The ASUS ROG Flow X16 is significantly more expensive than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, but it offers a much more powerful processor, better graphics capabilities, and more storage and memory. This makes it well-suited for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and gaming. However, it's heavier and has a shorter battery life, which affects portability. Conversely, the Surface Laptop Go 3 is lighter and offers longer battery life, making it highly portable and suitable for general use, but with its significantly less powerful hardware, it's not ideal for more demanding applications. Choosing between them depends on whether you prioritize performance for demanding tasks or portability and longer battery life for general computing needs. 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 X16
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Best in class speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
Excellent portability
Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.0/10
7.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
502.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
5.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is good.
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 provides superior performance for general use due to its high-end CPU, ample RAM, and high-quality screen, but this comes with reduced portability and shorter battery life when compared to the lighter and longer-lasting Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, which has a less powerful CPU and lower RAM, suitable for less demanding tasks.
Gaming and AI
7.6/10
6.1/10
7.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 outperforms the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 in gaming and 3D applications due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and higher screen refresh rate of 165Hz, which is beneficial for smoother visuals in fast-paced games.
Engineering and Design
8.3/10
6.8/10
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
7.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 outperforms the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 in engineering and design due to its superior processor, higher RAM, more powerful GPU, and better screen quality, factors that are very important for such tasks. While the Surface Laptop Go 3 offers greater portability and quieter operating noise, its lower-tier CPU and GPU, along with less RAM and a less impressive display panel, make it less suitable for demanding engineering and design applications.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.3/10
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 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
7.7/10
7.1/10
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for software development, though the ASUS ROG Flow X16 is somewhat better.
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
8.5/10
6.8/10
16.0in
SIZE
12.4in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
502.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 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.
For general use, the ASUS ROG Flow X16 offers a high-resolution display with excellent brightness and color representation, which makes for sharp, vivid images ideal for daily tasks and media consumption. In engineering and design, its wide color gamuts ensure that the colors you see on screen are accurate and consistent, essential for precision work. However, for gaming and 3D applications where fast-paced graphics are key, the lower refresh rate may not deliver the fluid motion desired by enthusiasts and professionals in that field.
Battery
5.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 has 5.5 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.
Portability
Good
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
12.4in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has excellent portability, while the ASUS ROG Flow X16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.8/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 has very good build quality, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,300
$749
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 has a price of $1,300 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 costs $749.
"Above all else, the Asus ROG Flow X16 is one thing - versatile! It is a thin, mobile work device, it's a 2-in-1, tablet, a powerful workstation and even a gaming PC. But something even more surprising: It does all of these things really well without making any big blunders. It's anything but a lazy compromise. Because, despite its compact dimensions and 2-in-1 functionality, the hardware isn't throttled and boasts, at least in turbo mode, above-average performance."
"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 ROG Flow X16 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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