The HP Omen 15 is tailored for gaming and performance-heavy tasks, offering a high refresh rate, dedicated graphics, and robust processing power enhancing gaming and creative work. This increased performance often leads to a heavier and bulkier device with shorter battery life, and it may come with a higher price tag. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is more portable and suitable for everyday tasks like browsing, office work, and streaming, with better battery life but less capable of handling intensive tasks. It's often more affordable but may struggle with demanding software and games. Choose the HP Omen 15 for performance or the Surface Laptop Go 3 for portability and cost-effectiveness, depending on your primary use. 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 Omen 15
Good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good overall display 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
7.9/10
7.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
318.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The HP Omen 15 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for general use, though the HP Omen 15 is somewhat better.
The HP Omen 15 offers a more powerful CPU, more RAM, and a higher-quality screen which translates to better overall performance and visual experience for general use, though it's less portable and has shorter battery life compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 which offers greater portability and longer battery life but with a less powerful CPU and less RAM, making it a tradeoff between performance and convenience. While the HP Omen 15 is heavier and not as easy to carry around, it compensates with better gaming capabilities and a more suitable screen for content consumption, and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, despite having a smaller screen, stands out for its portability and better battery life, which may attract users with on-the-go lifestyles.
Gaming and AI
7.6/10
6.1/10
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The HP Omen 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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
7.9/10
6.8/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The HP Omen 15 is good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
The HP Omen 15 is better suited for engineering and design due to its more powerful CPU, ample RAM, high-performance dedicated GPU, and higher quality display which are crucial for intensive tasks; while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, with its lower-tier integrated graphics and smaller RAM, is less capable for such demanding applications, although it offers superior portability and a higher resolution touchscreen which may be preferred by some for light use and on-the-go work.
Content Creation
7.8/10
7.3/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The HP Omen 15 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for content creation, though the HP Omen 15 is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
7.3/10
6.8/10
15.6in
SIZE
12.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
318.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
The HP Omen 15 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 Omen 15 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 feature displays with sufficient resolution, brightness, and quality panel types that provide clear and vivid visuals for everyday tasks such as browsing, video streaming, and document editing. For engineering and design, the two laptops' screens can display a wide range of colors with accuracy, crucial for professionals who require precise color representation for tasks such as graphic design and CAD work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, neither laptop is ideal due to their screens' lower refresh rates, which can result in less fluid motion and responsiveness compared to screens with higher refresh rates that are better suited for fast-paced games and 3D rendering.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The HP Omen 15 has 10 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
Good
Excellent
15.6in
SIZE
12.4in
5.4 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has excellent portability, while the HP Omen 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2/10
7.8/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and HP Omen 15 both have good build quality, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$993
$791
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The HP Omen 15 has a price of $993 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 costs $791.
The HP Omen 15 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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 HP Omen 15 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 compare to other laptops
"We consider around 1,260 Euros (~$1530) for a Ryzen 7 4800H, a GeForce RTX 2060, a 512 GB SSD and 16 GB dual-channel RAM to be a good offer that appeals to price-conscious gamers. Very high details are rarely a problem in the native resolution of 1,920 x 1,080. Buyers will also be spoiled with a top-notch battery life that even beats most other notebook classes. If HP now improves the speed of the WLAN module, the stability of the case and the repeatedly criticized picture quality, the competition will have to dress extra warmly."
"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 Omen 15 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.
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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