Snapdragon X Elite-powered Microsoft Surface laptop tests show impressive results, with a caveat
Snapdragon X Elite Surface laptop shows impressive multitasking and AI performance with great battery life but is a paid review.
Microsoft recently launched its Snapdragon X Elite-powered Surface Laptop 7, claiming it outperforms competitors like the M3 MacBook Air, especially in multitasking and AI performance. Independent tests conducted by Signal 65 affirmed these claims, showing the Surface Laptop 7 leading in battery life and AI tests, while it runs quieter and cooler in regular use compared to other high-end laptops. It also managed to perform admirably in multi-threaded performance benchmarks, beating most of its competitors.
However, the new Surface machine did get hotter under load compared to its Intel-powered predecessor and the MacBook Air, though it was cooler than other counterparts like MSI's Prestige 16 AI EVO. It's also worth noting that in single-threaded tests, the MacBook Air performed slightly better. While the Snapdragon X Elite excelled in AI benchmarks due to its superior NPU performance, its overall graphics performance was still not the best, lagging behind the MacBook Air and Meteor Lake integrated Arc Graphics in certain benchmarks.
Critically, the review of the Surface Laptop 7 powered by Snapdragon X Elite SoC was commissioned by Microsoft, potentially biasing the results. Although the outcomes lean favorably towards Microsoft's claims, consumers and tech enthusiasts are advised to wait for more independent reviews for a clearer understanding of the new device's capabilities and performance in real-world scenarios. The acknowledgment of the paid review casts some doubt on the ultimate reliability and objectivity of the reported findings, necessitating further evaluations from neutral sources.