The ASUS Vivobook Go 14 is more budget-friendly and offers good performance for general use with decent screen size, but its graphics capabilities are not designed for intensive 3D work or gaming. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 costs more but has a higher-quality build, better screen resolution with touch capability, and a slightly better battery life. If you prioritize a more portable device with a touch screen and better performance for professional tasks, the Surface Laptop Go 3 is advisable. If you're looking for value and mainly do basic tasks, the Vivobook could serve you well. 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 14
The ASUS Vivobook Go 14 has no clear advantages over the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3.
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
Good for general use
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good overall build quality
Excellent portability
Very good speakers
Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.2/10
7.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook Go 14 offers a fair balance for general use with its decent processor, adequate RAM, and full HD screen, yet its larger size and weight compared to the Surface Go might make it less portable, despite having a slightly longer battery life. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 provides a sharper, smaller, and touch-enabled display that enhances portability and screen interaction, along with better build and heat management, however, it might fall a bit short on battery life in comparison.
Engineering and Design
5.9/10
6.8/10
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 is poor.
The ASUS Vivobook Go 14 is equipped with a lower-tier AMD Ryzen processor and AMD Radeon GPU, which might not handle engineering and design tasks effectively, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has a more capable Intel i5 processor with Iris Xe graphics that are better suited for such work. Additionally, the Vivobook's screen quality, with less color accuracy and brightness than the Surface Laptop Go 3, makes it less ideal for design tasks that require precise color reproduction.
Content Creation
6.5/10
7.3/10
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is good for content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 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
6.4/10
7.1/10
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 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
6.2/10
6.8/10
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The ASUS Vivobook Go 14’s average resolution and brightness, along with an adequate panel type, make it suitable for tasks like web browsing and document editing, which suffice for general use. However, its limited color gamut means it’s less ideal for color-sensitive work required in engineering and design, and its standard refresh rate falls short for the smooth visuals crucial in gaming and 3D applications.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, with its superior panel type and good resolution and brightness, offers a display that’s sharp and vibrant for general activities and detailed work in engineering and design due to its wider color gamut. Nonetheless, its poor refresh rate limits its capability to deliver the fluid and responsive visuals that are essential for an immersive gaming and 3D experience.
Battery
7.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook Go 14 has 7 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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
Very Good
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has excellent portability, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5/10
7.8/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has good build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$450
$791
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The ASUS Vivobook Go 14 has a price of $450 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 costs $791.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 is poor.
The ASUS Vivobook Go 14 is equipped with an AMD Radeon 610M graphics unit, which is less capable than the Intel Iris Xe graphics found in the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 for rendering gaming and 3D graphics. Although both laptops have similar screen refresh rates, the superior GPU in the Surface Laptop Go 3 offers better performance for these tasks.
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How the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 compare to other laptops
"The lack of a backlit keyboard in this price segment shouldn't sway the buyer the other way. However, it still comes down to user preference. The Vivobook Go 14 is a decent laptop in an extremely competitive price segment. A few omissions are a part of the balancing to reach the price segment. The Asus Vivobook Go 14 is a rare find when it comes to the price to performance ratio."
"When it comes to affordably priced laptops, the numbers after the dollar sign are crucially important—more so than in any other price category. By increasing the starting price of its Laptop Go line by $200 and not changing much else, Microsoft irrevocably altered the calculus surrounding the decision of whether to buy the Surface Laptop Go 3. Sure, it has a newer processor and longer battery life, but don’t think for a second you’re not paying dearly for that extra RAM and SSD capacity at that new price."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
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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