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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is sleek and lightweight, making it a good choice for general use and portability, with a clean design ideal for business use or students. On the other hand, the MSI GP66 Leopard is bulkier and geared towards gaming and more intensive tasks like 3D rendering or machine learning, offering higher performance but at the cost of being less portable and having potentially shorter battery life. If performance for demanding applications is a priority and you don't mind less portability, consider the MSI GP66 Leopard. For easier commuting and longer battery life, the Surface Laptop 5 may be the better option. 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
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the MSI GP66 Leopard
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.1
7.8
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is only fair.
The MSI GP66 Leopard boasts a more powerful GPU and a high screen refresh rate, which are essential for smooth and detailed gaming and 3D rendering, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a less powerful GPU and a standard refresh rate, making it less ideal for these purposes, even though its CPU and screen quality are adequate.
Engineering and Design
7.1
7.9
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI GP66 Leopard and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for engineering and design, though the MSI GP66 Leopard is somewhat better.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offers a sharp and high-resolution touchscreen with a 3:2 aspect ratio, ideal for engineering and design tasks requiring detailed visuals and more vertical screen space, complemented by a portable design and quality build. In contrast, the MSI GP66 Leopard, with its powerful CPU, top-tier dedicated GPU, and a high refresh rate screen provides robust performance for engineering simulations and intensive design work, albeit with less portability and screen resolution.
Screen Quality
7.2
7.5
13.5in
SIZE
15.6in
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
400.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The MSI GP66 Leopard has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" for gaming and AI.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" boasts a high-resolution display with vibrant colors and brightness that makes it suitable for everyday tasks and professional engineering and design work where color accuracy is crucial. However, its lower refresh rate inhibits its ability to provide the smooth visuals demanded by gaming and 3D applications. On the other hand, while the MSI GP66 Leopard provides similar benefits for general use and precision tasks with a quality display that supports a broad color spectrum, its gaming and 3D performance are hindered by a less optimal refresh rate.
Battery
7.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has 7.5 hours of battery life. The MSI GP66 Leopard has 5 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 GP66 Leopard has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,200
$1,400
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a price of $1,200 and the MSI GP66 Leopard costs $1,400.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.5
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
400.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
7.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for general use.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offers balanced performance with good CPU and RAM, high-resolution touch display, and lightweight design for easy portability and longer battery life, making it ideal for general use on-the-go. In contrast, the MSI GP66 Leopard also has comparable CPU and RAM but is bulkier and has a shorter battery life, though it features a high-performance dedicated graphics card and a display with a higher refresh rate suitable for demanding graphics tasks and gaming.
Content Creation
7.4
7.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI GP66 Leopard and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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
7.2
7.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and MSI GP66 Leopard 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.
Build Quality
7.8
8.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI GP66 Leopard to have 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.
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How the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and the MSI GP66 Leopard compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" | MSI GP66 Leopard |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,200 | $1,400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | May 1, 2021 | |
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 i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7.5 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 47.4 Wh | 65 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 | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 400 nits | 362 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 8/10 | |
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 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 0 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
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 GP66 Leopard
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | December 2021
"The MSI GP66 Leopard is a good budget high-performance gamer. The MSI also does a lot right outside of the pure performance despite it's low price. For example, the adaptive cooling system really surprised us positively, even in Extreme Performance Mode. And the display is not a budget panel either, but at least outshines the competition in terms of brightness. Of course, you also have to accept a few compromises in this price category. These include the Leopard's poor battery runtimes and the less than optimal build quality, which is also noticeable in the more complicated maintenance."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" or the MSI GP66 Leopard
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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