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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is typically more expensive but offers a more powerful processor, better graphics card, larger and higher-resolution touchscreen display, and higher screen refresh rate, which could be advantageous for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, engineering, and even light gaming. However, it is heavier and has a shorter battery life. The MSI GF63 Thin, on the other hand, is less expensive, features a slightly larger screen, but it's not a touchscreen, and has a lower-performance graphics card, making it less suitable for demanding tasks but still capable for general use and some gaming. The MSI has a better portability score, balancing weight and battery, for those who value mobility. Consider your budget, whether you need a touchscreen and higher performance for specific applications, against the necessity for a lighter laptop with longer battery life for on-the-go use. 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 Studio
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI GF63 Thin
- The MSI GF63 Thin has no clear advantages over the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio.
Key differences
General Use
7.4
6.0
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
491.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.2 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is good for general use, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio outperforms the MSI GF63 Thin in general use due to its higher-quality screen, more robust CPU and RAM combination, and longer battery life, making it more reliable for varied tasks throughout the day. While the MSI GF63 Thin comes with less RAM and a lower-tier CPU, it is hindered by a comparably dimmer display and shorter battery runtime, although it may be slightly more portable due to its marginally lighter build.
Gaming and AI
6.6
6.0
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and MSI GF63 Thin are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is somewhat better.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a better GPU (Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti) and higher screen refresh rate (120 Hz), which offers smoother visuals and graphics rendering beneficial for gaming and 3D tasks. In comparison, the MSI GF63 Thin comes equipped with a less powerful GPU (Nvidia GTX 1650 Max-Q) and a standard screen refresh rate (60 Hz), hence it delivers fair but less optimized performance for similar tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.3
6.0
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio provides better performance for engineering and design due to its more powerful CPU, RAM, GPU, and higher screen quality compared to the MSI GF63 Thin, which has modest resources in these areas, impacting its suitability for such tasks. The Surface also boasts features like touch screen and higher screen resolution, which further enhance its aptness for creative work, while the MSI GF63 Thin, despite being slightly less portable, doesn't match up in power and display capabilities for intensive tasks.
Content Creation
7.4
6.0
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is good for content creation, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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
6.0
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is good for software development, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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
8.0
6.1
14.4in
SIZE
15.6in
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
491.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a better screen than the MSI GF63 Thin for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
If you prioritize a high-quality display for everyday tasks such as browsing and watching videos, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio's superior panel type, resolution, and brightness make it stand out compared to the MSI GF63 Thin. For engineering and design work where color accuracy is crucial, the Surface Laptop Studio's broader color gamuts ensure more precise color representation. However, for gaming and 3D applications where smooth motion is key, neither laptop is ideal due to their lower refresh rates, yet the Surface's better resolution and panel type may offer a slightly improved visual experience for less fast-paced games.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.2 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI GF63 Thin has 4.3 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.
Build Quality
8.5
6.5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has very good build quality, while the MSI GF63 Thin 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
$599
$0
$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 GF63 Thin costs $599.
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Key similarities
Portability
Good
Good
14.4in
SIZE
15.6in
4.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and MSI GF63 Thin 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 GF63 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio | MSI GF63 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,700 | $599 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2021 | May 1, 2019 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.72" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.98" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-11370H | Intel i5-10300H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 4.25 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 58 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.4" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2400 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 491 nits | 249 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
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."
MSI GF63 Thin
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | January 2020
"If you leave aside the meagre port selection (no card reader, no DisplayPort, no Thunderbolt 3 or USB 3.1 Gen2), the fan control that could be improved (idle mode!) and the relatively dark and slow display, the MSI GF63 Thin 9SC does not have any major weaknesses. The 15-inch gamer is compact, has a low weight and offers a good price-to-performance ratio, which should please gamers that are looking for both a portable and an affordable gaming notebook. Input devices, battery life, case quality and performance are all appropriate for this purchase price."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio or the MSI GF63 Thin
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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