MSI Stealth 15M vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15 Comparison

Laptop to replace

Change

MSI Stealth 15M

15.6 inches | January 2021

CHECK PRICE

Change

Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15

15 inches | April 2021

CHECK PRICE

MSI Stealth 15M vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15 Comparison Overview

MSI Stealth 15M

See at AMAZON

Microsoft Surface La...

See at AMAZON

MSI Stealth 15M

See at AMAZON

Microsoft Surface La...

See at AMAZON

In this review, we will be comparing Stealth 15M and Surface Laptop 4 15, two laptops from MSI and Microsoft. MSI Stealth 15M was introduced to market in January 2021 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15 was launched in April 2021. There is only 3 months difference between Stealth 15M and Surface Laptop 4 15 so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Click for Available Configurations of the Laptops

Here is a brief look at the main features of MSI Stealth 15M and Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

MSI Stealth 15M Key Specs

Launched in January 2021
15.6" IPS LCD, 16:9 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i5 1135G7
GPU: GeForce GTX 1660 TI Mobile 6GB
16GB Ram
358.3 x 248 x 16.1 mm (14.11 x 9.76 x 0.63 inches)
Weight: 1.78 kg (3.92 lbs)

Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15 Key Specs

Launched in April 2021
15.0" Touchscreen - IPS LCD, 3:2 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i7 1185G7
GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 (96EU)
8GB Ram
339.5 x 244 x 14.7 mm (13.37 x 9.61 x 0.58 inches)
Weight: 1.54 kg (3.4 lbs)

Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15 was replaced by Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 15. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 15 vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 15 vs MSI Stealth 15M

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Stealth 15M and Surface Laptop 4 15 compares and decide which one is better for you.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose MSI Stealth 15M over Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15

Side Bezel Thickness	6.5 mm vs 11.3 mm	4.8 mm thinner bezels
Display Size	15.6 inches vs 15 inches	Larger Screen Estate
Refresh Rate	144 Hz vs 60 Hz	Smoother media experience
Screen Type	Matte vs Glossy	potentially less reflections on screen
Adobe RGB Profile	64% vs 62%	Wider Adobe RGB Coverage
Response Time	41 ms vs 45 ms	Faster Response screen
GPU FLOPS	4.884 TFLOPS vs 1.69 TFLOPS	Dedicated GPU unit
GPU Type	Dedicated vs Integrated	More RAM Options
Upgradable RAM	Yes vs No	Faster RAM
RAM BUS	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x) vs PCI-E Gen 3.0 (4x)	Generates higher sound levels
Speaker Loudness	82.3 dB vs 78.7 dB	More advanced Bluetooth connectivity
Bluetooth	v5.1 vs v5	Connect more device at the same time
Number of USB-A Ports	2x USB 3.2 vs 1x USB 3.2	Connect more device at the same time
Number of USB-C Ports	2x USB 3.2 vs 1x USB 3.2	Support audio, data, power and video all through one single port
Thunderbolt	v4 vs No	Connect to external monitors directly via HDMI cable
HDMI Port	1x HDMI 2.0 vs No	Read & Write SD Cards with the built-in reader
SD Card Reader	Yes vs No

Reasons to choose Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15 over MSI Stealth 15M

Weight	1.54 kg vs 1.78 kg	0.24 kg lighter
Screen-to-Body Ratio	~80.9% vs ~75.5%	Larger screen area ratio
Noise Level	40 dB vs 46 dB	Less fan noise
Contrast Rate	1558:1 vs 872:1	more pleasing colors
Screen PPI	200 ppi vs 141 ppi	More pixels per inch
Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Interact with your fingers
Screen Resolution	2496 x 1664 pixels vs 1920 x 1080 pixels	Higher pixel count screen
sRGB Color Space	97.7% vs 93.3%	Wider sRGB Color Space Coverage
DCI-P3 Color Gamut	65.1% vs 62%	Wider DCI-P3 Color Gamut
Max Brightness	380 nits vs 250 nits	Brighter Screen
GPU Fabrication Process	10 nm vs 12 nm	Newer Generation GPU
Dolby Atmos Speakers	Yes vs No	3D Surround Sound Support

Common Strengths of Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15 and MSI Stealth 15M

Fast Charging Support	Yes vs Yes	Charge the battery in a shorter time
USB Power Delivery	Yes vs Yes	Charging via USB port gives flexibility
RAM Type	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x) vs PCI-E Gen 3.0 (4x)	Fast RAM type
Upgradable Storage	Yes vs Yes	Option to increase the Storage size
SSD Type	NVMe vs NVMe	Faster Data Transfers
Wi-Fi Standard	v6 vs v6	Fast and Reliable Wi-Fi Connections
VGA Output	No vs No	Connect to External Displays via VGA cable
Keyboard Backlight	Yes vs Yes	Easily see the keys under low light

Common Weaknesses of Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15 and MSI Stealth 15M

Fingerprint Sensor	No vs No	No fingerprint login feature

MSI Stealth 15M vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15: Physical Specs Comparison

In this section, we will be comparing the physical specifications and body features of the MSI Stealth 15M and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15.

Physical Specs
Weight	1.78 kg (3.92 lbs)	1.54 kg (3.4 lbs)
Surface Area	889 cm2 (137.7 inches2)	828 cm2 (128.5 inches2)
Screen to Surface Ratio	~75.5%	~80.9%
Side Bezel Thickness	~6.5 mm	~11.3 mm
Weight per Inch of Screen	0.11 kg/inch	0.10 kg/inch
	0.242 lbs/inch	0.22 lbs/inch
Colors	White, Gray	Black, Gold, Gray, Blue

Comparison of the MSI Stealth 15M and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15 External Dimensions

Weight

Stealth 15M weighs 1.78 kg (3.92 lbs), whereas the Surface Laptop 4 15 weighs 1.54 kg (3.4 lbs). There is a notable difference in weight between these two laptops. However, it's important to consider that comparing their weights directly may not provide a complete picture since they also have different display sizes.

Weight Comparison

Displays size 15.0-15.9 inches

MSI Stealth 15M 1.78 kg

Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15 1.54 kg

Min 0.99 kg

Average 1.95 kg

Max 3.32 kg

Thickness Comparison

Displays size 15.0-15.9 inches

MSI Stealth 15M 16.10 mm

Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15 14.70 mm

Min 7.70 mm

Average 20.17 mm

Max 29.00 mm

Another value that we use for comparing the weights of the laptops is the Weight per Inch of Screen, which is calculated by dividing the total weight of the model with its usable diagonal screen size. This value for the MSI Stealth 15M is 0.11 kg/inch.In comparison, this value for the Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15 is 0.10 kg/inch.Here are some of the best performing laptops in this area:

Microsoft Surface Go 4: 0.05 kg/inch
LG Gram SuperSlim 15.6 2023: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus Zenbook A14 UX3407: 0.06 kg/inch
Dell Latitude 7330: 0.07 kg/inch
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2: 0.07 kg/inch
LG Gram 14 2022: 0.07 kg/inch
LG Gram 14 2-in-1 2022: 0.07 kg/inch

MSI Stealth 15M vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15: Internals (CPU, GPU, RAM, Battery, SSD, etc.) Comparison

CPU Comparison

CPU Model	Intel Core i5 1135G7 Intel Core i7 1185G7 Intel Core i7 11370H Intel Core i7 11375H	Intel Core i7 1185G7
Base Frequency	0.9-2.4 GHz	1.2-3.0 GHz
Turbo Frequency	4.2 GHz	4.8 GHz
Number of Cores	4	4
Number of Threads	8	8
L3 Cache	8 MB	12 MB
Integrated GPU	Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EU	Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EU
CPU Fabrication Process	10 nm	10 nm
Geekbench 5 (Single)	1324	1490
Geekbench 5 (Multi)	4633	5187
Cinebench 23 (Single)	1355	1462
Cinebench 23 (Multi)	5087	5768

Above you can see the CPU options and the CineBench and GeekBench test scores for both laptops, which gives an idea about what kind of performance difference you may experience between the MSI Stealth 15M and Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15.

You may also read reviews of latest laptops with the same CPUs and compare them:

Laptops with: Intel Core i5 1135G7

Laptops with: Intel Core i7 1185G7

GPU Comparison

GPU Model	GeForce GTX 1660 TI Mobile 6GB GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile 8GB	Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 (96EU)
Base Clock Frequency	1455 MHz	300 MHz
Boost CLock Frequency	1590 MHz	1100 MHz
TGP (Total Graphics Power)		15 W
Nvidia Optimus	Yes
Type	Dedicated	Integrated
FLOPS	4.884 TFLOPS	1.690 TFLOPS
Memory Size	6 GB	System Shared
Memory Type	GDDR6	System Shared
Memory Bus	192 bit	System Shared
Memory Speed	~12 Gbps	System Shared
Shading Units Cores	1536	768
TMUs	96	48
ROPs	48	24

GPU is as critical as the CPU for graphic heavy applications and the table above gives a picture of how the two GPU compares. FLOPS is a measure of a GPU's performance based on the number of floating-point arithmetic calculations that the processor can perform within a second. MSI Stealth 15M has a FLOPS value of 4.884 TFLOPS whereas the Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15 ' has a FLOPS value of 1.69 TFLOPS. If graphical performance of the laptop is important for your use type, the MSI Stealth 15M may be the better choice between these two setups.

RAM Comparison

RAM	16GB 32GB 64GB	8GB 16GB 32GB
Memory Bus	2x8 GB	2x4 GB
RAM Clock	3200 MHz	4266 MHz
RAM Type	DDR4	LPDDR4X
Upgradable	Yes	No
Max RAM Size	64 GB
Total Slots	2	2
Memory Bus	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)	PCI-E Gen 3.0 (4x)

With a larger RAM capacity of 16 GB, the Stealth 15M offers an advantage for multitasking and resource-intensive applications compared to the Surface Laptop 4 15's RAM capacity of 8 GB.

LOCAL LLM Compatibility Evaluation

This quick guide shows what types of large language models (LLMs) each of these laptops could support, based on their respective hardware specifications. It's meant to help you compare their suitability for running AI models locally.

LLM Category	MSI Stealth 15M	Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15
Small Models(1-3B):Examples: Phi-2, Qwen-1.8B	✔ Run smoothly.	✔ Run smoothly.
Medium Models(7-8B):Examples: Mistral-7B, Qwen-7B	✖ Not supported.	✖ Not supported.
Large Models(13-30B):Examples: Mixtral, Qwen-14B	✖ Not supported.	✖ Not supported.
Extra-Large Models(65B+):Examples: LLaMA2-70B, Qwen1.5-72B	✖ Not supported on most systems. Requires high-end GPU or advanced setup.	✖ Not supported on most systems. Requires high-end GPU or advanced setup.

Note: Optimized (e.g., 4-bit) models may run on limited hardware. Performance depends on runtime and setup.

📌 MoE Models: Some models like Mixtral 8x7B and Qwen3-30B-A3B use a Mixture of Experts (MoE) design, activating only part of the model during inference. This means they can often run efficiently on laptops with 12–16 GB of VRAM when quantized.

BATTERY

BATTERY	52 Wh	47.4 Wh
Battery Type	Li-Po	Li-Po
Replaceable	No	No
Fast Charging	Yes	No
USB Power Delivery	Yes	Yes
Charging Port Position	Bottom	Left
Charge Power	150 W	65 W
Full Charging Time	1:30 hr	2:20 hr
AC Adapter Weight	418 gramm	306 gramm

Moreover, the Stealth 15M boasts a larger battery capacity of 52 Wh, offering extended usage time compared to the Surface Laptop 4 15's47 Wh.

Battery Comparison

Displays size 15.0-15.9 inches

MSI Stealth 15M 52 Wh

Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15 47 Wh

Min 36.00 Wh

Average 62.1 Wh

Max 100.00 Wh

MSI Stealth 15M vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15: Display Comparison

The display is an essential aspect to consider when comparing the MSI Stealth 15M and Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15 since its is the component that you interact the most and significantly impact the experience.

Screen Area and Dimensions

Now let's look at the comparison of the actual display areas of both laptops below, keeping the bezels around the screens out of the equation. Stealth 15M has a display size of 15.6".On the other hand, Surface Laptop 4 15 has a smaller 15.0" display.The total usable screen area of the Stealth 15M is 670cm² / 104inch² whereas the Surface Laptop 4 15's total usable screen area is 670cm² / 104inch².

PPI (Pixels per Inch)
Additionally, the Surface Laptop 4 15 features a higher pixel density with 200 pixels per inch (PPI), ensuring sharper image details.

Screen PPI (Pixels Per Inch) Comparison

Displays size 15.0-15.9 inches

MSI Stealth 15M 141 ppi

Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15 200 ppi

Min 100 PPI

Average 144 PPI

Max 294.00 PPI

Refresh Rate
The Stealth 15M offers a higher refresh rate of 144 Hz, resulting in smoother motion and improved visual experience.

Furthermore, the Stealth 15M boasts a faster response time of 41.0 ms, reducing motion blur for fast-paced content.

Brightness
The Surface Laptop 4 15 offers a higher maximum brightness of 380 nits, delivering a brighter screen.

Brightness Comparison

Displays size 15.0-15.9 inches

MSI Stealth 15M 250 nits

Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15 380 nits

Min

60 nits

Average 319 nits

Max 1000.00 nits

MSI Stealth 15M vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 15 Connectivity Comparison

In terms of connectivity,

Wifi
Both laptops offer the same Wi-Fi standard (v6), ensuring fast and reliable wireless connections.

Below, you'll find a Wi-Fi Versions Table, along with their release dates and speeds, to provide a brief overview of its development.

Wi-Fi Versions and Speeds

Standard	Speed	Release Date	Network	Frequency Bands (GHz)
Wi-Fi 7	up to 40 Gbps (5 GB/s)	2023	802.11be	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6E	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2020	802.11ax	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2019	802.11ax	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 5	up to 6.93 Gbps (866.25 MB/s)	2014	802.11ac	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 4	up to 600 Mbps (75 MB/s)	2009	802.11n	2.4, 5

* Please note that the provided transfer rates are maximum theoretical values, and real-life performance may vary based on environmental factors.

USB
Both Stealth 15M and Surface Laptop 4 15 have USB-A ports. Stealth 15M has 2x USB 3.2 USB-A ports, while Surface Laptop 4 15 has 1x USB 3.2 USB-A ports.
Both Stealth 15M and Surface Laptop 4 15 have USB Type-C ports. Stealth 15M has 2x USB 3.2 USB Type-C ports, while Surface Laptop 4 15 has 1x USB 3.2 USB Type-C ports.

Below, you'll find a table of USB ports, along with their release dates and speeds.
To mitigate the confusion caused by generation names, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) suggests using marketing names like USB 5Gbps, USB 10Gbps, and so forth, based on their respective transfer rates.

USB Type and Speeds

USB Type	Version	Speed	Date	Other Features/Explanations
USB4	Gen 4 (2.0)	80 Gbps	2022	Also known as USB 80Gbps
USB4	Gen 3×2	40 Gbps	2019	Also known as USB 40Gbps
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2x2	20 Gbps	2019	Double the data transfer rates of Gen 2
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.1
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.0
USB 3.1	3.1 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2013	Faster data transfer rates
USB 3.0	3.1 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2010	SuperSpeed USB, improved data transfer rates
USB 2.0	2.0	480 Mbps	2000	High-speed data transfer
USB 1.0	1.0	1.5 Mbps	1996	Original USB standard

Thunderbolt
Stealth 15M is equipped with Thunderbolt 4 port. Surface Laptop 4 15 does not have Thunderbolt port.

HDMI
Stealth 15M features an HDMI port (1x HDMI 2.0) for connecting to external monitors. Surface Laptop 4 15 does not have an HDMI port.

Below, you'll find a comparison table detailing different HDMI versions, including their bandwidth, color depth, maximum resolution, and release dates. This information can be helpful in understanding the capabilities of each HDMI version and choosing the most suitable one for your needs.

HDMI Comparison Table

HDMI Version	Maximum Resolution	Bandwidth (Gbps)	Color Depth (bits)	Release Date
HDMI 2.1-2.1b	7680 x 4320 *(8K)* @ 60p 3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 120p	48.0	48	2017
HDMI 2.0-2.0b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 60p	18.0	48	2013
HDMI 1.4-1.4b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 30p	10.2	48	2009
HDMI 1.3-1.3a	2560 x 1440 @ 60p	10.2	48	2006
HDMI 1.0-1.2a	1920 x 1200 @ 60p	4.95	24	2002

* Please note that the provided resolution values represent the maximum supported resolution, and actual display quality may depend on other factors such as source content and connected devices.

SD Card Reader
Stealth 15M is equipped with an SD Card Reader for easy access to memory cards. Surface Laptop 4 15 does not have an SD Card Reader.

Audio Jack
Both Stealth 15M and Surface Laptop 4 15 are equipped with a 3.5mm Audio Jack, providing seamless connection to headphones and speakers.

To summarize the connectivity and ports details, please refer to the table below to see them listed.

Connectivity and Ports
WiFi Standard (latest: v7)	v6	v6
Bluetooth (latest: v5.4)	v5.1	v5
USB-A (latest: 3.2)	2x USB 3.2	1x USB 3.2
USB Type-C (latest: USB4 2.0)	2x USB 3.2	1x USB 3.2
Thunderbolt (latest: 4)	Thunderbolt 4	No
HDMI (latest: 2.1)	1x HDMI 2.0	No
Display Port (latest: v2.0)	No	No
VGA	No	No
Fingerprint Sensor	No	No
Optical Drive	No	No
Audio Jack 3.5mm	Yes	Yes
Ethernet RJ45	No	No
SD CardReader	Yes	No
Proprietary Charging Port	Yes	No