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Updated January 10, 2024·
When choosing between the LG Ultra 16 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, consider the following tradeoffs: The LG Ultra 16 usually has a higher price than the Surface Laptop Go 2 but typically offers more powerful specifications, making it suitable for more demanding tasks such as intensive engineering work, 3D design, or machine learning. On the other hand, the Surface Laptop Go 2 is more affordable and offers better portability due to its smaller size and lighter weight, which may be advantageous for general use and frequent travelers. Battery life will also differ, with the LG Ultra potentially offering longer usage between charges. If you prioritize performance and are willing to invest more, the LG Ultra could be the better choice, but if portability and budget are major concerns, the Surface Laptop Go 2 could serve you well. 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 16
- Good for engineering and design
- Excellent battery life
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
- Good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.7
7.0
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
270.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
17.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The LG Ultra 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for general use, though the LG Ultra 16 is somewhat better.
The LG Ultra 16 is equipped with a stronger CPU and more RAM than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, resulting in better performance for general use, and it also offers a larger screen with higher resolution for clearer visuals. However, the Surface Laptop Go 2 is lighter and has a higher portability score, making it easier to carry around, and it includes a touchscreen, which the LG Ultra 16 lacks.
Engineering and Design
7.0
6.5
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The LG Ultra 16 is good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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
7.7
7.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The LG Ultra 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for content creation, though the LG Ultra 16 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.
Software Development
7.5
7.0
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The LG Ultra 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for software development, though the LG Ultra 16 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
6.2
6.9
16.0in
SIZE
12.4in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
270.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The LG Ultra 16 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 for software development, and content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
When considering general use, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2's superior resolution and brightness provide a clearer and more vibrant display compared to the LG Ultra 16, which has a fair screen that may not be as sharp or bright. For engineering and design, the Surface Laptop Go 2 likely covers a wider range of color gamuts, offering better color accuracy essential for these tasks, whereas the LG's color reproduction is adequate but might not satisfy professionals in color-sensitive work. For gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short due to lower refresh rates, but the shortfall in resolution and panel quality of the LG Ultra 16 makes it less ideal than the Surface for such visually demanding tasks.
Battery
17.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The LG Ultra 16 has 17 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 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
Good
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
12.4in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has excellent portability, while the LG Ultra 16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has good build quality, while the LG Ultra 16 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$774
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The LG Ultra 16 has a price of $1,000 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 costs $774.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.0
3.6/10
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
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The LG Ultra 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The LG Ultra 16 with AMD Ryzen 7 7730U Vega 8 graphics, and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 with Intel i5-1135G7 Iris Xe graphics are both suited to light gaming and 3D tasks due to their integrated GPUs, which offer modest gaming performance. They possess average screen refresh rates, and while they have reasonable CPUs and screen quality that contribute positively to the experience, the GPU is the primary limiting factor for more graphically intense gaming and 3D work.
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How the LG Ultra 16 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| LG Ultra 16 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $774 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.64'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.63 lbs | 2.48 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.78" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7730U | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 128 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 17 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 72 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 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 | 270 nits | 401 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
LG Ultra 16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Jentsch | October 2022
"Unlike the gram, the Ultra PC isn't designed to be as lightweight as possible. The 16-inch laptop is a whole 400 g (0.88 lb) heavier than its 16-inch gram counterpart partly because its chassis is not made of magnesium. Other than that, the Ultra PC seems like a copy of the gram – but with longer battery life, lower noise levels, and a clean, delicate look."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | August 2022
"The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 review is a compact companion with old hardware. The Surface Laptop Go 2 shows some weaknesses. Microsoft didn't really develop the second generation of the Surface Laptop Go 2 any further but has only equipped it with a slightly more powerful Core i5 processor. However, the performance still remains at a fairly low level overall, but for many users, it definitely should still be sufficient for everyday tasks."
Get a great deal on the LG Ultra 16 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 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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