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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you're seeking a more budget-friendly option that's lightweight and easy to carry around, the Surface Laptop Go 2 may suit your basic computing needs for tasks like browsing, office work, and media consumption. On the other hand, if you require a more powerful system for demanding applications or creative work, like video editing, design, or 3D modeling, the Surface Laptop Studio would be a better pick despite its higher price. The Laptop Studio also comes with a flexible hinge for multiple usage modes but is heavier and less portable than the Laptop Go 2. Keep in mind that the Laptop Studio will likely have a better screen, faster processors, and more features geared towards professionals. 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
- Excellent portability
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
- Good for engineering and design
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.0
6.6
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is somewhat better.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is limited in gaming and 3D tasks due to its integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics and modest 60Hz screen refresh rate, which are less capable of handling high-end graphics and fast-paced visuals. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio offers better gaming and 3D performance with its dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti GPU and a higher 120Hz screen refresh rate, enabling smoother and more detailed visual experiences, but it's heavier and less portable.
Engineering and Design
6.5
7.3
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is considered fair for engineering and design use primarily due to less powerful internal components like its Intel i5 processor and integrated Iris Xe graphics, lower RAM, and a screen with lower resolution. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio offers better suitability for such tasks with a more capable Intel i7 processor, a dedicated Nvidia RTX graphics card, double the RAM, and a higher resolution screen.
Screen Quality
6.9
8.0
12.4in
SIZE
14.4in
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
401.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and Surface Laptop Studio have suitable resolution and brightness, making both displays clear and vivid for everyday tasks and professional work like engineering and design, where detailed visuals are key. Their color accuracy covers a wide range of the color spectrum, essential for tasks that demand precise color representation, such as graphic design or video editing. However, both lack high refresh rates needed for smooth visuals in gaming and 3D modeling, which can hinder the experience in those specific areas.
Portability
Excellent
Good
12.4in
SIZE
14.4in
2.4 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has excellent portability, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8
8.5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has very good build quality, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$565
$1,700
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has a price of $565 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio costs $1,700.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.0
7.4
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
401.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Content Creation
7.1
7.4
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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
7.0
7.3
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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.
Battery
8.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has 8 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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.
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How the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$565 | $1,700 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | September 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.48 lbs | 4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 10.95" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.12" | 8.98" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1135G7 | Intel i7-11370H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 12.4" | 14.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1536 x 1024 | 2400 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 401 nits | 491 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.4/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 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
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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Tom Brant | October 2021
"There’s no doubt that the Surface Laptop Studio is groundbreaking. We’ve come to expect such things from the Surface lineup, so it’s always nice to see a product that exceeds our expectations. The pull-forward laptop-screen concept has been tried before, but never in a device that’s so stylish and packed with innovative features like a haptic touchpad and robust digital stylus support."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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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