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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 21, 2024·
If you prioritize saving money and need a laptop for everyday tasks with the benefit of being lightweight and easy to carry, the Microsoft Surface Laptop could serve you well. On the other hand, if your work involves resource-intensive activities like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, paying extra for the MSI might be worthwhile for its superior performance and larger screen, though it will be less portable and could have a shorter battery life. Consider what you'll use the laptop for most and whether portability or power is your top priority. 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
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.4
8.4
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
400.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
7.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
9.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" provides a balance of performance with a quality CPU and sufficient RAM for everyday tasks, along with great screen quality and portability, making it a solid choice for on-the-go use with decent battery life. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, on the other hand, offers superior CPU performance and more RAM, which suits more demanding applications, but with its larger screen and powerful components, it is less portable and may have a shorter battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.1
8.9
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has an integrated GPU, which isn't as powerful as the dedicated GPUs found in gaming-specialized laptops, leading to lower performance in graphic-intensive tasks like gaming and 3D rendering. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, on the other hand, includes a high-end dedicated GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, providing smoother visuals and better handling of games and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
7.1
9.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is excellent for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offers solid performance with its CPU and sufficient RAM for engineering tasks, plus a high-quality screen and portability, but it might lag behind in demanding scenarios due to a less powerful GPU; meanwhile, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, with its superior CPU, abundant RAM, and advanced GPU, excels in intensive engineering and design endeavors, at the expense of being less portable and potentially noisier under load. While both have quality keyboards and screens, the MSI's larger size may also translate to better speaker quality.
Content Creation
7.4
8.5
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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
8.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for software development, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
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
8.4
13.5in
SIZE
18.0in
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
400.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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, the Surface Laptop's screen offers clarity and vibrance due to its resolution and brightness, making it pleasant for activities like browsing and watching videos. Engineers and designers would appreciate the MSI Stealth's wide color gamuts, providing accuracy critical for professional creative work. However, for gaming and 3D, both laptops fall short as neither is equipped with the high refresh rates needed for smooth, immersive visuals in fast-paced environments.
Battery
7.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has 7.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has 6 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
18.0in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has excellent portability, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,200
$2,900
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a price of $1,200 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
7.8
8.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" | MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,200 | $2,900 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.57'' | 15.8'' x 11.4'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.86 lbs | 6.15 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.1" | 15.75" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.8" | 11.4" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7.5 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 47.4 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.5" | 18" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2256 x 1504 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 400 nits | 305 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 6/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.8/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
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"
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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 Stealth 18 AI Studio
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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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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