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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is at the high end of the price spectrum and offers a larger storage capacity, more RAM, a higher-end processor, and a more powerful graphics card, which make it well-suited for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering. It also features a touchscreen with a higher refresh rate and better color coverage, but this also results in a heavier device that is less portable. On the other hand, the MSI Prestige 14 is less expensive, more portable given its lighter weight, and still suitable for general use and business tasks. Its performance is more modest in comparison; suitable for less demanding tasks. If you require a device for demanding workloads and can trade off portability and higher cost, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 is preferable. If mobility and budget are your primary concerns with moderate performance sufficing for your needs, the Prestige 14 may be the better choice. 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
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 14
- Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
8.3
7.5
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
503.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.8/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for general use, while the MSI Prestige 14 is good.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 outperforms the MSI Prestige 14 with a stronger CPU, more RAM, and superior screen quality, which are very important for general use, but it is heavier and has slightly less battery life, affecting portability. Although the MSI Prestige 14 has less powerful specs, it's lighter and offers longer battery life for better portability, plus it still has a good quality screen and keyboard for everyday tasks.
Gaming and AI
7.7
6.2
7.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
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
7.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 14 is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is equipped with a high-end Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and offers a screen refresh rate of 120Hz, which are both very important for smooth gaming and 3D performance, while the MSI Prestige 14 has a significantly less powerful Intel Iris Xe GPU and a lower standard refresh rate of 60Hz.
Engineering and Design
8.7
7.1
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
7.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
64.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Prestige 14 is good.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 outshines the MSI Prestige 14 for engineering and design mainly because it boasts a more powerful CPU, a high-end dedicated GPU, and a superior screen with higher resolution and brightness, which all contribute to better performance and visualization in demanding applications.
Content Creation
8.4
7.5
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
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 Prestige 14 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
7.3
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
64.0 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 2 is very good for software development, while the MSI Prestige 14 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
6.9
14.4in
SIZE
14.0in
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
503.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 boasts a high-resolution display with vibrant colors and excellent brightness, making it ideal for general use and ensuring precise color representation crucial for engineering and design work. On the other hand, the MSI Prestige 14, while still providing a good quality screen for daily tasks and professional design, may offer lower overall brightness and slightly less accurate color reproduction compared to the Surface. However, both laptops aren't optimal for gaming and 3D applications due to their lower refresh rates, which are less than ideal for the fast-paced visuals required in such scenarios.
Portability
Good
Very Good
14.4in
SIZE
14.0in
4.4 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Prestige 14 has very good portability, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.4
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has very good build quality, while the MSI Prestige 14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,900
$1,040
$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 Prestige 14 costs $1,040.
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Key similarities
Battery
8.0 Hours
8.5 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 14 has 8.5 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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How the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and the MSI Prestige 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 | MSI Prestige 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,900 | $1,040 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2023 | April 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 9.1'' x 0.86'' | 12.6'' x 8.6'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.41 lbs | 2.84 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.72" | 12.56" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.06" | 8.62" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700H | Intel i5-1240P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 64 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 8.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 58 Wh | 53.8 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.4" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2400 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 503 nits | 313 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
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 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
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 Prestige 14
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Dig into reviews and images
Tech Radar
Collin Probst | September 2022
"The MSI Prestige 14” is excellent for productivity and business use cases, but it is not ideal for creators or visual content editors. The Prestige was able to power through days of email, spreadsheets, and text documents without breaking a sweat and was a joy to use. The additional ports were a breath of fresh air, as most laptops seem to be moving towards just Thunderbolt ports. The security options made signing in effortless, with two quick, more secure, and faster options than even the most complex alphanumeric passcode."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 or the MSI Prestige 14
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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