If you prioritize high-end gaming or demanding tasks like video editing, the ASUS may justify its higher cost due to superior performance and cooling capabilities, but it's less portable and has shorter battery life compared to the Surface Laptop Studio, which offers better portability, a more versatile form factor for general use, and longer battery life but isn't as suited for intense workloads. Consider the Surface if you prefer a balance of functionality and mobility for everyday tasks and occasional creative work without the need for high graphical power. 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 (2024)
Very good for general use
Excellent 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
8.7/10
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 (2024) is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18, with its high-end CPU and RAM, excels in performance-heavy tasks and screen quality but is less portable and has shorter battery life; in contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio offers a balance with good performance, better portability, and longer battery life, which is ideal for those prioritizing mobility and usage away from power outlets. While both have ample storage and quality keyboards, the ROG may appeal to users needing top-tier gaming or demanding applications at the expense of a quieter, cooler operational experience offered by the Surface Laptop Studio.
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 (2024) is very good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18, with its high-end GPU and faster screen refresh rate, excels in gaming and 3D applications, providing smoother visuals and better performance in graphically demanding tasks. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a fair performance for gaming and 3D due to its lower-tier GPU and screen refresh rate, which still delivers decent quality but may struggle with more intensive graphics workloads.
Engineering and Design
9.2/10
7.3/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 (2024) is excellent for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18, with its top-tier CPU, GPU, and ample RAM, excels in handling demanding engineering programs and multitasking, whereas the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio offers a high-resolution flexible touchscreen with a more portable design and comfortable keyboard, balancing performance with versatility for on-the-go engineering tasks. However, the ASUS may be less portable and noisier under load, which are considerations for those frequently mobile or in quiet environments.
Content Creation
8.8/10
7.4/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 (2024) 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
8.5/10
7.3/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
32.0 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 (2024) 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.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio both offer high-resolution displays with good brightness and panel quality, ensuring crisp and clear images for general use. Their screens cover a wide range of colors, making them suitable for engineering and design where accurate color representation is crucial. However, their lower refresh rates make them less ideal for gaming and 3D applications, where smoother visuals are necessary for an optimal experience.
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 (2024) 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 (2024) has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,203
$1,700
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 (2024) has a price of $2,203 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 (2024) 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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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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