So, I got my hands on a Microsoft Laptop 15 and one of those new Lenovo laptops running a Snapdragon chip. Been curious about these Arm-based Windows machines for a while, so I figured I’d use both side-by-side for a bit and see how they stacked up in real life, you know, just my own experience doing regular stuff.
Getting Started
First thing, unboxing. Both felt pretty premium, honestly. The Microsoft Laptop has that familiar metal feel, very solid. The Lenovo was surprisingly light, which was nice, but still felt well put together. No complaints on build for either, really.
Then I went through the setup process. Booted them both up. Windows setup is pretty standard these days, right? Didn’t notice a huge difference in setup time. Connected to my Wi-Fi, signed into my Microsoft account on both. The Lenovo, being Windows on Arm, didn’t immediately feel different at this stage. Everything looked like normal Windows.
Daily Grind
Okay, so the main thing was just using them. My day is mostly browser windows, writing documents, maybe some light photo sorting, email, that kind of thing.
- Performance Feel: The Lenovo with the Snapdragon felt really snappy for basic tasks. Opening apps like Edge or Word felt almost instant. It felt very responsive. The Microsoft Laptop 15, the regular Intel one I guess, felt perfectly fine too, maybe a tad slower on those initial app opens, but it handled having a bunch of browser tabs open maybe a little more gracefully? Hard to say definitively, it wasn’t a night-and-day difference for my light usage.
- Battery Life: This is where things got interesting. I just used the Lenovo like normal, unplugged. And man, that thing just kept going. I easily got through a full day and then some without reaching for the charger. The Microsoft Laptop 15 battery was decent, you know, lasted most of a workday, but the Snapdragon Lenovo was definitely in another league. I didn’t have to think about the battery nearly as much.
- Compatibility Stuff: I was worried about apps on the Snapdragon Lenovo. Most of what I use worked fine – Office apps, Edge browser, Spotify. They seemed to run natively or just work without me noticing anything weird. I didn’t try installing any really old or obscure software, because I just don’t use that stuff. For my typical workflow, I didn’t hit any major walls. The Microsoft Laptop 15, obviously, just ran everything I threw at it without a second thought because it’s standard Windows.
The Physical Bits
Using a laptop is also about the keyboard and screen, right?
Keyboard & Trackpad: I actually preferred the keyboard on the Microsoft Laptop 15 a bit more. It just had a satisfying feel for typing longer documents. The Lenovo keyboard wasn’t bad at all, just different, maybe a bit shallower travel. Both trackpads were good, smooth, responsive. No issues there.
Screen: Both screens looked nice and sharp. Brightness was good on both indoors. Didn’t really notice a huge difference for just reading text and looking at websites. Maybe the colors popped a tiny bit more on one than the other, but nothing dramatic that impacted my work.
Heat and Noise: The Lenovo with the Snapdragon? Silent. Never heard a fan. It sometimes got slightly warm on the bottom if I was doing a lot, but never hot. The Microsoft Laptop 15 was generally quiet too, but I did hear the fan spin up occasionally if I had a lot going on or was installing something big. Not loud or annoying, but noticeable compared to the silent Lenovo.
So, What’s the Takeaway?
After using both for a while, here’s where I landed. The Lenovo with the Snapdragon impressed me, mostly with that crazy battery life and how snappy it felt for everyday tasks. Being silent was a nice bonus too. If you primarily use web apps, standard Microsoft Office stuff, and really value battery life and portability, it’s a really strong contender. The compatibility wasn’t an issue for me, but that might depend on your specific needs.
The Microsoft Laptop 15 is just… reliable. It does everything you expect a Windows laptop to do, runs everything without question, and has a great keyboard and solid build. It doesn’t have that wow-factor battery life of the Snapdragon, but it’s a known quantity. It just works.
For me personally, that extended battery life on the Lenovo was super tempting. Not worrying about a charger is a big deal. But the familiar, guaranteed compatibility of the Microsoft Laptop 15 is also comforting. It really depends on what you prioritize. Both are decent machines, just built for slightly different emphasis.