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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 provides more portability and a lower price compared to the MSI GE66 Raider. It's suitable for general use like web browsing, office applications, and media consumption, while the battery life is relatively good. On the other hand, the MSI GE66 Raider, although more expensive and heavier, offers significantly higher performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and gaming, thanks to its powerful processor and top-tier graphics card. If your workload involves intensive engineering tasks or gaming, the MSI GE66 Raider is the better option, but for everyday tasks and better travel convenience, the Surface Laptop Go 2 is adequate. 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
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the MSI GE66 Raider
- 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
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.0
8.4
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
401.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
347.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
The MSI GE66 Raider is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is good.
The MSI GE66 Raider outperforms the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 in general use due to its higher power CPU, substantially more RAM, superior screen quality, and more storage capacity, which makes it well-suited for more demanding tasks and media consumption. However, the Surface Laptop Go 2 offers better portability due to its lighter weight and smaller size, along with longer battery life, making it a convenient option for users who prioritize mobility and usage on the go.
Gaming and AI
6.0
8.6
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI GE66 Raider is very good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
The MSI GE66 Raider outperforms the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 in gaming and 3D tasks due to its significantly more powerful Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti GPU and higher screen refresh rate of 120 Hz, compared to the Surface's Intel Iris Xe and 60 Hz refresh rate. Additionally, while both have quality IPS displays, the Raider's screen is larger and offers a higher resolution, which benefits visual-intensive applications.
Engineering and Design
6.5
9.1
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI GE66 Raider is excellent for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has a fair performance for engineering and design due to its adequate but lower-end CPU and GPU, which suffice for basic tasks but lack the power needed for intensive engineering software. In contrast, the MSI GE66 Raider is excellent for such tasks, boasting a superior CPU and GPU combination that renders it capable of handling resource-intensive design software, while also providing a higher resolution display that benefits design precision; however, this leads to a heavier and less portable design, a trade-off for its high performance.
Content Creation
7.1
8.4
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI GE66 Raider 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
8.4
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI GE66 Raider is very good for software development, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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
6.9
8.2
12.4in
SIZE
15.6in
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
401.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
347.0 nits
The MSI GE66 Raider 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.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has a display with suitable resolution and brightness that satisfies everyday activities like browsing, document editing, and media consumption, but its lower refresh rate and possibly limited color gamut might not suffice for specialized engineering software and is less ideal for gaming or 3D applications. The MSI GE66 Raider, although having a high-quality display with a wide color gamut that benefits detailed engineering and design work, also falls short for gaming and 3D use due to a refresh rate that is below what's preferred for those scenarios. Ultimately, both offer good visual fidelity for standard and creative tasks, but neither is optimized for the high refresh rates that gamers and 3D artists commonly seek.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI GE66 Raider 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
12.4in
SIZE
15.6in
2.4 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has excellent portability, while the MSI GE66 Raider has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8
8.5
The MSI GE66 Raider has very good build quality, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$774
$3,199
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has a price of $774 and the MSI GE66 Raider costs $3,199.
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How the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and the MSI GE66 Raider compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 | MSI GE66 Raider |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$774 | $3,199 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | January 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | 14.1'' x 10.5'' x 0.92'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.48 lbs | 5.25 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 10.95" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.12" | 10.51" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1135G7 | Intel i9-12900HK | |
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 | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 99 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 12.4" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1536 x 1024 | 3840 x 2160 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 401 nits | 347 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 6.9/10 | |
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 | 6.3/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.4/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
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."
MSI GE66 Raider
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Patrick Schüdzig | June 2022
"The MSI Raider GE66 12UHS notebook passes with flying colors. The GE66 is a high-end notebook with strong performance. The keyboard and trackpad are still very good and score well with precise inputs as well as high build quality. Thanks to a new liquid metal cooling solution, the Intel Core i9 12900HK brings a performance increase of around 50 percent over the predecessor's Intel Core i9 10980HK. The installed graphics card in our device delivers up to 30 percent higher frame rates than the RTX 2070 Super in the MSI GE66 10SFS."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 or the MSI GE66 Raider
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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