Microsoft Surface Go 3 vs. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (5th Gen)

Laptop Comparison, Reviews and Tests

In depth comparison and review of Microsoft Surface Go 3 and Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (5th 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.

Microsoft Surface Go 3 Review

Advantages and disadvantages of Microsoft Surface Go 3 based on its technical characteristics, features, user experience, expert reviews and price level.

compact and lightweight

affordable price point

responsive touchscreen display

versatile form factor

solid build quality

modest battery life

limited storage capacity

average performance

fewer connectivity options

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (5th Gen) Review

Advantages and disadvantages of Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (5th Gen) based on its technical characteristics, features, user experience, expert reviews and price level.

lightweight and portable

robust build quality

excellent keyboard feel

impressive battery life

fast ssd performance

relatively high price

no dedicated gpu

limited port variety

average display brightness

Laptop Comparison and Tests

Difference between Microsoft Surface Go 3 and Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (5th Gen)
85 % - Design
72 % - Display
65 % - Performance
72 % - Connectivity
65 % - Battery
83 % - Design
75 % - Display
75 % - Performance
85 % - Connectivity
85 % - Battery

Laptop Specifications Comparison

Microsoft Surface Go 3 vs. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (5th Gen) Comparison Chart
DESIGN AND DIMENSIONS Microsoft Surface Go 3 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (5th Gen)
Product Type Tablet - no keyboard Ultrabook
Dimensions (WxDxH) 24.5 cm x 17.5 cm x 0.83 cm 32.35 cm x 21.71 cm x 1.595 cm
Weight 553 g 1.13 kg
Case Material Magnesium alloy Glass-fibre reinforced plastic, magnesium alloy, carbon fibre reinforced plastic
Colour Platinum Black
DISPLAY Microsoft Surface Go 3 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (5th Gen)
Screen Size (Type) 10.5" 14" - IPS
Touchscreen Yes (10-point multi-touch) -
LCD Backlight Technology - LED backlight
Screen Resolution 1920 x 1280 1920 x 1080 (Full HD)
Pixel Density (ppi) 220 -
Widescreen Yes Yes
Image Aspect Ratio 3:2 16:9
Image Brightness - 300 cd/m²
Features Corning Gorilla glass 3, PixelSense Anti-glare
PROCESSOR Microsoft Surface Go 3 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (5th Gen)
CPU Intel Core i3 (10th Gen) 10100Y / 1.3 GHz Intel Core i5 (6th Gen) 6300U / 2.4 GHz
Max Turbo Speed 3.9 GHz 3 GHz
Number of Cores Dual-Core Dual-Core
Cache 4 MB 3 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 (5th Gen)
RAM 4 GB 8 GB (provided memory is soldered)
RAM Type LPDDR3 SDRAM LPDDR3 SDRAM
Speed - 1866 MHz
STORAGE Microsoft Surface Go 3 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (5th Gen)
Main Storage Size (HDD/SSD) 64 GB eMMC 256 GB SSD
AUDIO & VIDEO Microsoft Surface Go 3 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (5th Gen)
Graphics Processor (GPU) Intel UHD Graphics 615 Intel HD Graphics 520
Camera Yes - 1080p Yes - 720p
Resolution 8 Megapixel (rear), 5 Megapixel (front) -
Camera Features Rear camera auto focus, Windows Hello -
Sound Stereo speakers, two microphones Stereo speakers, dual array microphone
Codec - CX11871
Compliant Standards Dolby Audio High Definition Audio
COMMUNICATIONS Microsoft Surface Go 3 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (5th Gen)
Wireless NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax -
Features - Gigabit Ethernet via optional Ethernet (RJ-45) adapter
WWAN
Generation 4G -
Technology LTE Advanced -
BATTERY Microsoft Surface Go 3 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (5th Gen)
Technology - 3-cell Lithium Ion
Battery Capacity (Size) 28 Wh 57 Wh
Battery Life Up to 11 hours Up to 15.5 hours
AC ADAPTER Microsoft Surface Go 3 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (5th Gen)
Input - AC 120/230 V (50/60 Hz)
INPUT Microsoft Surface Go 3 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (5th Gen)
Type - Keyboard, TrackPoint, UltraNav
Keyboard Backlight - Yes
Features - Spill-resistant, multi-touch touchpad, buttonless touchpad
CONNECTIONS & EXPANSIONS Microsoft Surface Go 3 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (5th Gen)
Slots 1 x Nano-SIM card (1 free) -
Interfaces USB-C
SurfaceConnect
Headphone output
Dock
USB 3.1 Gen 1/USB 3.0
USB 3.1 Gen 1/USB 3.0 (Always On)
2 x USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 (supports Thunderbolt 3) (Power Delivery/data/video)
HDMI
Headphone/microphone combo jack
Lenovo Ethernet extension connector
Memory Card Reader Yes (microSDXC) Yes (microSDXC UHS-II)
SOFTWARE Microsoft Surface Go 3 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (5th 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 (5th Gen)
Dockable Yes -
Included Accessories Power adapter Power adapter
Integrated Options Accelerometer, ambient light sensor, magnetometer, gyro sensor -
Security Trusted Platform Module (TPM 2.0) Security Chip Trusted Platform Module (TPM 2.0) Security Chip, fingerprint reader
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, 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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