Comparison of Microsoft's New Compact Surface Devices with MacBook Air and iPad Pro
Get ready to wrap your hands around some new, pocket-friendly Surface devices from Microsoft. They've dropped the banhammer on two budget-friendly gadgets—the 12-inch Surface Pro and the 13-inch Surface Laptop—that bring a lighter, less expensive alternative to the Surface world, squaring off against the Apple MacBook Air and iPad Pro.
Cutbacks and Adjustments
Microsoft trimmed down both devices to fit smaller screens, reduced resolution, and booted certain components to keep costs low. The 13-inch laptop boasts an ocean, violet, or platinum finish, but the panel's resolution plummets from 2304 x 1536 to 1920 x 1280, lacking HDR, and the refresh rate sags from 120Hz to a mere 60Hz.
The 12-inch Pro, on the other hand, skips the default keyboard and redesigned the Surface keyboard to lay flat instead of at an angle. Plus, the Surface Pen will now wirelessly charge on the back of the Pro itself rather than via a dedicated slot. The display refresh rate also dropped from 120Hz to 90Hz, but the resolution remains steady at 2196 x 1464.
These devices are now built around the 8-Core Snapdragon X Plus chip from Qualcomm, which means two fewer cores than their previous versions. They come with a standard 16GB of RAM, but the storage is a mere 256GB, upgradeable to 512GB if you're willing to fork over more cash. Farewell to the Surface Connect ports, replaced with standard USB-C 3.2 ports, adding flexibility but increasing trip hazards.
Going Head-to-Head with Apple
On paper, Apple's alternatives edge out these new Surface devices, but with one caveat. The display department shows a marked difference.
Apple offers better features and higher resolutions, with the MacBook boasting a 2560 x 1664 resolution (Limited to 60Hz) and the iPad Pro rocking a sharp 2420 x 1668 resolution (with OLED and a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz). Meanwhile, despite the Surface Pro's shrinking to a 12-inch chassis, the iPad Pro nearly matches its price while also offering a more performant chip.
One significant factor favors the Surface Pro over prior iterations: they've ditched the fans, just like the MacBook Air and iPad Pro. However, the 13-inch Surface Laptop still retains the annoying vents from the previous version.
Slashing Prices
Microsoft's ultimate goal here is to keep prices as low as possible, and these compromises certainly bring savings. Starting prices for these devices fall below $1,000 and even undercut the MacBook Air and iPad Pro. The 13-inch laptop starts at $899, and the 12-inch Pro goes for $799. The entry-level MacBook Air retails for $999 for the 13-inch version and $1,199 for the 15-inch model, while the iPad Pro starts at $999 for the 11-inch version and $1,299 for the 13-inch upgrade.
But beware: both Apple and Microsoft devices get fairly pricey with upgrades. For example, the iPad Pro starts at $999 for the 11-inch version, while the pricier 13-inch version goes for $1,299. The Surface Laptop and Pro won't cost you much more to bump up the storage, but Apple devices clock in some hefty price hikes when upgrading storage or other features.
In the end, the classic PC vs. Mac dilemma comes down to price vs. performance. The Surface lineup has never been more affordable, but there are undeniable sacrifices to keep in mind with those reduced costs. Fortunately, the rest of Microsoft's Surface lineup is still in the game, so if you're prepared to pay up, you'll be able to find more powerful alternatives to Apple devices.
Order the 13-inch Surface Laptop and the 12-inch Surface Pro now from your favorite retailer, including Amazon, Best Buy, and Microsoft, with both devices due for delivery on May 20th.
- In the tech arena, the Microsoft Surface Pro and Surface Laptop, with their reduced costs, are directly competing against the Apple MacBook Air and iPad Pro.
- The 12-inch Surface Pro, despite its smaller size, has similar specifications as the iPad Pro, both offering competitive price points.
- Microsoft's tech gadgets, such as the 13-inch Surface Laptop and 12-inch Surface Pro, now retail at prices lower than the MacBook Air and iPad Pro MSRP of $1,464.
- The technology race between Microsoft Surface devices and Apple MacBooks continues, with each offering unique advantages and compromises based on the desired balance between price and performance.
