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Updated January 10, 2024·
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 is often less expensive than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2, and it's lighter and thinner, making it more portable for on-the-go use. However, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 has more RAM, which can improve multitasking and demanding applications' performance. For intense gaming or engineering tasks, the ROG Flow Z13's higher-end processor and GPU will provide better performance, but the Surface Laptop Studio 2 has a slightly bigger screen with a unique aspect ratio suited for productivity tasks. If battery life is key, consider the Surface Laptop Studio 2 which has a slightly larger battery capacity. 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 Z13
- Very good overall display quality
- Excellent portability
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.4
7.9
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 Z13 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 Z13 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 offer screens with high resolution and brightness, resulting in crisp and comfortably viewable content. Engineering and design professionals benefit from the wide color gamuts on both laptops, which ensure accurate color representation crucial for their work. However, the lower refresh rates on these devices mean less smooth visuals in gaming and 3D tasks, which can significantly impact the experience in these fast-paced environments.
Battery
6.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 has 6.5 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.
Portability
Excellent
Good
13.4in
SIZE
14.4in
2.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 has excellent portability, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,575
$3,300
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 has a price of $1,575 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 costs $3,300.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.0
8.3
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
511.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and ASUS ROG Flow Z13 are both very good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
7.5
7.7
6.2/10
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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and ASUS ROG Flow Z13 are both good for gaming and AI.
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 is highly capable for gaming and 3D applications with its strong GPU and a high refresh rate screen, enhancing fluid visuals; conversely, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 packs an even more powerful GPU and maintains good display qualities but offers a somewhat lower refresh rate, impacting swift motion renderings.
Engineering and Design
8.4
8.7
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
6.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and ASUS ROG Flow Z13 are both very good for engineering and design.
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13, with its high-end CPU and dedicated GPU, suits engineering and design tasks well, providing a balance between performance and portability with its detachable keyboard. In comparison, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 offers an extremely high amount of RAM and a flexible display hinge, making it an excellent choice for intensive design work despite being heavier and less portable.
Content Creation
8.2
8.4
9.5/10
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 Z13 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
8.2
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and ASUS ROG Flow Z13 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.
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 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 Z13 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS ROG Flow Z13 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,575 | $3,300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | September 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.9'' x 8.1'' x 0.54'' | 12.7'' x 9.1'' x 0.86'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.6 lbs | 4.41 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.89" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.11" | 9.06" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900H | Intel i7-13700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 64 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.4" | 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 | 511 nits | 503 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.3/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 4K | 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 | 1 | 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 | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
ASUS ROG Flow Z13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | March 2022
"The Asus ROG Flow Z13 is a gaming tablet with powerful Alder Lake i9 CPU. The ROG Flow Z13 impresses with its good cooling. After our review, the impression is predominantly positive. Besides a very fast Alder Lake CPU and stable gaming performance, especially the cooling system is surprisingly effective and quiet. You can use the integrated speakers without any issues while gaming. The 1200p display in the 16:10 format also impresses with good color reproduction and high brightness. Since the battery runtimes aren't particularly long as it is, we wouldn't recommend the optional 4K panel."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | March 2022
"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 Z13 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.
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