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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 13, 2024·
For general use with a focus on lightweight and sleek design, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 is a good choice with strong build quality and a high-resolution touchscreen that's excellent for everyday tasks and media consumption. If your work involves engineering software, 3D design, or machine learning, the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo provides better performance with dedicated AI features, although this may come at the cost of shorter battery life and a bit more weight to carry, so it’s less portable compared to the Surface Laptop 5. 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 Prestige 13 AI Evo
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
Key differences
General Use
7.4
8.0
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
400.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
415.0 nits
7.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
9.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offers a balance of solid CPU performance and good screen quality with a focus on portability and battery life, making it suitable for everyday tasks and on-the-go use. The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo steps up with enhanced CPU and RAM, boosting its ability to handle more demanding applications while still maintaining good screen display and battery longevity, earning its edge in general use scenarios where slightly heavier workloads are expected.
Gaming and AI
6.1
6.8
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo is somewhat better.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo both have integrated graphics, which handle everyday computing well but may struggle with demanding games and 3D applications that require a more powerful, dedicated GPU. Although both have high-quality screens, neither offers high refresh rates that are essential for smoother visuals in fast-paced games, limiting their aptness for more intense gaming experiences.
Engineering and Design
7.1
8.0
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offers robust processing power suitable for engineering applications, with a high-quality screen and GPU that benefit design work; however, its portability and quiet operation also make it an excellent choice for on-the-go use. The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo, with similar CPU and RAM capabilities, ensures smooth running of demanding engineering software, while the premium screen and dedicated graphics propel design tasks with greater color accuracy and detail, and its build quality extends to a comfortable keyboard and satisfying audio experience for multimedia tasks.
Content Creation
7.4
8.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo 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
7.9
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for software development, though the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo is somewhat better.
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
13.0in
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
400.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
415.0 nits
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo 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.
When considering general use, both the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo offer displays that provide clear visuals and vivid colors due to high resolutions and bright panels, which makes text easy to read and multimedia content look sharp. For engineering and design, the displays' coverage of professional color gamuts ensures that the colors you work with are accurate and consistent, critical for tasks that demand color precision. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rates on these laptops can lead to less smooth visuals, which may not be ideal for fast-paced action or rendering complex 3D scenes.
Cost
$1,200
$1,280
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
$2,000
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a price of $1,200 and the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo costs $1,280.
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Key similarities
Battery
7.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has 7.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo 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.
Portability
Excellent
Very Good
13.5in
SIZE
13.0in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.6in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" to have excellent portability, while the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8
7.4
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" | MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,200 | $1,280 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | February 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.57'' | 11.8'' x 8.3'' x 0.67'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.86 lbs | 3.53 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.1" | 11.77" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.8" | 8.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7.5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 47.4 Wh | 73 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.5" | 13" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2256 x 1504 | 2880 x 1800 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 400 nits | 415 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 8.6/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.8/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
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."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" or the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo
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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