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Side-by-side specification comparison of two reference models
A full side-by-side comparison of reference models Surface Laptop 7 15-inch and ThinkPad E480 within the same category.
Side-by-side specification comparison of two reference models
| Specification | Surface Laptop 7 15-inch | ThinkPad E480 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Not for sale | Not for sale |
| General | ||
| Brand | Microsoft | Lenovo |
| Product Family | Surface Laptop | ThinkPad |
| Model | Surface Laptop 7 15-inch | ThinkPad E480 |
| Model Number | 2037 | ThinkPad E480 |
| Part Number / SKU | Surface_Laptop_7th_Edition_2037 | — |
| Launch Year | 2024 year | 2018 year |
| Form Factor | Clamshell | Clamshell |
| Laptop Category | Premium / Ultraportable | Mainstream |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Home | Windows 10 |
| Operating System Architecture | 64-bit | 64-bit |
| Processor | ||
| Processor Manufacturer | Qualcomm | Intel |
| Processor Family | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite | Intel Core i5 |
| Processor Model | Snapdragon X Elite X1E80100 | Intel Core i5 8250U 1.6GHz |
| Processor Generation | — | 8th Gen |
| CPU Architecture | ARM64 | x86-64 |
| CPU Process Node | 4 nm | 14 nm |
| CPU Cores | 12 cores | 4 cores |
| Efficiency Cores | — | 0 cores |
| CPU Threads | — | 8 threads |
| CPU Base Clock | — | 1.6 GHz |
| CPU Max Boost Clock | 4 GHz | 3.4 GHz |
| L3 Cache | — | 6 MB |
| Processor Base Power | — | 15 W |
| AI / NPU | ||
| NPU | Yes | — |
| NPU Model | Qualcomm Hexagon NPU | — |
| NPU Performance | 45 TOPS | — |
| Copilot+ PC | Yes | — |
| Graphics | ||
| Graphics Type | Integrated | Discrete |
| GPU Manufacturer | Qualcomm | AMD |
| GPU Model | Qualcomm Adreno X1-85 | AMD Radeon RX 550 |
| VRAM Capacity | 0 GB | 2 GB |
| VRAM Type | Shared system memory | GDDR5 |
| GPU Boost Clock | 1250 MHz | — |
| Maximum External Displays | 2 displays | 1 displays |
| Maximum External Resolution | 5120 x 2880 @ 60 Hz (single); 3840 x 2160 @ 60 Hz each (dual) | 1920 x 1080 @ 60 Hz via HDMI |
| Memory | ||
| Installed Memory | 16 GB | 8 GB |
| Maximum Memory | 64 GB | 32 GB |
| Memory Type | LPDDR5X | DDR4 |
| Memory Speed | 8448 MT/s | 2400 MT/s |
| Memory Form Factor | Soldered | SO-DIMM |
| Memory Slots | 0 slots | 2 slots |
| Memory Slots Used | 0 slots | — |
| Memory Upgradeable | No | Yes |
| Memory Channels | — | Dual |
| Storage | ||
| Primary Storage Type | SSD | SSD |
| Storage Capacity | 512 GB | 256 GB |
| Storage Interface | PCIe NVMe | PCIe NVMe |
| Storage PCIe Generation | PCIe 4.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Storage Form Factor | Removable SSD | M.2 2280 + 2.5-inch |
| Installed Storage Drives | 1 drives | 1 drives |
| Maximum Storage Drives | 1 drives | 2 drives |
| M.2 Storage Slots | 1 slots | 1 slots |
| 2.5-inch Drive Bay | — | Yes |
| RAID Support | — | — |
| Card Reader | Yes | Yes |
| Card Reader Formats | microSDXC | microSD |
| Card Reader Standard | microSDXC | — |
| Display | ||
| Display Size | 15 inch | 14 inch |
| Display Resolution | 2496 x 1664 | 1920 x 1080 |
| Resolution Class | Custom | FHD |
| Display Technology | — | IPS LCD |
| Panel Type | PixelSense Flow | IPS |
| Touchscreen | Yes | — |
| Refresh Rate | 120 Hz | — |
| Variable Refresh Rate | Yes | — |
| Display Brightness | 600 nits | 250 nits |
| Peak HDR Brightness | 600 nits | — |
| Contrast Ratio | 1300:1 | 400:1 |
| Aspect Ratio | 3:2 | 16:9 |
| Display Finish | Glossy | Anti-glare |
| HDR Support | Yes | — |
| Dolby Vision | Yes | — |
| Adaptive Sync Technology | — | — |
| Viewing Angle | 178° x 178° degree | — |
| Camera & Biometrics | ||
| Webcam Resolution | 1080p FHD | 720p |
| IR Camera | Yes | — |
| Windows Hello Face | Yes | — |
| Camera Features | Windows Studio Effects | — |
| Audio | ||
| Speaker Configuration | Omnisonic speakers | 2 x speakers |
| Speaker Power | — | 2 x 1.5 W |
| Audio Technology | Dolby Atmos | Dolby Advanced Audio |
| Microphone Configuration | Dual Studio Mics | Dual-array microphone |
| Audio Jack | Yes | Yes |
| Keyboard & Input | ||
| Keyboard Type | Mechanical keyboard | Spill-resistant 6-row keyboard |
| Keyboard Backlight | Yes | — |
| Keyboard RGB Zones | — | — |
| Numeric Keypad | Yes | — |
| Copilot Key | Yes | — |
| Touchpad Type | Precision Haptic touchpad | ThinkPad Mylar touchpad |
| Touchpad Material | Glass | Mylar |
| Pointing Stick | — | Yes |
| Wireless & Networking | ||
| Wi-Fi Standard | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 5 |
| Wi-Fi IEEE Standard | 802.11be | 802.11ac |
| Wi-Fi Bands | Tri-band | Dual-band |
| Wi-Fi Spatial Streams | 2x2 | — |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 4.1 |
| Ethernet | — | Yes |
| Ethernet Speed | — | 1 GbE |
| WWAN | No | No |
| SIM Slot | — | — |
| Ports & Expansion | ||
| USB Type-A Port Count | 1 ports | 3 ports |
| USB Type-A Specifications | USB-A 3.1 | 2x USB 3.1 Gen 1; 1x USB 2.0 |
| USB Type-C Port Count | 2 ports | 1 ports |
| USB Type-C Specifications | USB-C / USB4 / charging / DisplayPort 1.4a | 1x USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 / Power Delivery / DisplayPort |
| USB4 Port Count | 2 ports | 0 ports |
| USB4 Speed | 40 Gbps | — |
| Thunderbolt Port Count | 0 ports | 0 ports |
| HDMI Port Count | 0 ports | 1 ports |
| HDMI Version | — | 1.4b |
| DisplayPort Output | DisplayPort 1.4a via USB-C | DisplayPort via USB-C |
| RJ-45 Port Count | 0 ports | 1 ports |
| 3.5 mm Audio Combo Port Count | 1 ports | 1 ports |
| SD Card Slot Count | 0 ports | 0 ports |
| microSD Card Slot Count | 1 ports | 1 ports |
| Smart Card Reader | No | No |
| Security Lock Slot | — | Yes |
| Dedicated Docking Connector | Yes | — |
| Internal PCIe Slots | 1x removable PCIe 4.0 SSD | 1x M.2 storage slot |
| Battery & Power | ||
| Battery Capacity | 66 Wh | 45 Wh |
| Battery Chemistry | Li-ion | Li-polymer |
| Battery Life | 22 hours | 13.51 hours |
| Battery Life Test Method | Microsoft local video playback test | MobileMark 2014 |
| Fast Charging | Yes | Yes |
| Fast Charge Level | 80 % | 80 % |
| Fast Charge Time | 60 min | 60 min |
| Power Adapter | 65 W | 65 W |
| Power Connector | Surface Connect | USB-C |
| USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes |
| Maximum USB-C Charging Power | 65 W | — |
| Dimensions & Build | ||
| Width | 329 mm | 329 mm |
| Depth | 239 mm | 242 mm |
| Thickness | 18.29 mm | 21.9 mm |
| Weight | 1.66 kg | 1.75 kg |
| Chassis Material | Anodized aluminum | PC/ABS |
| Lid Material | Anodized aluminum | PC/ABS |
| Base Material | Anodized aluminum | PC/ABS |
| MIL-STD Testing | MIL-STD-810H tested | MIL-STD-810G tested |
| Security & Manageability | ||
| TPM | Pluton TPM 2.0 | — |
| Microsoft Pluton | Yes | — |
| BIOS / UEFI Password Support | — | Yes |
| Drive Password Support | — | Yes |
| Secure Boot | Yes | — |
| Enterprise Manageability | — | — |
| Smart Card Support | No | No |
| BIOS Recovery / Self-Healing | — | — |
| Sensors | ||
| Ambient Light Sensor | Yes | — |
| Color / Color Temperature Sensor | Yes | — |
| Certifications & Sustainability | ||
| ENERGY STAR | ENERGY STAR | ENERGY STAR 8.0 |
| EPEAT | Gold | Gold |
| TCO Certified | TCO Certified | TCO Certified |
| RoHS Compliance | — | Yes |
| Recycled Materials | Enclosure: minimum 67.2% recycled content; includes 100% recycled aluminum alloy and 100% recycled rare earth metals | — |
| Product Carbon Footprint | 225 kg CO2e | — |
| Environment & Warranty | ||
| Warranty | 1 years | 1 years |
| Warranty Type | Limited hardware warranty | Mail-in or depot limited warranty |
Surface Laptop 7 15-inch and ThinkPad E480 share specifications such as Form Factor (Clamshell), Operating System Architecture (64-bit), Primary Storage Type (SSD), Storage Interface (PCIe NVMe).
The main differences: Processor Model (Surface Laptop 7 15-inch: Snapdragon X Elite X1E80100, ThinkPad E480: Intel Core i5 8250U 1.6GHz); GPU Model (Surface Laptop 7 15-inch: Qualcomm Adreno X1-85, ThinkPad E480: AMD Radeon RX 550); Installed Memory (Surface Laptop 7 15-inch: 16 GB, ThinkPad E480: 8 GB); Storage Capacity (Surface Laptop 7 15-inch: 512 GB, ThinkPad E480: 256 GB).
Surface Laptop 7 15-inch may suit users who need its differing values, while ThinkPad E480 benefits those who need its paired strengths. Review the specs table above before deciding.
