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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is significantly less expensive, more portable, and suitable for general use with its lighter weight and smaller screen size. If you are looking for a laptop for basic tasks like web browsing, office applications, and media consumption, and you prioritize a more compact design and lower cost, this could be a good choice. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is significantly pricier but offers better performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks, thanks to its more powerful processor and dedicated graphics card. It also has a larger and higher-resolution screen, which is useful for detailed work and multitasking, though it is less portable due to its larger size and weight. If your work involves graphic design, video editing, or gaming, and you are willing to invest more for higher performance and a better display, you may prefer the Surface Laptop Studio. 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 3
- 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
Engineering and Design
6.8
7.3
6.4/10
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 3 is only fair.
The Surface Laptop Go 3, with its less powerful processor, less RAM, and integrated graphics, is suitable for lighter engineering and design tasks, while the Surface Laptop Studio, equipped with a higher-end CPU, more RAM, and a dedicated GPU, is better for more demanding engineering and graphics work. Additionally, the Studio's larger and higher resolution screen benefits design work, though it is heavier and less portable than the extremely lightweight Go 3.
Screen Quality
6.8
8.0
12.4in
SIZE
14.4in
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
337.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 offers a display with suitable resolution and brightness which benefits applications like web browsing and document editing, making it acceptable for general use. For engineering and design, while it has a decent display, professionals seeking accuracy in colors might notice limitations in its color gamut coverage. When it comes to gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rate may result in less smooth visuals, which is why it's rated poorly for those scenarios.
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 3 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 3 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$788
$1,700
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has a price of $788 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio costs $1,700.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.2
7.4
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
337.0 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 3 are both good for general use.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 offers decent performance with a lower-tier CPU and less RAM, making it lightweight and highly portable but less suited for demanding tasks, while it has good screen quality for general use. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, with a high-end CPU, more RAM, and better GPU, is designed for more intensive work and creativity with a higher-resolution and larger screen, though it is heavier, impacting its portability.
Gaming and AI
6.1
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 3 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, with its integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, is less capable of handling gaming and 3D tasks compared to a dedicated GPU, and its standard 60Hz screen refresh rate isn't ideal for high-speed gaming that benefits from smoother visuals offered by higher refresh rates. Conversely, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, equipped with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti graphics card and a 120Hz refresh rate screen, provides a significantly better experience for gaming and 3D applications, however, it might still fall short for the most demanding tasks due to its CPU performance and screen quality.
Content Creation
7.3
7.4
6.4/10
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 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
7.1
7.3
6.4/10
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 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.
Battery
8.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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 3 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$788 | $1,700 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2023 | September 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.49 lbs | 4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 10.95" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.12" | 8.98" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1235U | Intel i7-11370H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 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 | 337 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 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."
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 3 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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