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Updated August 21, 2024·
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D is a top-tier gaming laptop with unparalleled performance for gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning tasks, thanks to its powerful Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU and AMD Ryzen 9 processor. It's built for high refresh rate gaming with its 240Hz display and has excellent color coverage for vibrant visuals. However, it's heavy, has a shorter battery life, and isn't as portable as other options. It's also typically much more expensive. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio offers a more versatile and portable design with a touchscreen and a hinge that allows for multiple modes, including a tablet mode, which is great for creative tasks. It has a very good screen for general use with a high resolution and excellent color accuracy. Its performance is solid for everyday tasks and some light gaming or 3D work with its Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti GPU, but it won't match the Asus for intensive tasks. It's also more affordable and has a longer battery life, making it a better choice for general use and productivity on the go. Consider the Asus if you prioritize top-of-the-line gaming and creative performance and don't mind a bulkier, less portable device. Opt for the Surface Laptop Studio if you want a versatile, long-lasting laptop that excels in everyday use and offers a balance of performance and portability at a more accessible price point. 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 X3D
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
- Very good overall build quality
- Good portability
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
8.1
7.4
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
350.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
3.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
5.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D 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
9.2
6.6
9.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
9.1
7.3
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
9.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D is excellent for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.2
7.4
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D 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
7.9
7.3
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio are both good for software development, though the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D is somewhat better.
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
8.3
8.0
17.3in
SIZE
14.4in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
350.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio for gaming and AI, software development, and content creation.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Battery
3.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D has 3 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
6.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has good portability, while the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
8.5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has very good build quality, while the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$3,500
$1,700
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D has a price of $3,500 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio costs $1,700.
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How the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$3,500 | $1,700 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 6, 2023 | September 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.6'' x 11.1'' x 1.11'' | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.61 lbs | 4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.55" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.1" | 8.98" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D | Intel i7-11370H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 2048 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 3 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1440 | 2400 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 350 nits | 491 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.7/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Tom Brant | October 2021
"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 Scar 17 X3D 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.
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