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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is typically less expensive and offers good portability due to its lighter weight and compact size, which is great for general use and carrying around. Although it has lower performance than the MSI Creator Z16P, it can still handle everyday tasks. On the other hand, the MSI Creator Z16P, while more expensive and heavier, offering more power for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks, due to a higher-end processor and a more powerful graphics card. It, however, has a shorter battery life than the Surface Laptop Go 3, making it less ideal for on-the-go use. 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
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Creator Z16P
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.2
7.8
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
337.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The MSI Creator Z16P and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for general use, though the MSI Creator Z16P is somewhat better.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, with its Intel i5 processor and 8GB of RAM, is adequate for general use, offering a good balance of portability with a weight of 2.49 pounds and a battery life of up to 8 hours, but it has a smaller, lower resolution screen that may not be as vibrant for media consumption or multitasking. In contrast, the MSI Creator Z16P's higher-end Intel i9 processor and 16GB of RAM deliver superior performance suitable for more demanding tasks, and it boasts a larger, higher-resolution screen, but these features come at the cost of reduced battery life of up to 5 hours and a heavier build at 5.27 pounds, making it less convenient for on-the-go use.
Gaming and AI
6.1
7.6
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Creator Z16P is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has a weaker integrated graphics card and a standard screen refresh rate, making it less suitable for demanding gaming and 3D applications; meanwhile, the MSI Creator Z16P comes with a powerful dedicated graphics card and a high refresh rate display, elevating it to a better choice for intensive gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
6.8
8.3
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Creator Z16P is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is fair for engineering and design use due to its modest Intel i5 processor with integrated graphics and standard RAM, which may limit performance in demanding engineering software and multiple design applications. In contrast, the MSI Creator Z16P is very good for such tasks, as it boasts a high-end Intel i9 processor, dedicated graphics with the Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti, and ample RAM, allowing for smoother handling of complex computations and graphics-intensive programs essential for engineering and design projects.
Content Creation
7.3
7.9
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Creator Z16P and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for content creation, though the MSI Creator Z16P is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
6.8
8.3
12.4in
SIZE
16.0in
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
337.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
The MSI Creator Z16P 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.
For general use, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has ample resolution and brightness but may fall short of the crisp text and image clarity that the MSI Creator Z16P provides, which offers higher resolution for sharper details. When it comes to engineering and design, the MSI Creator Z16P excels with its broader color gamuts allowing for more accurate color representation, whereas the Surface might not display colors as vividly or precisely. However, both fall short for gaming and 3D due to lower refresh rates which are vital for smooth motion rendering, making them less suitable for fast-paced visuals and animation work.
Battery
8.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator Z16P has 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
16.0in
2.4 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has excellent portability, while the MSI Creator Z16P has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$788
$1,300
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has a price of $788 and the MSI Creator Z16P costs $1,300.
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Key similarities
Software Development
7.1
7.6
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator Z16P and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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.
Build Quality
7.8
8.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Creator Z16P to have very good build quality, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has 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 3 and the MSI Creator Z16P compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 | MSI Creator Z16P |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$788 | $1,300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2023 | June 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.49 lbs | 5.27 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 10.95" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.12" | 10.18" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1235U | Intel i9-12900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 12.4" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1536 x 1024 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 337 nits | 394 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 7.2/10 | |
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 | 7.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.4/10 | 8.8/10 | |
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 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
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."
MSI Creator Z16P
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | June 2022
"There's almost nothing left to be desired with the MSI Z16P. The creator laptop offers enormous performance resources for image editing, video editing, rendering, and more. All this is presented on a precalibrated, adequately sized, and high-resolution display. Its color space, refresh rate, and panel technology are also perfectly suited for a device that specializes in video reproduction and editing."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 or the MSI Creator Z16P
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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About the laptop team
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CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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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.
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