Microsoft Surface Laptop 7
Microsoft’s Surface Laptop 7 starts at a cheaper price thanks to the inclusion of an optional Snapdragon X Plus chip. Its wider range of memory and storage configuration options should appeal to more users, though a lack of an AMOLED display and a thicker and heavier design will turn others to the Galaxy Book4 Edge.
For
- Sensel haptic touchpad is always excellent
- IR camera for Windows Hello
- 3:2 aspect ratio provides tons of vertical screen space
- Snapdragon X Plus chip available for value buys
- Starts at a more affordable price
Against
- Heavier and thicker design
- Fewer speakers
- No X Elite (X1E-84-100) option
- No AMOLED panels, lower display resolution
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge
Samsung’s Galaxy Book4 Edge starts at a higher price, but its higher-res AMOLED displays, top-tier Snapdragon X Elite chip, quad-speaker setup, and sleek design with thin and light build will certainly appeal to plenty of people. It looks like the better choice in terms of features as long as you don’t mind spending more.
For
- Number pad on the 16-inch model is great for multitasking
- Quad speakers with Dolby Atmos
- HDMI 2.1 port likely more useful than Surface Connect
- AMOLED displays have higher pixel density
- Top Snapdragon X Elite chip available
- Galaxy AI is a bonus
Against
- No IR camera (FP reader instead)
- Only configurable with 16GB RAM
- No 1TB SSD option on the 14-inch model
- Starts at a higher price
Microsoft unveiled the Surface Laptop 7 on May 20, 2024, as one of the world’s first Copilot+ PCs with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Systems-on-Chip (SoC). Samsung quickly followed up by revealing its Galaxy Book4 Edge, another high-end AI PC with the right hardware for Copilot+ AI features in Windows 11.
Microsoft and Samsung offer two different sizes of laptops, giving customers more choices when it comes to buying a sleek new Windows laptop. At a glance, the Galaxy Book4 Edge should be the better choice for demanding users thanks to the inclusion of the most powerful Snapdragon X Elite chip. However, the Surface Laptop 7 should be a more budget-friendly option thanks to the Snapdragon X Plus configuration.
There’s a lot more to unpack here, including keyboard arrangement, touchpad tech, ports, and displays. Let’s dig into the similarities and differences between these laptops to help you make the right decision.
Surface Laptop 7 vs. Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge: Specs
Take a look at the specifications that make up each of these Copilot+ PCs. Specs include both sizes of the Surface Laptop 7 and Galaxy Book4 Edge.
| Header Cell – Column 0 | Surface Laptop 7 | Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | (13.8-inch) Snapdragon X Elite (X1E-80-100), Snapdragon X Plus (X1P-64-100) | (14-inch) Snapdragon X Elite (X1E-80-100) |
| Row 1 – Cell 0 | (15-inch) Snapdragon X Elite (X1E-80-100) | (16-inch) Snapdragon X Elite (X1E-80-100 or X1E-84-100) |
| RAM | 16GB, 32GB, 64GB LPDDR5x | 16GB |
| GPU | Qualcomm Adreno | Qualcomm Adreno |
| NPU | Qualcomm Hexagon (45 TOPS) | Qualcomm Hexagon (45 TOPS) |
| Storage | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD (upgradeable) | 512GB, 1TB (16-inch only) |
| Camera | Front-facing 1080p + IR | Front-facing 1080p |
| Speakers | Dual Omnisonic speakers, Dolby Atmos | Four speakers, Dolby Atmos |
| Display | 13.8 inches, 2304×1536 (201 PPI), 3:2 aspect ratio, 120Hz dynamic refresh rate, touch, Dolby Vision IQ, HDR | 14 inches, 2880×1800, 16:10 aspect ratio, AMOLED, 120Hz VRR, 120% DCI-P3, touch, 400 nits (500 nits HDR) |
| Row 9 – Cell 0 | 15 inches, 2496×1664 (201 PPI), 3:2 aspect ratio, 120Hz dynamic refresh rate, touch, Dolby Vision IQ, HDR | 16 inches, 2880×1800, 16:10 aspect ratio, AMOLED, 120Hz VRR, 120% DCI-P3, 400 nits (500 nits HDR) |
| Ports | (13.8-inch) Two USB4, USB-A 3.1, 3.5mm audio, Surface Connect | (14-inch) Two USB4, HDMI 2.1, 3.5mm audio |
| Row 11 – Cell 0 | (15-inch) Two USB4, USB-A 3.1, microSD card reader, 3.5mm audio, Surface Connect | (16-inch) Two USB4, USB-A 3.2, HDMI 2.1, microSD card reader, 3.5mm audio |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Battery | 54Wh (13.8-inch), 66Wh (15-inch) | 55.9Wh (14-inch), 61.8Wh (16-inch) |
| Dimensions | 11.85 x 8.67 x 0.69 inches (301mm x 220mm x 17.5mm) | 12.30 x 8.81 x 0.43 inches (312.4mm x 223.7mm x 10.9mm) |
| Row 15 – Cell 0 | 12.96 x 9.41 x 0.72 inches (329mm x 239mm x 18.29mm) | 13.99 x 9.86 x 0.48 inches (355.3mm x 250.4mm x 12.19mm) |
| Weight | 2.96 pounds (1.34kg) | 2.6 pounds (1.18kg) |
| Row 17 – Cell 0 | 3.67 pounds (1.66kg) | 3.4 pounds (1.54kg) |
| Price | From $1,000 | From $1,350 |
Surface Laptop 7 vs. Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge: Price and availability
The Surface Laptop 7 and Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge are both, at the time of writing, available to preorder. They’re expected to launch on June 18.
Best Buy is offering one of the best preorder deals around for these laptops. Best Buy Plus and Total members can currently get a free 50-inch 4K TV with a preorder, but only for a limited time. The Surface Laptop 7 is tied to an Insignia Class F30 model, while the Galaxy Book4 Edge comes with a Samsung DU7200 TV.
The Surface Laptop 7 starts at about $1,000 at Best Buy for a model containing a 13.8-inch display, Snapdragon X Plus chip, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD. The larger 15-inch model starts at $1,300 but comes with the more powerful Snapdragon X Elite chip.
The Galaxy Book4 Edge starts at about $1,350 for a 14-inch model with a Snapdragon X Elite (X1E-80-100) chip and 512GB SSD. A 16-inch model with the same chip starts at about $1,450.
Samsung’s official website also has a preorder deal with a free 50-inch Crystal UHD 4K TV. Prices are the same at Samsung, though you can find a 16-inch model with the more powerful X Elite (X1E-84-100) chip for about $1,750.
Surface Laptop 7 vs. Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge: Design and features
The Surface Laptop 7 is available in 13.8- and 15-inch sizes, while the Galaxy Book4 Edge comes in 14- and 16-inch sizes. Due to the screen dimensions, the Surface Laptop 7 remains the more compact laptop when you’re looking at the footprint.Â
However, Samsung has done a great job of keeping its laptops thin and light; the 14-inch model weighs just 2.6 pounds (1.18kg) and measures 0.43 inches (10.9mm) thin, while the 16-inch model weighs 3.4 pounds (1.54kg) and measures 0.48 inches (12.19mm) thin. These are respectable numbers, especially for the larger 16-inch model. The Surface Laptop 7 is comparatively heavier and thicker.
The Surface Laptop 7 received a minor redesign for this generation, now featuring rounded edges and new Sapphire and Dune colors to go along with the Platinum and Black. The Galaxy Book4 Edge looks a lot like the Laptop 7 except for a thicker lower display bezel. You can get the Galaxy Book4 Edge in a Sapphire Blue color.
One Galaxy Book4 Edge highlight that will no doubt attract multitaskers is the inclusion of a number pad on the 16-inch model’s keyboard. The 14-inch model and both sizes of the Laptop 7 lack a number pad, but the typing experience should be otherwise exceptional.Â
Sensel’s haptic touchpad has made it into the Surface Laptop 7, which is great news for anyone who wants a premium pointer without any moving parts. On the other hand, the Galaxy Book4 Edge’s touchpads are enormous (especially on the 16-inch model) and will be great for multitasking.
Both laptops have a 1080p camera above the display, but only the Surface Laptop 7 offers an IR sensor for Windows Hello. The Galaxy Book4 Edge instead relies on a fingerprint reader for biometric security.
Audio hasn’t really changed for the Surface Laptop 7, with two Omnisonic speakers and Dolby Atmos. The Galaxy Book4 Edge also supports Dolby Atmos, and it comes at you with four total speakers. We’ll have to test the audio ourselves to figure out which has better sound quality.
And as for ports, it’s a mix across the model sizes. The smaller Surface Laptop 7 has two USB4, USB-A 3.1, a microSD card reader, 3.5mm audio, and a Surface Connect port. The larger Laptop 7 adds a microSD card reader to the list.
The smaller Galaxy Book4 Edge has two USB4, HDMI 2.1, and 3.5mm audio. Again, the larger model adds a microSD card reader. For most people, the HDMI 2.1 port is going to be a lot more useful than the proprietary Surface Connect port. You can use USB4 with Thunderbolt docks, though you should be aware of some nuances. All laptops come with Wi-Fi 7 and modern Bluetooth for wireless connectivity.
Surface Laptop 7 vs. Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge: Display
If you’re looking for higher screen resolutions and an AMOLED panel with awesome color and contrast, the Galaxy Book4 Edge should be the easy choice. The 14-inch model has a 2880×1800 resolution for the 16:10 aspect ratio, 120Hz variable refresh rate, full DCI-P3 color reproduction, and 400 nits brightness that goes up to 500 nits with HDR enabled.Â
The 16-inch screen has the same 2.8K resolution and otherwise similar specs. Even with the larger screen dimensions, you’re looking at a higher pixel density from the Galaxy Book4 Edge with 242 PPI at 14 inches and 212 PPI at 16 inches. The screens are also touch-enabled, though they don’t support inking.
Samsung’s AMOLED displays are outstanding, but the touchscreens in the Surface Laptop 7 are also impressive. The 13.8-inch model has a 2304×1535 resolution (201 PPI) with a taller 3:2 aspect ratio, giving you more vertical space. It has a 120Hz dynamic refresh rate, Dolby Vision IQ, and HDR support.
The 15-inch display in the Laptop 7 has a 2496×1664 resolution (201 PPI) and otherwise similar specs to its smaller sibling. Like the Galaxy Book4 Edge, there is no inking support in the Surface Laptop 7.
Surface Laptop 7 vs. Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge: Performance and battery
Microsoft and Samsung’s laptops were some of the first Copilot+ PCs ever announced, and they’re equipped with a mix of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus chips. More specifically, Samsung only offers X Elite, while Microsoft has both options.
And if you’re looking for the best performance possible with Windows on ARM, you’ll likely want to go with the X Elite (X1E-84-100) chip available in the 16-inch Galaxy Book4 Edge. It has 12 cores, the highest multithread frequency at 3.8GHz, the highest dual-core boost at 4.2GHz, and the strongest integrated GPU at 4.6 TFLOPs.
The 14- and 16-inch Surface Laptop 7 models top out at the X Elite (X1E-80-100) chip. It has the same 12 cores but drops to a 3.4GHz multithread frequency, 4.0GHz dual-core boost, and 3.8 TFLOPs GPU power.Â
Microsoft also offers the Snapdragon X Plus chip in its 14-inch model, which comes in the most affordable configurations. The X Plus drops to 10 cores and lacks a dual-core boost ability but otherwise has a similar multithread frequency and GPU to the mid-range X Elite (X1E-80-100) chip.
We look forward to testing these laptops ourselves to see how thermals and power are handled, but as a bottom line, you should expect the most performance from the Galaxy Book4 Edge thanks to its top-tier X Elite option.
One area where the Surface Laptop 7 easily comes out ahead is with memory and storage availability. Samsung, for some reason, capped the Galaxy Book4 Edge’s RAM at 16GB, which is the minimum for a Copilot+ PC. Samsung also only offers a 512GB SSD in its 14-inch model, adding a 1TB option for the 16-inch model.
Microsoft brings 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB RAM options across 13.8- and 15-inch sizes, though you might have to swap colors to land the perfect configuration. It also comes with 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage options, which can be upgraded after purchase. Samsung does not clarify whether you can upgrade storage, but we know that the LPDDR5x RAM is soldered by nature across all models.
Surface Laptop 7 vs. Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge: Copilot+ and AI
AI PCs have been on the rise ever since laptops started, including a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for local AI acceleration, and Microsoft took the next step by introducing Copilot+. It’s an umbrella term for a set of advanced AI features coming to Windows 11, and it’s also used to denote laptops compatible with these features.
In order to get in on Copilot+, a laptop needs an NPU with at least 40 TOPS of power. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X chips hit 45 TOPS, AMD’s new Ryzen AI 300 CPUs hit 50 TOPS, and Intel’s upcoming “Lunar Lake” chips go up to 48 TOPS.
The Surface Laptop 7 and Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge are both considered Copilot+ PCs, and they’ll have access to features like Windows Recall, Live Captions, local AI image and text creation, and more.
Samsung is taking things one step further with Galaxy AI, which should prove useful for anyone who is already invested in the Galaxy ecosystem. Galaxy AI allows you to connect a Galaxy phone to your Book4 Edge to access extra AI features on a larger screen. You can even use Copilot voice commands to do things like send messages and set reminders on your phone.
Surface Laptop 7 vs. Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge: Which should you buy?
The new Surface Laptop 7 starts at a more affordable price, and that will no doubt play a big role in your final decision. Its configuration options, which include the X Plus SoC with multiple memory and storage options, should also be more accommodating. However, if you want the most performance possible, the Galaxy Book4 Edge’s top X Elite SoC option should be the way to go.
Samsung’s Galaxy Book4 Edge comes with AMOLED touch displays at a higher resolution, and anyone who wants the deep color and contrast associated with the tech should consider these first. However, the Laptop 7’s displays are impressive in their own right, especially with the taller 3:2 aspect ratio.
All devices have a slim and sleek design, but the Book4 Edge is thinner and lighter. It also boasts an impressive quad-speaker setup with Dolby Atmos, and the HDMI 2.1 port will likely be better than the Surface Connect port in the Laptop 7. The keyboard setup in the 16-inch Galaxy Book4 Edge should also make it one of the best laptops with number pads, which is important for heavy multitaskers.
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7
Want to spend less and still get a great Copilot+ PC? The Surface Laptop 7 comes with more configuration options than the Book4 Edge, though it lacks the high-end Snapdragon X Elite chip. It has a new haptic touchpad from Sensel, comfortable keyboard, IR camera for Windows Hello, and a redesigned chassis.
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge
The Galaxy Book4 Edge starts at a higher price, but it brings high-res AMOLED displays and top-tier Snapdragon X Elite chip in a thinner and lighter design. It should be the right choice for those who want the best CPU performance and best display, though the lack of more than 16GB of RAM will certainly be a dealbreaker for some power users.
