The ASUS ROG Strix G17 offers a larger screen and a very high refresh rate which is great for gaming, but this makes it less portable and it has a shorter battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is more portable with a better battery life and it has a touchscreen, making it versatile for different tasks like design or entertainment. Also, the Surface has a significantly higher RAM capacity which is beneficial for intensive multitasking or professional applications. However, these features come at a higher price compared to the ASUS. Both have similar storage space and powerful graphics cards suitable for 3D work, machine learning, and gaming. 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 G17
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Best in class speakers
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
Very good for general use
Very good for software development
Very good overall build quality
Good portability
Good battery life
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 G17 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 delivers exceptional gaming and 3D performance, primarily due to its higher screen refresh rate that offers smoother visuals and an advanced GPU for more demanding graphics tasks, but it's larger and heavier which affects portability. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2, while also good for gaming and 3D with the same GPU, has a lower refresh rate but offers the flexibility of a touchscreen with a unique hinge for versatile usage, and its smaller size and lighter weight make it more portable.
Screen Quality
8.4/10
7.9/10
17.3in
SIZE
14.4in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
320.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 for gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has a better screen for content creation.
If you prioritize a crisp and vivid display for tasks like browsing, watching videos, or office work, both the ASUS and the Microsoft Surface Laptop offer high resolution and brightness, making them excellent choices for general use. For engineering and design professionals who need accurate color representation, these laptops support wide color gamuts, ensuring that the colors you see on-screen are close to real-world hues. However, for gaming or 3D modeling, where fast-moving visuals are common, the lower refresh rates on these screens could lead to less smooth motion compared to laptops tailored specifically for these tasks.
Battery
3.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 has 3 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
Poor
Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.4in
6.1 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
1.2in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has good portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix G17 has poor 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 G17 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,391
$3,300
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 has a price of $1,391 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 costs $3,300.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 to be very good for general use, while the ASUS ROG Strix G17 is good.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 boasts a higher amount of RAM, better portability with less weight and thickness, and a longer battery life than the ASUS ROG Strix G17, which makes it very good for general use especially for users on the go. However, the ASUS has a larger screen and higher refresh rate, which, along with its substantial CPU and GPU, may appeal to those who prioritize performance and a more gaming-oriented experience.
Engineering and Design
8.8/10
8.7/10
9.8/10
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 G17 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 are both very good for engineering and design.
The ASUS ROG Strix G17, with its high-end AMD CPU, ample RAM, and top-tier Nvidia GPU, plus a large, high-refresh-rate display, is geared towards users who need powerful performance for engineering software and multitasking, albeit with less focus on portability and flexibility. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 with an Intel CPU, significantly more RAM, the same level Nvidia GPU, and a high-resolution touchscreen that can double as a tablet, offers versatility for design work needing direct screen interaction, but it doesn't have the same screen refresh rate and is lighter, making it more portable.
Content Creation
8.3/10
8.4/10
9.8/10
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 Strix G17 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
7.7/10
8.2/10
9.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 to be very good for software development, while the ASUS ROG Strix G17 is good.
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.
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How the ASUS ROG Strix G17 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 compare to other laptops
"The Asus ROG Strix G17 is an attractive but unbalanced gaming laptop. Its potent AMD Ryzen 9 processor excels in 1080p gaming, but playing at 1440p leaves the middling GeForce RTX 4060 GPU shouldering most of the burden. The display is exceptionally colorful, which is handy for content creators, but since this is a gaming laptop it would be better served with improved HDR capabilities. If battery life isn't a priority, the Strix G17 could serve as a designer by day and a gamer by night."
"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 G17 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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