Ever since Microsoft decided to join the laptop circus, it has begun a rivalry with Apple. With the release of the latter's new MacBook Pros, it was inevitable to compare it to Microsoft's Surface Book.
We pit the two flagship laptops against each other.
Design
The 2016 MacBook Pro is lighter and even thinner than its predecessors. The stylish yet minimalist metal look remains. The biggest difference is the larger touchpad.
The new Surface book also did not change much as compared to its previous model. Unfortunately, this means it still doesn't close entirely because of its hinge. The good thing about the Surface Book is that the screen can still be detached and used as a tablet.
Measurements
Apple's latest flagship notebook measures 13.3 and 15.4 inches. The former weighs 3 lbs while the latter weighs 4 lbs. The width of both sizes is 0.6 inches.
The Surface Book measures 13.5 inches, has a 0.9 inch width, and weighs 3.3 to 3.6 lbs.
Display
The 13-inch MacBook Pro comes with a 2,560 x 1,600 pixel resolution while the 15-inch version has 2,880 x 1,800 resolution. It has a new feature - the Touch Bar - to replace the tradition function keys. The Touch Bar allows the user to get that touch screen feel without compromising the screen itself.
The Surface Book's resolution is a lot higher at 3,000 x 2,000 pixels. The display is a full touch screen, is detachable, and may be used as a tablet.
Processor
Both laptops can utilize either Intel Core i5 or i7. Apple used Integrated Intel Iris Graphics 540 while Microsoft went with either Nvidia GTX 965M GPU or Intel HD graphics.
Battery Life
The Surface Book takes this one clearly with a battery life of 12 to 16 hours. The MacBook Pro's battery lasts for only ten hours.
Storage and Memory
The winner is the 15-inch MacBook Pro which has a 2TB SSD. The 13-inch version and the Surface Book come in 256GB, 512GB and 1TB.
Both brands come with 8GB and 16GB of RAM.
Ports
For many, Apple took a dive with this one. The new MacBook Pro ditched the traditional ports leaving four USB-C ports. Those who purchase the MacBook Pro will also need to buy dongles for their other hardware. Apple also got rid of the SD card reader.
The Surface Book kept the traditional ports and the SD card reader.
Price
The 15-inch MacBook Pro i7 (16GB of RAM) featuring the Touch Bar is worth $2,399.
The Surface Book i7 (256GB SSD, and 8GB of RAM) also costs $2,399. The 1TB and 16GB RAM version of the Surface Book is worth $3,299.
