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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is more affordable, lighter, and has a touch screen with a longer battery life, making it suitable for general use and carrying around. However, if you require high performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, or intense gaming, the MSI GF65 Thin, despite being heavier with a shorter battery life, offers a more powerful dedicated graphics card and a larger, faster-refresh-rate display, which is better suited for those tasks. The tradeoff here is between portability and battery life versus graphical performance and gaming capabilities. 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 GF65 Thin
- The MSI GF65 Thin has no clear advantages over the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2.
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.0
6.8
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
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 GF65 Thin and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the MSI GF65 Thin is somewhat better.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is fair for gaming and 3D because it uses an Intel Iris Xe integrated GPU, which is less powerful compared to dedicated GPUs, and it has a standard screen refresh rate, suitable for non-gaming tasks. In contrast, the MSI GF65 Thin also falls into the fair category despite its powerful Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU because its capabilities are somewhat limited by other factors, but it does offer a high refresh rate screen, which is beneficial for gaming.
Software Development
7.0
6.3
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
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 GF65 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
6.8
12.4in
SIZE
15.6in
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
401.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has a better screen than the MSI GF65 Thin for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the MSI GF65 Thin has a better screen for gaming and AI.
For general use, the Surface Laptop Go 2 offers a higher resolution and brighter display, providing clarity and ease of viewing, whereas the MSI GF65 Thin, with lower brightness and resolution, is less optimal for tasks like web browsing and document editing. In engineering and design, the Surface's display covers a wider range of colors which is crucial for accurate color work, while the MSI's more limited color gamut can result in less precise color representation. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the MSI GF65 Thin, despite its shortcomings, may perform slightly better due to a higher refresh rate, which ensures smoother motion, though neither laptop excels in this aspect due to the lower refresh rates compared to specialized gaming machines.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI GF65 Thin 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
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 GF65 Thin 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 GF65 Thin has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$774
$1,100
$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 GF65 Thin costs $1,100.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.0
6.5
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
401.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 to be good for general use, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is highly portable and has a high-quality keyboard, screen, and build, but its CPU and battery life are less adequate for power-intensive tasks. The MSI GF65 Thin offers a more robust CPU and better gaming performance due to its dedicated GPU, yet it's heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less ideal for frequent travel.
Engineering and Design
6.5
6.7
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The MSI GF65 Thin and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both only fair for engineering and design.
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
6.8
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 to be good for content creation, while the MSI GF65 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.
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How the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and the MSI GF65 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 | MSI GF65 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$774 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | January 1, 2021 | |
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 i5-10500H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 4.5 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 | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 401 nits | 262 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
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 | 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 | 2 | |
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 GF65 Thin
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2021
"The MSI GF65 Thin offers a GeForce RTX 3060 on a budget. The MSI GF65 is a relatively inexpensive RTX 3060 laptop and, perhaps not coincidentally, it also comes with a slower-than-average RTX 3060 GPU. Other laptops we've tested thus far with the same GPU are about 10 to 15 percent faster. CPU performance is also slightly slower than average unless if users decide to enable Cooler Boost mode. Colors, black-white response times, Thunderbolt, and DisplayPort are either average or completely omitted. Gamers who want to maximize performance-per-dollar without sacrificing RAM or SSD upgradeability will find the lightweight MSI GF65 attractive."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 or the MSI GF65 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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