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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you need a laptop that is cost-effective and highly portable with reasonable performance for general use, the LG Ultra 13 is a solid choice; however, its capabilities for demanding tasks like 3D rendering or intensive engineering software are limited. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is a premium choice with significantly higher performance for 3D and machine learning tasks or engineering software, thanks to its superior processor and graphics card, but it comes at a higher cost and is less portable due to its greater weight. Additionally, the Surface Laptop has a better display with higher resolution and touch capability. 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 LG Ultra 13
- Excellent portability
- Very good 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
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.2
8.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for general use, while the LG Ultra 13 is good.
The LG Ultra 13 offers a balance between efficient CPU performance, adequate RAM, and a quality screen while being light and having strong battery life, making it practical for everyday tasks and mobility. In comparison, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 boasts superior CPU and RAM, a higher quality screen for sharp visuals, and a versatile form factor with touch capabilities, but this comes with a tradeoff in terms of higher cost and reduced battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.1
7.7
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is good for gaming and AI, while the LG Ultra 13 is only fair.
The LG Ultra 13 is fair for gaming and 3D tasks because it uses an integrated GPU that is less powerful for these purposes, and has a standard screen refresh rate, whereas the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is better suited with its discrete Nvidia GPU, which offers superior performance for gaming and 3D rendering, and a higher screen refresh rate for smoother visuals. The Surface Laptop Studio 2 also features higher screen resolution and touch capability, contributing to a better overall screen quality, while the LG Ultra 13 has lower resolution and lacks touch functionality.
Engineering and Design
6.6
8.7
4.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.6/10
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 LG Ultra 13 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
7.2
8.4
4.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for content creation, while the LG Ultra 13 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
7.2
8.2
4.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for software development, while the LG Ultra 13 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
6.9
7.9
13.3in
SIZE
14.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has a better screen than the LG Ultra 13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the LG Ultra 13 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 offer screens with good resolution and brightness, but the Surface Laptop Studio 2 tends to have a superior panel type that renders sharper and more vibrant images. In terms of engineering and design, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 likely boasts a wider color gamut, providing more accurate representations of DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB colors, which is crucial for professionals in these fields. However, when considering gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short due to their lower refresh rates, which can limit the fluidity and responsiveness that these tasks require, although their resolution and panel type may still offer satisfactory visual quality for less demanding users.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The LG Ultra 13 has 10 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.
Portability
Excellent
Good
13.3in
SIZE
14.4in
2.1 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The LG Ultra 13 has excellent portability, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
8.5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has very good build quality, while the LG Ultra 13 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$529
$2,900
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The LG Ultra 13 has a price of $529 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 costs $2,900.
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How the LG Ultra 13 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| LG Ultra 13 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$529 | $2,900 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2021 | September 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.1'' x 8.1'' x 0.6'' | 12.7'' x 9.1'' x 0.86'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.16 lbs | 4.41 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.08" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.14" | 9.06" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 4700U | Intel i7-13700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 64 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 51 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 14.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2400 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 503 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
LG Ultra 13
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Joshua Goldman | April 2017
"The 13.3-inch LG Gram is a fine fit if you need to travel as light as possible for as long as possible without spending a fortune to do it. It might not be particularly sturdy or have an eye-catching design and its webcam is less than ideal, but with its sharp touch display, comfortable backlit keyboard, responsive touchpad and a fingerprint reader for extra security, the Gram makes a respectible everyday laptop for business or school work."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | March 2022
"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 LG Ultra 13 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
About LG
LG is a South Korean conglomerate company. While LG is mainly known for various products outside of technology, LG also develops laptops. Within the laptop industry, they are known for their thin-and-light Gram series, as well as their value-oriented Ultra series. LG laptops offer very thin and light laptops with phenomenal battery life, and are often on sale.
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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Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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