The Surface Laptop 7 remains one of the most attractive laptops on the market. Our Senior Editor called it "the clamshell form factor perfected" in our Surface Laptop 7 review.
I think most people pick an operating system before a specific laptop. Despite that, it's common to see the Surface Laptop 7 called a MacBook Air killer — or at least a worthy rival.
Because of the Snapdragon X Plus processor inside the Surface Laptop 7, the PC gets great battery life while handling general productivity. The laptop is a great choice for the unplugged life, including hopping between lectures or moving from meeting to meeting.
The Snapdragon X Plus that powers the Surface Laptop 7 handles everyday computing well. You can browse the web with confidence and leave tabs open (though using Sleeping Tabs in Microsoft Edge will really help your PC feel even zippier).
That chip also means the Surface Laptop 7 can hold a spot on our best Windows on ARM laptop roundup.
PCs powered by Snapdragon X processors can use a massive number of Windows applications. More than 100 popular apps are now natively compiled for Arm and over 90% of time spent on those PCs is on Arm-native apps. If you rely on an app that has not been optimized for Arm-powered PCs, you can likely run through emulation.
There are some specific or niche apps that do not run well — or at all — on Snapdragon X-powered PCs, so it's worth double checking if your specific apps will work. A website called Works on Arm is an excellent resource for checking.
What's a good price for the Surface Laptop 7?
The Surface Laptop 7 came out in 2024, so it is often on sale. I'd never recommend the PC at full retail price.
The current $849.99 price of the Surface Laptop 7 is a significant discount, though this is not the lowest price we've ever seen for the PC. A few sales have dropped this model to $749.99 within the last few months.
With RAM prices increasing and the PC market in flux, it's worth getting a laptop when you know it's a good deal rather than crossing your fingers and hoping for an incredible deal.
Alternative configurations and colors
Amazon's discount on the Surface Laptop 7 is for the black model. Best Buy has a deal on the Dune Surface Laptop 7, though that discount is only running for a limited time. A countdown timer on Best Buy's website indicates that deal will end when the clock strikes midnight on January 21, 2026.
- Surface Laptop 7 (Dune, Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB storage) — $849.99 (was $1,399.99)
Amazon's deal is also for a limited time, but the retailer does not specify an end date.
FAQs
Is the Surface Laptop 7 still worth it with the Snapdragon X2 on the way?
Qualcomm announced the Snapdragon X2 Plus at CES 2026. That new processor promises significant performance gains and excellent battery life. But the Snapdragon X2 Plus won't ship until later this year, and it's not clear when a new Surface Laptop powered by the chip would come out. It's expected that the next Surface Laptop will have a higher starting price than the Surface Laptop 7 did at launch ($999).
What is the difference between the Snapdragon X Plus and X Elite?
The Snapdragon X Plus is a great processor for the vast majority of people shopping for a laptop. It can handle web browsing, Office, and streaming apps and other content well. The Snapdragon X Elite has more cores and a higher clock speed, making it a better choice for people with more demanding workflows.
Is the battery life of the Surface Laptop 7 really that good?
Yes. The Surface Laptop 7 genuinely delivers excellent battery life. It's normal to get through an entire day and still have over 40% battery left. Your experience will vary based on settings such as screen brightness and the apps you use, but it's generally safe to say the Surface Laptop 7 has great battery life.
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