Revised Hardware on Microsoft Surface 7 Laptop: Outstanding Hardware, Disappointment with Operating System
The Surface Laptop 7, Microsoft's latest offering, has hit the market in 2024, available in both Intel-powered and Arm-based versions. However, the Arm-based variant has sparked some controversy, with users reporting various issues that have left a sour taste.
Weighing in at 2.95 pounds (1.34 kg), the Surface Laptop 7 boasts two USB-C connections and one USB-A port. Its hardware design is sleek and well-engineered, but the Arm-based version has faced significant performance and stability issues.
The author's experience with the Arm-based Surface Laptop 7, specifically the Windows Dev Kit 2023 (Project Volterra), revealed a multitude of problems. The laptop would frequently shut down during use, necessitating a return within the first week. Furthermore, the Arm-based version, branded as Copilot+, has issues that were not fully addressed since the Windows Dev Kit 2023.
The Arm-based Surface Laptop 7 runs on a Snapdragon X Plus 10-core CPU and Windows 11 for Arm. Despite this powerful hardware, the Arm-native version of Chrome is slower compared to the Intel version, and commonly used applications like Chrome experience performance issues.
The Surface Laptop 7's software problems could potentially linger in the Surface Laptop 8 due to the similar servicing branch of Windows 11 25H2 and Windows 11 24H2. This raises concerns about the future of the Windows on Arm experience.
However, the Surface Laptop 7 does have its strengths. It can run for up to 20 hours of local video playback, and in real-world usage, it provides around 10 hours of productivity applications usage. The laptop also features a 13.8-inch screen, 16 GB of RAM, and a 512 GB SSD (474 GB usable after formatting), all for £799 (approximately $1,100).
Unfortunately, the Arm-based Surface Laptop 7 has also encountered hardware compatibility issues with certain peripherals, such as the MX Brio 705 webcam from Logitech, causing driver errors. Additionally, the laptop occasionally loses the mouse pointer or ignores the keyboard, adding to the list of software woes.
One of the most troubling issues is the Recall application's frequent stopping of recording, intended to capture a history of a user's activity. Moreover, the microphone problem, which was fixed by an updated driver from Microsoft, was not notified to users, leaving them in the dark.
In conclusion, the Surface Laptop 7 is a well-engineered piece of hardware, but its software has rough edges that may deter some users. The Arm-based version, in particular, is not yet ready for widespread consumer use.
The Surface Laptop 8, expected to be released later this year, provides an opportunity for Microsoft to improve the Windows on Arm experience. With the lessons learned from the Surface Laptop 7, we can only hope for a smoother, more reliable laptop in the future.
