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Raider 18 HX
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Surface Laptop 6 13.5"
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What we think

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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

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General Use

8.8
Raider 18 HX
Surface Laptop 6 13.5"
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.

Gaming and AI

9.0
Raider 18 HX
Surface Laptop 6 13.5"
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.

Engineering and Design

9.6
Raider 18 HX
Surface Laptop 6 13.5"
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.

Content Creation

9.1
Raider 18 HX
Surface Laptop 6 13.5"
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.

Software Development

8.8
Raider 18 HX
Surface Laptop 6 13.5"
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.

Screen Quality

9.4
Raider 18 HX
Surface Laptop 6 13.5"
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.

Portability

Poor
Raider 18 HX
Surface Laptop 6 13.5"
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
Raider 18 HX
Surface Laptop 6 13.5"
$1,200
Product image
Product image

$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

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Battery

9.0 Hours
Raider 18 HX
Surface Laptop 6 13.5"
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.

Build Quality

7.4
Raider 18 HX
Surface Laptop 6 13.5"
7.4
The MSI Raider 18 HX and Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" both have good build quality.

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How the MSI Raider 18 HX and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5" compare to other laptops

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Spec Comparison

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MSI Raider 18 HXMicrosoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5"
MSI Raider 18 HXMicrosoft Surface Laptop 6 13.5"

GENERAL

Price
$3,999
$1,200
Release Date
March 1, 2024June 1, 2024
Overall Dimensions
15.9'' x 12.1'' x 1.26''12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.66''
Weight
7.94 lbs3.04 lbs
Width
15.91"12.13"
Depth
12.09"8.78"

INTERNAL

Processor
Intel i9-14900HXIntel Core Ultra 7 135H
RAM
32 GB16 GB
DDR Memory Version
55
RAM Slots
40
Storage
1024 GB256 GB

BATTERY

Battery Life
9 Hours9 Hours
Battery Capacity
99.9 Wh47 Wh

SCREEN

Diagonal Size
18"13.5"
Display Technology
Mini LEDIPS
Resolution
3840 x 24002256 x 1504
Refresh Rate
120Hz120Hz
Display Brightness
1000 nits400 nits

RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS

Build Quality Score
7.4/107.4/10
Portability Score
5.1/108.7/10
Gaming Laptop Appearance
YesNo
Premium Business Laptop
NoYes
Fan Noise Score
8/108/10

HARDWARE FEATURES

Keyboard Quality Score
7/107/10
Speaker Quality Score
8/108/10
Webcam
1080p1080p
Fingerprint Reader
NoYes
Backlit Keyboard
YesYes
Number Pad
YesNo

CONNECTIVITY

USB Type-A
31
USB-C ports
21
USB-C Charging
YesYes
Display Outputs
31
Thunderbolt Version
44

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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Why trust us

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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.

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About the laptop team

Joe Golden, Ph.D

CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.

Jason Lew

Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.

Chandradeep Chowdhury

Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.

Craig Russell

Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.

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