A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
- Good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the MSI Cyborg 14
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
7.0
7.8
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
401.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The MSI Cyborg 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for general use, though the MSI Cyborg 14 is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.0
7.4
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Cyborg 14 is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
6.5
7.9
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Cyborg 14 is good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
7.1
7.8
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Cyborg 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for content creation, though the MSI Cyborg 14 is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
6.9
6.8
12.4in
SIZE
14.0in
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
401.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has a better screen than the MSI Cyborg 14 for general use, and engineering and design, while the MSI Cyborg 14 has a better screen for gaming and AI, content creation, and software development.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
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 Cyborg 14 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8
6.7
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has good build quality, while the MSI Cyborg 14 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$774
$1,299
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has a price of $774 and the MSI Cyborg 14 costs $1,299.
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Key similarities
Software Development
7.0
7.5
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Cyborg 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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
8.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Cyborg 14 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.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and the MSI Cyborg 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 | MSI Cyborg 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$774 | $1,299 | ||
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 | 16 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 | 7.5 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 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 401 nits | 234 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 7.8/10 | |
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 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.4/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 2 | |
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 Cyborg 14
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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About the laptop team
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CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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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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