Apple MacBook Pro 2017 vs. Microsoft Surface Laptop: Which Device to Choose?
Apple and Microsoft recently unveiled their latest laptop offerings in the form of the MacBook Pro 2017 and Surface Laptop, respectively. Both devices come with an impressive set of specifications and features. The pricing is not too far off either, which means it comes down to what users need for their next notebook companion.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop and the MacBook Pro 2017, at least the 13-inch version, which is the most popular to users, have virtually the same dimension although the former is slightly lighter despite having a bigger display.
The MacBook Pro 2017 comes with a 13.3-inch display while the Microsoft Surface Laptop is a little bigger at 13.5 inches. On paper, the former should offer better visual quality with its 2,560 x 1,600 native resolution at 227 pixels per inch (ppi).
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The latter boasts 2,256 x 1,504 native resolution at 201 ppi, but it does have a touch display, which some users might want to take into account. What it does not have is a Touch Bar, a feature Apple introduced but was made exclusive to the higher-end model of the new MacBook Pro.
In terms of the processing power, both the MacBook Pro 2017 will come with the seventh-generation Intel processors in i5 and i7 cores. They both come with 8 GB and 16 GB of random-access memory (RAM) although the Microsoft Surface Laptop also has a 4 GB model. The devices also come with 128 GB, 256 GB and 512 GB solid-state drive (SSD) configurations.
The MacBook Pro 2017 houses an Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 as well as the Microsoft Surface Laptop with the i7 processor. The one with the i5 comes with the last-generation Intel HD Graphics 620.
When it comes to the ports, there is not much to go around with Microsoft's offering, which only comes with one USB 3.0 full-size port and one Mini DisplayPort.
The MacBook Pro 2017, on the other hand, include a couple of Thunderbolt/USB-C ports on the model with no Touch Bar while there are two pairs of it in the one with the Touch Bar.
With regard to the keyboard, users are getting a full-size backlit keyboard complete with ambient light sensor and a Force Touch trackpad on the MacBook Pro 2017. The Microsoft Surface Laptop, on the other hand, will sport a LED-back Alcantara fabric-covered keyboard.
As far as battery life goes, Microsoft's laptop appears to be the winner with the company promising 14.5 hours of video playback, which is a lot more compared with MacBook Pro 2017's 10 hours.
With regard to the price tag, which could make or break the deal for users, the entry-level version of the Microsoft Surface Laptop with 4 GB of RAM, 128 GB SSD and Intel i5 processor is at $999.
The version with double the RAM and the storage is at $1,299, which is the same pricing as the MacBook Pro 2017 model with 8 GB of RAM, 128 GB SSD and Intel i5.
The premium model of the Microsoft Surface Laptop with 16 GB of RAM, 512 GB SSD and Intel i7 processor comes with a $2199 price tag. The MacBook Pro 2017 with 8 GB of RAM, 512 GB SSD, Intel i7 processor, a Touch Bar and Intel Iris Plus Graphics 650 is priced at $1,999.
