If budget is a primary concern, the ASUS Zenbook 14 offers good value with respectable performance for everyday tasks and light to moderate computing needs. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13", while more expensive, usually delivers superior build quality, a better screen, and a more premium overall experience. If portability and a high-quality display are important to you and you're willing to invest more, the Surface Laptop could be a better choice. However, if your usage is more about general productivity and you prefer to save money, the Zenbook 14 could serve you well without breaking the bank. 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 14
Very good overall display quality
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
Excellent portability
Very good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.3/10
7.2/10
14.0in
SIZE
13.5in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
339.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 14 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 14's superior resolution and brightness enhance clarity and readability, providing a more vibrant and sharper display than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5. In engineering and design tasks, the ASUS Zenbook 14 offers broader color coverage which is critical for accurately rendering designs and images. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the ASUS Zenbook 14's lower refresh rate results in less fluid motion compared to laptops tailored for those tasks, making it less suitable for fast-paced interactive environments.
Cost
$300
$1,200
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has a price of $300 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" costs $1,200.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and ASUS Zenbook 14 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
6.1/10
6.1/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Zenbook 14, with an integrated Iris Xe GPU and a higher 90Hz screen refresh rate, offers a fair gaming and 3D experience, somewhat bolstered by its capable processor and OLED screen quality. Conversely, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" also presents a fair performance for gaming and 3D tasks, using the same type of integrated Iris Xe GPU but is limited by a lower 60Hz screen refresh rate; its better processor and IPS screen with touch capability does not make up for the refresh rate difference in this context.
Engineering and Design
7.2/10
7.1/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for engineering and design.
The ASUS Zenbook 14 is favored for engineering and design work due to its high-resolution OLED screen, which offers wide color coverage and contrast that are crucial for detailed graphics work, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" with its high-quality IPS touchscreen and powerful CPU is more portable and has a premium build, suiting professionals on the go who still require substantial computing power and screen clarity. Both laptops have strong CPUs and GPUs appropriate for engineering applications, and substantial RAM for multitasking, but the ASUS stands out with its display quality and the Microsoft Surface with its portability and build quality.
Content Creation
7.3/10
7.4/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and ASUS Zenbook 14 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
7.2/10
7.2/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and ASUS Zenbook 14 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.
Battery
8.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has 8 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.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
13.5in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.5in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" to have excellent portability, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8/10
7.8/10
The ASUS Zenbook 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 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 14 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" compare to other laptops
"Users who travel frequently and are looking for a portable laptop are in the right place with the Asus ZenBook 14. The sleek case is extremely light (1.2 kg) and surprisingly thin (1.5 cm). Outdoor use is also enjoyable thanks to the bright Full HD display, which is something that can rarely be said about laptops with TN or IPS panels. The excellent battery life complements this as well. Longer trips are no problem with the ZenBook 14. Another plus point is the high-performance Ryzen 7 5700U, which often leaves the Intel competition in the dust thanks to its large number of cores."
"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 14 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.
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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