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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is a more budget-friendly option compared to the Razer Book 13, with lower cost often being a defining factor. It's more compact and lightweight, enhancing portability, which is useful if you move around a lot. The Surface Laptop Go 2 is well-suited for general use and has decent battery life, but it may struggle with more demanding tasks like 3D rendering or heavy engineering programs due to less powerful processor and lower RAM. In contrast, the Razer Book 13, with a higher price tag, provides enhanced performance with a more powerful processor and doubles the RAM, which makes it better for intensive tasks such as engineering or 3D modeling. It also has a larger battery, meaning it can last longer on a single charge, and offers more storage space right out-of-the-box. The Razer Book 13 is heavier, which might make it less convenient for frequent travel. Both have high-quality displays with touchscreen capability, but the Razer Book offers a slightly larger and higher resolution screen, which could be beneficial for detailed work. 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
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the Razer Book 13
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent battery life
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.0
7.6
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
401.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
507.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
14.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Razer Book 13 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for general use, though the Razer Book 13 is somewhat better.
The Razer Book 13 outperforms the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 in general use primarily due to its higher CPU performance, double the RAM, and superior screen quality including higher resolution and brightness. Additionally, the Razer Book 13 offers more storage and a longer battery life, factors that enhance its appeal despite being slightly heavier and less portable than the Surface Laptop Go 2.
Engineering and Design
6.5
7.1
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Razer Book 13 is good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
The Razer Book 13 outperforms the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 for engineering and design use largely because it offers a more powerful processor, double the RAM, and a higher resolution display, which are very important for such tasks. Additionally, while both have high screen quality, the Razer's higher capacity battery and additional ports like Thunderbolt contribute to a better overall experience in this field, with portability and keyboard quality being somewhat important factors where both laptops excel but are not primary differentiators.
Screen Quality
6.9
7.3
12.4in
SIZE
13.4in
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
401.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
507.0 nits
The Razer Book 13 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.
For general use, both the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and the Razer Book 13 offer panels with sufficient resolution and brightness, ensuring clear and vibrant display across various applications and media consumption. Engineering and design professionals would find these laptops suitable as they provide accurate color representation, crucial for tasks that demand precise color work, although they might not cover the widest range of color gamuts. Regarding gaming and 3D, both fall short primarily due to their lower refresh rates, which means less fluid motion and responsiveness, while also being moderate in resolution and panel quality which are important for a more immersive visual experience.
Battery
8.0 Hours
14.0 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has 8 hours of battery life. The Razer Book 13 has 14 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.
Build Quality
7.8
8.5
The Razer Book 13 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
$774
$1,389
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has a price of $774 and the Razer Book 13 costs $1,389.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.0
6.2
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Razer Book 13 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and Razer Book 13 are both fair for gaming and 3D due to their integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, which provide decent performance but lag behind dedicated gaming GPUs, and both have standard 60Hz screen refresh rates that are not ideal for fast-paced games. While the Surface Laptop Go 2's smaller screen and lower resolution may not match the slightly better visuals of the Razer Book 13, the latter's higher resolution and larger screen offer a more immersive experience, albeit with somewhat higher demands on the integrated GPU.
Content Creation
7.1
7.6
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Razer Book 13 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
7.5
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Razer Book 13 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.
Portability
Excellent
Excellent
12.4in
SIZE
13.4in
2.4 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and Razer Book 13 both have excellent portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and the Razer Book 13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 | Razer Book 13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$774 | $1,389 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | April 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | 11.6'' x 7.8'' x 0.6'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.48 lbs | 3.09 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 10.95" | 11.64" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.12" | 7.81" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1135G7 | Intel i7-1165G7 | |
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 | 14 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 55 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 12.4" | 13.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1536 x 1024 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 401 nits | 507 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 9.1/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.4/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
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 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
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."
Razer Book 13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | December 2020
"The Razer Book is like an XPS 13, but faster. The Book 13 combines the design philosophy and performance of a Blade Stealth with the 16:10 display of a Dell XPS 13 for an impressive piece of hardware. Office users who want something more stylish than the typical Dell, HP or Lenovo will certainly find themselves drawn to this Razer subnotebook. If your priorities are to have the best-looking and fastest 13-inch laptop in the office over auxiliary features, however, then the Book 13 proudly fulfills that niche."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 or the Razer Book 13
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.
About Razer
Razer is an American-Singaporean technology company. Razer is best known for their Blade series laptops, well known for their strong performance and sleek design. Although Razer charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a stealthy laptop with clean fit and finish and strong performance. All of their models offer great portability and build quality compared to other gaming laptops.
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