Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i 16 vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 5
The Verdict
Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i 16 delivers superior specs at the same price point with a larger 16-inch 2.5K 120Hz display versus Surface Laptop 5's compact 13.5-inch 60Hz screen. Performance advantages clearly favor Lenovo: Intel Core Ultra 7 155H with 16 cores and 16GB DDR5 RAM outpaces the 12th Gen i5/i7 options with 10 cores and 8-16GB DDR4. Storage starts at 512GB on Lenovo versus 256GB on Surface. However, Surface Laptop 5 excels in portability, weighing just 1.27kg compared to 1.98kg, and claims impressive 18-hour battery life. Build quality favors Surface with premium Alcantara materials. Lenovo offers better value for productivity and content creation work, while Surface prioritizes ultra-portability and elegance. For most users seeking power and screen real estate, Lenovo represents the stronger choice at this price.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i 16 if…
- →Strong Intel Core Ultra 7 performance at an accessible price
- →2.5K 120Hz IPS display is excellent for the tier
- →Full port suite including SD card and USB-A
Buy the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 if…
- →Excellent 3:2 aspect ratio PixelSense touchscreen for productivity
- →Alcantara keyboard deck is comfortable and distinctive
- →Lightweight at 1.27 kg for easy portability
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i 16
Pros
- Strong Intel Core Ultra 7 performance at an accessible price
- 2.5K 120Hz IPS display is excellent for the tier
- Full port suite including SD card and USB-A
- Upgradeable RAM and SSD
- 84 Wh battery supports all-day use
Cons
- Plastic base panel feels less premium
- Display brightness of 350 nits is modest
- No discrete GPU on base model
- Fans audible under sustained workloads
- Heavier than comparable ultrabooks
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5
Pros
- Excellent 3:2 aspect ratio PixelSense touchscreen for productivity
- Alcantara keyboard deck is comfortable and distinctive
- Lightweight at 1.27 kg for easy portability
- Up to 18 hours claimed battery life
- Removable SSD for easier data recovery
Cons
- Only one USB-C port and one USB-A port — very limited
- 60Hz display lacks the smoothness of 120Hz competitors
- No Thunderbolt 4 — USB-C is USB 4.0 with limited bandwidth
- Surface Connect charger is proprietary
- 8 GB base RAM is restrictive for multitasking
Full Specifications
| Spec | Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i 16 | Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 1.98 kg | 1.27 kg |
| Material | Aluminum lid with plastic base | Aluminum and Alcantara |
| Dimensions | 356.2 x 248.2 x 18.9 mm | 308 x 223 x 14.5 mm |
| Ports | ||
| HDMI | 1 | — |
| USB-A ports | 2 | 1 |
| USB-C ports | 1 | 1 |
| SD card | — | |
| Thunderbolt ports | 1 | — |
| Headphone Jack | — | |
| Surface Connect | — | |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | Up to 11 hours mixed use | Up to 18 hours |
| Capacity | 84 Wh | 47.4 Wh |
| Display | ||
| Size | 16.0 inches | 13.5 inches |
| Type | 2.5K IPS anti-glare | PixelSense IPS LCD |
| Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2256 x 1504 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 60Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 350 | 400 |
| Storage | ||
| SSD | 512 GB NVMe | 256 GB / 512 GB (removable SSD) |
| Expandable storage | ||
| Keyboard | ||
| Backlit | ||
| Touch Bar | — | |
| Processor | ||
| RAM | 16 GB DDR5 | 8 GB / 16 GB |
| Cores | 16-core (6P+8E+2LPE) | 10-core (2P + 8E) |
| Chipset | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | 12th Gen Intel Core i5-1235U / i7-1255U |
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This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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