Lenovo ThinkPad L390 13" Vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 13"

The Lenovo ThinkPad L390 13, released in early 2019, and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 13, launched in late 2019, are both compact laptops designed for productivity and portability. While the ThinkPad L390 emphasizes business-oriented features and upgradeability, the Surface Laptop 3 focuses on a premium design and a high-resolution display. Both devices operate on the Windows platform, offering a familiar user experience.

When considering the long-term usability of these laptops, several factors come into play, including their release timelines, software support, and potential for repair or upgrades.

• Release Timeline: The Lenovo ThinkPad L390 was released in early 2019, making it slightly older than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 3, which debuted in October 2019. This difference in release date can impact the duration of future software updates.
• OS Support: Both laptops run on Windows and are eligible for ongoing updates. The newer release of the Surface Laptop 3 may offer a slightly longer period of official feature updates from Microsoft.
• Repairability & Upgradability: The ThinkPad L390 offers more flexibility for internal upgrades, with accessible RAM and SSD slots, allowing users to extend its practical lifespan by enhancing components. In contrast, the Surface Laptop 3's SSD is removable but requires a skilled technician, and its RAM is soldered, limiting user-level upgrades.
• Expected Lifespan: Given their respective release dates and typical support cycles for Windows laptops, both devices can be expected to provide several years of reliable service. The ThinkPad's upgradeability offers a potential advantage for users looking to maintain performance over a longer period through component replacement.

The performance of these laptops is influenced by their internal components, affecting how smoothly they handle daily tasks and more demanding applications.

• Processor Capabilities: The ThinkPad L390 is equipped with 8th Gen Intel Core processors, providing solid performance for general office work, web browsing, and light multitasking. The Surface Laptop 3 features 10th Gen Intel Core processors, which offer improved efficiency and responsiveness, particularly noticeable in handling multiple applications simultaneously or during more intensive computational tasks.
• RAM and Storage: The ThinkPad L390 supports up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM, with two user-accessible slots, allowing for future memory expansion. Its storage options include PCIe NVMe SSDs, providing fast data access. The Surface Laptop 3 comes with up to 16GB of soldered RAM, meaning it cannot be upgraded post-purchase. It also utilizes fast SSD storage, though its removability is intended for technicians.
• Real-world Usage: Users of the Surface Laptop 3 often report a very snappy and responsive experience, even with multiple tabs and applications open. The ThinkPad L390 also delivers a capable performance for everyday productivity, with its processor handling typical workloads efficiently.
• Battery Behavior: The ThinkPad L390 typically offers a battery life ranging from 8 to 14 hours, depending on the specific configuration and usage patterns. The Surface Laptop 3 generally provides between 9 and 15 hours of use, with some configurations supporting fast charging to quickly replenish power.

The visual experience on these laptops differs significantly, primarily due to their display technologies, resolution, and aspect ratios.

• Display Technology and Resolution: The ThinkPad L390 features a 13.3-inch Full HD (1920x1080) IPS display, often with an anti-glare finish, which is suitable for extended work sessions. The Surface Laptop 3 boasts a 13.5-inch PixelSense touchscreen with a higher resolution of 2256 x 1504 pixels, resulting in a sharper image and finer detail.
• Brightness and Color: The ThinkPad L390's display typically offers brightness levels around 250-278 nits and covers approximately 53% of the sRGB color gamut, providing a clear but not exceptionally vibrant image. The Surface Laptop 3's display is brighter, often reaching 348-400 nits, and covers a wider color range (90-121% sRGB), leading to more vivid colors and better visibility in varied lighting conditions.
• Aspect Ratio and Viewing Experience: The ThinkPad L390 uses a traditional 16:9 aspect ratio, common for media consumption. The Surface Laptop 3 features a 3:2 aspect ratio, which provides more vertical screen real estate, beneficial for document editing, web browsing, and other productivity tasks.
• Touch and Glare: The Surface Laptop 3 includes a touch-sensitive display, enhancing interactivity. Its glossy finish, while contributing to vibrant visuals, can be prone to reflections in bright environments. The ThinkPad L390 offers an optional touchscreen, but its standard anti-glare panel is generally better for reducing reflections.

For communication and media consumption, the camera, microphone, and speaker systems play a crucial role in the overall user experience.

• Webcam Quality: Both the ThinkPad L390 and the Surface Laptop 3 are equipped with a 720p webcam. User feedback for the Surface Laptop 3 often highlights its webcam as surprisingly clear and effective for video calls, supported by Windows Hello facial recognition for convenient logins. The ThinkPad L390's webcam is functional for standard video conferencing.
• Microphone Quality: The Surface Laptop 3 features dual far-field Studio Mics, designed to capture clear audio for calls and voice commands, even in noisy environments. The ThinkPad L390 includes dual array microphones, which also aim to provide clear audio input.
• Speaker Output: The Surface Laptop 3 is frequently praised for its speaker quality, with users noting loud, clear sound with good bass, enhancing the media consumption experience. The ThinkPad L390 comes with 2W stereo speakers with Dolby Audio Premium, offering a respectable audio output for its class.