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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 21, 2024·
If you're on a budget and need a portable laptop for everyday tasks like browsing and documents, the Surface Laptop Go 2 is a smart pick, while the MSI Creator M14, with its higher price tag, is better suited for demanding tasks such as video editing, graphic design, and 3D modeling due to its superior performance. However, it is heavier and may have shorter battery life, making it less ideal for constant travel. Choose the Surface for casual use and the MSI for specialized, power-intensive applications. 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 Go 2
- Excellent portability
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the MSI Creator M14
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.0
8.0
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
401.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The MSI Creator M14 is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is good.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is lightweight and boasts a decent battery life, which makes it suitable for on-the-go use and typical daily tasks, but with a more modest CPU and RAM, its performance is less robust compared to the MSI Creator M14. The MSI Creator M14, with a superior screen quality, stronger CPU, and more RAM, is tailored for more demanding applications and multitasking, offering a smoother experience for general use, though it may be less portable and have slightly lower battery life than the Surface.
Gaming and AI
6.0
7.3
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Creator M14 is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has less powerful graphics capabilities and a lower screen refresh rate compared to the MSI Creator M14, making it less suitable for intensive gaming and 3D applications where smooth, detailed visuals are key. The MSI Creator M14's stronger GPU and higher refresh rate screen provide a better experience for these tasks, although its overall performance also relies significantly on its CPU and screen quality.
Engineering and Design
6.5
8.4
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Creator M14 is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
The MSI Creator M14 is equipped with a more robust CPU, greater RAM, and a higher quality GPU than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, which makes it better suited for demanding engineering tasks and design programs that require intensive processing power and high screen resolution. While the Surface Laptop Go 2 offers greater portability and may have a quieter operating noise, it may fall short in performance for complex engineering software due to its less powerful internals.
Content Creation
7.1
8.0
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Creator M14 is very good for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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
7.0
7.8
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator M14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for software development, though the MSI Creator M14 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
6.9
7.5
12.4in
SIZE
14.0in
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
401.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
The MSI Creator M14 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and the MSI Creator M14 offer displays with adequate resolution and brightness, making them suitable for daily tasks like web browsing, video streaming, and document editing. Their screen quality is also beneficial for engineering and design because they cover a wide range of colors, ensuring that professionals who work with visual content can rely on accurate color representation. However, when it comes to gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short due to lower refresh rates, which means they may not provide the smooth visual experience preferred in fast-paced games or when working with complex 3D animations.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator M14 has 4.5 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
Good
12.4in
SIZE
14.0in
2.4 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has excellent portability, while the MSI Creator M14 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$774
$1,500
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has a price of $774 and the MSI Creator M14 costs $1,500.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
7.8
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and MSI Creator M14 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 Go 2 and the MSI Creator M14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 | MSI Creator M14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$774 | $1,500 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | 12.4'' x 9.2'' x 0.88'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.48 lbs | 3.53 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 10.95" | 12.39" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.12" | 9.19" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1135G7 | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 12.4" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1536 x 1024 | 2880 x 1800 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 401 nits | 350 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 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 | 7.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.4/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | August 2022
"The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 review is a compact companion with old hardware. The Surface Laptop Go 2 shows some weaknesses. Microsoft didn't really develop the second generation of the Surface Laptop Go 2 any further but has only equipped it with a slightly more powerful Core i5 processor. However, the performance still remains at a fairly low level overall, but for many users, it definitely should still be sufficient for everyday tasks."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 or the MSI Creator M14
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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