A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Cyborg 14
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.6
7.4
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Cyborg 14 is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
7.3
7.9
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Cyborg 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio are both good for engineering and design, though the MSI Cyborg 14 is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Screen Quality
8.0
6.8
14.4in
SIZE
14.0in
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
491.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a better screen than the MSI Cyborg 14 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the MSI Cyborg 14 has a better screen for software development.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Build Quality
8.5
6.7
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has very good build quality, while the MSI Cyborg 14 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,700
$1,299
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a price of $1,700 and the MSI Cyborg 14 costs $1,299.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.8
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
491.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The MSI Cyborg 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Content Creation
7.4
7.8
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Cyborg 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio are both good for content creation.
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
7.3
7.5
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Cyborg 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio are both good for software development.
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.
Battery
8.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Cyborg 14 has 7.5 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
Good
Good
14.4in
SIZE
14.0in
4.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and MSI Cyborg 14 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and the MSI Cyborg 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio | MSI Cyborg 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,700 | $1,299 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2021 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | 12.4'' x 9.2'' x 0.88'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4 lbs | 3.53 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.72" | 12.39" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.98" | 9.19" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-11370H | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 58 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.4" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2400 x 1600 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 491 nits | 234 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Tom Brant | October 2021
"There’s no doubt that the Surface Laptop Studio is groundbreaking. We’ve come to expect such things from the Surface lineup, so it’s always nice to see a product that exceeds our expectations. The pull-forward laptop-screen concept has been tried before, but never in a device that’s so stylish and packed with innovative features like a haptic touchpad and robust digital stylus support."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio or the MSI Cyborg 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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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.
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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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