

On the right side, the sole port is the proprietary Surface Connect port, which you use for charging and connecting to Microsoft’s own dock, should you choose to buy it. That’s joined by a USB Type-A port and a 3.5mm headphone jack. On the left side there’s a USB Type-C port - finally, though it’s not Thunderbolt 3. One big letdown with the design are the ports - or lack thereof. The 14-inch ThinkPad X1 Carbon is lighter at 2.4 pounds and measures 12.7 x 8.6 x 0.6 inches. The Dell XPS 15 is heavier at 4.5 pounds and slightly larger overall at 14 x 9.7 x 0.7 inches. It’s really easy to throw in a backpack and forget about, which is very rare for a 15-inch notebook. Perhaps the best thing about the Surface being so similar to its 13-inch siblings is that it has maintained its slenderness. You may not have to worry about keeping the Alcantara clean, but you’ll definitely want to wipe the deck and the lid on occasion to keep the laptop looking clean. It’s both here and on the lid where one thing becomes obvious: The Surface Laptop 3 is a fingerprint magnet. Microsoft has removed the Alcantara fabric from previous 13.5-inch models of the Surface Laptop 3 on this one, making for a very spartan appearance.
