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Surface Laptop Go 3
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Modern 14
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What we think

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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·

The MSI Modern 14 offers more storage and memory for a significantly lower price than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, which may be better for intensive tasks and multitasking. However, the Surface Laptop Go 3 has a higher resolution touchscreen display and better battery life, suiting users who prioritize portability and touch capabilities. The MSI should appeal to users seeking value and power, while the Surface might be ideal for those who value lightness and touchscreen functionality. 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 Modern 14
  • The MSI Modern 14 has no clear advantages over the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3.

Key differences

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Screen Quality

6.8
Surface Laptop Go 3
Modern 14
6.4
12.4in
SIZE
14.0in
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
337.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has a better screen than the MSI Modern 14 for general use, and engineering and design.

Battery

8.0 Hours
Surface Laptop Go 3
Modern 14
6.0 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Modern 14 has 6 hours of battery life.

Portability

Excellent
Surface Laptop Go 3
Modern 14
Very Good
12.4in
SIZE
14.0in
2.4 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has excellent portability, while the MSI Modern 14 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.

Build Quality

7.8
Surface Laptop Go 3
Modern 14
7.0
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and MSI Modern 14 both have good build quality, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has somewhat better build quality.

Cost

$788
Surface Laptop Go 3
Modern 14
$525
Product image
Product image

$200

$400

$600

$800

$1,000

$1,200

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has a price of $788 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $525.
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Key similarities

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General Use

7.2
Surface Laptop Go 3
Modern 14
7.2
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
337.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The MSI Modern 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for general use.

Gaming and AI

6.1
Surface Laptop Go 3
Modern 14
6.0
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
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
8.7/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and MSI Modern 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI.

Engineering and Design

6.8
Surface Laptop Go 3
Modern 14
6.6
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and MSI Modern 14 are both only fair for engineering and design.

Content Creation

7.3
Surface Laptop Go 3
Modern 14
7.2
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and MSI Modern 14 are both good for content creation.

Software Development

7.1
Surface Laptop Go 3
Modern 14
7.1
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and MSI Modern 14 are both good for software development.

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How the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and the MSI Modern 14 compare to other laptops

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Spec Comparison

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Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3MSI Modern 14
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3MSI Modern 14

GENERAL

Price
$788
$525
Release Date
October 1, 2023October 1, 2021
Overall Dimensions
11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62''12.7'' x 8.7'' x 0.63''
Weight
2.49 lbs3.08 lbs
Width
10.95"12.68"
Depth
8.12"8.74"

INTERNAL

Processor
Intel i5-1235UAMD Ryzen 5 7530U
RAM
8 GB16 GB
DDR Memory Version
55
RAM Slots
01
Storage
256 GB512 GB

BATTERY

Battery Life
8 Hours6 Hours
Battery Capacity
41 Wh39 Wh

SCREEN

Diagonal Size
12.4"14"
Display Technology
IPSIPS
Resolution
1536 x 10241920 x 1080
Refresh Rate
60Hz60Hz
Display Brightness
337 nits311 nits

RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS

Build Quality Score
7.8/107/10
Portability Score
9.3/108.7/10
Gaming Laptop Appearance
NoNo
Premium Business Laptop
NoNo
Fan Noise Score
7.5/108.8/10

HARDWARE FEATURES

Keyboard Quality Score
7/107/10
Speaker Quality Score
8.4/107/10
Webcam
720p720p
Fingerprint Reader
YesNo
Backlit Keyboard
NoYes
Number Pad
NoNo

CONNECTIVITY

USB Type-A
13
USB-C ports
11
USB-C Charging
NoYes
Display Outputs
11
Thunderbolt Ports
00

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."

MSI Modern 14

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Dig into reviews and images

Rtings

Alexander Tozzi, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | October 2023
"The MSI Modern 14 is okay for school use. It's very compact, so it's easy to carry around. It has a sharp display, a spacious keyboard, and a reasonably large touchpad. Its Intel 13th Gen CPU and integrated graphics can handle general productivity tasks like text processing and web browsing; however, don't expect to do anything intensive like 3D modeling or physics simulations. Unfortunately, the battery lasts less than five hours of light use, and the display doesn't get bright enough to combat glare."

Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 or the MSI Modern 14

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.

By the numbers

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Laptops evaluated
48,640
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124,995
Recommendations made
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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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