A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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Updated March 22, 2024·
If price is a primary concern and you need a device for basic tasks like browsing, office work, and light media consumption, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 offers affordability and portability. On the other hand, if you require top-tier performance for gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning, the MSI Titan 18 HX, while significantly more expensive, will provide the necessary power. However, the MSI model is likely much heavier and may have shorter battery life, making it less suitable for frequent travel. Choose based on whether performance needs or budget constraints are your priority. 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
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Titan 18 HX
- Very good for general use
- Best in class for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Excellent for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.2
8.8
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
337.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is good.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is lightweight and offers solid battery life, making it highly portable and convenient for everyday tasks, but its CPU and screen quality aren't as advanced as heavier laptops. On the other hand, the MSI Titan 18 HX has a more powerful CPU and superior screen quality for demanding applications, with the tradeoff being less portability and shorter battery life due to its larger size and higher performance components.
Gaming and AI
6.1
9.4
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has less powerful GPU and lower screen refresh rate, making it less suitable for high-end gaming and intensive 3D applications, whereas the MSI Titan 18 HX boasts a high-end GPU and a superior refresh rate, offering a more immersive and smooth visual experience crucial for those activities. Though both have quality screens and capable CPUs, the Titan's are better, further enhancing its performance for demanding tasks.
Engineering and Design
6.8
9.9
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
The MSI Titan 18 HX is best in class for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 offers modest CPU, RAM, and GPU capabilities, making it suitable for less demanding engineering tasks, while the MSI Titan 18 HX, with its high-end components and superior screen quality, excels in handling intensive engineering and design workloads. However, the MSI Titan 18 HX is less portable and likely louder under load, in contrast to the more mobile and quieter Surface Laptop Go 3, but with trade-offs in keyboard and speaker quality.
Content Creation
7.3
9.0
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent 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
8.9
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX 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
9.2
12.4in
SIZE
18.0in
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
337.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The MSI Titan 18 HX 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 screen that's clear and vibrant for everyday tasks and detailed enough for engineering work, but its lower refresh rate might not keep up with the fast-paced visuals needed for immersive gaming and 3D applications. The MSI Titan 18 HX presents an excellent display with high resolution and wide color gamuts to cater to professionals in engineering and design, ensuring precise color representation and sharp details, though its screen isn't optimized for the high-refresh-rate experience gamers often prefer. For general use, both provide great visual experiences, but the MSI outshines with better color range and resolution, making it a premium choice for detail-oriented work at the cost of less suitability for high frame-rate gaming.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Titan 18 HX has 4 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
18.0in
2.4 lbs
WEIGHT
7.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has excellent portability, while the MSI Titan 18 HX has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8
8.5
The MSI Titan 18 HX 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
$789
$4,800
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has a price of $789 and the MSI Titan 18 HX costs $4,800.
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How the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and the MSI Titan 18 HX compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 | MSI Titan 18 HX |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$789 | $4,800 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2023 | February 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | 15.9'' x 12.1'' x 1.26'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.49 lbs | 7.93 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 10.95" | 15.9" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.12" | 12.08" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1235U | Intel i9-14900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 128 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 4 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 4096 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 12.4" | 18" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1536 x 1024 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 337 nits | 401 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 5.1/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 10/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.4/10 | 9.1/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
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 Titan 18 HX
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | January 2024
"With no new Nvidia GPU this year for laptops, MSI had to refresh everything surrounding the graphics card to make up for it. Users are getting a new 18-inch chassis design, new 14th gen Intel HX CPU, new AC adapter, larger keys, and a new 120 Hz HDR1000 mini-LED 4K display to accompany the high price tag. Most of these changes are a step up from last year's GT77, but users are ultimately getting the same gaming performance out of both models."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 or the MSI Titan 18 HX
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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