A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, with its lower price and lightweight design, is better suited for general use and portability, also offering a touchscreen with a unique aspect ratio that can be beneficial for productivity tasks. On the other hand, the MSI GE66 Raider comes at a higher price and is significantly more powerful with a focus on gaming, 3D rendering, and engineering applications, but is less portable due to its larger size and weight. It doesn't have a touchscreen but boasts a high-resolution display with a faster refresh rate, which is great for intense gaming and high-quality visual work. 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
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the MSI GE66 Raider
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.2
8.4
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
337.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
347.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
The MSI GE66 Raider is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is good.
The MSI GE66 Raider offers superior performance due to its high-end CPU and abundant RAM, making it better suited for demanding applications, whereas the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has more limited capabilities due to its mid-range processor and less RAM. While the Raider also boasts a higher-quality display and more storage space, it is heavier and has shorter battery life than the lightweight and more portable Surface Laptop Go 3 with longer battery life for on-the-go usage.
Gaming and AI
6.1
8.6
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI GE66 Raider is very good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is less suited for gaming and 3D because it has a lower-powered GPU and a screen refresh rate of 60Hz, which is adequate for general use but not for high-end gaming that benefits from higher frames per second.
Engineering and Design
6.8
9.1
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI GE66 Raider is excellent for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, with its mid-tier Intel i5 processor, integrated graphics, and standard screen quality, offers moderate performance and good portability for engineering and design tasks. In contrast, the MSI GE66 Raider, equipped with a high-end Intel i9 processor, powerful Nvidia RTX graphics card, and higher-resolution screen, excels in demanding engineering and design applications, but is bulkier and less portable.
Content Creation
7.3
8.4
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI GE66 Raider is very good for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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
7.1
8.4
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI GE66 Raider is very good for software development, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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
6.8
8.2
12.4in
SIZE
15.6in
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
337.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
347.0 nits
The MSI GE66 Raider 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.
When considering general use, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 offers a balance in screen resolution, brightness, and panel quality, suitable for everyday tasks like browsing or office work, while the MSI GE66 Raider excels with higher resolution and brightness, enhancing visual clarity and detail. For engineering and design, professionals seek wide color gamuts to ensure accurate color representation; the MSI GE66 Raider provides this better than the Surface Laptop Go 3, which is adequate but not exceptional for high-precision color work. In the realm of gaming and 3D applications, the refresh rate becomes critical for smooth visuals and the Surface Laptop Go 3 falls short, whereas the MSI GE66 Raider similarly underperforms in this respect, potentially leading to less fluid motion during fast-paced scenes despite its otherwise superior display attributes.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI GE66 Raider 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
Fair
12.4in
SIZE
15.6in
2.4 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has excellent portability, while the MSI GE66 Raider has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8
8.5
The MSI GE66 Raider has 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.
Cost
$788
$3,199
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has a price of $788 and the MSI GE66 Raider costs $3,199.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and the MSI GE66 Raider compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 | MSI GE66 Raider |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$788 | $3,199 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2023 | January 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | 14.1'' x 10.5'' x 0.92'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.49 lbs | 5.25 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 10.95" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.12" | 10.51" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1235U | Intel i9-12900HK | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 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 | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 99 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 12.4" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1536 x 1024 | 3840 x 2160 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 337 nits | 347 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 6.9/10 | |
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 | 6.3/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.4/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
See more
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 GE66 Raider
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Patrick Schüdzig | June 2022
"The MSI Raider GE66 12UHS notebook passes with flying colors. The GE66 is a high-end notebook with strong performance. The keyboard and trackpad are still very good and score well with precise inputs as well as high build quality. Thanks to a new liquid metal cooling solution, the Intel Core i9 12900HK brings a performance increase of around 50 percent over the predecessor's Intel Core i9 10980HK. The installed graphics card in our device delivers up to 30 percent higher frame rates than the RTX 2070 Super in the MSI GE66 10SFS."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 or the MSI GE66 Raider
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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
Compare Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 vs. ASUS Vivobook 16
VS
Compare Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 vs. Dell Latitude 5430
VS
Compare Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 vs. Acer Swift Go 14
VS
Compare MSI GE66 Raider vs. Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023)
VS
Compare MSI GE66 Raider vs. Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023)
VS
Compare MSI GE66 Raider vs. ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024)
VS
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
124,995
Recommendations made
27,083
Consumer hours saved
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.
Featured in
