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Updated January 10, 2024·
When deciding between the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo, consider that the Surface Laptop Studio is generally pricier but offers superior graphics performance because of its dedicated Nvidia RTX graphics card, which makes it suitable for more intensive 3D tasks, machine learning, and gaming. It also features a unique flexible hinge for versatile use as a laptop or drawing tablet. On the other hand, the Summit E13 Flip Evo is more affordable, lighter, and offers better battery life, making it more portable and convenient for general use, as well as having a flip design for laptop-to-tablet conversion. If performance in graphics-intensive applications is critical for you and the budget is not a constraint, the Surface Laptop Studio could be the right choice. However, if you prioritize portability, battery life, and a lower price point, then the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo may be a better match. 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 Summit E13 Flip Evo
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.0
7.3
14.4in
SIZE
13.4in
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
491.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
517.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a better screen than the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio boasts a vibrant, high-resolution display and impressive brightness, making it excellent for general activities and detailed engineering work due to its wide color coverage. However, its lower refresh rate may not be ideal for 3D applications and gaming, which rely heavily on smooth motion. The MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo, while having a good resolution and satisfactory brightness for everyday tasks and design programs, similarly falls short for gaming and 3D modeling because it doesn't offer the high refresh rates that these applications benefit from.
Battery
8.0 Hours
11.0 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo has 11 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
Very Good
14.4in
SIZE
13.4in
4.0 lbs
WEIGHT
2.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo has very good portability, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.4
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has very good build quality, while the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,700
$699
$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 Summit E13 Flip Evo costs $699.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.6
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
491.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
517.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.9/10
The MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio are both good for general use.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio offers a high performance CPU and dedicated GPU, larger screen with higher resolution and refresh rate which might be preferable for those needing more intense computing and better visual experience, but at the expense of shorter battery life and less portability compared to the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo which, despite having an integrated GPU and a smaller, less vivid screen, offers longer battery life and lighter weight, making it more suitable for on-the-go users. Additionally, both laptops come with the same amount of RAM and storage, ensuring smooth general usage, but the Summit's Windows 11 Pro operating system could be a tipping point for professionals seeking advanced features.
Gaming and AI
6.6
6.3
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is equipped with an Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti GPU which offers better graphics performance compared to the integrated graphics of the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo, making the Surface more suitable for gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
7.3
7.3
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo are both good for engineering and design.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is equipped with a high-end Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti graphics card which makes it well-suited for engineering and design applications that require intensive graphics processing, while its high-resolution and high-contrast display enhances visual clarity for design work.
Content Creation
7.4
7.5
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo 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
7.4
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo 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.
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How the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio | MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,700 | $699 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2021 | August 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | 11.8'' x 8.8'' x 0.59'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4 lbs | 2.98 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.72" | 11.82" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.98" | 8.75" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-11370H | Intel i7-1260P | |
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 | 11 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 58 Wh | 70 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.4" | 13.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2400 x 1600 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 491 nits | 517 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 8.9/10 | |
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 | 6/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 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 | 1 | |
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 Summit E13 Flip Evo
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | April 2021
"MSI wants to prove that it can do more than just gaming laptops and the Summit E13 Flip is a great example of what the manufacturer is capable of especially in terms of aesthetics and performance. Normally for subnotebooks or convertibles, TDP and performance are often below average as makers want to meet slimmer designs and lower weight targets. The Summit manages to outperform others in its size class and category while still looking sleek and portable in the process. If you want a convertible that won't throttle significantly when under load, then this MSI will be one of the better options you can find."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio or the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo
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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