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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is lighter and has a smaller screen with a touch function, which may offer more portability and convenience if you often travel or need to use your laptop on the go. However, the MSI GF63 Thin has a larger screen and more powerful graphics, better suited for gaming or graphic-intensive tasks. Both laptops are similarly priced, have the same amount of storage and memory, and offer midrange performance. If battery life is a priority, the Surface Laptop Go 3 offers a longer typical usage time. Consider the Go 3 for general use and mobility or the GF63 Thin for gaming and performance-heavy applications. 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
- Good for general use
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the MSI GF63 Thin
- The MSI GF63 Thin has no clear advantages over the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3.
Key differences
General Use
7.2
6.0
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
337.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.2 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is good for general use, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 offers excellent portability and a good balance between performance and battery life for general use, with a lightweight design, moderate screen size, and solid CPU and RAM capabilities, making it suitable for everyday tasks on-the-go. Meanwhile, the MSI GF63 Thin, while less portable due to its larger size and weight, provides a more powerful CPU and dedicated graphics, suitable for more demanding applications and some gaming, but with a shorter battery life compared to the Surface Laptop Go 3.
Engineering and Design
6.8
6.0
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and MSI GF63 Thin are both only fair for engineering and design, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is somewhat better.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, with a newer CPU and integrated graphics, boasts better screen quality and is much lighter, enhancing its portability, while the MSI GF63 Thin, with its dedicated GPU, excels in graphics-intensive tasks but is heavier and has a lower quality display, impacting its suitability for prolonged engineering and design work. Both laptops offer similar RAM, which is crucial for multitasking, but neither stands out for engineering and design tasks that typically demand higher RAM and better GPU performance.
Content Creation
7.3
6.0
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is good for content creation, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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
6.0
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is good for software development, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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
6.1
12.4in
SIZE
15.6in
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
337.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has a better screen than the MSI GF63 Thin for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, with a higher resolution and brighter display, offers sharper visuals and more comfortable viewing for day-to-day tasks and professional design work, where detail and color accuracy are crucial. However, it falls short for gaming and 3D applications because it lacks a high refresh rate, leading to less fluid motion and responsiveness. On the other hand, the MSI GF63 Thin, while not as sharp or bright, still delivers adequate performance for casual use and design tasks, but like the Surface, its standard refresh rate isn't ideal for the demands of 3D work and gaming.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.2 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI GF63 Thin has 4.3 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
15.6in
2.4 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has excellent portability, while the MSI GF63 Thin has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8
6.5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has good build quality, while the MSI GF63 Thin has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$789
$599
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has a price of $789 and the MSI GF63 Thin costs $599.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.1
6.0
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
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
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and MSI GF63 Thin are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is equipped with an integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU, which gives it moderate 3D and gaming capabilities; however, the MSI GF63 Thin features a dedicated Nvidia GTX 1650 Max-Q GPU, offering superior graphics performance for the same activities. Both laptops have the same screen refresh rate, but the dedicated GPU in the MSI GF63 Thin gives it an edge for more graphically demanding tasks.
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How the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and the MSI GF63 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 | MSI GF63 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$789 | $599 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2023 | May 1, 2019 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.49 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 10.95" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.12" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1235U | Intel i5-10300H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 4.25 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 12.4" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1536 x 1024 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 337 nits | 249 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.4/10 | 6.8/10 | |
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 | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
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 GF63 Thin
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | January 2020
"If you leave aside the meagre port selection (no card reader, no DisplayPort, no Thunderbolt 3 or USB 3.1 Gen2), the fan control that could be improved (idle mode!) and the relatively dark and slow display, the MSI GF63 Thin 9SC does not have any major weaknesses. The 15-inch gamer is compact, has a low weight and offers a good price-to-performance ratio, which should please gamers that are looking for both a portable and an affordable gaming notebook. Input devices, battery life, case quality and performance are all appropriate for this purchase price."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 or the MSI GF63 Thin
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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