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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is somewhat less expensive and more portable with a smaller screen, making it suitable for on-the-go use and general tasks. It also features a touchscreen with a 3:2 aspect ratio, which is great for productivity and creative work. In contrast, the MSI Stealth 17, while more expensive, offers superior performance with a more powerful processor and graphics card, a larger screen with a higher resolution ideal for gaming and engineering work, along with a more substantial battery capacity but at the cost of added weight and reduced portability. 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 overall build quality
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 17
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.7
9.1
7.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
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
8.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is good.
The MSI Stealth 17 offers superior gaming and 3D performance primarily due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU and higher screen refresh rate compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2's Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and lower refresh rate. Although both laptops have high-quality CPUs and screens, the MSI's top-of-the-line graphics processing unit and the ability to display more frames per second significantly enhance gaming and 3D experiences.
Engineering and Design
8.7
9.4
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
7.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
64.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 17 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Screen Quality
7.9
8.6
14.4in
SIZE
17.3in
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
503.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 17 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.
If you're focused on everyday tasks like browsing or watching videos, both the Surface Laptop Studio 2 and MSI Stealth 17 offer crisp images and vibrant colors due to high-resolution displays and bright panels. For engineering and design professionals requiring precise color work, both laptops deliver a wide range of colors, covering various spectrums necessary for detailed and accurate visuals. However, gamers and 3D artists may find the lower refresh rates on these laptops less smooth for fast-paced action and rendering, where higher refresh rates provide a more fluid visual experience.
Battery
8.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 17 has 5.5 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
17.3in
4.4 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has good portability, while the MSI Stealth 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has very good build quality, while the MSI Stealth 17 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,900
$3,899
$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 Stealth 17 costs $3,899.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.3
8.7
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
503.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.4/10
The MSI Stealth 17 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 versatile hinge for laptop and tablet mode, impressive screen quality, and lightweight for portability, albeit with a moderate battery life. The MSI Stealth 17 offers a larger high-quality screen, ample storage, and a top-tier keyboard for intensive tasks, but it is heavier and has a shorter battery life, affecting its portability.
Content Creation
8.4
8.8
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
64.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 17 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
9.5/10
64.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 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.
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How the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and the MSI Stealth 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 | MSI Stealth 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,900 | $3,899 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 9.1'' x 0.86'' | 15.7'' x 11.2'' x 0.79'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.41 lbs | 6.17 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.72" | 15.65" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.06" | 11.16" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700H | Intel i9-13900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 64 GB | 64 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 | 5.5 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 1440 | |
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 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
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 | 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 Stealth 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | April 2023
"The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is a laptop with a quiet RTX 4080 for almost every occasion. The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is equally capable of high-level media processing and playing current games. It remains pleasantly quiet, even if a few percentage points of power have had to be sacrificed in the process. But, it is not quite perfect: To some extent, the Stealth 17 is well thought out. It packs tons of graphics power and high-end components in a slim case. The laptop's cooling system can be set such that, noise-wise, it doesn't even reach low volume. However, small flaws cloud otherwise exceptionally positive impressions."
Get a great deal on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 or the MSI Stealth 17
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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About the laptop team
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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