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Surface Laptop Go 2
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Cyborg 15
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What we think

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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 offers greater portability and a higher-quality build but is less powerful and has a smaller storage capacity compared to the MSI Cyborg 15. The Cyborg 15 has a stronger processor, dedicated graphics for better 3D and engineering tasks, and a larger, higher resolution screen that's better for gaming, but it's less portable and has a shorter battery life. If you prioritize lightweight design and longer battery life for general use, choose the Surface Laptop Go 2. For more intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, engineering, or gaming, and if you need more storage out of the box, the Cyborg 15 is the better option. 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
  • Good overall build quality
  • Excellent portability
  • Very good speakers
Advantages of the MSI Cyborg 15
  • Good for engineering and design
  • Good for gaming and AI

Key differences

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Gaming and AI

6.0
Surface Laptop Go 2
Cyborg 15
7.2
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
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 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.

Engineering and Design

6.5
Surface Laptop Go 2
Cyborg 15
7.5
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The MSI Cyborg 15 is good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.

Screen Quality

6.9
Surface Laptop Go 2
Cyborg 15
6.8
12.4in
SIZE
15.6in
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
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 15 for general use, and engineering and design, while the MSI Cyborg 15 has a better screen for gaming and AI, and software development.

Portability

Excellent
Surface Laptop Go 2
Cyborg 15
Good
12.4in
SIZE
15.6in
2.4 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has excellent portability, while the MSI Cyborg 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.

Build Quality

7.8
Surface Laptop Go 2
Cyborg 15
6.7
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has good build quality, while the MSI Cyborg 15 has only fair build quality.

Cost

$774
Surface Laptop Go 2
Cyborg 15
$1,100
Product image
Product image

$400

$600

$800

$1,000

$1,200

$1,400

$1,600

$1,800

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has a price of $774 and the MSI Cyborg 15 costs $1,100.
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Key similarities

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General Use

7.0
Surface Laptop Go 2
Cyborg 15
7.3
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
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
7.2/10
The MSI Cyborg 15 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for general use.

Content Creation

7.1
Surface Laptop Go 2
Cyborg 15
7.5
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Cyborg 15 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for content creation.

Software Development

7.0
Surface Laptop Go 2
Cyborg 15
7.2
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Cyborg 15 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for software development.

Battery

8.0 Hours
Surface Laptop Go 2
Cyborg 15
7.5 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Cyborg 15 has 7.5 hours of battery life.

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How the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and the MSI Cyborg 15 compare to other laptops

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Spec Comparison

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Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2MSI Cyborg 15
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2MSI Cyborg 15

GENERAL

Price
$774
$1,100
Release Date
June 1, 2022May 1, 2023
Overall Dimensions
11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62''14.2'' x 9.9'' x 0.9''
Weight
2.48 lbs4.37 lbs
Width
10.95"14.15"
Depth
8.12"9.86"

INTERNAL

Processor
Intel i5-1135G7Intel i7-12650H
RAM
8 GB8 GB
DDR Memory Version
45
RAM Slots
02
Storage
128 GB512 GB

BATTERY

Battery Life
8 Hours7.5 Hours
Battery Capacity
41 Wh53.5 Wh

SCREEN

Diagonal Size
12.4"15.6"
Display Technology
IPSIPS
Resolution
1536 x 10241920 x 1080
Refresh Rate
60Hz144Hz
Display Brightness
401 nits234 nits

RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS

Build Quality Score
7.8/106.8/10
Portability Score
9.3/107.3/10
Gaming Laptop Appearance
NoYes
Premium Business Laptop
NoNo
Fan Noise Score
7.5/106.5/10

HARDWARE FEATURES

Keyboard Quality Score
7/107/10
Speaker Quality Score
8.4/106.8/10
Webcam
720p720p
Fingerprint Reader
YesNo
Backlit Keyboard
NoYes
Number Pad
NoYes

CONNECTIVITY

USB Type-A
12
USB-C ports
11
USB-C Charging
NoNo
Display Outputs
12
Thunderbolt Ports
00

Shopping

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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."

MSI Cyborg 15

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Dig into reviews and images

NotebookCheck

Sascha Mölck | April 2023
"The focus of the MSI Cyborg 15 lies on a compromise of performance, mobility, and power consumption. Due to the reduced performance settings, the CPU and GPU perform below their capabilities. Nonetheless, their computing power is still sufficient for FHD gaming at high to maximum settings even then. The power consumption, which is low for a gaming laptop, can be translated into a good battery life. Realistic values of 7 to 8 h are still possible, despite the relatively small battery capacity of 53.5 Wh. Unfortunately the USB-C port doesn't offer any support for Power Delivery, which would be a sensible feature in the case of the Cyborg."

Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 or the MSI Cyborg 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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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.

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Recommendations made
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About the laptop team

Joe Golden, Ph.D

CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.

Jason Lew

Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.

Chandradeep Chowdhury

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.

Craig Russell

Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.

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