Does the Surface Laptop 3 have a lock slot?

The Surface Laptop 3.
The Surface Laptop 3. (Image credit: Windows Central)

Does the Surface Laptop 3 have a lock slot?

Best answer: Unfortunately, the Surface Laptop 3 does not have a lock slot. However, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon does.The future of Surface Laptop: Surface Laptop 3 (From $999 at Microsoft)Onboard lock slot: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (From $1,273 at Lenovo)

Why is a lock slot valuable?

Lock slots are valuable on laptops because they enable you to use various different types of locks to tether your device to a sturdy object, such as a table. Essentially, it lets you tie down your device like you would with a bike and a bike rack. This is a fantastic way to combat theft, especially if you need to get up and leave your device unattended for whatever reason.

Why you should still consider the Surface Laptop 3

The Surface Laptop 3.

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)

While the lack of a lock slot on the Surface Laptop 3 is unfortunate, there are plenty of other reasons why you should consider getting the device. It's outfitted with either a 13.5-inch 2256x1504 display or a 15-inch 2496x1664 one for the smaller and larger versions of the laptop, respectively. The 13-inch variant has Intel's 10th Gen CPUs, Intel Iris graphics, and can be configured with up to 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. The 15-inch version has the same RAM and storage options but uses an AMD Ryzen 7 custom CPU and an AMD Vega 11. This CPU isn't quite as good as the 10th Gen ones, but the AMD GPUs are a step above Intel Iris.

In terms of physical design, the device is very easy to carry at just 2.79 pounds (13-inch) and 3.4 pounds (15-inch). It also comes with a Windows Hello camera, as well as a nice USB-C port that brings some extra convenience to the table.

What if you want (or need) a lock slot?

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon.

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)

If you really want (or need) to have a lock slot on your laptop, we recommend opting for the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon instead of the Surface Laptop 3. It's more expensive because it can be configured with better displays than the Surface Laptop 3 can, can be fitted with LTE connectivity, and also has more ports (including, notably, dual Thunderbolt 3 slots). However, those improvements may be worth spending some extra money on, and the price difference isn't terribly large, either.

Overall, if you like the sound of the Surface Laptop 3 but aren't willing to sacrifice having a lock slot on your device, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is a fantastic alternative choice.

CATEGORIES
Brendan Lowry

Brendan Lowry is a Windows Central writer and Oakland University graduate with a burning passion for video games, of which he's been an avid fan since childhood. He's been writing for Team WC since the summer of 2017, and you'll find him doing news, editorials, reviews, and general coverage on everything gaming, Xbox, and Windows PC. His favorite game of all time is probably NieR: Automata, though Elden Ring, Fallout: New Vegas, and Team Fortress 2 are in the running, too. When he's not writing or gaming, there's a good chance he's either watching an interesting new movie or TV show or actually going outside for once. Follow him on X (Twitter).

Latest in Surface
Surface Pro 11
Microsoft’s smaller Surface Pro appears in certification database ahead of rumored launch this spring
Surface Laptop 7
Amazon flags Surface Laptop 7 as a frequently returned item — warns buyers to check reviews first
Giant Surface Laptop
Is this Microsoft's largest Surface or the world's smallest executive?
Microsoft Surface Pro 11 with Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite
Surface repairs just got easier with Microsoft’s uBreakiFix partnership
Surface Laptop 7
The Surface you know and love (or hate) is dead — Microsoft's Windows hardware enters a new era
Microsoft Surface Pro 11 with Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite
3 reasons you should not buy the Surface Pro 11 or Surface Laptop 7 with Intel (and 1 reason you should)
Latest in News
Cloud servers
Microsoft has killed "several" data center projects in the U.S. and Europe, according to reports
Photo of Microsoft's new sign-in page for Xbox.com using the Microsoft Edge browser.
Over one billion users will get a new Microsoft user experience, and it has a dark mode
The Thing: Remastered key art
The Thing comes to Xbox Cloud Gaming's "Stream Your Own Game" library alongside other new arrivals
Promotional screenshot of heroes fighting a giant in Pillars of Eternity
Obsidian's classic Baldur's Gate successor 'Pillars of Eternity' is getting a surprise turn-based mode later this year, alongside other updates
Atomfall
Atomfall reviews and Metacritic scores are in: Here's a roundup of what everyone's saying about this new Game Pass survival game
Screenshot of one of the new flat world presets in Minecraft.
Minecraft testing new flat world presets and a better way to locate your friends in-game