The third generation of the Microsoft Surface Book 3 remains a stunning physical specimen with world-beating engineering and a unique feature set. However, it's very expensive compared to the conventional laptops that will be a better fit for most user's needs.

Microsoft has obviously sweated the small stuff around the keyboard, trackpad, and general aesthetic. Trying to encapsulate that somewhat nebulous – but no less important – “feel” of a device is tricky, but there’s generally a pleasantness to using the Surface Laptop 4 that a lot of rival notebooks lack.

Aluminum construction makes for a solid, well-built laptop. AMD Ryzen 7 processor is fast enough and stays cool. Class-leading battery life for a 15-inch laptop. Large 3:2-ratio screen gives extra room for reading and working on documents. USB-A port and headphone jack remain.