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Updated January 16, 2024·
Since you're considering the ASUS Zenbook 13 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and you mentioned a price difference with ASUS being less expensive, your decision may come down to what you value more between performance, battery life, portability, and the specific tasks you intend to use the laptop for. The ASUS Zenbook 13 is usually more affordable and may offer a balance between performance and battery life, making it a good all-rounder for general use and mobility. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13", on the other hand, is priced higher and could offer better display quality and a more premium build which might be appealing if you prioritize a touch screen and a more luxurious feel for professional use. If you're into heavy-duty tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, neither may be ideal, but the one with more powerful internals will perform better at the cost of battery life. If your work involves engineering software, you'll likely need a laptop with robust performance, even if it sacrifices portability and battery life. Remember, the choice also depends on the ecosystem you're invested in or prefer, with ASUS running Windows and Surface possibly integrating more closely with other Microsoft services and hardware. 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 Zenbook 13
- The ASUS Zenbook 13 has no clear advantages over the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13".
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.8
7.2
13.3in
SIZE
13.5in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
378.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, the ASUS Zenbook 13 offers a superior screen experience due to its higher resolution and brightness, giving you crisp and vibrant visuals. For engineering and design, the Zenbook's wider color gamuts provide more accurate color representation, essential for detailed and color-sensitive work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short as their screens do not have the high refresh rates required for smooth motion, but the Zenbook's advantages in other areas still set it apart.
Battery
9.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has 9 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has 7.5 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.
Cost
$890
$1,200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has a price of $890 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
378.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and ASUS Zenbook 13 are both good for general use.
The ASUS Zenbook 13 offers strong general use capabilities with its OLED screen providing vibrant colors and the AMD Ryzen 7 processor paired with sufficient RAM for smooth multitasking, along with excellent portability thanks to its light weight and good battery life. Meanwhile, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" boasts a higher-resolution IPS touchscreen display, more RAM for demanding tasks, and the latest Intel processor, though it falls slightly behind in battery life and heat management compared to the Zenbook.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.1
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.3/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook 13 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Zenbook 13 with its AMD Ryzen Vega 8 GPU and a 60Hz OLED screen and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" with an Intel Iris Xe GPU and a 60Hz IPS touchscreen both offer just fair gaming and 3D performance due to modest integrated graphics capabilities and standard screen refresh rates not ideal for high-frame rate gaming. While the Zenbook may foster slightly better visuals due to OLED technology, both machines are similarly limited for more avid gaming experiences by their shared graphics limitations.
Engineering and Design
7.1
7.1
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook 13 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for engineering and design.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offers double the RAM and a higher resolution touch screen compared to the ASUS Zenbook 13, enhancing its performance for engineering and design tasks where multi-tasking and detailed visuals are critical. While both have similar CPU and GPU capabilities, the Surface's larger RAM and superior display contribute to its more favorable assessment for complex projects.
Content Creation
7.6
7.4
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook 13 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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
7.2
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook 13 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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.
Portability
Excellent
Excellent
13.3in
SIZE
13.5in
2.5 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The ASUS Zenbook 13 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" both have excellent portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and ASUS Zenbook 13 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 Zenbook 13 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Zenbook 13 | Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$890 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2021 | October 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8'' x 0.55'' | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.57'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.55 lbs | 2.86 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 12.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 7.99" | 8.8" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5700U | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 67 Wh | 47.4 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 13.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2256 x 1504 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 378 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.4/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
ASUS Zenbook 13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Bade | May 2021
"The Asus ZenBook 13 is a compact 13-inch laptop with a fast Ryzen 7 5800U and OLED display. The subnotebook is also light and the modern design is convincing. The selection of high-quality materials make the device not only light, but also very stable. In addition, the visuals and haptics of the device offers a high-quality impression. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800U is a very good fit for the ZenBook 13, ensuring a high performance in the test. However, in terms of the 3D performance, we also notice that the Vega architecture is beginning to hit its limits."
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Lori Grunin | October 2022
"The Surface Laptop 5 remains afloat as a solid machine. It's just not one that stands out in any particular way. Just like the last one. The biggest upgrade were some new components, but they perform in the same range as other laptops with them, and frequently at the bottom of that range. I suspect Microsoft's settings are very conservative to help keep cooling and battery life within reason in the older chassis design."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook 13 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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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