The ASUS ROG Flow X13 is a higher-priced, highly portable offering with strong performance in gaming, 3D work, and engineering tasks, bolstered by its AMD Ryzen processor and Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU. Its compact form factor and lower weight compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 make it more suitable for on-the-go use. Conversely, the Surface Laptop Studio 2, priced in the upper mid-range, is slightly less portable due to its larger size and weight. However, it boasts an impressive 64GB of RAM and a powerful Intel i7 processor, which alongside the Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, makes it a solid choice for engineering and general use, but perhaps a less optimal option for intensive gaming. Both share similar storage capacity, touchscreens with high resolution, and close battery life, although the ASUS might have a slight edge in battery performance. If considering purely on the basis of portability and performance for gaming or graphic-intensive tasks, the ASUS may be more appealing, while the Surface offers significant power for productivity and creative workloads in a slightly less portable form factor. 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 ROG Flow X13
Very good overall display quality
Very good portability
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
Very good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.4/10
7.9/10
13.4in
SIZE
14.4in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
511.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, both the ASUS ROG Flow X13 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 offer displays with high resolution and brightness that make text sharp and content vivid, with the added benefit of panel types that offer wide viewing angles. Engineers and designers will appreciate the wide color gamuts on these laptops, ensuring accurate color reproduction for tasks that demand precision. However, gamers and professionals working with 3D applications might find the lower refresh rates restrictive, as these can limit the smoothness of motion and responsiveness that is critical for fast-paced visuals and interactive tasks.
Portability
Very Good
Good
13.4in
SIZE
14.4in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 has very good portability, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,500
$3,300
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 has a price of $2,500 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 costs $3,300.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and ASUS ROG Flow X13 are both very good for general use.
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 stands out for general use with a high-quality CPU and a vibrant, high-resolution touchscreen, making it a great 2-in-1 convertible laptop that appeals to those needing versatility and powerful performance within a portable frame.
Gaming and AI
7.8/10
7.7/10
7.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.2/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 are both good for gaming and AI.
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 stands out with its Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 165 Hz, which enhances gaming and 3D performance; however, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 with its Nvidia RTX 4060 and a 120 Hz refresh rate also offers solid gaming capabilities but with slightly lower graphics and refresh rate performance. Both laptops have strong CPUs and high-quality screens, with the tradeoff being in favor of the ASUS for gaming due to its superior GPU and screen refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
8.5/10
8.7/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
7.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and ASUS ROG Flow X13 are both very good for engineering and design.
The ASUS ROG Flow X13, with its AMD Ryzen 9 and Nvidia RTX 4070, is well-suited for engineering and design because of its strong CPU and GPU, and its high-quality, high-resolution touchscreen display that offers versatility as a 2-in-1 convertible. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 also excels in these tasks, leveraging its Intel i7 processor and Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics, and it pairs this with a large amount of RAM and a flexible hinge display, enhancing its utility for creatives who may also use it as a drawing tablet.
Content Creation
8.2/10
8.4/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and ASUS ROG Flow X13 are both very good for content creation.
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
8.0/10
8.2/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and ASUS ROG Flow X13 are both very good for software development.
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.
Battery
8.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 has 8 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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.
Build Quality
8.5/10
8.5/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 both have very 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 ROG Flow X13 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 compare to other laptops
"The Asus ROG Flow X13 is not an off-the-shelf convertible. This quickly becomes clear when you take a closer look at the technical specs. The AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS is a state-of-the-art SoC with 8 cores and 16 threads, which also makes the 2-in-1 interesting as a work device. With 32 GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD, gamers are also well taken care of. The dedicated Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q fits well into the overall concept and ensures a solid 3D performance. With the eGPU dock, which is equipped with a GeForce RTX 3080, the small convertible transforms into a full-fledged desktop replacement in terms of performance."
"The new Surface Laptop Studio with its foldable display is supposed to replace the old Surface Book and the overall impression is good after our review. The build quality and the materials are top-notch, the performance utilization of the two components is solid and the device does not show any major flaws in terms of display or speakers, either. The folding mechanism leaves a sold impression as well, but it remains to be seen how it will hold up over the years. The so-called presentation mode is also not ideal since it covers the whole keyboard."
Get a great deal on the ASUS ROG Flow X13 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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.
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