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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 13, 2024·
If you prioritize a sleek design and a touch screen for casual use and light productivity, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 is an excellent choice with a premium build and good battery life. On the other hand, the MSI Prestige 14 offers more powerful hardware suited for tasks like video editing and 3D work, but it may have a shorter battery life and is slightly less portable than the Surface Laptop. Keep in mind that the Prestige 14's additional horsepower is more beneficial for demanding software while the Surface is tailored for general computing with an emphasis on portability and ease of use. 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 14 AI Evo
- Very good for general use
- Very good for content creation
Key differences
General Use
7.4
8.0
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
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 14 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 portability and performance with a high-quality screen and good battery life, making it suitable for everyday tasks and mobile users, while the MSI Prestige 14 AI Evo, with its robust CPU and ample RAM, excels in handling more demanding applications and multitasking, but may compromise slightly on battery life due to its powerful components. Both have adequate storage, comfortable keyboards, and manage heat and noise well, but the MSI's speakers are a notch above in quality, enhancing the overall user experience.
Gaming and AI
6.1
6.8
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
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 14 AI Evo and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the MSI Prestige 14 AI Evo is somewhat better.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" doesn't prioritize gaming or 3D applications, offering modest GPU capabilities and a standard screen refresh rate which aren't ideal for high-end gaming or 3D rendering. Conversely, the MSI Prestige 14 AI Evo provides a more powerful GPU and higher screen refresh rate, making it better suited for those tasks, yet it may still struggle with the most demanding games and 3D software due to the balance between portability and performance.
Engineering and Design
7.1
7.8
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 14 AI Evo and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for engineering and design, though the MSI Prestige 14 AI Evo is somewhat better.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offers a balance of CPU and GPU power for engineering tasks, along with high-quality screen and RAM for multitasking and design fidelity, making it suitable for rigorous engineering software and visual work. The MSI Prestige 14 AI Evo also provides strong CPU performance and RAM for complex computations, enhanced by a dedicated GPU for tasks like 3D rendering, with both laptops featuring a portable design, but with trade-offs in speaker and keyboard quality.
Content Creation
7.4
8.0
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Prestige 14 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
7.7
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 14 AI Evo and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for software development, though the MSI Prestige 14 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
7.8
13.5in
SIZE
14.0in
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
400.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
415.0 nits
The MSI Prestige 14 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.
For general use, both the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 and the MSI Prestige 14 offer displays with good resolution, panel technology that adequately presents clear and crisp images, and brightness levels that ensure comfortable viewing in various lighting conditions. Engineering and design professionals would appreciate their displays too, as both laptops cover a range of colors across the DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB spectrums, ensuring accurate color representation for detailed work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, their screens fall short as they don't offer the high refresh rates required for the smooth rendering of fast-moving visuals, even though their resolution and panel type may provide a decent experience for less demanding graphics tasks.
Cost
$1,200
$1,300
$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 14 AI Evo costs $1,300.
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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 14 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
14.0in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.7in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" to have excellent portability, while the MSI Prestige 14 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 14 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 14 AI Evo compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" | MSI Prestige 14 AI Evo |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,200 | $1,300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | February 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.57'' | 12.3'' x 7.5'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.86 lbs | 3.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.1" | 12.3" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.8" | 7.46" | |
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 | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.5" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2256 x 1504 | 1920 x 1200 | |
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 14 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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