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Updated January 10, 2024·
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 offers a larger screen, higher refresh rate, and better performance for 3D rendering and machine learning compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio. It includes gaming-focused features like RGB keyboard lighting and has higher screen color accuracy. Its battery life, however, is shorter than the Studio's and it's a bit heavier, which might affect portability. The Surface Laptop Studio, in contrast, is lighter and offers longer battery life, making it more suitable for on-the-go use. While it still has a quality display, its performance in resource-intensive tasks isn't as strong as the ASUS. Both have comparable build quality and keyboard scores, but if top-tier gaming or engineering tasks are central to your usage, the ASUS may be the better choice; if you prioritize mobility and longer work sessions away from a power source, consider the Surface Laptop Studio. 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
- Best in class speakers
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
- Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.0
7.4
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
502.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
5.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is good.
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 offers versatility with its high-quality screen and 2-in-1 convertible design, suitable for tablet use, paired with a powerful processor and a dedicated GPU, which enhance general use, despite its relatively shorter battery life and heavier build compared to lighter laptops.
Gaming and AI
7.6
6.6
7.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 outperforms in gaming and 3D due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics chip and higher screen refresh rate, which enhances motion clarity and responsiveness during fast-paced scenes. Although the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio still manages fair gaming with its Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti, its lower refresh rate means it won't be as smooth in rendering rapidly moving images.
Engineering and Design
8.3
7.3
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
7.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is good.
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 offers superior CPU performance with its AMD Ryzen 9 and a stronger GPU in the form of Nvidia RTX 3060, paired with exceptional screen quality, making it stand out for intensive engineering and design tasks. Meanwhile, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is highly portable and flexible with its unique hinge, and while it has a capable CPU and GPU for engineering tasks, it doesn't quite match the performance potential of the ASUS model.
Content Creation
8.0
7.4
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 is very good for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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.
Screen Quality
8.5
8.0
16.0in
SIZE
14.4in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
502.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio both have displays with high resolution and brightness, which enhances image clarity and visibility, making them excellent for tasks like browsing the web, watching videos, and working with documents. For engineering and design, their wide color gamuts ensure accurate color reproduction, which is crucial for work that demands precision in color-critical applications. However, for gaming and 3D applications that rely on fast-paced visuals, these laptops may fall short due to their lower refresh rates, resulting in less fluid motion compared to screens optimized for gaming.
Battery
5.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 has 5.5 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
$1,300
$1,700
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 has a price of $1,300 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio costs $1,700.
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Key similarities
Software Development
7.7
7.3
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio are both 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.
Portability
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.4in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and ASUS ROG Flow X16 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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 X16 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS ROG Flow X16 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,300 | $1,700 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2022 | September 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.6'' x 0.76'' | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.63 lbs | 4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.98" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.57" | 8.98" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS | Intel i7-11370H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5.5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 14.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2400 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 502 nits | 491 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.4/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
ASUS ROG Flow X16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | June 2023
"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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Tom Brant | October 2021
"There’s no doubt that the Surface Laptop Studio is groundbreaking. We’ve come to expect such things from the Surface lineup, so it’s always nice to see a product that exceeds our expectations. The pull-forward laptop-screen concept has been tried before, but never in a device that’s so stylish and packed with innovative features like a haptic touchpad and robust digital stylus support."
Get a great deal on the ASUS ROG Flow X16 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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.
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