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What we think
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Updated June 22, 2024·
For a balance of performance and portability with a focus on creative tasks, the MSI Creator M14 is a strong choice. It offers a high-resolution touchscreen with excellent color accuracy, making it ideal for tasks that require precise visuals. The Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and 32GB of RAM will handle demanding applications smoothly, which is beneficial for engineering and 3D rendering. However, it's slightly heavier and has a shorter battery life compared to the Surface Laptop. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" is more suited for general use and business productivity. It's lighter, has a longer battery life, and a very good keyboard, making it excellent for on-the-go professionals who need a reliable device for everyday tasks. The Intel Arc GPU is less powerful than the MSI's RTX 4060, so it's not as suitable for intensive gaming or high-end engineering tasks. However, it does offer a high refresh rate screen, which is great for smooth visuals in everyday use. Consider the MSI for its superior graphics performance and color-accurate display if you're into content creation or light gaming. Opt for the Surface Laptop for its exceptional battery life, portability, and keyboard if you prioritize mobility and general productivity. 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 MSI Creator M14
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5"
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.3
6.6
6.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator M14 is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
8.4
7.7
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
6.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Creator M14 is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" is 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
7.5
7.8
14.0in
SIZE
13.5in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
350.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The MSI Creator M14 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Battery
4.5 Hours
9.0 Hours
The MSI Creator M14 has 4.5 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" has 9 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
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
13.5in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" has very good portability, while the MSI Creator M14 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,500
$1,200
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The MSI Creator M14 has a price of $1,500 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.0
7.7
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
350.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
4.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Creator M14 to be very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Content Creation
8.0
7.7
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Creator M14 to be very good for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" 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
7.8
7.7
8.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Creator M14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" are both 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
7.8
7.4
The MSI Creator M14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" both have 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 MSI Creator M14 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI Creator M14 | Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,500 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2024 | June 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 9.2'' x 0.88'' | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.53 lbs | 3.04 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.39" | 12.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.19" | 8.78" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13620H | Intel Core Ultra 7 135H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4.5 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 53.5 Wh | 47 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 13.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2880 x 1800 | 2256 x 1504 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 350 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 8.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.8/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Get a great deal on the MSI Creator M14 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5"
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.
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.
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