The ASUS Vivobook 15 is a budget-friendly option and it usually costs significantly less than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13". If you prioritize saving money and still want a laptop with a decent screen size and performance for everyday tasks like web browsing, office applications, and media consumption, the ASUS could serve you well. On the other hand, if you are willing to invest more for a machine with a sharper screen, more power for intensive tasks like photo editing or light video work, and a more compact and lightweight design, then the Surface Laptop is a better fit. It also has a higher resolution and screen quality, which could be beneficial if crisp visuals are important to you. Keep in mind, with the Surface Laptop, you're also paying for the premium build quality and the brand's ecosystem. 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 Vivobook 15
The ASUS Vivobook 15 has no clear advantages over the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13".
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Excellent portability
Very good speakers
Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.5/10
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook 15 is rated fair for general use due to its lower-tier Intel i3 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 1080p screen that offers moderate display quality with average brightness and color coverage. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" earns a good rating for general use with its higher-tier Intel i7 processor, more RAM at 16GB, and a higher resolution touchscreen that provides better brightness and color accuracy, in addition to its lighter weight and slightly better battery life, making it more portable and better for prolonged use outside of a dedicated workspace.
Engineering and Design
6.1/10
7.1/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook 15, with its i3 processor and integrated UHD graphics, is less suited for demanding engineering and design tasks than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13", which has a more powerful i7 processor and Iris Xe graphics leading to better performance. Additionally, the Surface Laptop also offers a higher resolution touchscreen with better color accuracy and quality, important for precise design work, in a lighter and more portable package.
Content Creation
6.4/10
7.4/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good for content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is only fair.
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
6.5/10
7.2/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is only fair.
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
6.3/10
7.2/10
15.6in
SIZE
13.5in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 offers a crisper image and more vibrant colors due to its higher resolution and brightness, providing a more comfortable viewing experience for everyday tasks such as web browsing, video streaming, and document editing. In engineering and design applications, the Surface Laptop's support for wider color gamuts ensures more accurate color reproduction, which is crucial for tasks that require precise color matching and detail. However, for Gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short with their lower refresh rates, making them less ideal for fast-paced activities that benefit from smoother motion and quicker screen updates.
Battery
6.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook 15 has 6 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has 7.5 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
Excellent
15.6in
SIZE
13.5in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has excellent portability, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0/10
7.8/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and ASUS Vivobook 15 both have good build quality, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$530
$1,200
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The ASUS Vivobook 15 has a price of $530 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" costs $1,200.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is poor.
The ASUS Vivobook 15 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both equipped with integrated GPUs which are generally less capable for demanding gaming and 3D tasks compared to dedicated gaming GPUs. Additionally, both laptops have displays with a 60 Hz refresh rate which is lower than the higher refresh rates preferred for competitive gaming, although screen quality in terms of resolution and size is decent for casual play and general use.
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How the ASUS Vivobook 15 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" compare to other laptops
"The Asus VivoBook 15 is a quiet office notebook with a strong screen. However, the VivoBook 15 still has room for improvement. Office and internet applications as well as simple games do not pose any major challenges for the VivoBook - this is ensured by the built-in combination of Ryzen 7 5700U APU and 16 GB of RAM. Heat and noise emissions are acceptable. But, the laptop has weaknesses that should not be present at this level: lack of keyboard lighting, a slow memory card reader, no fast USB-C port (USB 3.2 Gen 2 or Thunderbolt 4) with Power Delivery and DisplayPort. Battery runtimes can only be described as average."
"The Surface Laptop 5 remains afloat as a solid machine. It's just not one that stands out in any particular way. Just like the last one. The biggest upgrade were some new components, but they perform in the same range as other laptops with them, and frequently at the bottom of that range. I suspect Microsoft's settings are very conservative to help keep cooling and battery life within reason in the older chassis design."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Vivobook 15 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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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