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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is generally lighter and more portable, making it a good choice if you're frequently moving around and need a touch screen. However, its performance in 3D, machine learning, and engineering tasks may not match the MSI Raider GE78, which excels in these areas due to a more powerful processor and graphics card. The Raider also offers a larger screen and higher resolution conducive for detailed work, but it's heavier and less portable. Battery life is also a consideration: the Surface may last longer on a charge than the Raider, which can be vital if you're often away from power outlets. If gaming is a priority, both support high-end gaming, but the Raider's superior graphics capabilities render it more suitable for the most demanding games and VR experiences. The trade-off is that the Raider is bulkier and has a shorter battery life, which can limit mobility. 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
Advantages of the MSI Raider GE78
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Best in class for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.7
9.5
7.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is best in class for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is good.
The MSI Raider GE78 offers superior gaming and 3D performance with its more powerful Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU and higher 240Hz screen refresh rate compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2's less powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 and 120Hz refresh rate. While both laptops have high-quality IPS displays, the CPU in the MSI is also more advanced, making it a more suitable candidate for the most demanding gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.7
9.4
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
7.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
64.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider GE78 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is well-suited for engineering and design due to its high amount of RAM and versatile display hinge which supports tablet mode, making it useful for design tasks, but its GPU is less powerful than that of the MSI Raider GE78 which offers superior CPU and GPU performance for more demanding engineering software and rendering tasks, albeit with less portability due to its larger size and weight.
Screen Quality
7.9
8.6
14.4in
SIZE
17.3in
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
503.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Raider GE78 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and MSI Raider GE78 both offer high-resolution screens with panels that provide clear, vibrant visuals and strong brightness, making them suitable for general use such as browsing, video playback, and document editing. For engineering and design, their wide color gamuts ensure accurate color representation which is crucial for tasks like photo editing, CAD, and graphic design. However, for gaming and 3D applications, their lower refresh rates may not deliver as fluid motion as desired by gamers who often seek laptops with high refresh rate displays for smoother visuals and competitive gameplay.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider GE78 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
Poor
14.4in
SIZE
17.3in
4.4 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
1.1in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has good portability, while the MSI Raider GE78 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,900
$4,386
$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 Raider GE78 costs $4,386.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.3
8.7
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
503.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 are both very good for general use.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is well-suited for general use with its notable portability, flexible hinge for tablet mode, good keyboard and speaker quality, and solid screen quality with touch capability, though with less battery life than some alternatives. In contrast, the MSI Raider GE78 offers top-tier performance with a more powerful processor and graphics, a larger, high-quality screen, and exceptional keyboard and speaker quality, but it sacrifices portability and has shorter battery life, which may be a concern for users needing mobility and extended use away from power sources.
Content Creation
8.4
8.8
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
64.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Raider GE78 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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
8.5
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
64.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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 GE78 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 GE78 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 | MSI Raider GE78 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,900 | $4,386 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 9.1'' x 0.86'' | 15'' x 11.7'' x 1.13'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.41 lbs | 6.83 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.72" | 14.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.06" | 11.73" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700H | Intel i9-13980HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 64 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 2048 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" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2400 x 1600 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 503 nits | 384 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.5/10 | 5.6/10 | |
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 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
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 GE78
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2023
"Performance-wise, the GE78 offers a significant boost over the GE77 for just slightly higher power consumption. You'll have to get the RTX 4080 or 4090 configurations to see the performance advantages, however, as the RTX 4070 is closer in performance to the older RTX 3080 Ti. In terms of design, some users might prefer the 16:9 minimalistic look of the older GE77 over the 16:10 retro-inspired GE78 and vice versa. We wouldn't call one better than the other in terms of aesthetics, but we'll give the edge to the GE78 for its stronger hinges and larger keys and clickpad."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 or the MSI Raider GE78
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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