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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize a higher storage capacity and more memory for demanding tasks such as video editing or large datasets, along with a touchscreen and higher resolution for clarity and creative work, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is a strong choice, despite its higher cost. Its more modern processor also offers better performance. In contrast, the MSI GP66 Leopard offers solid gaming performance with a powerful graphics card and is more budget-friendly, but it has less storage and memory, which might limit performance in very intensive 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 2
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Good portability
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the MSI GP66 Leopard
- The MSI GP66 Leopard has no clear advantages over the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2.
Key differences
General Use
8.3
7.5
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
503.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for general use, while the MSI GP66 Leopard is good.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is favored for general use due to its higher RAM and storage capacity, a more advanced CPU that enhances performance, and its unique flexible hinge that allows it to be used as a laptop or a tablet, underscoring its superior versatility and portability.
Engineering and Design
8.7
7.9
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
7.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
64.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI GP66 Leopard is good.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 surpasses the MSI GP66 Leopard in engineering and design due to its higher RAM capacity, a more advanced CPU, and stronger GPU, alongside a higher resolution and brighter screen, which enhances detail and color representation for design work. While the MSI GP66 Leopard offers solid performance with a strong GPU, its lower RAM and older CPU make it less optimal for engineering, and despite having a larger screen, its lower resolution and brightness may not be as advantageous for design tasks.
Content Creation
8.4
7.4
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
64.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for content creation, while the MSI GP66 Leopard is good.
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
8.2
7.2
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
64.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for software development, while the MSI GP66 Leopard is good.
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
7.9
7.5
14.4in
SIZE
15.6in
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
503.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has a better screen than the MSI GP66 Leopard for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Surface Laptop Studio 2 excels in screen quality for general use and engineering due to its high resolution, vivid panel type, and brightness, along with wide color gamuts ensuring accurate color reproduction essential for design tasks. The MSI GP66, while still providing good quality for these tasks, might not match the Surface in overall display fidelity and color accuracy. For gaming and 3D applications, however, both laptops fall short as they lack the high refresh rates required for smooth visuals, although resolution and panel type on these devices are sufficient for moderate gaming and 3D work.
Battery
8.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI GP66 Leopard has 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
Fair
14.4in
SIZE
15.6in
4.4 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has good portability, while the MSI GP66 Leopard has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,900
$1,400
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has a price of $2,900 and the MSI GP66 Leopard costs $1,400.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
7.7
7.8
7.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 are both good for gaming and AI.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is optimized for gaming and 3D because it sports an Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a 120Hz display that sharpens motion clarity and provides more fluid visual experiences. In contrast, the MSI GP66 Leopard, while slightly older, packs a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU for intensive 3D tasks and has a higher refresh rate of 144Hz, improving the smoothness in fast-paced games, despite its lower screen resolution.
Build Quality
8.5
8.0
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and MSI GP66 Leopard both have very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and the MSI GP66 Leopard compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 | MSI GP66 Leopard |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,900 | $1,400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2023 | May 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 9.1'' x 0.86'' | 14.1'' x 10.5'' x 0.92'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.41 lbs | 5.25 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.72" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.06" | 10.51" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700H | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 64 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 58 Wh | 65 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 | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 503 nits | 362 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.5/10 | 6.9/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 0 | |
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 2
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | March 2022
"The new Surface Laptop Studio with its foldable display is supposed to replace the old Surface Book and the overall impression is good after our review. The build quality and the materials are top-notch, the performance utilization of the two components is solid and the device does not show any major flaws in terms of display or speakers, either. The folding mechanism leaves a sold impression as well, but it remains to be seen how it will hold up over the years. The so-called presentation mode is also not ideal since it covers the whole keyboard."
MSI GP66 Leopard
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | December 2021
"The MSI GP66 Leopard is a good budget high-performance gamer. The MSI also does a lot right outside of the pure performance despite it's low price. For example, the adaptive cooling system really surprised us positively, even in Extreme Performance Mode. And the display is not a budget panel either, but at least outshines the competition in terms of brightness. Of course, you also have to accept a few compromises in this price category. These include the Leopard's poor battery runtimes and the less than optimal build quality, which is also noticeable in the more complicated maintenance."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 or the MSI GP66 Leopard
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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