The Asus Zenbook S 13 offers higher performance capabilities, more storage, and a better display with higher resolution, suitable for intensive tasks such as engineering, 3D work, or gaming. However, it's more expensive and slightly heavier, which may affect portability. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is more affordable and lighter, making it a good option for general use and easy carrying. The Surface Laptop also has a smaller, lower-resolution screen which, while not as crisp as the Asus, can contribute to better battery life for everyday tasks. Choose the Asus for demanding applications or the Surface for everyday use and budget-friendliness. 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 3
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has no clear advantages over the ASUS Zenbook S 13.
Key differences
General Use
8.6/10
7.2/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
365.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
337.0 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 3 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 stands out for general use with its high-resolution OLED screen, larger amount of RAM, and more powerful processor, which contribute to overall smoother and more responsive performance, especially for multitasking and handling demanding applications. Meanwhile, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 offers better portability due to its smaller size and lighter weight and has good build quality, but it lags behind in performance and screen quality, with a lower-resolution IPS screen and less RAM, making it more suitable for less intensive tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
6.8/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
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 3 is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 typically offers a more powerful CPU, more RAM, and a superior GPU, which are crucial for demanding tasks like engineering software and design work, along with a high-quality screen for detailed visuals. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is lighter and more portable with a smaller form factor, which may trade off some performance for the convenience of easy travel and use in a variety of settings.
Content Creation
8.5/10
7.3/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
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 3 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
7.1/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
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 3 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
6.8/10
13.3in
SIZE
12.4in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
365.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers superior screen resolution and panel type that provide crisp and vibrant visuals, making it appealing for both general use and engineering tasks where color accuracy and clarity are crucial. For engineering and design, its wider color gamut ensures that professionals get a more accurate representation of their work. Meanwhile, for gaming and 3D applications, the laptop's lower refresh rate may result in less fluid motion and responsiveness, giving it a disadvantage compared to models with higher refresh rates.
Battery
11.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has 11 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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
$699
$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 3 costs $699.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13's superior graphics performance is primarily due to a better GPU and screen quality, including a higher pixel density for clearer images. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, while still capable, offers lower graphics performance which aligns with its less powerful GPU and lower screen pixel density, suggesting less sharpness and detail in visuals.
Portability
Best in Class
Excellent
13.3in
SIZE
12.4in
2.2 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.6in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Zenbook S 13 to have best in class portability, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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 3 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.
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How the ASUS Zenbook S 13 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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."
"When it comes to affordably priced laptops, the numbers after the dollar sign are crucially important—more so than in any other price category. By increasing the starting price of its Laptop Go line by $200 and not changing much else, Microsoft irrevocably altered the calculus surrounding the decision of whether to buy the Surface Laptop Go 3. Sure, it has a newer processor and longer battery life, but don’t think for a second you’re not paying dearly for that extra RAM and SSD capacity at that new price."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook S 13 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
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.
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