For demanding tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, the HP Omen 17 is the better option as it has a more powerful processor and a high-end dedicated graphics card. However, it's heavier and larger, making it less portable than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3. The Surface Laptop Go 3 is smaller, lighter, and offers a touchscreen with better battery life, making it more suitable for general use and portability. It's also less expensive but has less storage and memory, and its integrated graphics won't handle intensive tasks as well. Consider the HP Omen 17 for performance-intensive work and gaming, and the Surface Laptop Go 3 for everyday tasks and ease of carrying around. 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 17
Very good for engineering and design
Excellent for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
Excellent portability
Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
7.8/10
7.2/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
350.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
3.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The HP Omen 17 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for general use, though the HP Omen 17 is somewhat better.
The HP Omen 17 is better suited for general use because it has a powerful CPU, more RAM, and a higher quality display, contributing to more efficient multitasking and better visual experience, but it's less portable and has shorter battery life than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, which offers greater portability and longer battery life due to its smaller size and lower power consumption but has lower performance capabilities with a less powerful CPU and less RAM.
Gaming and AI
9.0/10
6.1/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The HP Omen 17 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
The HP Omen 17 is better suited for gaming and 3D due to its powerful Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU and a high screen refresh rate of 165 Hz, which are key for smooth, high-fidelity visuals in demanding applications. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 uses an integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU and offers a standard refresh rate of 60 Hz, which means less graphical power and less fluid motion, making it less optimal for gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.8/10
6.8/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The HP Omen 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
The HP Omen 17 is better suited for engineering and design because of its powerful internal components like a high-end Intel i7 processor, ample RAM, and a robust Nvidia RTX GPU, alongside a higher resolution screen, which are all very important for these tasks. Conversely, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, with a mid-range Intel i5 processor, less RAM, and an integrated Intel graphics card, along with a lower resolution screen, is only adequately equipped, impacting its performance for demanding engineering and design applications.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.3/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The HP Omen 17 is very good for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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
7.7/10
7.1/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The HP Omen 17 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for software development, though the HP Omen 17 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
7.9/10
6.8/10
17.3in
SIZE
12.4in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
350.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
The HP Omen 17 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.
If you prioritize a sharp and bright display for everyday tasks like browsing and streaming, both the HP Omen 17 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are solid choices with their respective high-resolution and radiant panels. For engineering and design work where color accuracy is crucial, each laptop offers ample color coverage to satisfy the precision needed for professional creative tasks. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rates on both may lead to less fluid visuals, making them less ideal for high-speed, immersive experiences where smoother motion and responsiveness are key.
Battery
3.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The HP Omen 17 has 3.5 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
Fair
Excellent
17.3in
SIZE
12.4in
6.1 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has excellent portability, while the HP Omen 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,700
$791
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The HP Omen 17 has a price of $1,700 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 costs $791.
"The HP Omen 17 (2022) gaming laptop has a stylish case and hardware with lots of potential. The HP Omen 17 is a fairly unobtrusive gaming laptop. A material combination of plastic and metal gives the case a high stability and a quality surface feel. The unspectacular design is pleasing and is hardly indicative of the laptop's high performance potential. The Intel Core i7-12700H in particular is able to perform well once again. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti is also strong in the gaming notebook. Demanding games run smoothly in Full HD resolution. The HP Omen 17 is a good gaming laptop that delivers partly excellent performance. But even at this performance level, cheaper alternatives are available."
"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 17 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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