If affordability is a priority and you frequently engage in gaming or software development that demands substantial processing power, the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 is a strong choice due to its robust hardware tailored for those tasks. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 commands a higher price, but it offers a more versatile form factor with its unique hinge design, touchscreen capabilities, and typically better build quality and customer support, which could be beneficial for creative professionals or business users who value portability and presentation over sheer power. Keep in mind that the ASUS model may not be as portable or have the premium feel of the Surface, and the Surface may not provide the same level of gaming performance as the ASUS. Consider your primary use case: gaming and software development lean towards the ASUS, while on-the-go business and creative work may be better served by the Surface. 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 TUF Gaming A15
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good battery life
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
Very good for general use
Very good for software development
Very good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Software Development
7.6/10
8.2/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for software development, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 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
7.2/10
7.9/10
15.6in
SIZE
14.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
271.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has a better screen than the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 provides a satisfactory viewing experience for everyday tasks and engineering with its adequate resolution and brightness, but for gaming and 3D content where higher refresh rates are essential for fluid motion, it falls short. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 excels in delivering vibrant, accurate colors and clear images for both general use and design-related work due to its high resolution and color fidelity across wider color gamuts. However, similar to the ASUS, it lags behind for gaming and 3D applications because it lacks a high refresh rate despite the high-quality display it offers for other purposes.
Battery
11.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 has 11 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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.
Build Quality
7.2/10
8.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has very good build quality, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,059
$3,300
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 has a price of $2,059 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 costs $3,300.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 to be very good for general use, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 is good.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 offers superior general use capabilities with its higher screen quality, including better resolution and brightness, and its portability, which is enhanced by a lighter weight and flexible hinge design for versatile use. In comparison, the ASUS TUF Gaming A15, while still good for general use, falls short with a lower-quality screen and heavier build, but comes with a larger battery which may offer longer unplugged usage.
Gaming and AI
8.0/10
7.7/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS TUF Gaming A15 to be very good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is good.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 is outfitted with a Nvidia RTX 4070 graphics card and a 144Hz screen refresh rate, which aid in delivering smooth visuals and gameplay for demanding gaming and 3D tasks. Meanwhile, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2, while featuring a slightly lower-tier Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a 120Hz refresh rate, also offers a high-resolution touchscreen display that could be particularly beneficial for creative professionals and gamers who prefer touch interactivity.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
8.7/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and ASUS TUF Gaming A15 are both very good for engineering and design.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 offers a powerful AMD Ryzen 7 processor and an RTX 4070 GPU, making it well-suited for graphics-intensive engineering tasks, while the Surface Laptop Studio 2's advantage lies in its versatile form factor with a touchscreen, higher RAM capacity for complex designs, and an RTX 4060 GPU that is also proficient for demanding applications. However, the ASUS may have a slight edge in battery life and includes a number pad on its keyboard, which can be critical for some engineering work; conversely, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 boasts a higher resolution and brighter screen which can be better for detailed design work and is lighter, enhancing portability.
Content Creation
8.0/10
8.4/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and ASUS TUF Gaming A15 are both very good for content creation.
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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.4in
4.8 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and ASUS TUF Gaming A15 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 compare to other laptops
"With the release of the TUF Gaming A15, Asos have concentrated on the essentials: gaming performance. Our base version, which can be had for around $1,169, already provided enough power to play current games smoothly in a native resolution of 1080p and with maximum details - thanks to its new Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop. If you utilize upscaling, then you can even manage to run ray tracing."
"The new Surface Laptop Studio with its foldable display is supposed to replace the old Surface Book and the overall impression is good after our review. The build quality and the materials are top-notch, the performance utilization of the two components is solid and the device does not show any major flaws in terms of display or speakers, either. The folding mechanism leaves a sold impression as well, but it remains to be seen how it will hold up over the years. The so-called presentation mode is also not ideal since it covers the whole keyboard."
Get a great deal on the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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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