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Updated January 12, 2024·
When deciding between the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and the MSI GF63 Thin, consider that the Surface Laptop has a higher resolution display, longer battery life, and a more compact form, making it ideal for portability and on-the-go use. Its build and features support general use, with a good balance of performance and design. On the other hand, the MSI GF63 Thin offers a dedicated graphics card, making it better suited for gaming or graphic-intensive tasks, but it's heavier and has a shorter battery life, which could be less convenient for frequent travelers or those needing all-day use without access to power. The Surface Laptop is pricier, so if cost is a major factor and gaming performance is a priority, the MSI may be a more suitable choice. 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"
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the MSI GF63 Thin
- The MSI GF63 Thin has no clear advantages over the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13".
Key differences
General Use
7.4
6.0
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
400.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
7.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.2 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good for general use, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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.
Engineering and Design
7.1
6.0
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" handles engineering and design tasks better due to its superior CPU and RAM, allowing for faster processing and multitasking, along with a higher resolution and more vibrant screen, which is essential for detailed design work.
Content Creation
7.4
6.0
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good for content creation, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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
6.0
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good for software development, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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
6.1
13.5in
SIZE
15.6in
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
400.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a better screen than the MSI GF63 Thin for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" likely offers a higher resolution and brighter display, which enhances its screen quality for general use and intricate tasks like engineering and design by providing clearer visuals and better readability. Its screen is probably equipped with wider color gamuts, such as DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, which are essential for accurate color representation needed in professional design work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, its lower refresh rate compared to gaming-oriented laptops like the MSI GF63 Thin is a disadvantage, as a high refresh rate is crucial for smooth motion rendering in fast-paced environments.
Battery
7.5 Hours
4.2 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has 7.5 hours of battery life. The MSI GF63 Thin has 4.3 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
Good
13.5in
SIZE
15.6in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has excellent portability, while the MSI GF63 Thin has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8
6.5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has good build quality, while the MSI GF63 Thin has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,200
$599
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a price of $1,200 and the MSI GF63 Thin costs $599.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.1
6.0
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and MSI GF63 Thin are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13” has an integrated Iris Xe GPU which, while efficient for entry-level gaming and basic 3D work, cannot match the discrete Nvidia GTX 1650 Max-Q found in the MSI GF63 Thin that offers better performance for gaming and 3D tasks. Both laptops have similar screen refresh rates, but the MSI's dedicated GPU and the overall build geared more towards gaming makes it more suitable for these specific tasks compared to the Surface Laptop which is designed for general use and portability.
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How the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and the MSI GF63 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" | MSI GF63 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,200 | $599 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | May 1, 2019 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.57'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.86 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.1" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.8" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | Intel i5-10300H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7.5 Hours | 4.25 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 47.4 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.5" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2256 x 1504 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 400 nits | 249 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
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 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
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 GF63 Thin
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | January 2020
"If you leave aside the meagre port selection (no card reader, no DisplayPort, no Thunderbolt 3 or USB 3.1 Gen2), the fan control that could be improved (idle mode!) and the relatively dark and slow display, the MSI GF63 Thin 9SC does not have any major weaknesses. The 15-inch gamer is compact, has a low weight and offers a good price-to-performance ratio, which should please gamers that are looking for both a portable and an affordable gaming notebook. Input devices, battery life, case quality and performance are all appropriate for this purchase price."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" or the MSI GF63 Thin
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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