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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated June 22, 2024·
The ASUS Zenbook 14 offers a vibrant OLED display with a higher resolution and better color accuracy, making it ideal for visual tasks and media consumption, though it lacks touch capability. It's also more compact and lightweight, enhancing portability. However, its battery life is shorter compared to the Surface Laptop. The Zenbook's Intel i5 processor and integrated Iris Xe graphics provide solid performance for everyday tasks and light gaming or creative work, but it may not handle intensive engineering tasks as efficiently as a machine with a dedicated GPU. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" features a touchscreen IPS display with a lower resolution but a higher refresh rate, which can be beneficial for smoother visuals in everyday use. It comes with more RAM and the newer Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, along with an Intel Arc dedicated GPU, which collectively offer better multitasking capabilities and improved performance in more demanding applications, including gaming and machine learning tasks. The Surface Laptop also has a longer battery life, a comfortable keyboard, and superior webcam and speaker quality, contributing to a better overall user experience for those who prioritize performance and productivity. It's a premium business laptop with a higher price tag, reflecting its robust build quality and performance. In summary, choose the ASUS Zenbook 14 for its superior display and portability if you're primarily using it for general use and content consumption. Opt for the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 for its enhanced performance, battery life, and touchscreen functionality if you need a more powerful machine for demanding tasks and productivity on the go. 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 6 13.5"
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.2
7.7
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
339.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" and ASUS Zenbook 14 are both good for general use, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
8.3
7.8
14.0in
SIZE
13.5in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
339.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" for general use, and engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
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 6 13.5" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.1
6.6
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" and ASUS Zenbook 14 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.
Engineering and Design
7.2
7.7
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" and ASUS Zenbook 14 are both good for engineering and design.
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
7.3
7.7
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" 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
7.7
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
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 6 13.5" 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
9.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has 8 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" has 9 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
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
13.5in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" and ASUS Zenbook 14 both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8
7.4
The ASUS Zenbook 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" 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 6 13.5" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Zenbook 14 | Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$300 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | June 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 8.7'' x 0.67'' | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.06 lbs | 3.04 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.35" | 12.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.69" | 8.78" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1240P | Intel Core Ultra 7 135H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 75 Wh | 47 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 13.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2880 x 1800 | 2256 x 1504 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 90Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 339 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 8.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | 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 | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
ASUS Zenbook 14
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | August 2022
"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."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook 14 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5"
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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