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Updated January 10, 2024·
The MSI GF63 Thin offers double the storage and a dedicated graphics card, better suited for gaming and graphics-intensive tasks, but it's heavier and has a shorter battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is more portable with a higher quality build and screen, plus it has a touchscreen. Although they are similarly priced, the Surface is better for general use and portability, while the MSI is geared towards gaming and heavier workloads but is less convenient to carry around. 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 for general use
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the MSI GF63 Thin
- The MSI GF63 Thin has no clear advantages over the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2.
Key differences
General Use
7.0
6.0
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
401.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.2 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is good for general use, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is lightweight and highly portable with a smaller screen and touch capability but offers a lower storage capacity and moderate battery life, while the MSI GF63 Thin provides a larger screen and more storage, yet it is heavier with a shorter battery life and a style that leans towards gaming, which may not appeal to all general users.
Engineering and Design
6.5
6.0
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and MSI GF63 Thin are both only fair for engineering and design, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is somewhat better.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, while very portable and equipped with a high-quality screen and good CPU for general engineering tasks, comes with an integrated GPU which limits its capacity for design applications that require intensive graphics. The MSI GF63 Thin, on the other hand, offers a dedicated GPU for graphic-intensive tasks and a larger screen, though it is heavier and less portable, and its screen quality and battery life are inferior compared to the Surface Laptop Go 2.
Content Creation
7.1
6.0
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is good for content creation, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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
6.0
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is good for software development, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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
6.1
12.4in
SIZE
15.6in
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
401.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has a better screen than the MSI GF63 Thin for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 offers a higher resolution and brighter display than the MSI GF63 Thin, making it preferable for tasks like browsing and watching videos. In engineering and design, where accurate color representation is key, the Surface Laptop Go 2 has better coverage of color gamuts essential for these tasks. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the MSI GF63 Thin, while having a lower-quality display, provides a higher refresh rate which is crucial for smooth visuals in fast-paced scenes but fails to elevate its overall screen quality for these uses due to limited resolution and panel technology.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.2 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI GF63 Thin has 4.3 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
15.6in
2.4 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has excellent portability, while the MSI GF63 Thin has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8
6.5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has good build quality, while the MSI GF63 Thin has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$519
$599
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
$900
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has a price of $519 and the MSI GF63 Thin costs $599.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.0
6.0
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and MSI GF63 Thin are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, with its less powerful GPU and standard screen refresh rate, won't handle gaming and 3D tasks as effectively as the MSI GF63 Thin, which offers a more capable GPU and higher screen refresh rate, enhancing visual fluidity and responsiveness for these applications. But the Surface Laptop Go 2 might have advantages in screen quality and CPU that can still make it a decent option for less demanding games and tasks.
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How the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and the MSI GF63 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 | MSI GF63 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$519 | $599 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | May 1, 2019 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.48 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 10.95" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.12" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1135G7 | Intel i5-10300H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 4.25 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 12.4" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1536 x 1024 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 401 nits | 249 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
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."
MSI GF63 Thin
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | January 2020
"If you leave aside the meagre port selection (no card reader, no DisplayPort, no Thunderbolt 3 or USB 3.1 Gen2), the fan control that could be improved (idle mode!) and the relatively dark and slow display, the MSI GF63 Thin 9SC does not have any major weaknesses. The 15-inch gamer is compact, has a low weight and offers a good price-to-performance ratio, which should please gamers that are looking for both a portable and an affordable gaming notebook. Input devices, battery life, case quality and performance are all appropriate for this purchase price."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 or the MSI GF63 Thin
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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