If you prioritize battery life and a larger, higher-quality OLED display for tasks like photo editing or watching videos, the ASUS Zenbook S 13 is a suitable choice. It also offers more storage and better performance for demanding engineering applications, given its top-tier processor and plenty of RAM. However, it comes at a higher price. Conversely, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is more budget-friendly and comes with a touchscreen, which is great for hands-on interaction or creative work. Its smaller size and weight make it more portable, but it has less storage capacity and might struggle with more intensive tasks due to its lower-spec processor and less RAM. Moreover, its battery life is shorter than the Zenbook's. If your primary use is general computing and staying within a budget is a concern, the Laptop Go 2 could be the better option. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook S 13
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Best in class portability
Very good battery life
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has no clear advantages over the ASUS Zenbook S 13.
Key differences
General Use
8.6/10
7.0/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
365.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13, with its higher RAM and more powerful CPU, offers better performance for general use than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, which has less RAM and a less powerful CPU, impacting multitasking and demanding applications.
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
6.0/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the ASUS Zenbook S 13 is somewhat better.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 outperforms in gaming and 3D tasks due to its stronger CPU and superior OLED screen which offers better screen quality, while both laptops share similar integrated GPUs and screen refresh rates. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 provides a more moderate experience primarily due to its less powerful CPU and IPS screen, which is less optimal for high-end graphics tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
6.5/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers superior CPU, RAM, and GPU capabilities necessary for the demanding tasks in engineering and design, along with a high-quality screen that benefits detailed work. Conversely, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is more portable with a quality keyboard and quieter operation, its lower-tier CPU, RAM, GPU, and screen quality make it less suitable for intensive engineering and design applications.
Content Creation
8.5/10
7.1/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is good.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
8.3/10
7.0/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for software development, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is good.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
8.1/10
6.9/10
13.3in
SIZE
12.4in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
365.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS Zenbook's excellent screen quality for general use and engineering tasks is due to its high-resolution display and wide color gamuts, offering crisp visuals and accurate color reproduction which are essential for fine-detail work in design. However, for gaming and 3D, its lower refresh rate compared to specialized gaming laptops makes it less ideal for the fast-paced visuals required in those areas. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2's good screen quality is sufficient for general use and satisfactory for engineering where color precision is needed, but like the ASUS, its refresh rate makes it less suitable for gaming and 3D applications where smoother motion is critical.
Battery
11.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has 11 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has 8 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Cost
$1,400
$565
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a price of $1,400 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 costs $565.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Zenbook S 13 to have best in class portability, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has excellent portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6/10
7.8/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and ASUS Zenbook S 13 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS Zenbook S 13 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 compare to other laptops
"The Asus Zenbook S 13 is the slimmest OLED ultrabook worldwide struggles with annoying fans. The new Zenbook S 13 leaves us with mixed feelings, particularly since last year's model was so good. Asus has completely reworked the device, making the laptop noticeably slimmer. The result also looks good and the case makes a great impression, particularly also in terms of the stability. The new plasma ceramic surface feels great, and there are no problems with fingerprints. In addition, it now includes some of the known connections such as an HDMI port and a regular USB-A connection, which is a good achievement in such a slim device."
"The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 review is a compact companion with old hardware. The Surface Laptop Go 2 shows some weaknesses. Microsoft didn't really develop the second generation of the Surface Laptop Go 2 any further but has only equipped it with a slightly more powerful Core i5 processor. However, the performance still remains at a fairly low level overall, but for many users, it definitely should still be sufficient for everyday tasks."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook S 13 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
About ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
About Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
103,695
Recommendations made
22,468
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.