Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 (13.5-Inch): An Excellent Ultraportable

Microsoft’s Surface Laptop line is expanding

- TOM BRANT

Microsoft’s answer to the Apple MacBook is the Surface Laptop, an ultraportable laptop that focuses on comfort and portability but skips most of the tricked-out features found on other high-end Windows notebooks, such as webcam privacy shutters and watchband-style 360-degree hinges. Now in its third generation, the 13.5-inch Surface Laptop 3 is an excellent option for people who seek the Windows mobile experience as Microsoft intends it.

THE GROWING SURFACE FAMILY

Microsoft’s Surface Laptop line is expanding. Originally comprising a lone 13.5-inch model with soft, gray “Alcantara fabric” covering its palm rest, the family now includes multiple sizes, color options, configurations, and material choices. The model I’m reviewing here is the Sandstone metal version with a 13.5-inch touch screen and an Intel Core i7 processor. Other chassis color options at this screen size include black, platinum, and cobalt-blue. The laptop is also available in a larger 15-inch version that’s available only in the first two color options.

The Sandstone finish is handsome and understated. It takes on a pink hue under bright light, but it’s not nearly as flashy as the rose-gold color available for the Apple MacBook Air. Other than new colors, the Surface Laptop 3’s physical design remains nearly identical to that of the first and second generations. It’s a traditional clamshell form factor. You won’t find a detachable keyboard or a 360-degree hinge here, designs Microsoft has championed in partnerships with other manufacturers and used in its own Surface Pro line to present Windows as a viable tablet operating system.