The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED offers you a larger storage capacity, more RAM, and a more powerful processor than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, making it better suited for intensive tasks such as engineering and 3D/modeling activities. Its OLED display delivers excellent color representation and contrast, which is ideal for creative work though it’s not a touchscreen. However, it is heavier and has a shorter battery life than the Surface Laptop Go 2. On the other hand, the Surface Laptop Go 2, while less powerful, is more portable due to its lighter weight and longer battery life, and it features a touchscreen. It's a good fit for general use and on-the-go tasks but may struggle with more demanding applications. Choose the ASUS if you need top performance and a superior display for work or creativity, and the Microsoft if portability and battery life are your top priorities. 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 S 15 OLED
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
Excellent portability
Very good speakers
Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
7.0/10
2880 x 1620
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
600.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for general use, though the ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED is somewhat better.
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED provides superior general use performance with a high-end CPU and ample RAM, delivering fast processing and multitasking capabilities; its OLED screen offers exceptional color and contrast, enhancing visual experience, while its larger size and weight affect portability compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2. Although the Surface Laptop Go 2 offers increased portability due to its lighter weight and smaller size, its lower-tier CPU and less RAM may result in slower performance, and its IPS display, while still delivering good quality, falls short of the vividness of the ASUS's OLED screen.
Gaming and AI
6.7/10
6.0/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2880 x 1620
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED is somewhat better.
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED is better suited for gaming and 3D applications due to its higher screen refresh rate and the same integrated graphics as the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 but with a more powerful CPU; however, the Surface Laptop Go 2 offers a lesser screen refresh rate and a lower-tier CPU, making it only fair for those demands.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
6.5/10
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED, with its high-end CPU, ample RAM, and superior OLED screen with high resolution, excels in the demands of engineering and design tasks, while the more portable Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2's mid-tier CPU, lower RAM, and standard IPS screen make it less suitable for such intensive workloads.
Content Creation
8.2/10
7.1/10
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
2880 x 1620
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED is very good for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is good.
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
7.9/10
7.0/10
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2880 x 1620
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for software development, though the ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED is somewhat better.
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
8.9/10
6.9/10
15.6in
SIZE
12.4in
2880 x 1620
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
600.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED stands out with its striking contrast and vibrant colors at high resolution, while its brightness ensures clear visibility even in well-lit environments; the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 also provides a good display but may not be as sharp or vivid as the OLED screen. When it comes to engineering and design, the ASUS Vivobook’s OLED screen again takes the lead, displaying a broader range of colors more accurately, crucial for precision work, whereas the Surface Laptop Go 2, while satisfactory, might not represent colors with the same fidelity. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rate of both laptops may be a drawback, with the OLED technology of the ASUS not compensating for the smoother visuals that a higher refresh rate would provide, making neither ideal for fast-paced or graphically intensive tasks.
Battery
7.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED has 7 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 S 15 OLED has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2/10
7.8/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED 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.
Cost
$990
$565
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED has a price of $990 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 costs $565.
"The Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED excels as a capable work machine at an affordable price. It offers commendable performance, thanks to its 12th Gen Intel chip, delivers quality on-screen entertainment with its 15.6-inch OLED display, and can (kind of) get you through a full day of work. Oh, and its special Asus Antibacterial Guard is a nice touch for those who like a clean laptop."
"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 S 15 OLED 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.
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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