Surface Laptop 3 keeps the same form and design, but with an addition of a USB Type-C port, improved battery life, hidden antenna lines, and an AMD CPU for the 15-inch model—a first for a Surface device.[2]
Microsoft now offers an aluminum keyboard deck as an option for some models alongside the traditional Alcantara material covering. The 15-inch models are only available with an aluminum keyboard deck.[3]
The device comes installed with Windows 10 Home but a free upgrade to Windows 11 is available.[4]
The 13.5-inch model's display is the same resolution as previous generations, but the new 15-inch model features increased display resolution to maintain high pixel density. The 13.5-inch model comes with a 2256 x 1504 resolution and the 15-inch model comes with a 2496 x 1664 resolution. Both models have a 3:2 aspect ratio and pixel density of 201 pixels per inch (ppi).
The Surface Laptop 3 13.5-inch model starts at $1,000 and goes up to $2,400. The 15-inch model starts at $1,200 and goes up to $2,800.
S | Sandstone MetalB | Black MetalP | Platinum MetalC | Cobalt Blue AlcantaraA | Platinum Alcantara Surface Laptop 3 for consumer comes preloaded with Windows 10 Home Surface Laptop 3 for business comes preloaded with Windows 10 Pro
The Surface Laptop 3 is the 3rd addition to Surface Laptop lineup. The Surface Laptop 3 is aimed toward business professionals and the enterprise market.[10]
The device is available with either a 13.5-inch or 15-inch display touchscreen. The device features a full-body aluminum alloy construction alongside an Alcantara material on the keyboard deck. Between the 13.5" or 15" screen size options, while the resolutions differ, they both have the same pixel density of 201 pixels per inch.[11]
The Surface Laptop 3 features quad core Intel Core i7 1065G7 or an Intel Core i5 1035G7 CPU for the 13.5-inch consumer and business model and 15-inch business model. Custom Surface Edition AMD Ryzen 5 3580U and Ryzen 7 3780U CPUs for the 15-inch consumer model are offered. The Intel CPU variants come with an Intel Iris Plus G7 integrated GPU for both the 13.5-inch consumer and 15-inch business models, and a custom Surface Edition AMD Radeon Vega or AMD Radeon RX Vega GPU for the 15-inch consumer model.
The device contains a USB-A port and a USB-C port with power delivery and a Surface Connect port. In addition to the 720p camera, a near IR sensor is included for Windows Hello face authentication.
The keyboard's key travel is reduced to 1.3 mm, compared to 1.5 mm in the previous generation. Its touchpad is 20 percent larger than the previous generation as well.
Like all the other Surface devices, the Surface Laptop 3 supports digital pen input.
The laptop doesn't have a microSD or SD card slot; however, the company made the device's SSD upgradable and easier to access. Microsoft also made it possible to remove the keyboard plate to get all of the computer's internals making it easier to repair.[12]
Software
Surface Laptop 3 models ship with a pre-installed 64-bit version of Windows 10 Home and a 30-day trial of Office 365. Users can opt for a Pro version of the OS for a fee. Windows 10 comes pre-installed with Mail, Calendar, People, Xbox, Photos, Movies and TV, Groove Music, Your Phone, Office and Edge.
