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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 offers a balance of price, portability, and general use performance, particularly for lightweight tasks and travel. It is significantly more affordable, lighter in weight and with a smaller screen, which contributes to its high portability. However, if performance for engineering, 3D rendering, or gaming is crucial, and you're willing to invest more, the MSI Raider GE76 is a robust option with high-end specifications. It features a larger screen, a powerful processor, and a high-end graphics card, ideal for demanding software and games, although it is heavier and less portable than the Surface Laptop Go 3. 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 Raider GE76
- 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
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
337.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.8/10
The MSI Raider GE76 is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is good.
The MSI Raider GE76 offers a more powerful CPU, substantially more RAM, and a superior graphics unit compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, enhancing its performance for demanding tasks; its larger and higher-resolution screen also provides a more vivid and detailed visual experience for general use. However, the Surface Laptop Go 3 boasts greater portability due to its lighter weight and more compact size, alongside a longer battery life that makes it more convenient for on-the-go usage.
Gaming and AI
6.1
8.9
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.3/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Raider GE76 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
6.8
9.0
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider GE76 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, with its modest CPU and integrated graphics, is suitable for lighter engineering and design tasks and offers good portability due to its smaller screen and lighter weight. Conversely, the MSI Raider GE76, with its powerful processor, high-end dedicated graphics card, and superior screen quality, excels in demanding engineering and design applications but is less portable due to its larger size and heavier weight.
Content Creation
7.3
8.4
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Raider GE76 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
8.2
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI Raider GE76 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
8.6
12.4in
SIZE
17.3in
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
337.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Raider GE76 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 pleasing display with adequate resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and is compact, enhancing portability for general use, but lacks the high refresh rate crucial for smooth 3D graphics and gaming. The MSI Raider GE76 boasts a display with high resolution and superior brightness, providing vibrant visuals essential for detailed engineering and design work, but falls short for gaming due to a lower refresh rate that can't deliver the fluid motion gamers seek. Both screens offer a range of colors that benefit professional design tasks but may not satisfy the demands of latest 3D applications and fast-paced games.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider GE76 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
Poor
12.4in
SIZE
17.3in
2.4 lbs
WEIGHT
6.3 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has excellent portability, while the MSI Raider GE76 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8
8.5
The MSI Raider GE76 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
$3,552
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has a price of $788 and the MSI Raider GE76 costs $3,552.
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How the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and the MSI Raider GE76 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 | MSI Raider GE76 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$788 | $3,552 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | 15.6'' x 11.2'' x 1.02'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.49 lbs | 6.39 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 10.95" | 15.63" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.12" | 11.18" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1235U | Intel i7-12700H | |
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 | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 12.4" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1536 x 1024 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 337 nits | 384 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 5.9/10 | |
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 | 6.5/10 | |
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 | Yes | |
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
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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 Raider GE76
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | January 2022
"The MSI Raider GE76: with Alder Lake and RTX 3080 Ti to gaming heaven. Yes, MSI could improve some aspects (like the quality of the webcam), but the manufacturer offers a very convincing and balanced overall package. The biggest advantage is definitely the immense performance potential. The combination of Core i9-12900HK, GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, 32 GB DDR5 RAM and two NVMe SSDs offers a lot of performance for the next couple of years and plenty of power for 3D applications. Most titles would run smoothly on an external 4K screen no matter the quality preset. We came away impressed with the integrated 360 Hz panel's fast response times and good color accuracy."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 or the MSI Raider GE76
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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