Surface Laptop 4 13.5 vs. Razer Book 13: Which is the better buy?

Razer Book 13 2020 Review Hero Logo
Razer Book 13 2020 Review Hero Logo (Image credit: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central)

The new Surface Laptop 4 features the latest 11th-generation Intel Core i5 and i7 processors, or a customized version of AMDs Ryzen 4000 series R5 or R7 chips. While the Razer Book 13 is available with only Intel's chips, it has a better display and many more ports for the many different peripherals you may want to plug in. Are either good enough to earn a spot on our best Windows 10 laptops list?

Surface Laptop 4 vs. Razer Book 13: Specifications

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Header Cell - Column 0 Surface Laptop 4Razer Book 13
OSWindows 10 Home
Windows 10 Pro
Windows 10 Home
Processor11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7
11th Gen Intel Core i5-1145G7
11th Gen Intel Core i7-1185G7
AMD Ryzen 5 4680U
AMD Ryzen 7 4980U
11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7
11th Gen Intel Core i7-1165G7
RAM8GB LPDDR4x
16GB LPDDR4x
32GB LPDDR4x
8GB or 16GB
LPDDR4X 4267MHz
Storage256GB
512GB
1TB
Up to 512GB PCIe M.2 (upgradeable to 2TB)
Display size13.5 inches
15 inches
Touch
13.4 inches
Display resolution2256x1504
2496x1664
1920x1080
3840x2400
Aspect ratio3:216:10
GraphicsIntel Iris Xe
AMD Radeon
Intel Iris Xe
Ports1x USB-C, 1x USB-A, 1x Surface Connect, 3.5 mm headphone jack1x microSD card reader
1x HDMI 2.0 port
2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) (power, 4 lanes of PCI Express)
1x USB-A 3.2
Headphone/mic jack
BiometricsIR cameraIR camera
BatteryUp to 19 hoursUp to 14 hours (full HD models)
Up to 11 hours (UHD)
Weight13.5-inch from 2.79lbs (1.27kg)
15-inch from 3.40lbs (1.54kg)
2.95 to 3.11lbs (1.34 to 1.4kg)

What's new with the Surface Laptop 4

  • Intel 11th Gen Core processors with Iris Xe Graphics
  • AMD Ryzen 4000 and Radeon Graphics (Surface Edition)
  • Up to 32GB of RAM and 1TB storage (Intel only)
  • No more 128GB option (256GB or higher)
  • Dolby Atmos spatial-audio
  • Ice Blue with Alcantara (13.5-inch Intel only)
  • Up to 70% performance improvement
  • Battery improvements
  • Slightly faster Windows Hello login
  • 15-inch models are only Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7
  • AMD models now have Wi-Fi 6 and LPDDR4x

Surface Laptop 4 vs. Razer Book 13: Design and Display

The designs of the Surface Laptop 4 and the Razer Book 13 are similar yet different. They are both traditional laptops, but the Surface Laptop 4 has an optional unique Alcantara fabric on the keyboard deck, and is also slightly chamfered and wedge-like. The Razer Book 13 on the other hand is a square block of aluminum, with no chamfered edges or wedge design found.

You can get the Surface Laptop 4 in multiple colors including Platinum, Black, Sandstone, and Ice Blue. The Razer Book 13 on the other hand is available only in Mercury White. The bezels on the Razer Book 13 are thinner than those on the Surface Laptop 4, but not by much.

Both laptops feature exceptionally clean and minimalist designs, and will look great in a work environment or home office. In regard to the display, the Razer Book 13 comes out on top with its incredible IGZO display panel at either 1080p or 4K resolutions. The Surface Laptop 4's display is quite a bit dimmer and, if compared to the 4K Razer Book 13 panel, less sharp too. That said, the Surface Laptop 4 supports touch and Surface Pen input, and the Razer Book 13 does not.

Surface Laptop 4 vs. Razer Book 13: Performance

Surface Laptop 4 Family Crop Press

Source: Microsoft (Image credit: Source: Microsoft)

Both laptops ship with the latest mobile 11th-Generation Intel Core i5 and i7 chips. These are great chips with excellent performance in single-core tasks, and when paired with the Intel Iris Xe, provide excellent mobile GPU power when on the go. The Surface Laptop 4 can also be found with AMD Ryzen 4000 series processors on the inside, which provide much better multi-core performance over the Intel offerings.

That said, the AMD Ryzen 4000 has a slightly less powerful GPU, so if you're looking for a laptop that can do a bit of video editing with some headroom, the Razer Book 13 or Intel Surface Laptop 4 is a better choice.

Surface Laptop 4 vs. Razer Book 13: Pricing

Microsoft is pricing the Surface Laptop 4 at $999 for the base model, which is considerably less than the starting price for the Razer Book 13, which comes in at $1,200.

Surface Laptop 4 is a beautiful Ultrabook

If you're looking for a traditional laptop with the latest specs, great battery life, and a beautiful design, the Surface Laptop 4 is an excellent choice.

Buy the Razer Book 13 for more graphics power

If you're in need of a 2-in-1 device that's also a great laptop, with a beautiful high-resolution display and real graphics power for on-the-go work and play, the Razer Book 13 is for you.

Zac Bowden
Senior Editor

Zac Bowden is a Senior Editor at Windows Central. Bringing you exclusive coverage into the world of Windows on PCs, tablets, phones, and more. Also an avid collector of rare Microsoft prototype devices! Keep in touch on Twitter and Threads