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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 is a midrange option, less expensive, with a longer battery life and is lighter and thinner, making it suitable for general use and easy to carry around. On the other hand, the MSI GE66 Raider is a high-end laptop with superior processing power, a more advanced graphics card, and a higher-resolution display, which makes it ideal for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming. However, it is heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less portable and more suitable for stationary use or when power outlets are readily available. 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 5 13"
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the MSI GE66 Raider
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.4
8.4
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
400.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
347.0 nits
7.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
9.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
The MSI GE66 Raider is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is valued for its portability and battery life, making it suitable for users needing mobility and all-day power, whereas the MSI GE66 Raider, with superior CPU and RAM, excels at handling more demanding tasks but is less portable and has a shorter battery life. The Surface Laptop 5 offers a high-quality screen and touchscreen functionality in a lightweight form, while the Raider's top-tier screen and graphics card provide an exceptional visual experience for gaming or creative work, at the expense of greater weight and size.
Gaming and AI
6.1
8.6
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI GE66 Raider is very good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is only fair.
The MSI GE66 Raider outperforms the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" in gaming and 3D applications primarily due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti graphics card, compared to the Surface's integrated Iris Xe graphics, and a higher screen refresh rate of 120Hz against the Surface's 60Hz, offering smoother visual experiences during fast-paced games. While the Raider is targeted at gamers with its significantly better GPU performance and higher refresh display, the Surface Laptop 5 is more suited for general use with adequate performance for lighter gaming and creative tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.1
9.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI GE66 Raider is excellent for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
The MSI GE66 Raider stands out for engineering and design due to its superior Intel i9 processor, double the RAM, and a high-end Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti GPU, which greatly enhance performance for demanding tasks compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5’s Intel i7 processor, less RAM, and integrated graphics. Additionally, the Raider's screen has a higher resolution and refresh rate, offering better quality for detailed work, whilst the Surface Laptop, being lighter and slimmer, offers greater portability and a quieter operating experience.
Content Creation
7.4
8.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI GE66 Raider is very good for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
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
7.2
8.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI GE66 Raider is very good for software development, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
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.
Screen Quality
7.2
8.2
13.5in
SIZE
15.6in
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
400.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
347.0 nits
The MSI GE66 Raider has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offers a vibrant and high-resolution display, which is great for everyday tasks and detailed engineering work, with accurate colors that appeal to design professionals. However, its refresh rate is lower, making it less suitable for gaming and 3D applications where smoother motion is key. The MSI GE66 Raider, on the other hand, boasts exceptional color reproduction and high resolution benefiting both general users and engineers or designers, but like the Surface, it lacks a high refresh rate, limiting its potential for immersive gaming and 3D modeling.
Battery
7.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has 7.5 hours of battery life. The MSI GE66 Raider has 6 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
Excellent
Fair
13.5in
SIZE
15.6in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has excellent portability, while the MSI GE66 Raider has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8
8.5
The MSI GE66 Raider has very good build quality, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,200
$3,199
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a price of $1,200 and the MSI GE66 Raider costs $3,199.
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How the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and the MSI GE66 Raider compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" | MSI GE66 Raider |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,200 | $3,199 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | January 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.57'' | 14.1'' x 10.5'' x 0.92'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.86 lbs | 5.25 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.1" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.8" | 10.51" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | Intel i9-12900HK | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7.5 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 47.4 Wh | 99 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.5" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2256 x 1504 | 3840 x 2160 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 400 nits | 347 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 6.3/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Lori Grunin | October 2022
"The Surface Laptop 5 remains afloat as a solid machine. It's just not one that stands out in any particular way. Just like the last one. The biggest upgrade were some new components, but they perform in the same range as other laptops with them, and frequently at the bottom of that range. I suspect Microsoft's settings are very conservative to help keep cooling and battery life within reason in the older chassis design."
MSI GE66 Raider
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Patrick Schüdzig | June 2022
"The MSI Raider GE66 12UHS notebook passes with flying colors. The GE66 is a high-end notebook with strong performance. The keyboard and trackpad are still very good and score well with precise inputs as well as high build quality. Thanks to a new liquid metal cooling solution, the Intel Core i9 12900HK brings a performance increase of around 50 percent over the predecessor's Intel Core i9 10980HK. The installed graphics card in our device delivers up to 30 percent higher frame rates than the RTX 2070 Super in the MSI GE66 10SFS."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" or the MSI GE66 Raider
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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