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Updated January 12, 2024·
Selecting between the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and the MSI Prestige 15 requires considering your primary use cases. If portability and a high-resolution display with touch capabilities are important, and you require a device that's easier to carry with a longer battery life, then the Surface Laptop may be more appealing despite the higher cost. The MSI Prestige 15, on the other hand, offers a dedicated graphics card, which could provide better performance for tasks like video editing, 3D modeling, or casual gaming. Keep in mind, it's heavier and does not have a high-resolution touch display, which could be a drawback for some users. 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 overall display quality
- Excellent portability
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 15
- The MSI Prestige 15 has no clear advantages over the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13".
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.2
6.8
13.5in
SIZE
15.6in
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
400.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
298.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 15 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and MSI Prestige 15 have displays with high resolution and panel types that provide sharp images and vibrant colors, which are essential for enjoyable everyday use and detailed engineering work. Their screens cover a wide range of color gamuts, ensuring that professionals in engineering and design see accurate colors for their projects. However, these laptops lack the high refresh rates favored in gaming and 3D applications, potentially leading to less fluid motion and responsiveness in fast-paced environments.
Portability
Excellent
Good
13.5in
SIZE
15.6in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has excellent portability, while the MSI Prestige 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,200
$1,044
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a price of $1,200 and the MSI Prestige 15 costs $1,044.
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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
298.0 nits
7.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
9.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Prestige 15 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for general use.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" with its lighter frame, higher-resolution touchscreen, and a better screen aspect ratio is suited for portability and quality display, which is beneficial for daily tasks like browsing and medium workloads. In contrast, the MSI Prestige 15, although heavier and lacking a high-resolution touchscreen, offers a dedicated graphics card and larger screen for more intensive tasks like multimedia editing, but this comes at the cost of reduced portability and battery capacity compared to the Surface Laptop 5.
Gaming and AI
6.1
6.3
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
7.0/10
The MSI Prestige 15 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" comes with an integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU which, while capable for light gaming, doesn't match the discrete Nvidia GTX 1650 Max-Q GPU in the MSI Prestige 15 that offers better gaming performance. Both laptops have a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate and solid screen quality, but the Prestige 15's superior GPU makes it more suitable for gaming and 3D tasks despite its slightly larger and heavier build.
Engineering and Design
7.1
7.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Prestige 15 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for engineering and design.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is equipped with an Intel i7 processor and Iris Xe graphics, which favors its performance in engineering and design software; it further impresses with a high-resolution touchscreen and a superior contrast ratio that enhance visual clarity and color accuracy for design work. On the other hand, the MSI Prestige 15 boasts a dedicated Nvidia GPU which augments its capability for graphical computations and comes with a larger screen, although it trades off battery capacity and portability for the added performance benefits and connectivity options for peripherals through more display outputs.
Content Creation
7.4
7.5
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Prestige 15 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
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and MSI Prestige 15 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.
Battery
7.5 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has 7.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 15 has 7.5 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.
Build Quality
7.8
7.4
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and MSI Prestige 15 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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How the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and the MSI Prestige 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" | MSI Prestige 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,200 | $1,044 | ||
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 9.2'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.86 lbs | 3.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.1" | 14.05" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.8" | 9.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | Intel i5-1240P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7.5 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 47.4 Wh | 82 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 | 298 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 7.8/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
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 | 2 | |
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"
See more
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 Prestige 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | December 2022
"The MSI Prestige 15 offers a dazzling 4K image quality, and solid performance. The MSI Prestige 15 appears to consistently implement the guiding principle of throttling the solid and efficient hardware to such an extent that content creation succeeds perfectly. Performance-hungry tasks, on the other hand, are slowed down a little by the reduced power consumption. Conversely, this means that the case remains relatively cool and the dual fan subdued. The battery life also benefits somewhat. So the losses aren't really dramatic because full performance is still available for short bursts."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" or the MSI Prestige 15
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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