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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is less expensive and a good fit if you prioritize a balance between cost and capabilities for general use, creative tasks, or light gaming. Keep in mind the MSI model is also better suited for high-refresh-rate gaming due to its faster screen, while the Surface Laptop's 3:2 aspect screen could be more advantageous for productivity tasks. 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 battery life
Advantages of the MSI Stealth GS66
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.6
7.8
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth GS66 is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is equipped with an Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti graphics card and a screen that refreshes at 120 times per second, which are reasonable for gaming but less optimal compared to the MSI Stealth GS66 that comes with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card and a higher refresh rate screen at 360 times per second, offering smoother and more responsive visuals for gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
7.3
8.2
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Stealth GS66 is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is good.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, with its convertible form, is good for engineering and design due to its high-quality screen and dedicated GPU that supports creative tasks, but the MSI Stealth GS66 surpasses it with a more powerful CPU and superior GPU, making it very good for such demanding work, though it’s slightly less portable and does not have a touchscreen. Both laptops are well-equipped with ample RAM and have similar storage capacities, but the MSI offers a higher screen refresh rate; however, it trades off lower screen resolution and less battery life compared to the Surface Laptop Studio.
Screen Quality
8.0
8.1
14.4in
SIZE
15.6in
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
491.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
280.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a better screen than the MSI Stealth GS66 for general use, and engineering and design, while the MSI Stealth GS66 has a better screen for gaming and AI, and software development.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio offers excellent resolution and brightness, with a panel type that renders sharp and vibrant images for general and design tasks. Its high color accuracy covers a broad spectrum, making it suitable for precision work in engineering and creative fields. However, for gaming and 3D applications where fast refresh rates are crucial for smooth motion, it falls short, providing a less than optimal experience.
Battery
8.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth GS66 has 5.5 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.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.7
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
491.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
280.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth GS66 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio are both good for general use.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio offers solid performance for general use with a quality touchscreen display, good portability, and a versatile hinge for various modes of use, but has shorter battery life compared to MSI Stealth GS66, which delivers excellent performance, notably in CPU and GPU power for more demanding tasks, and has a high refresh rate screen, making it suitable for gaming as well as general use, although it is slightly less portable and also has a shorter battery life. Both laptops have ample RAM and high-quality keyboards and speakers, which contributes to their general usability, while the MSI has the edge in heat management and fan noise, essential for maintaining performance over extended use.
Content Creation
7.4
7.7
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth GS66 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
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth GS66 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.
Portability
Good
Good
14.4in
SIZE
15.6in
4.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and MSI Stealth GS66 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
8.0
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and MSI Stealth GS66 both have very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,700
$1,799
$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 Stealth GS66 costs $1,799.
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How the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and the MSI Stealth GS66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio | MSI Stealth GS66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,700 | $1,799 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2021 | April 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | 14.2'' x 9.7'' x 0.71'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.72" | 14.17" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.98" | 9.65" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-11370H | Intel i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 58 Wh | 99.9 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 | 360Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 491 nits | 280 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 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 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 4 | |
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 Stealth GS66
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | February 2022
"The MSI Stealth GS66 is powerful enough for QHD. The Core i7-12700H and the GeForce RTX 3070 Ti found in the 12UGS model that we tested run all modern games smoothly in the native QHD resolution. The 15-inch display is very fast with its 240 Hz refresh rate, and it also offers a great color space (almost 100% DCI-P3) on top of that, which should please gamers as well as content creators, although we would have still wished for a higher brightness. Case, input devices, and connectivity (Thunderbolt 4) are at a good level. However, among other things, the GS66 loses points due to the high temperature development in 3D mode and its poor webcam."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio or the MSI Stealth GS66
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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