Compare Microsoft’s New, Smaller Surface Devices to the MacBook Air and IPad Pro
Yesterday, Microsoft announced a pair of ultraportable Surface devices, both of which are quite different from their predecessors. There’s a creatively named 13-inch Surface Laptop that’s downsized from the 13.8-inch previous model, as well as a new Surface Pro version that shrinks from 13 inches to 12 inches. Like the rest of the Surface lineup, both could compete in the same market as Apple’s MacBook Air, which comes in 13-inch and 15-inch variants, and the latter could potentially even replace the iPad Pro, which hovers in a similar price range. The trick this time? In addition to being smaller, they are also cheaper.
Compromises
Along with reducing the size and price of these new Surface devices, Microsoft has also trimmed down their specs a bit. Available in metallic ocean blue, purple or platinum, the 13-inch laptop drops the previous version’s resolution from 2304 x 1536 to 1920 x 1280 to accommodate the smaller display. The panel also lacks HDR, and the refresh rate has dropped from 120Hz to 60Hz.
Notably, the 12-inch Pro model also doesn’t include a keyboard by default, although that’s not entirely unique to the Surface Pro. The Surface keyboard has also been redesigned, and while it still connects magnetically, it lies flat rather than at an angle. Additionally, Microsoft has ditched the included Surface Pen slot, which will now attach and charge directly to the back of the Surface Pro itself. Finally, the Pro display has also dropped its refresh rate slightly, dropping to 90Hz from 120Hz, although it retains a 2196 x 1464 resolution.
Also gone from both Surface models are the convenient Surface Connect ports with magnetic attachment points, replaced by standard USB-C 3.2 ports. While this means fewer proprietary cables, it also means there’s a danger of tripping over the cord and instead of the cable being easily unplugged, you end up dragging the entire laptop to the floor.
Finally, on the internals, both new Surface devices are powered by Qualcomm’s octa-core Snapdragon X Plus chip. They lose two cores compared to previous default models. Both also come with a decent 16GB of RAM by default, albeit a rather meager 256GB of internal storage, with the option to double that to 512GB (default on previous models) if you’re willing to pay for the privilege.
Will these budget Surface models be able to compete with Apple?
Generally, when it comes to raw specs, Apple’s alternatives are superior to the new Surface versions, with one caveat. Let’s start with the displays.
Here Apple has more features and supports higher resolutions. The MacBook’s Liquid Retina panel offers HDR at 2560 x 1664 resolution, although it’s also limited to a 60Hz refresh rate. Meanwhile, although the 11-inch iPad Pro model is smaller than the 12-inch Surface Pro, it has a crisp 2420 x 1668 resolution (which can go up to 2752 x 2064 on the 13-inch version), an OLED display , and a variable refresh rate that tops out at 120Hz.
When it comes to performance, while the Snapdragon chip in the new Surfaces is certainly efficient, it can’t match Apple’s M4 chip that powers the latest iPad Pro and MacBook Air. It lags in both single-core and multi-core performance, so Apple devices have a clear advantage for those who prioritize power.
But one major difference between the two Surface devices is how they’re cooled, which offers at least one improvement over previous Surface iterations. Like the MacBook Air and iPad Pro, the smaller 12-inch Pro is completely fanless, and the more thermally efficient processor has also allowed Microsoft to remove the vents found in the previous Pro version. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the 13-inch Surface Laptop, which still has fans.
Lower prices
Microsoft’s goal with these new models seems to be to keep prices as low as possible, so these compromises do add up to savings, and that’s where the PC beats the Mac.
Starting prices for these models drop below $1,000 and, most importantly, below the suggested retail price of the MacBook Air and iPad Pro. The 13-inch Surface Laptop starts at $899 and the 12-inch Surface Pro starts at $799, while the base MacBook Air retails for $999 for the 13-inch model and $1,199 for the 15-inch model. Meanwhile, the iPad Pro starts at $999 for the 11-inch version and $1,299 for the 13-inch version. If price is a factor, the new Surface line may be best for you, but keep in mind that the difference between the base price of a Surface Laptop and a MacBook Air is only $100.
However, modernization comes at a cost on both sides. Again, adding a keyboard to the 12-inch Pro will add another $150 to your price, and increasing the storage to 512GB will increase the price by another $100, meaning you’re looking at $1,049 for the full package. Likewise, the 13-inch laptop costs another $100 if you want to upgrade the storage to 512GB, for a total of $999. But upgrading almost any aspect of one of Apple’s devices also comes at a cost; for example, going from 256GB to 512GB of Ether storage will immediately add $200 to the price.
So, as is often the case when comparing PCs and Macs, the question ultimately comes down to price/performance. Surface is more fuel-efficient than ever, but there are trade-offs to consider with those savings. Luckily, the rest of Microsoft’s Surface lineup is still available, so if you pay up, you can find better-performing alternatives to Apple’s machines.
The 13-inch Surface Laptop is available for pre-order from Amazon , Microsoft and other retailers. The 12-inch Surface Pro is also available for pre-order at Best Buy , Microsoft and Amazon , with both models beginning to ship on May 20.