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Updated January 12, 2024·
Choosing between the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 depends on what you prioritize. If you're looking for a more budget-friendly option, the ASUS Vivobook is the less expensive choice, but it offers less storage, a less powerful Intel Celeron processor, basic UHD graphics, a lower quality display, and potentially lesser build quality. However, if better performance is a priority, particularly for multitasking, potentially better graphics, and a higher resolution screen, the Surface Laptop Go 2 can be worth the extra investment. The Surface Laptop Go 2 also benefits from a more modern design and probably a better keyboard and trackpad experience. Keep in mind that the ASUS might offer better battery life due to its less powerful components, while the Surface Laptop is slightly heavier but includes additional features like a better webcam. Ultimately, if you need a laptop for more demanding tasks and a better overall experience, the Surface Laptop Go 2 stands out, unless the lower price of the ASUS is a decisive factor for you. 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 Go 12
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
- Good for general use
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.6
7.0
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is poor.
The ASUS Vivobook Go 12 has a lower-end processor, less RAM, and a lower-resolution TN display, which contribute to its poorer performance and screen quality for general use. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 comes with a more powerful processor, double the RAM, and a higher-resolution IPS display with touchscreen functionality, making it a better choice for general use with higher performance and better screen quality.
Gaming and AI
5.4
6.0
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is poor.
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
5.3
6.5
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is poor.
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
5.7
7.1
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is good for content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is poor.
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
5.7
7.0
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is poor.
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
5.1
6.9
11.6in
SIZE
12.4in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The ASUS Vivobook Go 12's screen may not deliver the sharpness and clarity you need for everyday tasks due to its lower resolution and brightness, which can make it less enjoyable for watching videos or browsing. For engineering and design work, where accurate colors are crucial, it lacks the wider color gamuts needed to precisely represent different shades, potentially affecting the quality of your designs. Gamers and creators working with 3D graphics may find the ASUS's refresh rate limiting, leading to less fluid motion and reduced responsiveness, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, despite having good screen quality for general use and engineering, falls short for gaming and 3D due to this same limitation.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook Go 12 has 10 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.
Build Quality
5.1
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has good build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$267
$565
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
The ASUS Vivobook Go 12 has a price of $267 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 costs $565.
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Key similarities
Portability
Excellent
Excellent
11.6in
SIZE
12.4in
2.3 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The ASUS Vivobook Go 12 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 both have excellent portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Vivobook Go 12 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$267 | $565 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11'' x 7.5'' x 0.67'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.31 lbs | 2.48 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 10.98" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 7.52" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Celeron N4020 | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 64 GB | 128 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 38 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 11.6" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | TN | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1366 x 768 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 200 nits | 401 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 5.1/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 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 | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 5.3/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 480p | 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 | 2 | 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
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 Go 12 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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