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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio offers a higher resolution display, better color accuracy, and a touchscreen with a higher refresh rate, which might appeal to creative professionals and those who prefer a stylus or touch input. It also features a more powerful GPU for demanding tasks like 3D work, gaming, and machine learning. However, it is slightly heavier and less portable than the MSI Prestige 15, and it comes at a higher cost. The MSI Prestige 15, while less expensive and more portable with superior battery life, has a standard Full HD screen, and is equipped with a less powerful GPU, making it more suitable for general use and less intensive engineering tasks. Both laptops have the same amount of RAM and storage, but the Prestige has the advantage of additional RAM slots for future upgrades. 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
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 15
- The MSI Prestige 15 has no clear advantages over the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio.
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.0
6.8
14.4in
SIZE
15.6in
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
491.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
298.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 15 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio boasts a high-resolution display with vibrant colors and exceptional brightness, which greatly enhances the viewing experience for general use and precision work required in engineering and design, while the MSI Prestige 15 offers a slightly less striking but still very capable display for these tasks. However, neither laptop is well-suited for gaming and 3D work due to poorer refresh rates, which can limit the smoothness of motion and responsiveness crucial in these areas. The Surface's strong color gamut provides an edge for engineering and design, assuring more accurate color representation which professionals in these fields value.
Build Quality
8.5
7.4
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has very good build quality, while the MSI Prestige 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,700
$1,044
$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 Prestige 15 costs $1,044.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.5
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
491.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
298.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Prestige 15 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio are both good for general use.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is well-suited for general use with a high-resolution touch screen, versatile design allowing for tablet use, and strong build quality, but its heavier weight makes it less portable than the MSI Prestige 15, which offers a longer battery life and greater portability due to its lower weight, though with a standard screen and less powerful processor.
Gaming and AI
6.6
6.3
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
7.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and MSI Prestige 15 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, equipped with an Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti GPU and 120Hz screen refresh rate, offers better gaming performance and more fluid visuals in 3D tasks when compared to the MSI Prestige 15, which comes with an Nvidia GTX 1650 Max-Q GPU and a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate, but may not deliver the same level of detail and smoothness in gaming and 3D rendering.
Engineering and Design
7.3
7.2
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and MSI Prestige 15 are both good for engineering and design.
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.
Content Creation
7.4
7.5
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Prestige 15 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
7.2
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and MSI Prestige 15 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 Prestige 15 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
15.6in
4.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and MSI Prestige 15 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 Prestige 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio | MSI Prestige 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,700 | $1,044 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2021 | January 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | 14.1'' x 9.2'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4 lbs | 3.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.72" | 14.05" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.98" | 9.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-11370H | Intel i5-1240P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 58 Wh | 82 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 | 298 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 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 | 6.8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
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 Prestige 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | December 2022
"The MSI Prestige 15 offers a dazzling 4K image quality, and solid performance. The MSI Prestige 15 appears to consistently implement the guiding principle of throttling the solid and efficient hardware to such an extent that content creation succeeds perfectly. Performance-hungry tasks, on the other hand, are slowed down a little by the reduced power consumption. Conversely, this means that the case remains relatively cool and the dual fan subdued. The battery life also benefits somewhat. So the losses aren't really dramatic because full performance is still available for short bursts."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio or the MSI Prestige 15
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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