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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize a more budget-friendly option with decent everyday performance and good portability, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 would be suitable as it's lighter and less expensive. However, if you need top-tier performance for demanding tasks like 3D work, gaming, or engineering applications, the MSI Stealth 17, despite being heavier and more expensive, offers much more power, a larger screen, and superior graphics capabilities. The MSI also has a more robust build and a higher-quality display, but it's less portable and has a shorter battery life compared to the Surface Laptop Go 2. 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
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 17
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.0
8.7
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
401.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.4/10
The MSI Stealth 17 is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is good.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is considered fair for general use due to its lower RAM and less powerful CPU compared to the MSI Stealth 17, which has ample RAM and a high-performance CPU that classify it as very good for general use. Additionally, the Surface Laptop Go 2 has smaller storage capacity and a lower-resolution screen, whereas the MSI Stealth 17 offers considerable storage and a high-quality screen, reinforcing its suitability for a broader range of activities, including demanding tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.0
9.1
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, with an Intel Iris Xe integrated GPU and a screen refresh rate of 60Hz, offers limited graphics performance and smoothness compared to the MSI Stealth 17, which is equipped with a high-end Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU and a 240Hz refresh rate, making it better suited for demanding gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
6.5
9.4
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 17 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has a lower-capacity processor, less RAM, and integrated graphics, making it less suitable for demanding engineering and design tasks than the MSI Stealth 17, which boasts a high-capacity processor, substantial RAM, and a dedicated high-performance graphics card. Furthermore, the MSI Stealth 17 offers a larger, higher-resolution screen which is crucial for design precision, at the cost of being heavier and less portable than the streamlined Surface Laptop Go 2.
Content Creation
7.1
8.8
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 17 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
8.5
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 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
8.6
12.4in
SIZE
17.3in
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
401.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 17 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 is well suited for general use and engineering with a high-resolution display that offers crisp images and color accuracy vital for design work, though it falls short for gaming due to its lower refresh rate which is crucial for smooth motion. The MSI Stealth 17 stands out for both general use and engineering due to its superior color coverage, which brings precision to design tasks, and its high resolution enhances visual clarity, but like the Surface, its refresh rate isn't ideal for the fast-paced action seen in gaming and 3D applications. Both laptops lack the high refresh rates required for an optimal 3D experience, which can be a significant limitation for gamers and professionals working with dynamic visuals.
Battery
8.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 17 has 5.5 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
Fair
12.4in
SIZE
17.3in
2.4 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has excellent portability, while the MSI Stealth 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$774
$3,899
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has a price of $774 and the MSI Stealth 17 costs $3,899.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
7.8
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and MSI Stealth 17 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and the MSI Stealth 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 | MSI Stealth 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$774 | $3,899 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | 15.7'' x 11.2'' x 0.79'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.48 lbs | 6.17 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 10.95" | 15.65" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.12" | 11.16" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1135G7 | Intel i9-13900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 64 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 12.4" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1536 x 1024 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 401 nits | 384 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 6.5/10 | |
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 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.4/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
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 Stealth 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | April 2023
"The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is a laptop with a quiet RTX 4080 for almost every occasion. The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is equally capable of high-level media processing and playing current games. It remains pleasantly quiet, even if a few percentage points of power have had to be sacrificed in the process. But, it is not quite perfect: To some extent, the Stealth 17 is well thought out. It packs tons of graphics power and high-end components in a slim case. The laptop's cooling system can be set such that, noise-wise, it doesn't even reach low volume. However, small flaws cloud otherwise exceptionally positive impressions."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 or the MSI Stealth 17
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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