A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 is a more powerful laptop with better performance for demanding tasks like engineering, thanks to its higher storage capacity and RAM, as well as a more robust AMD processor and GPU. However, it comes at a higher price and is less portable than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3. The Surface Laptop Go 3, on the other hand, is more affordable and boasts a higher portability score due to its smaller size and lighter weight, which makes it a good choice for general use and mobility, but it offers less storage, RAM, and processing power, which could limit its performance for more intensive tasks. Both have similar battery lives for typical use, with the HP EliteBook lasting slightly longer, and while the Surface Laptop Go 3 has a smaller, touch-capable screen, the HP EliteBook has a larger non-touch display with better color accuracy, making it more suitable for color-sensitive 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 HP EliteBook 845 G9
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good battery life
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.7
7.2
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
402.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for general use, though the HP EliteBook 845 G9 is somewhat better.
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 outshines the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 in general use thanks to its stronger CPU and larger RAM, which result in better performance, along with a higher quality screen that displays colors more accurately and offers a brighter picture. Meanwhile, the Surface Laptop Go 3, though not as powerful or vibrant in display, gains an edge in portability and a higher resolution touchscreen, making it lighter and more compact for on-the-go tasks but at the expense of battery life and performance.
Software Development
7.7
7.1
6.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for software development, though the HP EliteBook 845 G9 is somewhat better.
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
7.1
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
402.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, both the HP EliteBook 845 G9 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 offer displays with sufficient resolution and brightness, ensuring clear and vivid visuals for daily tasks such as browsing, document editing, and video playback. With engineering and design in mind, although these laptops have good screen quality, they may lack the wider color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, which are critical for color-accurate work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, their screens fall short because they do not prioritize high refresh rates, which are essential for smooth motion and responsiveness.
Battery
12.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 has 12 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has excellent portability, while the HP EliteBook 845 G9 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$740
$791
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 has a price of $740 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 costs $791.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.1
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 both have GPUs and screen refresh rates that are satisfactory but not exceptional for gaming and 3D tasks. However, the EliteBook's AMD Radeon 660M graphics and the Microsoft Surface's Intel Iris Xe provide enough power for casual gaming, though not for the most demanding games or 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
7.2
6.8
6.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP EliteBook 845 G9 to be good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
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
7.3
6.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The HP EliteBook 845 G9 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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.
Build Quality
8.0
7.8
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP EliteBook 845 G9 to have very good build quality, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the HP EliteBook 845 G9 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| HP EliteBook 845 G9 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$740 | $791 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | October 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 8.8'' x 0.76'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.09 lbs | 2.49 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.42" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.82" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 6650U | Intel i5-1235U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 12 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 51 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 402 nits | 337 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1440p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
HP EliteBook 845 G9
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Jentsch | July 2022
"The high-end version of the HP EliteBook 845 G9 with a Ryzen 9 PRO 6950HS, 32GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD packs a lot of power, but is still quiet and cool enough to operate in noise-sensitive environments. Quiet, cool and drawing on a massive 40 watts from the APU at the same time, however, is not possible. The 14-incher only has a single-fan solution and it only just manages to keep an near unthrottled Ryzen 9 in check."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Joe Osborne | October 2023
"When it comes to affordably priced laptops, the numbers after the dollar sign are crucially important—more so than in any other price category. By increasing the starting price of its Laptop Go line by $200 and not changing much else, Microsoft irrevocably altered the calculus surrounding the decision of whether to buy the Surface Laptop Go 3. Sure, it has a newer processor and longer battery life, but don’t think for a second you’re not paying dearly for that extra RAM and SSD capacity at that new price."
Get a great deal on the HP EliteBook 845 G9 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
About HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
Compare HP EliteBook 845 G9 vs. Lenovo Flex 5 16
VS
Compare HP EliteBook 845 G9 vs. Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15"
VS
Compare HP EliteBook 845 G9 vs. Dell Inspiron 16 5635
VS
Compare Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 vs. Dell Latitude 5430
VS
Compare Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 vs. ASUS Vivobook 16
VS
Compare Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 vs. Acer Swift Go 14
VS
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
100,095
Recommendations made
21,688
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
Featured in
