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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
Screen Quality
6.9
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.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 offers a high-resolution display that provides crisp and clear visuals, making it suitable for general use and engineering tasks where detail is important, but it lacks the high refresh rates required for smooth 3D gaming experiences. The MSI Modern 14’s fair screen quality in general use and engineering comes from a balanced resolution and brightness, but without the wider color gamut, it may not accurately represent colors for professional design work. For gaming and 3D work, both laptops fall short due to their lower refresh rates, which can result in less fluid motion and responsiveness in fast-paced scenarios.
Battery
8.0 Hours
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.
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
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
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.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.0
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.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 offers greater portability thanks to its lighter weight and smaller size, along with a higher resolution touchscreen which may enhance the user experience for general tasks, but it has a shorter battery life and less RAM and storage compared to the MSI Modern 14. On the other hand, the MSI Modern 14 provides a larger screen, more RAM and storage which improves multitasking and data handling, as well as better heat management and keyboard quality, but it is slightly heavier and has a lower battery life than the Surface Laptop Go 2.
Gaming and AI
6.0
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.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and MSI Modern 14 are fair for gaming and 3D because neither laptop has a dedicated high-performance GPU or a high screen refresh rate, both of which are very important for these activities. While both have integrated graphics with the Surface Laptop Go 2 sporting an Intel i5 Iris Xe and the MSI Modern 14 equipped with a Vega 7, and both have standard 60Hz refresh rate displays, which suffice for everyday use but fall short for intense gaming and sophisticated 3D rendering.
Engineering and Design
6.5
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.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is fair for engineering and design use due to its modest processor (Intel i5-1135G7), decent RAM, and integrated graphics, but it has an above-average screen quality, which is beneficial for design tasks. Conversely, the MSI Modern 14 offers a stronger processor (AMD Ryzen 5 7530U), double the RAM for more complex tasks, and also has integrated graphics; however, despite its larger screen size, it has a lower color accuracy which might not be ideal for color-critical design work.
Content Creation
7.1
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.
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
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.
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.
Cost
$519
$525
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has a price of $519 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $525.
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How the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and the MSI Modern 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 | MSI Modern 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$519 | $525 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | 12.7'' x 8.7'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.48 lbs | 3.08 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 10.95" | 12.68" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.12" | 8.74" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1135G7 | AMD Ryzen 5 7530U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 39 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 12.4" | 14" | |
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 | 311 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 8.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.4/10 | 7/10 | |
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 | Yes | |
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 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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