When choosing between the ASUS Zenbook 14X and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, consider the following: the Zenbook 14X is generally less expensive and more portable, with a high-quality OLED screen that excels in color representation, making it a good match for general use and multimedia consumption. However, its battery life is shorter. On the other hand, the Surface Laptop Studio has a higher price but offers better performance for 3D, machine learning, and engineering tasks thanks to its more powerful GPU and higher refresh rate screen. Additionally, the Surface Laptop Studio has a longer battery life and its touchscreen capability might be advantageous for creative or hands-on work. 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 14X
Very good portability
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
Very good overall build quality
Good battery life
Very good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.3/10
8.0/10
14.0in
SIZE
14.4in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
339.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 14X has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio for general use, and engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a better screen for gaming and AI.
For general use, the ASUS Zenbook 14X and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio both offer displays with high resolution and brightness, making them suitable for a variety of everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming. When it comes to engineering and design, both laptops have displays that cover a broad range of color gamuts, ensuring accurate color representation which is crucial for professional editing and design work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both fall short as their screens have lower refresh rates, which can result in less smooth visuals during fast-paced scenes, a critical factor for an immersive gaming experience.
Battery
5.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 14X has 5.5 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.4in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Zenbook 14X has very good portability, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8/10
8.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has very good build quality, while the ASUS Zenbook 14X has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$777
$1,700
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The ASUS Zenbook 14X has a price of $777 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio costs $1,700.
The ASUS Zenbook 14X and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
6.5/10
6.6/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and ASUS Zenbook 14X 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
7.7/10
7.3/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook 14X and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
7.6/10
7.4/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook 14X and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
7.4/10
7.3/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook 14X and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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.
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How the ASUS Zenbook 14X and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio compare to other laptops
"With the Zenbook 14X, Asus has a 14-incher in its range that is - mostly - a joy to use. First, there is the colorful OLED panel with 3K resolution that displays the sRGB and DCI-P3 color spaces. The Zenbook is also at the forefront in terms of workmanship, input devices and connections with 2x Thunderbolt 4 ports and a generous keyboard layout. A pleasure to use, the Zenbook 14X is a solid, very well-built subnotebook that sits well on the table. A runtime of five hours, however, is below average for a high-end subnotebook nowadays. The OLED screensaver causes increased power consumption when in idle mode."
"There’s no doubt that the Surface Laptop Studio is groundbreaking. We’ve come to expect such things from the Surface lineup, so it’s always nice to see a product that exceeds our expectations. The pull-forward laptop-screen concept has been tried before, but never in a device that’s so stylish and packed with innovative features like a haptic touchpad and robust digital stylus support."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook 14X or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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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