If you prioritize gaming or require heavy-duty processing power for tasks like video editing or 3D modeling, the ASUS ROG Strix is better suited for you because it's built for high performance. However, it's bulkier and not as portable as the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, which offers a more versatile design with its convertible studio mode, making it ideal for artists and professionals who value flexibility and touchscreen capabilities. The Surface Laptop Studio typically offers better battery life, making it more suitable for long hours of work away from a power source, but it comes at a higher cost. Choose the ASUS for performance and gaming, or the Surface for a blend of portability, battery life, and versatility in usage, while considering the budget you're comfortable with. 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 Strix G16 (2024)
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
Very good overall build quality
Good portability
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.4/10
7.7/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
240Hz
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 Strix G16 (2024) is very good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix G16 boasts a high-end GPU and a screen with a faster refresh rate, making it ideal for smooth and immersive gaming and 3D experiences. While the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 offers a good GPU and screen quality for casual gaming and 3D tasks, it may not match the ASUS in terms of raw graphics performance or fluidity of motion.
Screen Quality
8.8/10
7.9/10
16.0in
SIZE
14.4in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
459.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix G16 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has a better screen for content creation.
High-resolution displays with bright and vibrant panels on the ASUS ROG Strix G16 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 ensure crisp and clear images, which are essential for browsing, streaming, and productivity tasks, making them excellent for general use. The wide color gamuts of these laptops cover more shades which are crucial for precise color work in engineering and design, giving professionals the accuracy they need. However, for 3D applications and gaming, where the smoothness of fast-moving images is key, the lower refresh rates on these laptops may not provide the fluid visuals that dedicated gaming laptops offer.
Portability
Fair
Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.4in
5.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has good portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024) has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8/10
8.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has very good build quality, while the ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024) has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,599
$3,300
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024) has a price of $1,599 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 costs $3,300.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024) are both very good for general use.
The ASUS ROG Strix G16 provides intensive computing power and a smoother experience due to its high-end CPU and ample RAM, ideal for demanding tasks and gaming, but with the trade-off of being less portable and having a shorter battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2, with its high-quality screen and more manageable weight, makes for a great portable choice for general use, offering better battery life yet sacrificing some performance compared to the ASUS.
Engineering and Design
8.8/10
8.7/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024) and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 are both very good for engineering and design.
The ASUS ROG Strix G16 packs a high-end CPU, ample RAM, and a powerful GPU, which are paramount for demanding engineering software and tasks, while its high-quality screen enhances detailed design work; however, it could be heavier and more cumbersome, affecting portability. Meanwhile, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 also offers solid CPU and graphics performance with a versatile high-resolution touchscreen and a more portable form factor, but it may trade off some power for its sleeker design and quieter operation.
Content Creation
8.4/10
8.4/10
9.9/10
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 ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024) and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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
9.9/10
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 Strix G16 (2024) 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 Strix G16 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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024) and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 compare to other laptops
"With the mobile Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080, the Asus ROG Stix G16 hits the sweet spot between performance and cooling. The G16 also does not have to shy away from direct comparison with its supposedly stronger family member, the ROG Strix Scar 18 with its RTX 4090, as most benchmarks of the two laptops are very close to each other. Moreover, the G16 should be significantly cheaper. Depending on the supplier, the price difference here could be almost US$ 2,000. In the 2023 model series, Asus has significantly leveled out the differences between the two high-end lines."
"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 Strix G16 (2024) 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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
101,895
Recommendations made
22,078
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.