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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 offers superior portability, a higher-quality touchscreen display with a unique 3:2 aspect ratio beneficial for productivity tasks, and likely better battery life, but comes at a higher price. It is well-suited for general use and engineering tasks, offering ample storage and memory, paired with a powerful processor and capable graphics hardware. On the other hand, the MSI Raider GE66 is less expensive, provides robust performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and intensive gaming due to its high-end graphics card, but is heavier and less portable. While it lacks a touchscreen, it compensates with a larger and higher resolution screen with conventional 16:9 aspect ratio, useful for multimedia and gaming, and has a superior keyboard. Both have ample storage and are tailored for high-performance demands, with the Raider GE66 being more gaming-centric and possibly offering better value for those seeking a balance between cost and 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
- Good portability
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the MSI Raider GE66
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.7
8.5
7.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Raider GE66 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is good.
The MSI Raider GE66, with its Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card and a higher 240 Hz screen refresh rate, provides a smoother and more visually responsive gaming and 3D experience, especially in fast-paced scenarios, compared to the Surface Laptop Studio 2, which has an Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a lower 120 Hz refresh rate. Although the Surface Laptop Studio 2 has a high-quality display and competent GPU for gaming and 3D tasks, the Raider GE66's superior graphics card and refresh rate make it more suitable for users who need peak gaming performance.
Screen Quality
7.9
8.4
14.4in
SIZE
15.6in
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
503.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The MSI Raider GE66 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 for gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
When considering laptops for general use, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 offers a crisp display with high resolution and brightness, providing a comfortable and vivid viewing experience. For engineering and design, it also excels with its ability to represent a wide range of colors accurately, essential for precise visual work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 falls short due to its lower refresh rate, which can make fast-paced visuals appear less smooth, compared to displays with higher refresh rates that are favored in gaming laptops like the MSI Raider GE66.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider GE66 has 6 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 Raider GE66 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$3,300
$2,998
$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 Raider GE66 costs $2,998.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.3
8.3
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
503.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
The MSI Raider GE66 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 are both very good for general use.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 excels in general use due to its larger RAM, highly responsive touchscreen, and considerable portability with a unique flexible hinge for varied use cases, complemented by solid CPU and high-resolution screen.
Engineering and Design
8.7
8.9
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
7.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
64.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider GE66 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 stands out for engineering and design with a high-quality display that doubles as a drawing tablet and ample RAM for complex tasks, while the MSI Raider GE66 offers strong performance with a powerful GPU and higher screen refresh rate, beneficial for design work that benefits from smooth visuals.
Content Creation
8.4
8.3
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
64.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and MSI Raider GE66 are both very 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
8.2
8.0
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
64.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and MSI Raider GE66 are both very 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.
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and MSI Raider GE66 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 Raider GE66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 | MSI Raider GE66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$3,300 | $2,998 | ||
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 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 i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 64 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 6 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 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 503 nits | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
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 | 6.3/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 4 | |
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 Raider GE66
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Patrick Schüdzig | June 2022
"The MSI Raider GE66 12UHS notebook passes with flying colors. The GE66 is a high-end notebook with strong performance. The keyboard and trackpad are still very good and score well with precise inputs as well as high build quality. Thanks to a new liquid metal cooling solution, the Intel Core i9 12900HK brings a performance increase of around 50 percent over the predecessor's Intel Core i9 10980HK. The installed graphics card in our device delivers up to 30 percent higher frame rates than the RTX 2070 Super in the MSI GE66 10SFS."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 or the MSI Raider GE66
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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