate better performance (in seconds)

Video playback battery drain test

Lenovo Ideapad 100S 677 Asus Transformer Book Flip TP200 546 HP Stream 11 478 Microsoft Surface 3 461 Acer Aspire Switch 10 Special Edition 442
Note: Longer bars indicate better performance (in minutes)

System Configurations

Lenovo Ideapad 100S Microsoft Windows 10 Home (32-bit); 1.3GHz Intel Atom Z3735F; 2GB DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz; 32MB (dedicated) Intel HD Graphics; 32GB SSD
Acer Aspire Switch 10 Special Edition Microsoft Windows 10 Home (32-bit); 1.3GHz Intel Atom Z3735F; 2GB DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz; 32MB (dedicated) Intel HD Graphics; 64GB SSD
Asus Transformer Book Flip TP200 Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit); 1.6GHz Intel Celeron N3050; 4GB DDR3 SDRAM 1600MHz; 144MB (dedicated) Intel HD Graphics; 64GB SSD
HP Stream 11 Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit); 2.16GHz Intel Celeron N2840; 2GB DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz; 64MB (dedicated) Intel HD Graphics; 32GB SSD
Microsoft Surface 3 Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit); 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z8700; 4GB DDR3 SDRAM 1600MHz; 32MB (dedicated) Intel HD Graphics; 128GB SSD

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