Microsoft Surface Go 3 vs. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (2nd Gen)

Laptop Comparison, Reviews and Tests

In depth comparison and review of Microsoft Surface Go 3 and Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (2nd Gen). Compare sizes, performance, storage capacities, batteries and other important specifications and features to easily choose the right laptop for you. Our goal is to help you uncover differences between the products and find the laptop that will best fit your needs.

Laptop Specifications Comparison

Microsoft Surface Go 3 vs. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (2nd Gen) Comparison Chart
DESIGN AND DIMENSIONS Microsoft Surface Go 3 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (2nd Gen)
Product Type Tablet - no keyboard Ultrabook
Dimensions (WxDxH) 24.5 cm x 17.5 cm x 0.83 cm 33.1 cm x 22.65 cm x 1.772 cm
Weight 553 g 1.34 kg
Case Material Magnesium alloy Glass-fibre reinforced plastic, carbon fibre reinforced plastic, magnesium-aluminum alloy
Colour Platinum -
DISPLAY Microsoft Surface Go 3 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (2nd Gen)
Screen Size (Type) 10.5" 14"
Touchscreen Yes (10-point multi-touch) -
LCD Backlight Technology - LED backlight
Screen Resolution 1920 x 1280 1600 x 900 (HD+)
Pixel Density (ppi) 220 -
Widescreen Yes Yes
Image Aspect Ratio 3:2 16:9
Features Corning Gorilla glass 3, PixelSense Anti-glare
PROCESSOR Microsoft Surface Go 3 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (2nd Gen)
CPU Intel Core i3 (10th Gen) 10100Y / 1.3 GHz Intel Core i7 (4th Gen) 4600U / 2.1 GHz
Max Turbo Speed 3.9 GHz 3.3 GHz
Number of Cores Dual-Core Dual-Core
Cache 4 MB 4 MB
64-bit Computing - Yes
Features - Hyper-Threading Technology, integrated memory controller, Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0, Intel Smart Cache
MEMORY Microsoft Surface Go 3 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (2nd Gen)
RAM 4 GB 8 GB (provided memory is soldered)
RAM Type LPDDR3 SDRAM DDR3L SDRAM
Speed - 1600 MHz / PC3L-12800
Rated Speed - 1600 MHz
STORAGE Microsoft Surface Go 3 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (2nd Gen)
Main Storage Size (HDD/SSD) 64 GB eMMC 120 GB SSD
AUDIO & VIDEO Microsoft Surface Go 3 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (2nd Gen)
Graphics Processor (GPU) Intel UHD Graphics 615 Intel HD Graphics 4400
Camera Yes - 1080p Yes - 720p
Resolution 8 Megapixel (rear), 5 Megapixel (front) -
Camera Features Rear camera auto focus, Windows Hello Face tracking, gesture input support
Sound Stereo speakers, two microphones Stereo speakers, dual array microphone
Codec - Realtek ALC3232
Compliant Standards Dolby Audio High Definition Audio, Dolby Home Theater v4
COMMUNICATIONS Microsoft Surface Go 3 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (2nd Gen)
Wireless NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Network Interface - Gigabit Ethernet
WWAN
Generation 4G WWAN upgradable
Technology LTE Advanced -
BATTERY Microsoft Surface Go 3 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (2nd Gen)
Technology - Lithium Ion
Battery Capacity (Size) 28 Wh -
Battery Life Up to 11 hours -
AC ADAPTER Microsoft Surface Go 3 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (2nd Gen)
Input - AC 120/230 V (50/60 Hz)
INPUT Microsoft Surface Go 3 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (2nd Gen)
Type - Keyboard, TrackPoint, UltraNav
Keyboard Backlight - Yes
Features - Spill-resistant, multi-touch touchpad, adaptive keyboard
CONNECTIONS & EXPANSIONS Microsoft Surface Go 3 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (2nd Gen)
Slots 1 x Nano-SIM card (1 free) -
Interfaces USB-C
SurfaceConnect
Headphone output
Dock
USB 3.0
Mini DisplayPort
HDMI
Headphone/microphone combo jack
Lenovo Ethernet extension connector
OneLink connector
USB 3.0 (Always On)
Memory Card Reader Yes (microSDXC) -
SOFTWARE Microsoft Surface Go 3 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (2nd Gen)
Operating System (OS) Windows 11 Pro Windows 10 Home (Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher (MAR))
Software Included Microsoft 365 Business Standard, Business Premium or Microsoft 365 Apps (30 days trial), Microsoft 365 Apps (requires licence or subscription) -
MISCELLANEOUS Microsoft Surface Go 3 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (2nd Gen)
Dockable Yes Yes
Included Accessories Power adapter Power adapter
Integrated Options Accelerometer, ambient light sensor, magnetometer, gyro sensor Ambient light sensor
Security Trusted Platform Module (TPM 2.0) Security Chip Trusted Platform Module (TPM 1.2) Security Chip
Security Slot Type - Kensington security slot
Theft/Intrusion Protection - Security lock slot (cable lock sold separately)
Features Volume control, built-in kickstand Administrator password, hard drive password, power-on password, RapidCharge, reset switch, 1 USB 3.0 (Always On), voice input support, MIL-STD-810G tested
Compliant Standards - ISO 9001, ISO 14001, RoHS, ISO 27001
ENERGY STAR Certified - Yes
Manufacturer Warranty Limited warranty - 1 year Limited warranty - 2 years - pick-up and return
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