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Updated January 16, 2024·
If you prioritize a vibrant display and better performance for demanding tasks, the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED is a good option. It has an OLED screen and a robust processor that handles intensive tasks well. However, it's heavier and larger than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5, impacting portability. The Surface Laptop offers a lighter and slimmer design, making it easier to carry around. Despite its smaller battery capacity and a processor that's less suitable for heavy workloads, its higher-resolution screen and build quality favor regular office work or media consumption. The Surface tends to be more expensive, so if budget is a concern, the ASUS offers a cost-effective balance of performance and features. 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 OLED
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.7
7.1
8.5/10
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 14X OLED and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for engineering and design, though the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
8.6
7.2
14.0in
SIZE
13.5in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
376.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED stands out for its vibrant and accurate colors, high contrast, and sharper details, making it great for general use and engineering where precision and color representation are key. For gaming and 3D applications, however, the OLED's standard refresh rate limits its ability to display fast-moving images smoothly compared to screens designed specifically for gaming. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 offers good quality visuals for everyday tasks and sufficient color accuracy for most design tasks, but like the Zenbook, it is not optimized for the high-refresh-rate demands of gaming and 3D rendering.
Battery
6.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED has 6 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
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has excellent portability, while the ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$575
$1,200
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED has a price of $575 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.4
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
376.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for general use.
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED is appreciated for its vibrant OLED screen with high resolution and color accuracy, making it great for general use where screen quality is paramount, and its solid state drive (SSD) storage along with ample RAM supports smooth multitasking. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is lightweight and highly portable with a longer battery life and a 3:2 aspect ratio screen that's ideal for productivity tasks, and its keyboard and touchpad are often praised for their quality. Both laptops have capable processors and sufficient RAM for general tasks, but the Zenbook's larger screen and higher refresh rate cater to those who prioritize display quality and aesthetics, while the Surface Laptop 5's portability and battery life appeal to users on the go.
Gaming and AI
6.5
6.1
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
120Hz
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 14X OLED and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED is equipped with a higher refresh rate screen, making gaming and 3D tasks smoother, while both laptops have the same type of integrated GPU which limits complex gaming and 3D performance. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offers a higher screen quality in terms of color accuracy but has a lower refresh rate, which might not be as fluid in fast-paced visuals.
Content Creation
7.6
7.4
8.5/10
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 ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED 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
7.5
7.2
8.5/10
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 ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED 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.
Build Quality
7.8
7.8
The ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED 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 14X OLED and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED | Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$575 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | October 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.9'' x 0.67'' | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.57'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.44 lbs | 2.86 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.67" | 12.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.88" | 8.8" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-13500H | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 70 Wh | 47.4 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 | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 376 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 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 | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
ASUS Zenbook 14X OLED
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Matthew Buzzi | September 2023
"While one of the more budget-friendly configurations of the Asus Zenbook 14X OLED may make a compelling case as a top value pick, it’s difficult to be disappointed with the more expensive model we reviewed here. At its core, for all models, it’s a luxury-built laptop with extreme portability and a gorgeous OLED display. Our unit rocks with a snappy Core i9 processor for getting real work done, and the discrete GPU—even if it has a clear power ceiling—is a bonus for creative pros."
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 14X OLED 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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