Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 vs Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 Comparison

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Microsoft Surface Laptop 13

13 inches | May 2025

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Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9

14 inches | September 2024

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Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 vs Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 Comparison Overview

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In this review, we will be comparing Surface Laptop 13 and IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9, two laptops from Microsoft and Lenovo. Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 was introduced to market in May 2025 and Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 was launched in September 2024. There is only 8 months difference between Surface Laptop 13 and IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Click for Available Configurations of the Laptops

Here is a brief look at the main features of Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 and Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 Key Specs

Launched in May 2025
13.0" TouchScreen - IPS LCD, 3:2 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus (X1P-42-100)
GPU: Adreno X1-45
16GB,32GB,64GB Ram
285.65 x 214.14 x 15.6 mm (11.25 x 8.43 x 0.61 inches)
Weight: 1.22 kg (2.69 lbs)

Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 Key Specs

Launched in September 2024
14.0" Touchscreen - OLED, 16:10 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus (X1P-42-100)
GPU: Adreno X1
16GB Ram
313 x 227 x 17.5 mm (12.32 x 8.94 x 0.69 inches)
Weight: 1.49 kg (3.29 lbs)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Surface Laptop 13 and IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 compares and decide which one is better for you.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 over Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9

Weight	1.22 kg vs 1.49 kg	0.27 kg lighter
Screen-to-Body Ratio	~82.3% vs ~80%	Larger screen area ratio
Side Bezel Thickness	5.5 mm vs 5.8 mm	0.3 mm thinner bezels
Screen PPI	178 ppi vs 162 ppi	More pixels per inch
Screen Resolution	1920 x 1280 pixels vs 1920 x 1200 pixels	Higher pixel count screen

Reasons to choose Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 over Microsoft Surface Laptop 13

Display Size	14 inches vs 13 inches	Larger Screen Estate
Contrast Rate	1000000:1 vs 1000:1	more pleasing colors
DCI-P3 Color Gamut	100% vs 72.4%	Wider DCI-P3 Color Gamut
Response Time	1 ms vs 37 ms	Faster Response screen
GPU FLOPS	3.7-4.6 TFLOPS vs 2.3 TFLOPS	Connect more device at the same time
Number of USB-A Ports	2x USB 3.2 vs 1x USB 3.2	Connect to external monitors directly via HDMI cable
HDMI Port	1x HDMI 2.1 vs No	Read & Write SD Cards with the built-in reader
SD Card Reader	Yes vs No

Common Strengths of Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 13

Launch Dates	May 2025 vs September 2024	Both laptops are recent models
Screen Type	Touch Screen vs Touch Screen	Interact with your fingers
Fast Charging Support	Yes vs Yes	Charge the battery in a shorter time
RAM Type	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x) vs PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)	Fast RAM type
Upgradable Storage	Yes vs Yes	Option to increase the Storage size
SSD Type	NVMe vs NVMe	Faster Data Transfers
Dolby Atmos Support	Yes vs Yes	3D Surround Sound Support
Fingerprint Sensor	Yes vs Yes	Easy Login with Fingerprint Sensor
VGA Output	No vs No	Connect to External Displays via VGA cable
Keyboard Backlight	Yes vs Yes	Easily see the keys under low light

Common Weaknesses of Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 13

HDR Support	No vs No	No HDR Support
Upgradable RAM	No vs No	No Option to increase the RAM size

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 vs Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9: Physical Specs Comparison

In this section, we will be comparing the physical specifications and body features of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9.

Physical Specs
Weight	1.22 kg (2.69 lbs)	1.49 kg (3.29 lbs)
Surface Area	612 cm2 (94.8 inches2)	711 cm2 (110.1 inches2)
Screen to Surface Ratio	~82.3%	~80%
Side Bezel Thickness	~5.5 mm	~5.8 mm
Weight per Inch of Screen	0.09 kg/inch	0.11 kg/inch
	0.198 lbs/inch	0.242 lbs/inch
Colors	Silver, Gray, Purple	Gray

Comparison of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 External Dimensions

Weight

Surface Laptop 13 weighs 1.22 kg (2.69 lbs), whereas the IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 weighs 1.49 kg (3.29 lbs). There is a notable difference in weight between these two laptops. However, it's important to consider that comparing their weights directly may not provide a complete picture since they also have different display sizes.

Weight Comparison

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13

Avg: 13.0-13.9"

Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9

Avg: 14.0-14.9"

Thickness Comparison

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13

Avg: 13.0-13.9"

Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9

Avg: 14.0-14.9"

Another value that we use for comparing the weights of the laptops is the Weight per Inch of Screen, which is calculated by dividing the total weight of the model with its usable diagonal screen size. This value for the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 is 0.09 kg/inch.In comparison, this value for the Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 is 0.11 kg/inch.Here are some of the best performing laptops in this area:

Microsoft Surface Go 4: 0.05 kg/inch
LG Gram SuperSlim 15.6 2023: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus Zenbook A14 UX3407: 0.06 kg/inch
Microsoft Surface Pro 12: 0.06 kg/inch
Dell Latitude 7330: 0.07 kg/inch
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2: 0.07 kg/inch
LG Gram 14 2022: 0.07 kg/inch

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 vs Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9: Internals (CPU, GPU, RAM, Battery, SSD, etc.) Comparison

CPU Comparison

CPU Model	Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus (X1P-42-100)	Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus (X1P-42-100)
Base Frequency	3.2 GHz	3.2 GHz
Turbo Frequency	3.4 GHz	3.4 GHz
Number of Cores	8	8
Number of Threads	8	8
Integrated GPU	Qualcomm Adreno X1-45	Qualcomm Adreno X1
CPU Fabrication Process	4 nm	4 nm

Above you can see the CPU options and the CineBench and GeekBench test scores for both laptops, which gives an idea about what kind of performance difference you may experience between the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 and Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9.

You may also read reviews of latest laptops with the same CPU ( Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus (X1P-42-100) ) and compare them:

GPU Comparison

GPU Model	Adreno X1-45	Adreno X1
Base Clock Frequency	280 MHz	500 MHz
Boost CLock Frequency	1107 MHz
TGP (Total Graphics Power)	30 W
Type	Integrated	Integrated
FLOPS	2.3 TFLOPS	3.7-4.6 TFLOPS
Memory Size	System Shared	System Shared
Memory Type	LPDDR5X	LPDDR5X
Memory Speed	8.45 Gbps	8.45 Gbps
Shading Units Cores	1024	1536
TMUs	48	48
ROPs	24	6

GPU is as critical as the CPU for graphic heavy applications and the table above gives a picture of how the two GPU compares. FLOPS is a measure of a GPU's performance based on the number of floating-point arithmetic calculations that the processor can perform within a second. Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 has a FLOPS value of 2.3 TFLOPS whereas the Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 ' has a FLOPS value of 3.7-4.6 TFLOPS. If graphical performance of the laptop is important for your use type, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 may be the better choice between these two setups.

RAM Comparison

RAM	16GB 32GB 64GB	16GB 24GB
Memory Bus	2x8 GB	2x8 GB
RAM Clock	8448 MHz	8448 MHz
RAM Type	LPDDR5X	LPDDR5X
Upgradable	No	No
Memory Bus	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)

Both laptops, the Surface Laptop 13 and the IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9, come with similar RAM capacities of 16 GB, providing comparable performance in memory-intensive tasks.

LOCAL LLM Compatibility Evaluation

This quick guide shows what types of large language models (LLMs) each of these laptops could support, based on their respective hardware specifications. It's meant to help you compare their suitability for running AI models locally.

LLM Category	Microsoft Surface Laptop 13	Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 (14Q8X9)
Small Models(1-3B):Examples: Phi-2, Qwen-1.8B	✔ Run smoothly.	✔ Run smoothly.
Medium Models(7-8B):Examples: Mistral-7B, Qwen-7B	✔ Good performance.	✔ Good performance.
Large Models(13-30B):Examples: Mixtral, Qwen-14B	⚠ Can run slowly on CPU with enough RAM and good iGPU.	✖ Not supported.
Extra-Large Models(65B+):Examples: LLaMA2-70B, Qwen1.5-72B	✖ Not supported on most systems. Requires high-end GPU or advanced setup.	✖ Not supported on most systems. Requires high-end GPU or advanced setup.

Note: Optimized (e.g., 4-bit) models may run on limited hardware. Performance depends on runtime and setup.

📌 MoE Models: Some models like Mixtral 8x7B and Qwen3-30B-A3B use a Mixture of Experts (MoE) design, activating only part of the model during inference. This means they can often run efficiently on laptops with 12–16 GB of VRAM when quantized.

BATTERY

BATTERY	50 Wh	57 Wh
Battery Type	Li-Po	Li-Po
Replaceable	No	No
Fast Charging	No	No
Charging Port Position	Right	Left
Charge Power	45 W	65 W
Full Charging Time	2:10 hr	1:15 hr

On the other hand, the IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 features a higher battery capacity of 57 Wh, delivering longer usage time compared to the Surface Laptop 13's 50 Wh.

Battery Comparison

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13

Avg: 13.0-13.9"

Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9

Avg: 14.0-14.9"

STORAGE
Both laptops, the Surface Laptop 13 and the IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 have similar max. storage capacities of 1 TB, allowing for ample space to store files and applications.

Storage Options	256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB	512 GB, 1 TB
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Total Slots	1	1
Storage type	SSD (M2)	SSD (M2)
NVMe	Yes	Yes

If your budget allows, we recommend opting for the largest possible disk size, considering the potential increase in storage capacity needs in the future. However, please keep in mind the question 'What will the laptop be used for?' when making this decision. Of course, you can later upgrade the hard disk capacity by getting a larger disk. However, if your laptop has only one disk slot, it may not be as straightforward as a RAM upgrade, where you simply add or replace a module, as moving or cloning files to a new disk may be necessary.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 vs Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9: Display Comparison

The display is an essential aspect to consider when comparing the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 and Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 since its is the component that you interact the most and significantly impact the experience.

Screen Area and Dimensions

Now let's look at the comparison of the actual display areas of both laptops below, keeping the bezels around the screens out of the equation. Surface Laptop 13 has a display size of 13.0".On the other hand, IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 has a larger14.0" display.The total usable screen area of the Surface Laptop 13 is 503cm² / 78inch² whereas the IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9's total usable screen area is 568cm² / 88inch².

PPI (Pixels per Inch)
Additionally, the Surface Laptop 13 features a higher pixel density with 178 pixels per inch (PPI), ensuring sharper image details.

Screen PPI (Pixels Per Inch) Comparison

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13

Avg: 13.0-13.9"

Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9

Avg: 14.0-14.9"

Refresh Rate
Both Surface Laptop 13 and IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 offer the same refresh rate of 60 Hz.

Furthermore, the IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 boasts a faster response time of 1.0 ms, reducing motion blur for fast-paced content.

Brightness
Both Surface Laptop 13 and IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 offer the same maximum brightness of 400 nits (cd/m²).

Brightness Comparison

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13

Avg: 13.0-13.9"

Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9

Avg: 14.0-14.9"

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 vs Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 Connectivity Comparison

In terms of connectivity,

Wifi
Both Surface Laptop 13 and IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 support the latest Wi-Fi standard v7.

Below, you'll find a Wi-Fi Versions Table, along with their release dates and speeds, to provide a brief overview of its development.

Wi-Fi Versions and Speeds

Standard	Speed	Release Date	Network	Frequency Bands (GHz)
Wi-Fi 7	up to 40 Gbps (5 GB/s)	2023	802.11be	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6E	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2020	802.11ax	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2019	802.11ax	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 5	up to 6.93 Gbps (866.25 MB/s)	2014	802.11ac	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 4	up to 600 Mbps (75 MB/s)	2009	802.11n	2.4, 5

* Please note that the provided transfer rates are maximum theoretical values, and real-life performance may vary based on environmental factors.

USB
Both Surface Laptop 13 and IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 have USB-A ports. Surface Laptop 13 has 1x USB 3.2 USB-A ports, while IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 has 2x USB 3.2 USB-A ports.
Both Surface Laptop 13 and IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 feature 2x USB 4.0 USB Type-C ports.

Below, you'll find a table of USB ports, along with their release dates and speeds.
To mitigate the confusion caused by generation names, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) suggests using marketing names like USB 5Gbps, USB 10Gbps, and so forth, based on their respective transfer rates.

USB Type and Speeds

USB Type	Version	Speed	Date	Other Features/Explanations
USB4	Gen 4 (2.0)	80 Gbps	2022	Also known as USB 80Gbps
USB4	Gen 3×2	40 Gbps	2019	Also known as USB 40Gbps
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2x2	20 Gbps	2019	Double the data transfer rates of Gen 2
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.1
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.0
USB 3.1	3.1 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2013	Faster data transfer rates
USB 3.0	3.1 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2010	SuperSpeed USB, improved data transfer rates
USB 2.0	2.0	480 Mbps	2000	High-speed data transfer
USB 1.0	1.0	1.5 Mbps	1996	Original USB standard

Thunderbolt
Neither Surface Laptop 13 nor IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 has Thunderbolt port.

HDMI
IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 features an HDMI port (1x HDMI 2.1) for connecting to external monitors. Surface Laptop 13 does not have an HDMI port.

Below, you'll find a comparison table detailing different HDMI versions, including their bandwidth, color depth, maximum resolution, and release dates. This information can be helpful in understanding the capabilities of each HDMI version and choosing the most suitable one for your needs.

HDMI Comparison Table

HDMI Version	Maximum Resolution	Bandwidth (Gbps)	Color Depth (bits)	Release Date
HDMI 2.1-2.1b	7680 x 4320 *(8K)* @ 60p 3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 120p	48.0	48	2017
HDMI 2.0-2.0b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 60p	18.0	48	2013
HDMI 1.4-1.4b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 30p	10.2	48	2009
HDMI 1.3-1.3a	2560 x 1440 @ 60p	10.2	48	2006
HDMI 1.0-1.2a	1920 x 1200 @ 60p	4.95	24	2002

* Please note that the provided resolution values represent the maximum supported resolution, and actual display quality may depend on other factors such as source content and connected devices.

SD Card Reader
IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 is equipped with an SD Card Reader for easy access to memory cards. Surface Laptop 13 does not have an SD Card Reader.

Audio Jack
Both Surface Laptop 13 and IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Gen 9 14 14Q8X9 are equipped with a 3.5mm Audio Jack, providing seamless connection to headphones and speakers.

To summarize the connectivity and ports details, please refer to the table below to see them listed.

Connectivity and Ports
WiFi Standard (latest: v7)	v7	v7
Bluetooth (latest: v5.4)	v5.4	v5.4
USB-A (latest: 3.2)	1x USB 3.2	2x USB 3.2
USB Type-C (latest: USB4 2.0)	2x USB 4.0	2x USB 4.0
Thunderbolt (latest: 5)	No	No
HDMI (latest: 2.1)	No	1x HDMI 2.1
Display Port (latest: v2.0)	No	No
VGA	No	No
Fingerprint Sensor	Yes	Yes
Optical Drive	No	No
Audio Jack 3.5mm	Yes	Yes
Ethernet RJ45	No	No
SD CardReader	No	Yes
Proprietary Charging Port	No	No