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Surface Laptop Go 3
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Creator 16 AI Studio
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What we think

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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated June 22, 2024·

For general use, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 offers excellent portability with its lightweight design and good battery life, making it ideal for on-the-go tasks. It has a touchscreen with a unique 3:2 aspect ratio, which is great for productivity. However, its performance is best suited for everyday tasks like web browsing, word processing, and media consumption. On the other hand, the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio is a powerhouse designed for demanding tasks such as 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering workloads. Its high-end processor and dedicated Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU provide exceptional performance in these areas. The larger, high-resolution Mini LED display with a 120Hz refresh rate is excellent for detailed visual work and smooth motion. It also supports hardware ray tracing and DLSS, which are advantages for gaming and 3D applications. The MSI's superior performance comes at the cost of portability; it's heavier and has a shorter battery life compared to the Surface Laptop Go 3. Additionally, it's significantly more expensive, so you'll need to consider if the performance benefits justify the higher price for your needs. In summary, if you prioritize portability, have a tighter budget, and mainly use your laptop for general tasks, the Surface Laptop Go 3 is a strong contender. However, if you require top-tier performance for intensive applications like gaming, 3D modeling, or engineering tasks, and you don't mind a heavier, more expensive machine, the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio is the better choice. 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 3
  • Excellent portability
Advantages of the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio
  • Very good for general use
  • Best in class for engineering and design
  • Very good for gaming and AI
  • Very good for software development
  • Excellent for content creation
  • Best in class overall display quality

Key differences

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General Use

7.2
Surface Laptop Go 3
Creator 16 AI Studio
8.8
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
337.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
1000.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is good.

Gaming and AI

6.1
Surface Laptop Go 3
Creator 16 AI Studio
8.9
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.5/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio is very good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.

Engineering and Design

6.8
Surface Laptop Go 3
Creator 16 AI Studio
9.5
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio is best in class for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.

Content Creation

7.3
Surface Laptop Go 3
Creator 16 AI Studio
9.1
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio is excellent for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is good.

Software Development

7.1
Surface Laptop Go 3
Creator 16 AI Studio
8.9
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio is very good for software development, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is good.

Screen Quality

6.8
Surface Laptop Go 3
Creator 16 AI Studio
9.7
12.4in
SIZE
16.0in
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
337.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
1000.0 nits
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.

Portability

Excellent
Surface Laptop Go 3
Creator 16 AI Studio
Good
12.4in
SIZE
16.0in
2.4 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has excellent portability, while the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.

Cost

$788
Surface Laptop Go 3
Creator 16 AI Studio
$2,999
Product image
Product image

$0

$1,000

$2,000

$3,000

$4,000

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has a price of $788 and the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio costs $2,999.
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Key similarities

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Battery

8.0 Hours
Surface Laptop Go 3
Creator 16 AI Studio
9.0 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio has 9 hours of battery life.

Build Quality

7.8
Surface Laptop Go 3
Creator 16 AI Studio
7.4
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and MSI Creator 16 AI Studio both have good build quality.

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How the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio compare to other laptops

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Spec Comparison

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Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3MSI Creator 16 AI Studio
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3MSI Creator 16 AI Studio

GENERAL

Price
$788
$2,999
Release Date
October 1, 2023March 1, 2024
Overall Dimensions
11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62''14'' x 10.2'' x 0.79''
Weight
2.49 lbs4.39 lbs
Width
10.95"14.01"
Depth
8.12"10.22"

INTERNAL

Processor
Intel i5-1235UIntel Core Ultra 9 185H
RAM
8 GB32 GB
DDR Memory Version
55
RAM Slots
02
Storage
256 GB1024 GB

BATTERY

Battery Life
8 Hours9 Hours
Battery Capacity
41 Wh99.9 Wh

SCREEN

Diagonal Size
12.4"16"
Display Technology
IPSMini LED
Resolution
1536 x 10243840 x 2400
Refresh Rate
60Hz120Hz
Display Brightness
337 nits1000 nits

RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS

Build Quality Score
7.8/107.4/10
Portability Score
9.3/107.4/10
Gaming Laptop Appearance
NoYes
Premium Business Laptop
NoNo
Fan Noise Score
7.5/108/10

HARDWARE FEATURES

Keyboard Quality Score
7/107/10
Speaker Quality Score
8.4/108/10
Webcam
720p1080p
Fingerprint Reader
YesYes
Backlit Keyboard
NoYes
Number Pad
NoYes

CONNECTIVITY

USB Type-A
11
USB-C ports
12
USB-C Charging
NoYes
Display Outputs
13
Thunderbolt Version
N/A4

Shopping

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Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3

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Dig into reviews and images

PCMag

Joe Osborne | October 2023
"When it comes to affordably priced laptops, the numbers after the dollar sign are crucially important—more so than in any other price category. By increasing the starting price of its Laptop Go line by $200 and not changing much else, Microsoft irrevocably altered the calculus surrounding the decision of whether to buy the Surface Laptop Go 3. Sure, it has a newer processor and longer battery life, but don’t think for a second you’re not paying dearly for that extra RAM and SSD capacity at that new price."

Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 or the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio

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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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.

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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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