For general use, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" offers a superior screen with higher resolution and touch capability, along with a more robust build quality and better color accuracy, which is great for everyday tasks and media consumption. However, it comes at a higher price point. The ASUS Vivobook 16, on the other hand, is more budget-friendly, has a larger screen with a taller aspect ratio for more vertical space, and provides good performance for everyday tasks with its AMD Ryzen 7 processor.
If you're into intensive tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning, the Surface Laptop's Intel Arc GPU will serve you better than the integrated Vega 8 graphics in the Vivobook. The Surface Laptop also has a higher refresh rate screen, which is beneficial for smoother visuals in fast-paced scenarios.
For engineering tasks, the Surface Laptop's better GPU, higher quality screen, and additional RAM slot for potential future upgrades give it an edge over the Vivobook. However, the Vivobook's AMD processor is no slouch and will handle many engineering tasks well, especially if they are not heavily GPU-dependent.
Considering portability, the Surface Laptop is more compact and lighter, making it a better choice if you need to carry your laptop around frequently. The Vivobook, while larger and heavier, offers longer battery life, which could be a deciding factor for all-day use away from power outlets.
In terms of connectivity, the Vivobook has more USB-C ports and includes USB-C charging, which can be convenient. The Surface Laptop, however, offers Thunderbolt ports for faster data transfer speeds and better support for external devices.
Ultimately, if you prioritize a high-quality display, touchscreen capability, and portability, and are willing to pay a premium for it, the Surface Laptop 6 15" is the way to go. But if you're looking for a more cost-effective solution with a larger screen and longer battery life, the ASUS Vivobook 16 is a solid choice, especially for general use and light to moderate engineering tasks. 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 16
The ASUS Vivobook 16 has no clear advantages over the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15".
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15"
Very good overall display quality
Very good speakers
Good keyboard
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.0/10
7.8/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" and ASUS Vivobook 16 are both good for engineering and design, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
6.4/10
8.1/10
16.0in
SIZE
15.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2496 x 1664
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
295.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 16 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Cost
$669
$1,200
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The ASUS Vivobook 16 has a price of $669 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" costs $1,200.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" and ASUS Vivobook 16 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.
Gaming and AI
6.3/10
6.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2496 x 1664
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" and ASUS Vivobook 16 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
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.
Content Creation
7.5/10
7.8/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2496 x 1664
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" and ASUS Vivobook 16 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
7.3/10
7.8/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2496 x 1664
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" and ASUS Vivobook 16 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.
Battery
8.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook 16 has 8 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" 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
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.0in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" and ASUS Vivobook 16 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0/10
7.4/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" and ASUS Vivobook 16 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS Vivobook 16 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" compare to other laptops
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, Yannick Khong | May 2023
"The ASUS Vivobook 16 M1605 (2023) is a budget Windows laptop. It's available with various AMD Ryzen 5000 and 7000 U-series CPUs and integrated graphics. You can only get 8GB of RAM; however, there's an empty SO-DIMM slot if you want to upgrade it. It has an FHD+ (1920 x 1200) 16:10 IPS display, a full-size keyboard with a Numpad, a 720p webcam, and Wi-Fi 6E wireless connectivity. Ports include three USB-As, one USB-C, an HDMI, and a headphone jack. The USB-C supports charging but no video output."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Vivobook 16 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15"
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
99,795
Recommendations made
21,623
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
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
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
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.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.