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Updated January 12, 2024·
If budget is a primary concern, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 offers a lower price while being suitable for general use with a lighter weight and smaller size for greater portability. However, it has less storage capacity, lower memory, and a less powerful processor and graphics compared to the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo, which is better suited for more intensive tasks like engineering, 3D modeling, machine learning, and gaming. The Prestige also boasts a higher resolution and larger OLED screen, providing a superior visual experience but at a higher cost and with potentially shorter battery life due to its more powerful components. 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 Prestige 16 AI Evo
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good battery life
Key differences
General Use
7.2
8.6
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
337.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
12.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is good.
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo provides superior general use experience largely because of its more powerful CPU, much higher RAM, and a higher-quality OLED screen which collectively enhance performance and display quality compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3's lower-tier CPU, less RAM, and IPS screen. However, the Surface Laptop Go 3 offers better portability owing to its lighter weight and compact size, although this comes with tradeoffs in battery life and screen size when contrasted with the Prestige's larger display and longer battery stamina.
Gaming and AI
6.1
6.7
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is somewhat better.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, with its Intel Iris Xe graphics, provides a fair gaming and 3D experience, whereas the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo features a more capable Intel Arc GPU, leading to good performance in gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
6.8
8.4
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo surpasses the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 in engineering and design uses, primarily due to its more powerful CPU, significantly higher RAM, advanced GPU, and superior OLED screen with higher resolution and color accuracy. While the Surface Laptop Go 3 offers a more portable design and lower operating noise, it falls short in terms of the raw power and screen quality that are vital for engineering and design tasks.
Content Creation
7.3
8.6
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo 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
8.5
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo 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
8.4
12.4in
SIZE
16.0in
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
337.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo 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.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 offers a clear and bright display suitable for everyday tasks and detailed engineering work, but its lower refresh rate may not provide the optimal experience for fast-paced 3D applications. The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo, with a high-resolution screen and wide color coverage, excels in displaying precise and vivid images for professionals in engineering and design, yet like the Surface, its refresh rate limits its appeal for gaming and running high frame rate 3D programs. Both laptops skimp on the high refresh rates gamers need for smooth visuals, prioritizing resolution and color accuracy instead.
Battery
8.0 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo has 12 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
3.3 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has excellent portability, while the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$788
$1,349
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has a price of $788 and the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo costs $1,349.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
7.8
7.4
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo both have 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 Prestige 16 AI Evo compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 | MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$788 | $1,349 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2023 | December 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.49 lbs | 3.31 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 10.95" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.12" | 10.02" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1235U | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 12 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 12.4" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1536 x 1024 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 337 nits | 362 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 7.8/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
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 Prestige 16 AI Evo
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Dig into reviews and images
LaptopMag
Mark Anthony Ramirez | December 2023
"The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is meant to be a business-focused laptop, but it ends up being the MacBook challenger PC laptop enthusiasts have longed for. Not only can it meet and, in many cases, surpass the M2-powered MacBooks, but it is also surpassing the baseline M3 MacBooks, which is a giant leap forward for Intel-powered laptops. This isn’t hyperbole; this is what the numbers show."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 or the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo
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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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