If you prefer a more powerful system for gaming or tasks like 3D rendering, the ASUS ROG Strix G18 offers a higher-end graphics card and processor, though it's heavier and not as portable. However, if you prioritize a lighter, more versatile device that also has good performance and a touchscreen, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio could meet your needs at a lower price point. While the Surface Laptop Studio is more suitable for on-the-go usage with better portability, the ASUS will provide superior performance for intensive tasks but sacrifices battery life and portability due to its larger size and weight. 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
Best in class speakers
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
Very good overall build quality
Good portability
Key differences
General Use
8.3/10
7.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
422.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
5.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
6.6/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
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 G18 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 offers superior performance for gaming and 3D applications due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 4070 graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate of 240Hz, is less optimized for gaming and 3D tasks. The ASUS’s strengths in these areas also make it a less portable option due to its larger size and weight compared to the more compact and lighter Surface Laptop Studio.
Engineering and Design
8.9/10
7.3/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 boasts a higher-end CPU, RAM, and GPU which are crucial for demanding engineering and design tasks, along with a quality screen that benefits visual-intensive work. In contrast, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a versatile touchscreen and is more portable, it trades some performance due to its less powerful components, making it more suited for on-the-go professionals who still require competent engineering and design capabilities.
Content Creation
8.6/10
7.4/10
9.9/10
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 Strix G18 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.
Software Development
8.1/10
7.3/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for software development, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
8.0/10
18.0in
SIZE
14.4in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
422.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, both the ASUS ROG Strix G18 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio offer displays with high resolution and brightness, making them sharp and easily viewable in various lighting conditions. In engineering and design, the same laptops excel due to their wide color gamuts, ensuring accurate color representation which is critical for detailed and color-sensitive work. However, for gaming and 3D applications where fast-moving visuals are common, their screen's lower refresh rates may result in less smooth motion compared to other laptops specialized for those purposes.
Portability
Poor
Good
18.0in
SIZE
14.4in
6.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has good portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix G18 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 has very good build quality, while the ASUS ROG Strix G18 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,299
$1,700
$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 Studio costs $1,700.
"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."
"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 Strix G18 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.
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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