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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated June 22, 2024·
For a balance of performance and portability, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 is a strong contender with its midrange price, solid performance for general use, and excellent battery life, making it a versatile choice for everyday tasks and some light gaming or 3D work. Its compact size and lightweight design enhance its portability, while the high-quality keyboard and touchscreen offer a comfortable user experience. However, if your primary focus is on intensive tasks such as gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning, the MSI Raider 18 HX's superior processing power, advanced graphics capabilities, and high-refresh-rate display will deliver the performance you need, albeit at a higher price point and with a bulkier design that may not be as travel-friendly. 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 Raider 18 HX
- Very good for general use
- Best in class for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Excellent for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5"
- Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
8.8
7.7
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
1000.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
5.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The MSI Raider 18 HX is 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.
Gaming and AI
9.0
6.6
9.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Raider 18 HX is excellent 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
9.6
7.7
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
9.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Raider 18 HX is best in class 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.
Content Creation
9.1
7.7
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Raider 18 HX is excellent 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
8.8
7.7
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Raider 18 HX is very good for software development, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" 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
9.4
7.8
18.0in
SIZE
13.5in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
1000.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The MSI Raider 18 HX has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Portability
Poor
Very Good
18.0in
SIZE
13.5in
7.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
1.2in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" has very good portability, while the MSI Raider 18 HX has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$3,999
$1,200
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The MSI Raider 18 HX has a price of $3,999 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
Battery
9.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The MSI Raider 18 HX has 9 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.
Build Quality
7.4
7.4
The MSI Raider 18 HX 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 Raider 18 HX and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI Raider 18 HX | Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$3,999 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2024 | June 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.9'' x 12.1'' x 1.26'' | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 7.94 lbs | 3.04 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.91" | 12.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.09" | 8.78" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-14900HX | Intel Core Ultra 7 135H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 4 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99.9 Wh | 47 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 18" | 13.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2400 | 2256 x 1504 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 1000 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.1/10 | 8.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Get a great deal on the MSI Raider 18 HX 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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