If you need a laptop for high-performance tasks such as gaming, 3D modeling, or intensive engineering software, the ASUS ROG Strix G18 is better equipped with its top-tier processor and graphics card, although it is quite heavy and not as portable. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is significantly less expensive, more portable, and has a smaller, higher-resolution touch screen with a taller aspect ratio, making it suitable for general use, productivity tasks, and travel. Keep in mind the ASUS has a much larger screen and better cooling for intensive tasks, but the Surface Laptop offers better portability and value for everyday activities. 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 G18
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Best in class speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
8.3/10
7.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
422.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
5.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
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
8.7/10
6.1/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.2/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
8.9/10
7.1/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is better for engineering and design due to its more powerful Intel i9 processor, dedicated Nvidia RTX GPU, and larger, higher-quality screen, making it suitable for demanding tasks, though it's less portable and has a heavier design. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offers a balance with good but less powerful specs, including an Intel i7 processor and integrated graphics, in a more portable form with higher portability but a smaller, lower resolution screen, making it a better fit for lighter engineering tasks and general use.
Content Creation
8.6/10
7.4/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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
8.1/10
7.2/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for software development, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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.
Screen Quality
8.7/10
7.2/10
18.0in
SIZE
13.5in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
422.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 likely offers vibrant and accurate colors with high resolution and brightness, making it excellent for general use and engineering, but its lower refresh rate could disappoint gamers used to smoother visuals. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" probably delivers a balanced mix of resolution and brightness suitable for day-to-day tasks and professional design work, though it may not support wider color gamuts as well as the ASUS. For gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short due to lower refresh rates, which are crucial for a fluid and immersive experience.
Portability
Poor
Excellent
18.0in
SIZE
13.5in
6.6 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has excellent portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix G18 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,299
$1,200
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 has a price of $2,299 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" costs $1,200.
"With the ROG Strix G18, Asus has made an almost consistently good debut in the still quite new 18-inch laptop segment. The base unit case shows a few signs of weakness in the area of stability and is something which has an effect on the perceived quality of the input devices (the chassis tends to rattle a bit). Nevertheless, thanks to generous port features (incl. Thunderbolt 4), a striking design, and extensive lighting (keyboard, LED strip on the front), gamers get a fitting gaming platform."
"The Surface Laptop 5 remains afloat as a solid machine. It's just not one that stands out in any particular way. Just like the last one. The biggest upgrade were some new components, but they perform in the same range as other laptops with them, and frequently at the bottom of that range. I suspect Microsoft's settings are very conservative to help keep cooling and battery life within reason in the older chassis design."
Get a great deal on the ASUS ROG Strix G18 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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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