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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize a larger screen with higher resolution and more powerful processing performance for tasks like video editing or gaming, the LG Ultra 16 with its AMD Ryzen processor, higher RAM, and more storage could be a better fit. However, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is lighter and more compact, which makes it easier to carry around, and it still offers a high-quality build and a touchscreen, which the LG model lacks. The Surface Laptop Go 3 would be well-suited for everyday tasks like web browsing, office applications, and media consumption. The LG Ultra 16 is better for performance-intensive tasks, and the Surface Laptop Go 3 for portability and touch screen convenience. 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 3
- Good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.7
7.2
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
270.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
337.0 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 3 are both good for general use, though the LG Ultra 16 is somewhat better.
The LG Ultra 16 is better for general use due to a stronger CPU and more RAM which enhance overall performance, a larger and higher quality screen, and significantly longer battery life, making it more suitable for multitasking and longer periods of use.
Screen Quality
6.2
6.8
16.0in
SIZE
12.4in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
270.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
The LG Ultra 16 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 for software development, and content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The LG Ultra 16's display may not be as sharp or bright, making it adequate for everyday tasks but not ideal for color-sensitive engineering and design work, nor for the fast-paced visuals required in gaming and 3D applications. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 offers a higher resolution and brighter display, enhancing the experience for general use and providing more accurate colors for design work, though it still falls short for gaming due to a lower refresh rate. Neither laptop is optimal for gaming or 3D work, where a higher refresh rate is crucial to keep visuals smooth and responsive.
Battery
17.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The LG Ultra 16 has 17 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
16.0in
SIZE
12.4in
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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 3 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
$789
$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 3 costs $789.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.1
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 3 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
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
7.0
6.8
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers LG Ultra 16 to be good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
The LG Ultra 16 is equipped with more RAM and a higher-end CPU, which are very important for engineering and design tasks that demand significant processing power and multitasking ability; it also boasts a larger screen with high-quality display parameters, supporting intricate visual work.
Content Creation
7.7
7.3
6.9/10
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 LG Ultra 16 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.
Software Development
7.5
7.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
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 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 LG Ultra 16 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| LG Ultra 16 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $789 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | October 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.64'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.63 lbs | 2.49 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.78" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7730U | Intel i5-1235U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 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 | 337 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 3
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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 LG Ultra 16 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
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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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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CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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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.
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