Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 Review: Design
- New Ice Blue color is a nice touch without being too bold
- Bezels are still on the thick side
- Alcantara deck is comfy for the wrists
The latest Surface Laptop hews close to the minimalist design of its predecessors, which is both welcome and a little underwhelming I would have liked to see Microsoft attempt a more radical change with the Surface Laptops design, but for now youll have to look inside to see whats new.
That said, Ive always loved the slick, clean lines of the Surface devices, and the new Surface Laptop 4 offers more of the same. In terms of dimensions its identical to the Surface Laptop 3, weighing in at 2.8 pounds and measuring just 12.1 x 8.8 x 0.6 inches. That makes the Surface Laptop 4 not quite as small as the M1 MacBook Air or the Dell XPS 13 , but its plenty slim enough to slide into a backpack or briefcase and promptly forget about.
Its a little harder to forget about the thick bezels surrounding the Surface Laptop 4s 3:2 display. They just arent very attractive, and when I wasnt focusing in on specific tasks I caught myself staring at the black bars around the screen, wishing they were smaller so I could have a bit more screen space to play with.
When I wasnt focusing on specific tasks I caught myself staring at the black bars around the screen, wishing they were smaller so I could have a bit more screen space to play with.
What Kinds Of Oled Laptops Can I Buy
For now, the field of laptops with OLED screens is small versus the whole field of laptops. The relative handful we have tested here is promising, and a little varied, but not as varied as the larger laptop market. OLED options have been entering more product lines over the last year , but manufacturers are, for now, mostly reserving OLED panels for their top-end, premium models. Given the price of OLED, and most of the panels so far being tied to 4K native resolutions, this makes sense.
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 2, an OLED mobile workstation
Which leads us to the exact types of laptops we’ve seen so far. Generally, they have been high-end desktop-replacement laptops with optional OLED screens, as well as powerful gaming machines. The formerâlaptops like the Dell XPS 15 and the HP Spectre x360 15 convertibleâare perhaps a better fit. These jack-of-all-trades laptops may have you watching 4K streaming videos, looking at photos, and maybe doing some content-creation work, depending on the components. Entry-level discrete graphics is an option in some of these laptops, which ought to enable some light OLED gaming at resolutions below 4K. Everything you’re doing benefits from OLED, without many downsides other than the price.
HP Spectre x360 14
Best Buy Customers Often Prefer The Following Products When Searching For Laptops With The Best Screen Quality
A good screen is one of the most important part of a good laptop. Whether you’re looking to play games, watch movies or just type a paper, you need a display that can keep up with your needs. Browse the top-ranked list of laptops with the best screen quality below along with associated reviews and opinions.
Product Description
Game like a pro on Windows 11 with this ROG Zephyrus G14. Double up on AMD firepower with Ryzen⢠9 6900HS CPU and Radeon⢠RX 6800S GPU featuring exclusive AMD SmartShift and Smart Access Memory technology that dynamically boosts performance for any task. Be confident in screen quality with an ROG Nebula 120Hz Display. Leap into the next generation of memory and storage with 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and 1TB of PCIe 4.0 SSD storage.See all Gaming Laptops
Product Description
Game like a pro on Windows 11 with this ROG Zephyrus G14. Double up on AMD firepower with Ryzen⢠9 6900HS CPU and Radeon⢠RX 6800S GPU featuring exclusive AMD SmartShift and Smart Access Memory technology that dynamically boosts performance for any task. Be confident in screen quality with an ROG Nebula 120Hz Display. Leap into the next generation of memory and storage with 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and 1TB of PCIe 4.0 SSD storage.$1,899.99Your price for this item is $1,899.99Coming Soon
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Comparison Chart For Best Display Settings For Laptop
40586 number of user reviews were available online, which I scanned to find the Display Settings For Laptop. Hopefully, our experts suggestions available in this article will help you find your ideal choice.
No | ||
---|---|---|
Dell USB 3.0 Ultra HD/4K Triple Display Docking Station | 9.6 | |
USB C Docking Station Dual Monitor | 9.6 | |
3 | HP 24mh FHD Monitor – Computer Monitor with 23.8-Inch IPS Display – Built-In Speakers and VESA Mounting – Height/Tilt Adjustment for Ergonomic Viewing – HDMI and DisplayPort – | 9.6 |
USB C to Dual HDMI Adapter | 9 | |
ASUS L410 MA-DB02 Ultra Thin Laptop | 8.8 | |
7 | SideTrak Swivel 14 Attachable Portable Monitor for Laptop FHD IPS USB Laptop Dual Screen with Kickstand – Compatible with Mac | 8.8 |
Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop | 8.6 | |
Amazon Basics Portable Foldable Photo Studio Box with LED Light – 25 x 30 x 25 Inches | 8.6 | |
Microsoft 4k Wireless Display Adapter – Black. Compatible with 4K TVs | 8.4 |
- 2 x USB 2.0 to 4 pin USB Type A, 1 x headphone input and output 3.5 millimeter
- 3 x super speed USB 3.
- 1 x display/video: DisplayPort output : 20 pin DisplayPort, super speed cable
- 2 x display/video: HDMI: 19 pin HDMI type A, 1x HDMI DVI adapter included
- Allow for a triple monitor setup, see compatible Dell models in the description
Dell Inspiron 16 Plus

There are plenty of 15.6-inch laptops, but 16-inch models like the Dell Inspiron 16 Plus are something of a rarity. The 16-inch display is a great size since the laptop is barely bigger than a 15.6-inch model, but you get more room for work and a roomier keyboard and touchpad along with it. For this Inspiron, Dell packed in performance parts including Nvidia discrete graphics and the display covers 100% sRGB and 81% AdobeRGB color gamuts, which is good enough if you’re getting started with creating web content. Also, the laptop has a more premium fit and finish than we’re used to seeing in the Inspiron line.
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Agree To Continue: Razer Book 13
Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it contracts that no one actually reads. Its impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit agree to use devices when we review them, since these are agreements most people dont read and definitely cant negotiate.
To start using the Razer Book 13, youll need to agree to the following:
- A request for your region
- A request for your keyboard layout
- Microsoft account
You can also say yes or no to the following:
- Wi-Fi
- Windows Hello face
- Privacy settings
- Customize suggestions and welcome experiences for gaming, schoolwork, creativity, entertainment, family, and/or business
- Microsoft Office 365
- Allow Cortana to access information to provide personalized experiences and suggestions
- Razer account
Thats four mandatory agreements and 13 optional agreements to use the Razer Book 13.
It delivers some of the best integrated graphics performance Ive seen from a Windows clamshell
The Razer Book averaged 142fps on Rocket Leagues maximum setting without dipping below 125 the XPS put up 111fps with a minimum of 100. Razer also wins on League of Legends, averaging 219fps to the Dells 205fps. Of course, since both machines have a 60Hz screen, you wont observe a difference in the quality of these games but these numbers should give you a sense of the Razer Books power.
What Different Types Of Laptops Are There
General-purpose laptops: These laptops come in a variety of types, from the best cheap laptops to serious, silicon-stuffed systems that deliver massive power and performance. These sorts of systems work well if you’re just looking for a solid all-round system that is geared mostly toward work and productivity.
Gaming laptops: The best gaming laptops are ideal for serious gamers, as they come with dedicated graphics cards. These dedicated GPUs mean that you can play video games at higher resolutions and higher framerates, as well as enjoy advanced graphical effects like real-time ray tracing. They tend to have a higher entry price than general-purpose laptops.
Ultraportable laptops: Ultrabooks and the best lightweight laptops are specialists at portability, and often come with thinner and lighter designs than general-purpose or gaming laptops. These systems are a good choice for working professionals who need to carry their laptop around with them and travel frequently. Specs vary, but due to the lithe designs these laptops tend to retail for more than general-purpose laptops.
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The Best Laptops In 2021
Zenbook 13 OLED
The best laptops are the ones that help you stay on top of all your different projects and gadgets. Once you’ve equipped yourself with the right one, you’ve acquired the speed to power you through all of your assignments, and the battery life to make it through a day of work without worrying about the nearest power outlet.
Finding the best laptop for you can be tricky, because you’ve never had more choices. There are top rated laptops for basic web surfing, mainstream machines with premium components and attractive designs, and beastly gaming laptops that will let you play the hottest PC games the way they were meant to be played.
- These are the best Windows laptops on the market
- The best laptops under $500 can help you stay productive on a budget
Microsoft Surface Laptop 4
Available in 13.5- and 15-inch sizes and with Intel or AMD hardware, the Surface Laptop 4 is more of the same stellar design and beautiful touch displays.
- No USB-A or dongle
- LTE models available on commercial side only
The Surface Pro 8 represents a significant upgrade over the Surface Pro 7 and Surface Pro 7+. The most notable changes are a new rounded chassis made up of aluminum instead of magnesium, a thinner display bezel, a larger display with 120Hz refresh rate, dual Thunderbolt 4 ports, a larger battery, better cameras, and Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos for better entertainment capabilities.
The Pro 8 looks a lot more like a modern tablet than the previous models, and its Type Cover has been upgraded to match. It’s now using the same design as the Pro X’s Type Cover , with a holding slot for the Surface Slim Pen 2. Typing is comfortable, and the Precision touchpad makes for easy pointing.
The thinner bezel allows for a larger 13-inch display with excellent color reproduction and up to 441 nits brightness. You can now enjoy a 120Hz refresh rate, which plays well with the Slim Pen 2. The inking experience is smooth, and there’s now haptic feedback in select apps.
As for performance, 11th Gen Intel Core chips and Iris Xe graphics put up a strong fight against just about anything save gaming or specialized software. In that case, you can always connect an eGPU thanks to the new Thunderbolt 4 ports.
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What Is The Normal Laptop Size
Laptop screen sizes tend to fall into 4 categories:
- 11 laptops
- 15 laptops
- 17 laptops
Some laptop manufacturers have made laptops that are 12 and 14 and so on but they tend to have the same attributes as their closest screen size neighbors. These are the most popular sizes available on the market and the ones manufacturers make the most of.
Microsoft Surface Go 2
Specifications
Reasons to avoid
A wild card to throw into this list, we have the Microsoft Surface Go 2. Unlike the other laptops, its a hybrid device able to pull double duties as a road warrior laptop and a Windows 10 tablet. On the surface, the Surface Go 2 doesnt look that much different from its predecessor, except in one neat upgrade where Microsoft slimmed down its bezels to fit a 10.5-inch display, rather than 10-inch display that screen still delivers bright and punchy colors.
The Microsoft Surface Go 2 comes into its own when the optional Type-Cover accessory is added into the mix. That takes the entry-level $299 Surface Go 2 tablet up to $359, but in the process turns it into a dinky laptop thats surprisingly capable. But to keep things below $500, you have to put up with an Intel Pentium Gold processor, only 4GB of RAM and 64GB of eMMC storage. Thats hardly a mighty set of specs, but it should be enough for people who want a 2-in-1 device for reasonably lightweight productivity tasks think web browsing, word processing, and firing out a healthy batch of emails.
But if you dont want to work on the go, you can load it up with movies and video, as well as a few indie games, courtesy of Steam compatibility, and use those to while away a dull commute. And with a boosted battery life over its predecessor, the Surface Go 2 should keep going long enough away from a power socket to get you through a decent length trip.
Reasons to avoid
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How To Choose A Laptop
Sometimes you just can’t beat a bigger screen, a keyboard and Windows for getting stuff done, and then your only choice is a laptop. There are many different kinds, including hybrids that can be either laptop or tablet, high-end gaming laptops, cheap and cheerful budget models, and even those running macOS rather than Windows 10.
The Best Touchscreen Laptops You Can Buy Today

Reasons to avoid
The Dell XPS 13 is a popular machine here at Tom’s Guide, and it’s the best touchscreen laptop because it’s a strong performer that packs a beautiful display into a slim, lightweight design.
The 1,920 x 1,200 touchscreen on the 2020 model we tested felt accurate and easy to use. Plus, in 2021 Dell began offering the XPS 13 with an optional 3.5K OLED touchscreen that’s just as accurate and a lot more beautiful. If you can afford it it’s well worth the investment, as the OLED’s deep, inky blacks, vibrant colors, and high contrast ratios really shine when mounted in the XPS 13’s thin-bezelled InfinityEdge design. We like it so much we gave the XPS 13 the awards for best laptop display and best laptop overall in our Tom’s Guide Awards 2021.
Not interested in OLED? Don’t miss our Dell XPS 13 review.
Reasons to avoid
With its beautiful AMOLED touchscreen, excellent battery life, and comfortable S Pen stylus, the Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 is the best 2-in-1 touchscreen laptop for creatives, students, and professionals who like to take notes or doodle.
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
And for the most part, it is all that: its 11th Gen Intel CPU and 16+ GB of RAM gives you enough power to tackle most work, and if you splurge for a model with the discrete Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU the Surface Laptop Studio also doubles as a decent machine for gaming or video editing on the go.
Reasons to avoid
Reasons to avoid
Reasons to avoid
Reasons to avoid
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How To Pick The Best Laptop For You
So, what makes a laptop worth buying? First, it needs to offer excellent value for money. That means budget laptops below the $400/£400 price point need to still offer good performance and build quality.
Meanwhile, ultra-expensive devices need to justify their high price tags with best-in-class performance, premium build quality and lengthy battery lives.
If you want something to work on, a laptop with a modern processor, at least 8GB of RAM and a large screen are worth considering.
For gaming, you’ll want a gaming laptop with a dedicated graphics card and fast and responsive screen.
Check out our guide on what you should look for when buying a new laptop at the end of this page for more in-depth advice on buying a laptop.
We Recommend A Eizo Wide
We expect that you now understand how displaying screens from a laptop computer on a stand-alone LCD can create a very pleasant environment. It feels as if your everyday laptop has been transformed into a completely different desktop machine. Even if you only use laptop computers, it is definitely worthwhile to add a stand-alone LCD.
When choosing the type of LCD the most important consideration is to choose one with overall high quality. When it comes to that, we can recommend EIZO wide-screen LCDs to a broad range of laptop users. In addition to their high image quality, EIZO wide-screen LCD are built with careful attention to detail, including non-glare screens, versatile stand features, dot-by-dot capability, abundant image quality modes, and our proprietary eco-functions. We want you to make full use of your beloved laptop computer along with an EIZO wide-screen LCD.
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Using A Large Screen And High Resolution With A Laptop Makes It Even More User
The biggest merit of connecting a laptop with a stand-alone LCD is that it gives you a large screen and high resolution dual display environment. Standard laptop models usually come with a built-in 13-inch to 15-inch wide-screen LCD with a 1280 × 800 dot or 1366 × 768 dot resolution.
This level of resolution is good enough for basic Windows operations, but it goes without saying that a large, high-resolution computer screen is much more user-friendly. Combining a laptop with one of the latest wide-screen monitors enables you to easily construct a large-screen, high-resolution dual display environment. It is a real boon to dramatically boost the screen size and resolution while continuing to use your familiar laptop.
In particular, the increased vertical resolution makes applications such as web browsers and document display and editing far easier to use. For example, you can do things like check things with the web browser, refer to pdf files, organize data using word processing or presentation software, and create spread sheets and documents without having to change windows.
At the office, it is very helpful for presentations to use “clone view” for the laptop’s built-in LCD and the external LCD screen. Clone view means showing exactly the same content on two display screens. It is normally set by a graphics driver function.
Clone view displaying the same content on two screens is very effective when used in presentations |