If you need a laptop with higher storage capacity and exceptional processing power for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or intensive engineering applications, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 stands out with a superior GPU and significantly more RAM. Its display also offers higher resolution and refresh rate which could make a difference in creative tasks. However, the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 is a valid choice for general use with a competitive price, decent performance, and a higher battery life, along with an OLED screen that's well-suited for watching movies and editing images. Keep in mind, though, that both laptops are similarly weighted, but the ASUS might have a slight edge in portability given its slightly longer battery life. 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 Pro 15
Excellent battery life
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.7/10
8.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
346.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
12.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for general use, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15, with a substantial battery life and a quality OLED screen, is quite suitable for general use, and its portability is rated well; however, it has less RAM and a less powerful CPU compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2, which offers more RAM for multitasking and a robust CPU for demanding tasks, alongside a high-resolution screen and versatile form factor, albeit with shorter battery life and similar portability.
Gaming and AI
6.7/10
7.7/10
4.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 is only fair.
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
7.5/10
8.7/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
4.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 is good.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for engineering and design due to its superior CPU, quadruple the RAM, and a more powerful GPU than the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15, making it better suited for intensive tasks but at the expense of lower portability due to its additional weight. However, the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15, with its OLED screen, may offer better color reproduction for design work, and it's lighter which makes it more portable, but it has less processing power and memory compared to the Surface Laptop Studio 2.
Content Creation
7.7/10
8.4/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for content creation, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 is good.
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
7.5/10
8.2/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for software development, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 is good.
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.
Screen Quality
7.6/10
7.9/10
15.6in
SIZE
14.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
346.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 for gaming and AI, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 offer vibrant displays with high resolution and brightness, making text sharp and colors pop for everyday activities. Engineers and designers will appreciate their wide color gamuts, covering DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, which ensure accurate color representation for professional work. However, gamers and those interested in 3D content may find these laptops less satisfactory, as their display refresh rates are lower, which can result in less fluid motion during fast-paced action or rendering.
Battery
12.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 has 12.5 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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.
Build Quality
7.6/10
8.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has very good build quality, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,109
$3,300
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 has a price of $1,109 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 costs $3,300.
"The ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 offers a strong CPU, chassis, and display. One of the most popular 15.6-inch prosumer or multimedia laptops out there is the Dell XPS 15. Thus, comparisons between it and the Asus Zenbook Pro 15 are inevitable. Asus has a couple of tricks up its sleeve that XPS users are still missing out on including 1080p OLED and an AMD Ryzen CPU which help separate the Zenbook Pro 15 from the XPS 15. It also integrates a numpad and a few more port options albeit at the cost of a larger chassis size."
"The new Surface Laptop Studio with its foldable display is supposed to replace the old Surface Book and the overall impression is good after our review. The build quality and the materials are top-notch, the performance utilization of the two components is solid and the device does not show any major flaws in terms of display or speakers, either. The folding mechanism leaves a sold impression as well, but it remains to be seen how it will hold up over the years. The so-called presentation mode is also not ideal since it covers the whole keyboard."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook Pro 15 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
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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