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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If performance is a priority, especially for engineering tasks, 3D modeling, or machine learning, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is superior. However, this comes with a higher price tag and less portability due to increased weight. The MSI Prestige 15, on the other hand, is more affordable and slightly lighter, making it easier to carry around, but it has lower specs that might not handle intensive tasks as well. The Surface also offers better screen resolution and touchscreen capability, which are beneficial for designers and those who prefer a more interactive experience. The higher battery capacity of the MSI might appeal to those needing longevity on a single charge, despite its less impressive overall performance. 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 keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 15
- The MSI Prestige 15 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
298.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for general use, while the MSI Prestige 15 is good.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 stands out for general use with its superior CPU, ample RAM for multitasking, high-quality display with bright, accurate colors, and versatile form factor suitable as both laptop and tablet, although it's less portable and has shorter battery life. The MSI Prestige 15, while also good for general use, offers commendable portability and longer battery life but compromises on CPU performance and screen quality, making it a practical choice for users prioritizing mobility and endurance over raw power and display fidelity.
Gaming and AI
7.7
6.3
7.5/10
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 2 is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 15 is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is rated higher for gaming and 3D because it has a more advanced GPU, the Nvidia RTX 4060, which provides better graphics performance over the MSI Prestige 15's Nvidia GTX 1650 Max-Q. Additionally, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 supports a higher screen refresh rate, which results in smoother visuals and gameplay, compared to the lower refresh rate of the Prestige 15.
Engineering and Design
8.7
7.2
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
7.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
64.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Prestige 15 is good.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 stands out for engineering and design due to its more powerful CPU, abundant RAM, and superior GPU, paired with a higher resolution and color-accurate touchscreen display, which are crucial for demanding applications and precise visual work.
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 15 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
7.1/10
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 15 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
6.8
14.4in
SIZE
15.6in
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
503.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
298.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2's display, with its high resolution and brightness and wide color gamuts, offers sharp and vivid imagery for daily tasks and professional design work, allowing accurate color representation. However, with a lower refresh rate, it's less suited to 3D applications and gaming where smooth motion is a priority. The MSI Prestige 15 also offers a good quality display with solid resolution and color accuracy for general and engineering use, but like the Surface, isn't optimized for gaming or 3D performance due to its standard refresh rate.
Build Quality
8.5
7.4
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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
$3,300
$1,044
$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 $3,300 and the MSI Prestige 15 costs $1,044.
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Key similarities
Battery
8.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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
4.4 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Prestige 15 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and the MSI Prestige 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 | MSI Prestige 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$3,300 | $1,044 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2023 | January 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 9.1'' x 0.86'' | 14.1'' x 9.2'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.41 lbs | 3.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.72" | 14.05" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.06" | 9.2" | |
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 | 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 | 503 nits | 298 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.5/10 | 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 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 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 2 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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