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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated June 22, 2024·
For a balance of performance and portability with a focus on gaming and engineering tasks, the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is a solid choice, offering a larger screen with a higher refresh rate and better color coverage, which is great for fast-paced gaming and detailed graphics work. However, it's heavier and has a shorter battery life compared to the Surface Laptop. The Surface Laptop 6, on the other hand, is more suited for general use and business professionals, featuring a premium build, a touchscreen with excellent color accuracy, and longer battery life, making it ideal for productivity on the go. It's also lighter and more compact, but it falls short in gaming and intensive engineering applications due to its less powerful GPU. Consider the ASUS for performance-intensive tasks and the Surface Laptop for portability and general productivity. 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 A16
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5"
- Very good portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.4
6.6
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" 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.
Screen Quality
7.5
7.8
16.0in
SIZE
13.5in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
294.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" has a better screen than the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 for general use, engineering and design, and content creation.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Battery
12.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has 12 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" has 9 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
Good
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
13.5in
4.8 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" has very good portability, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$930
$1,200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has a price of $930 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.7
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
294.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" and ASUS TUF Gaming A16 are both good for general use.
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.
Engineering and Design
7.7
7.7
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" are both good for engineering and design.
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
7.6
7.7
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" and ASUS TUF Gaming A16 are both 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.
Software Development
7.3
7.7
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" and ASUS TUF Gaming A16 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.
Build Quality
7.2
7.4
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" and ASUS TUF Gaming A16 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS TUF Gaming A16 | Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$930 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | June 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.97'' | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.85 lbs | 3.04 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.98" | 12.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.92" | 8.78" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Intel Core Ultra 7 135H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 12 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 47 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 13.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 2256 x 1504 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 294 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7/10 | 8.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.8/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
ASUS TUF Gaming A16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Dominic Bayley | May 2023
"The A16 makes an excellent case against more expensive laptops like the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 and the MSI Katana GF76, especially if you’re into 1080p gaming. However, although its affordable, it doesn’t skimp on performance or a robust chassis. But for me, the biggest factor that sets it apart from these options is its incredible battery life. In my time reviewing laptops, I can’t remember when I last saw a gaming laptop lasted 11 and a half hours on a single charge, which makes the A16, in my book, truly outstanding."
Get a great deal on the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5"
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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