- Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 vs. Apple MacBook Air: 13-inch lightweights do battle. The 13-inch Surface Laptop clearly wants to be a Windows version of Apple's smallest and lightest laptop, but the.
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At first glance, Surface Pro looks like a MacBook Air with a Retina display and is priced like one too. Start adding options, though, and you quickly reach MacBook Pro pricing. But with only one port, like a MacBook, but USB-A rather than the newer USB-C. So, depending on how you look at it, Surface Laptop might be the best of all the MacBook worlds. Or the worst.
Which is it?
TL;DR: Do you need to run macOS?
If you know you want to run macOS, you have to get a Mac. If you want to run Windows, you can get a Surface Laptop or a Mac — the latter lets you run both. Keep reading the rest for more details, but if running Mac software, including developing for iOS, are key to you, your decision tree is already done.
Surface Laptop vs. 13-inch MacBook Air
Microsoft's Surface Laptop looks like a MacBook Air, is as light and portable as an Air, and is priced like an Air, so that's the easiest comparison to get started with. There are several important differences, though.
Surface Laptop comes in Burgundy, platinum, cobalt blue, and graphite gold, while MacBook Air only comes in aluminum. It also has a high-density, multi-touch capable display, something Apple has never gotten around to adding to the Air. Plus, Surface Laptop has current-generation Intel Kaby Lake processors while MacBook Air hasn't had a spec bump in years.
On the down side, Surface Laptop has only a single USB-A port + DisplayPort (and a proprietary Surface Connect port) while the MacBook Air has two USB-A ports and a Thunderbolt 2 port. It also has a faux-fabric finish around the keyboard and trackpad which… may not hold up to dirt and grime the way MacBook Air aluminum will.
- If you need to run macOS on as inexpensive a laptop as possible, you need to get a MacBook Air.
- Otherwise, unless and until Apple updates it's entry level, Surface Laptop is the better bang for your buck.
Surface Laptop vs. 12-inch MacBook
Because the Surface Laptop has only one USB port, it's easy to draw comparisons to similarly single-ported 12-inch MacBook. There are, however, differences.
MacBook has a USB-C port, the modern standard that the entire industry is moving towards. Surface Laptop has USB-A, the legacy standard the entire industry is moving away from. Both will require dongles or docks, though MacBook will require them less as time goes on and Surface Laptop will require them more.
Both have high-density displays, though MacBook lacks the multi-touch functionality of the Surface Laptop. It also lacks the faux-fabric finish around the keyboard and trackpad which…may not hold up to dirt and grime the way Apple's aluminum will.
Surface Laptop comes in Burgundy, platinum, cobalt blue, and graphite gold, while MacBook comes in silver, space gray, gold, and rose gold. Surface Laptop, however, has an Intel Core i5 or i7 processor which, while requiring a fan and increasingly noise, is more powerful than the virtually silent Intel coreM series in the MacBook.
- If having the absolute smallest, lightest, and quietest — and potentially pinkest! — computer is imperative to you, get the MacBook.
- If you want more power, a multi-touch display, and a cobalt blue color option, get the Surface Laptop.
Surface Laptop vs. 13-inch MacBook Pro
Surface Laptop might look like and be priced like a MacBook Air, but start upgrading it and you quickly reach MacBook Pro price points. With a few differences, of course.
No matter how much you pay for a Surface Laptop, you still only get the one, legacy USB-A port that sounds like a good idea today but will become more and more of a constraint over the next few years. MacBook Pro, on the other hands, comes with the option for two or four USB-C / Thunderbolt 3 ports that may need a dongle now but will become table stakes in a year or two.
Surface Laptop comes in Burgundy, platinum, cobalt blue, and graphite gold, while MacBook Pro only comes in silver and space gray. MacBook Pro lacks the faux-fabric finish around the keyboard and trackpad which… may not hold up to dirt and grime the way Apple's aluminum will.
Both have high-density displays, though MacBook lacks the multi-touch functionality of the Surface Laptop. MacBook Pro does have the option for Touch Bar, a multi-touch strip that replaces the function keys with something more dynamic, though arguably not much more useful. Better, though, Touch ID, which lets you use your fingerprint to log in and authenticate for apps and purchases, including Apple Pay.
Surface Laptop is a generation ahead when it comes to Intel processors but it's arguable how much, if at all, that helps with graphics. Apple stayed on Skylake, in part, for Iris Pro options that didn't yet exist on Kaby Lake. If graphics are more important to you than central processing, you may be better off with MacBook Pro.
- If a multi-touch display or brighter color options are a must, go with Surface Laptop.
- If Touch ID and more numerous, advanced ports are what you need, go with MacBook Pro.
Still undecided or have more questions?
If you're still not sold on either the MacBook or the Surface Laptop, take a breath. The higher-end Surface Laptops won't be shipping for a while and Apple is rumored to be updating the MacBook lineup as soon as June. Take your time, check out all the options, and see which one suits you best.
If you still have questions, drop them in the comments below!
MacBook Pro
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Best 2-in-1 laptop
Microsoft Surface Pro 6
Pinnacle Apple
Apple MacBook Air (2018)
The Surface Pro 6 offers an experience no Mac on the market can. Not only can you use a digital pen on it, it's useable as both a tablet and a laptop, combining the use of both an iPad and a MacBook Air into a single device.
Pros
- Windows Hello security
- Digital pen support
- Solid battery life
- Gorgeous display
- Quad-core processors
The MacBook Air is Apple's most affordable notebook, and it's an incredible jump from the previous model. The Retina Display is stunning, it has Apple's Touch ID biometric security, and Thunderbolt 3 support. However, it's underpowered next to the Surface Pro 6.
Pros
- Retina Display
- Can install Windows 10
- Touch ID security
- USB-C Thunderbolt 3
- Solid battery life
Cons
- Quite expensive
- Single dual-core processor option
Considering that both of these run a different OS, that should be one of the main considerations when choosing a laptop. Apple has finally updated the MacBook Air so it can genuinely compete with the best of the Windows ecosystem, but it's still just a laptop. The Surface Pro 6 is a more versatile device, working as both a tablet and a laptop, with a sprinkling of digital notepad thrown in for good measure.
The platform you need or want to use should be one main consideration, and how you want to use your portable computer should be the other.
Apples to oranges (or Windows)
On a hardware level, both of these machines are very good. Laptop design has improved by leaps and bounds in recent years, so you can absolutely look to the Windows ecosystem to find a product as visually striking as Apple's always have been.
The MacBook Air is, unsurprisingly, stunning. The same can be said of the Surface Pro 6. But while Apple is using a 7W dual-core Intel Core i5 only in the MacBook Air, Microsoft has stuffed quad-core Intel Core i5 and i7 processors into the Surface Pro 6.
| Surface Pro 6 | MacBook Air (2018) | |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Quad-core Intel Core i5-8250U Quad-core Intel Core i7-8650U | 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 |
| Graphics | Intel UHD 620 | Intel UHD 617 |
| RAM | 8GB or 16GB | 8GB or 16GB |
| Display | 12.4-inch 2736 x 1824 PixelSense Display | 13.3-inch 2560 x 1600 Retina Display |
| Storage | 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB SSD | 128GB/256GB/512GB/1.5TB PCIe SSD |
| Ports | USB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort, Surface Connect, microSD, 3.5mm headset | 2 x USB-C Thunderbolt 3, 3.5mm headset |
| Price | From $799 | From $1,199 |
In terms of sheer performance, the Surface Pro 6 has the edge with a better processor and more powerful graphics. However, in reality, Mac OS and Apple's own applications are traditionally well optimized, so day to day general performance will feel very similar.
A couple of the biggest differences are just what you can do with each. The Surface Pro 6 not only has a touch display, but support for inking. Windows Ink is built into the OS and there are a bunch of great apps that make use of it. This is all something you have to get an iPad for from Apple to make use of.
The MacBook Air, by contrast, not only has USB-C, but Thunderbolt 3. Something the Surface Pro 6 notably lacks. That means not only can you use standard accessories, such as docks, displays, and Thunderbolt 3 external SSDs, but you can connect an eGPU with a full desktop graphics card in it. Mac gaming isn't necessarily why you'd want this, but for anyone working with video editing or demanding programs such as CAD, that GPU will be really helpful.
Mac Air Or Microsoft Surface 1
The Surface Pro 6 can expand its connectivity, but you'll need the Surface Dock to do it, and you won't be able to hook up an eGPU at all. It's also worth pointing out that to use the Surface Pro 6 as a laptop, you'll need to spend the extra $130 for a Type Cover.
Choosing between Mac OS and Windows 10
The biggest difference between these two, of course, is the software. Mac OS and Windows 10 have plenty in common and share a lot of the same third party apps — as well as Microsoft Office — but they're still different.
If you haven't entered Apple's ecosystem yet, and you don't have any reliance on its first-party software, such as Final Cut Pro X, then you might be better off considering the Surface Pro 6. The entry-level model is still a little above the MacBook Air on pure hardware, and it's $400 cheaper (without the Type Cover).
Mac OS is very pleasant to use, incredibly well optimized, and always performs well. It also has great software support from Microsoft, such as with the Office Suite, OneDrive, and Skype, as well as notable third-party support from the likes of Adobe and Google. Many of the same apps can be used on a Mac as on Windows 10, but you're going to pay more for the privilege.
There is, however, one more thing. Thanks to Boot Camp, you can easily install Windows 10 on the MacBook Air. The same cannot be said of doing the reverse. So, with the MacBook Air, you can have both platforms.
The choice is yours
When comparing two top devices such as this that run on different platforms, there's no easy way to say which is best. Some will just prefer Windows 10, just as some will automatically lean towards Mac OS.
The platform should be one of the top factors you consider. The other should be what you intend to do with it. The Surface Pro 6 combines the best of a tablet with the best of a powerful Windows 10 laptop. You can get it at a great price, it has a stunning design and build quality, a gorgeous display, and is one of the most flexible machines on the market.
The MacBook Air, by contrast, has plenty in its favor. It always has a keyboard and trackpad attached, it supports the new USB-C standard, and with Thunderbolt 3 connectivity can transform into a powerful desktop rig with dedicated graphics down a single cable. You can't touch the display or write on it with a pen — for that you'll need an iPad — but you can install Windows 10 if you can't decide and want the best of both worlds.
Both of these will be a great fit for your mobile computing needs, but only you can decide which makes the best fit based on their respective differences. That being said, the Surface Pro 6 is just an overall better value thanks ot its lower price, its 2-in-1 nature, and the touchscreen and inking capabilities.
Top 2-in-1
Microsoft Surface Pro 6
The best 2-in-1 you can buy today
Unless you already rely on Mac OS and its first-party software, you should consider getting the cheaper, better spec, equally stunning Surface Pro 6.
Macbook Air Or Microsoft Surface
Flexible computing
Apple MacBook Air (2018)
The MacBook Air we always wanted
Apple's most affordable laptop has everything to be your only computer, even the ability to use Windows 10. But it comes at a price.
Mac Air Or Microsoft Surface 2
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Buyer's guideIs the Surface Pro 6 a no-go for you? Here are some great alternatives
Macbook Air Or Windows Surface
If you're in the market for a new 2-in-1, but Microsoft's Surface Pro 6 isn't doing it for you, check out our picks for best Surface Pro 6 alternatives.