The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is significantly more expensive, offering high-end performance with a larger screen, better graphics, and longer battery life, ideal for intensive gaming and engineering tasks. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is much less expensive and more portable due to its smaller size and lighter weight, suitable for general use and better for those who prioritize portability and touch screen features over high performance. 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 Scar 17
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
7.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
292.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
5.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for general use, though the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is somewhat better.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very good for general use due to its robust CPU, high RAM, and large, high-refresh-rate screen that offers high-quality visuals, but its portability and battery life are hindered by its size and gaming-focused hardware. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has fair general use suitability with a more modest CPU, lower RAM, and smaller touch-enabled screen that enhances portability and battery life but lacks the high performance and screen real estate of the ASUS.
Gaming and AI
8.4/10
6.0/10
8.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 delivers superior gaming and 3D experiences due to its powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics and a high screen refresh rate of 360 Hz, providing smooth and detailed visuals. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has a less capable Intel Iris Xe graphics and a standard refresh rate of 60 Hz, which means it can handle less demanding games but isn't optimized for intense gaming or 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.6/10
6.5/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
8.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is favored for engineering and design due to its high-performance CPU, ample RAM, and powerful dedicated GPU, combined with a high-quality screen, whereas the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, despite its portability and touch-enabled display, falls short with a less robust CPU, less RAM, and an integrated GPU, making it less adept for demanding engineering tasks.
Content Creation
8.2/10
7.1/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very good for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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.
Screen Quality
8.1/10
6.9/10
17.3in
SIZE
12.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
292.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
Both the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 have high resolution and brightness, making them well-suited for general use with clear and vivid displays. For engineering and design, their displays cover a broad spectrum of colors, ensuring accurate color reproduction which is critical for these fields. However, for gaming and 3D applications, their lower refresh rates can lead to less smooth visuals which are key for a high-quality gaming experience.
Battery
7.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 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
Excellent
17.3in
SIZE
12.4in
6.3 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has excellent portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.8/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has very good build quality, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,499
$565
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has a price of $2,499 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 costs $565.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both 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.
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How the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 compare to other laptops
"Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 laptop review: liquid metal 7 nm AMD Zen 3 is stunning. The raw performance increase is absolutely bonkers if you're upgrading from a laptop on Coffee Lake-H or older. The 45 W Ryzen 9 5900HX is neck-to-neck with the thicker, heavier, and hotter Schenker Ultra 17 running on a desktop-class Core i9-11900K despite their wide TDP differences. The performance-per-watt advantages can make Intel Rocket Lake feel like a last generation platform at times. As for the chassis itself, it's a huge light show with RGB LEDs on almost all sides of the system."
"The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 review is a compact companion with old hardware. The Surface Laptop Go 2 shows some weaknesses. Microsoft didn't really develop the second generation of the Surface Laptop Go 2 any further but has only equipped it with a slightly more powerful Core i5 processor. However, the performance still remains at a fairly low level overall, but for many users, it definitely should still be sufficient for everyday tasks."
Get a great deal on the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 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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