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Updated January 10, 2024·
The ASUS Vivobook 15 generally offers a better price-to-performance ratio, which means if you are looking for a cost-effective option that can handle various tasks well, it's a solid choice. However, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, while more expensive, often comes with a more premium build quality, a higher resolution screen, better portability due to its smaller size and lighter weight, and potentially longer battery life. If your work requires you to be on the move frequently and battery life is crucial, the Surface Laptop Go 2 could be worth the extra investment. For heavy 3D applications, machine learning, gaming, or engineering software, you may require a laptop with higher specifications than either of these options provide. Always consider the specific software you'll be using and its requirements when making your decision. 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 Go 2.
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
- Good for general use
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
Content Creation
6.4
7.1
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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
7.0
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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
6.9
15.6in
SIZE
12.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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 Go 2's high resolution and brightness offer a clearer and more vivid display compared to the ASUS Vivobook 15, providing better viewing comfort for tasks like browsing and video streaming. When it comes to engineering and design, the Surface Laptop Go 2's superior color accuracy, incorporating a wider range of colors from gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, makes it well-suited for professionals who depend on color fidelity for their work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short due to lower refresh rates, which can limit the smoothness of motion in fast-paced visuals, though the ASUS may further lag behind with its lower-quality display.
Battery
6.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook 15 has 6 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 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.
Portability
Good
Excellent
15.6in
SIZE
12.4in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has excellent portability, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and ASUS Vivobook 15 both have good build quality, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has somewhat better 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
6.5
7.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 to be good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook 15 offers a larger screen and a standard aspect ratio which is common for general use, but it may fall short in portability and screen brightness compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, which boasts a high-contrast, bright display in a compact form factor and superior portability. Both laptops are evenly matched in CPU, RAM, and storage for everyday tasks, but the Surface Laptop Go 2 has a slight edge with a better screen quality and longer battery life, making it a more travel-friendly option.
Gaming and AI
5.9
6.0
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is poor.
The ASUS Vivobook 15 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both considered fair for gaming and 3D tasks largely because neither laptop has a dedicated high-performance GPU nor a high screen refresh rate, both of which are very important for these activities. The Vivobook 15, with its Intel i3-1215U UHD Graphics, and the Surface Laptop Go 2, with its Intel i5-1135G7 Iris Xe Graphics, offer integrated graphics solutions that can handle basic gaming and 3D tasks, but they lack the power for intensive gaming experiences; additionally, both have standard 60Hz refresh rates which do not provide the smoother visuals needed for high-level gaming.
Engineering and Design
6.1
6.5
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and ASUS Vivobook 15 are both only fair for engineering and design.
The ASUS Vivobook 15, with an Intel i3 processor and UHD graphics, has a larger screen but lower screen quality compared to Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2's Intel i5 processor and Iris Xe graphics, which offers a smaller but higher quality touchscreen. While both have similar RAM, the Surface Laptop Go 2 provides better portability and superior display quality which may be beneficial for detailed engineering and design work, but the Vivobook 15 may offer a larger viewing area.
Cost
$529
$519
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The ASUS Vivobook 15 has a price of $529 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 costs $519.
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How the ASUS Vivobook 15 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Vivobook 15 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$529 | $519 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 9.2'' x 0.7'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.75 lbs | 2.48 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.16" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.15" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-1215U | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 1 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 128 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 42 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 250 nits | 401 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
ASUS Vivobook 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck, | April 2022
"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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | August 2022
"The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 review is a compact companion with old hardware. The Surface Laptop Go 2 shows some weaknesses. Microsoft didn't really develop the second generation of the Surface Laptop Go 2 any further but has only equipped it with a slightly more powerful Core i5 processor. However, the performance still remains at a fairly low level overall, but for many users, it definitely should still be sufficient for everyday tasks."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Vivobook 15 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 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.
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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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