A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
Advantages of the ASUS TUF Gaming A16
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Good portability
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.4
6.6
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is very good 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
8.6
7.3
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is very good 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
8.0
7.4
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 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.
Screen Quality
7.9
8.0
16.0in
SIZE
14.4in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio for software development, and content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a better screen for general use, and engineering and design.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Battery
6.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has 6 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
Fair
Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.4in
5.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has good portability, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
8.5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has very good build quality, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.4
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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.
Software Development
7.7
7.3
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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.
Cost
$1,699
$1,700
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has a price of $1,699 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio costs $1,700.
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How the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS TUF Gaming A16 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,699 | $1,700 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2024 | September 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.9'' x 1.11'' | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5 lbs | 4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.98" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.92" | 8.98" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX | Intel i7-11370H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 14.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2400 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 491 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.7/10 | 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 | 6.8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 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 | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
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."
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 TUF Gaming A16 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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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.
By the numbers
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Laptops evaluated
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Recommendations made
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About the laptop team
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CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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