The concept of surface renewal for polymer devolatilization (DV) in screw extruder was defined based on the traditional penetration theory, and a measuring criterion and comparing methods for comparing surface renewal devolatilizing performance (SRDP) between different extruders and between different types of extruders were proposed based on this concept and the extrusion-devolatilization theory previously developed by the authors. Their proprieties were further verified by using the literature data obtained in a single screw extruder (SSE) and an intermeshing co-rotating twin-screw extruder (ICoTSE). Moreover, the effects of some important screw geometry factors on the SRDPs of both the extruders were discussed, and the comparisons of the SRDPs between them and between types of SSE and ICoTSE were given and discussed.