The ASUS Vivobook S 14 OLED offers superior performance for intensive tasks like gaming and engineering with its Intel Core Ultra 7 processor and dedicated Intel Arc GPU, making it a strong choice for power users who prioritize performance over portability. Its OLED screen delivers vibrant colors and deep blacks, ideal for media consumption and tasks that benefit from a high-quality display. However, it's slightly pricier and heavier than the Surface Laptop Go 3, and its battery life is shorter, which could be a drawback for those who need long-lasting power on the go.
On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is more portable, with a longer battery life, lighter weight, and a compact design, making it an excellent option for users who value mobility and all-day use. Its touchscreen IPS display with a 3:2 aspect ratio is great for productivity tasks and offers good color accuracy, though it falls short of the ASUS in terms of brightness and color gamut. The Surface Laptop Go 3 is also more affordable, but its performance is more suited to general use and light gaming, as it relies on integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics.
In summary, choose the ASUS Vivobook S 14 OLED for its powerful performance and superior display quality if you don't mind a bit of extra weight and shorter battery life. Opt for the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 if you prioritize portability, battery life, and a touchscreen experience, and if your computing needs are less demanding. 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 14 OLED
Good for engineering and design
Very good overall display quality
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has no clear advantages over the ASUS Vivobook S 14 OLED.
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.8/10
6.8/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS Vivobook S 14 OLED is good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
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
7.9/10
7.3/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Vivobook S 14 OLED and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for content creation, though the ASUS Vivobook S 14 OLED is somewhat better.
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
7.7/10
7.1/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS Vivobook S 14 OLED and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for software development, though the ASUS Vivobook S 14 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
8.1/10
6.8/10
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
600.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
The ASUS Vivobook S 14 OLED has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Cost
$899
$797
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The ASUS Vivobook S 14 OLED has a price of $899 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 costs $797.
The ASUS Vivobook S 14 OLED and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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
6.6/10
6.1/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS Vivobook S 14 OLED and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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.
Battery
9.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook S 14 OLED has 9 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
Excellent
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and ASUS Vivobook S 14 OLED both have excellent portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
7.8/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and ASUS Vivobook S 14 OLED both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the ASUS Vivobook S 14 OLED and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 compare to other laptops
"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 S 14 OLED 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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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
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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.