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Surface Laptop Go 2
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Modern 14
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What we think

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

The decision between the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and the MSI Modern 14 should be based on your priorities and working style. If portability and a sleek design are paramount, and you are engaged in tasks such as web browsing, document editing or light media consumption, the Surface Laptop Go 2 is a solid choice; it's designed for those who prioritize a lightweight and stylish machine. However, if you require more power for applications like photo editing or multitasking and are seeking better value, the MSI Modern 14 typically offers more robust hardware for a lower price, making it suitable for more demanding tasks. Keep in mind the trade-off you're making, as the Surface Laptop Go 2 often demands a higher budget for its premium build and brand, while the MSI Modern 14 emphasizes performance and value over design and build quality. Choose the Surface for its design and on-the-go convenience or the MSI for better-performing hardware at a more cost-effective price point. 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 Modern 14
  • The MSI Modern 14 has no clear advantages over the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2.

Key differences

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Screen Quality

6.9
Surface Laptop Go 2
Modern 14
6.4
12.4in
SIZE
14.0in
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
401.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has a better screen than the MSI Modern 14 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.

Battery

8.0 Hours
Surface Laptop Go 2
Modern 14
6.0 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Modern 14 has 6 hours of battery life.

Portability

Excellent
Surface Laptop Go 2
Modern 14
Very Good
12.4in
SIZE
14.0in
2.4 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has excellent portability, while the MSI Modern 14 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.

Build Quality

7.8
Surface Laptop Go 2
Modern 14
7.0
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and MSI Modern 14 both have good build quality, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has somewhat better build quality.

Cost

$774
Surface Laptop Go 2
Modern 14
$525
Product image
Product image

$200

$400

$600

$800

$1,000

$1,200

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has a price of $774 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $525.
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Key similarities

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General Use

7.0
Surface Laptop Go 2
Modern 14
7.2
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
401.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The MSI Modern 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for general use.

Gaming and AI

6.0
Surface Laptop Go 2
Modern 14
6.0
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
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
8.7/10
The MSI Modern 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both only fair for gaming and AI.

Engineering and Design

6.5
Surface Laptop Go 2
Modern 14
6.6
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Modern 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both only fair for engineering and design.

Content Creation

7.1
Surface Laptop Go 2
Modern 14
7.2
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Modern 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for content creation.

Software Development

7.0
Surface Laptop Go 2
Modern 14
7.1
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Modern 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for software development.

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How the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and the MSI Modern 14 compare to other laptops

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Spec Comparison

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Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2MSI Modern 14
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2MSI Modern 14

GENERAL

Price
$774
$525
Release Date
June 1, 2022October 1, 2021
Overall Dimensions
11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62''12.7'' x 8.7'' x 0.63''
Weight
2.48 lbs3.08 lbs
Width
10.95"12.68"
Depth
8.12"8.74"

INTERNAL

Processor
Intel i5-1135G7AMD Ryzen 5 7530U
RAM
8 GB16 GB
DDR Memory Version
45
RAM Slots
01
Storage
128 GB512 GB

BATTERY

Battery Life
8 Hours6 Hours
Battery Capacity
41 Wh39 Wh

SCREEN

Diagonal Size
12.4"14"
Display Technology
IPSIPS
Resolution
1536 x 10241920 x 1080
Refresh Rate
60Hz60Hz
Display Brightness
401 nits311 nits

RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS

Build Quality Score
7.8/107/10
Portability Score
9.3/108.7/10
Gaming Laptop Appearance
NoNo
Premium Business Laptop
NoNo
Fan Noise Score
7.5/108.8/10

HARDWARE FEATURES

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

CONNECTIVITY

USB Type-A
13
USB-C ports
11
USB-C Charging
NoYes
Display Outputs
11
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 Modern 14

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Dig into reviews and images

Rtings

Alexander Tozzi, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | October 2023
"The MSI Modern 14 is okay for school use. It's very compact, so it's easy to carry around. It has a sharp display, a spacious keyboard, and a reasonably large touchpad. Its Intel 13th Gen CPU and integrated graphics can handle general productivity tasks like text processing and web browsing; however, don't expect to do anything intensive like 3D modeling or physics simulations. Unfortunately, the battery lasts less than five hours of light use, and the display doesn't get bright enough to combat glare."

Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 or the MSI Modern 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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Why trust us

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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.

By the numbers

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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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