MacBook Pro 2016 vs. Microsoft Surface Book: Battle of High-End Laptops; MacBook Rumors and Specs Compared
How Will the Rumored Specs of the 2016 Version of MacBook Pro Fare Against the Surface Book?
Microsoft certainly shook the market of high-end laptops when the tech giant released the Surface Book last year. With Apple lagging not far behind with its top of the line laptop offerings, how will the new MacBook Pro 2016's rumored specs stack up against Microsoft's beast?
Design and Form Factor
The flat, futuristic design of the Surface Book is made of forged magnesium alloy that gives off a very premium and solid feel to the device.
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However, rumors are scarce regarding the new MacBook's body, so it is most likely to just continue the form factor of the latest MacBook Pro. One rumor suggests that the new MacBook Pro design will feature shallow curves around the edges, giving the device a sleeker overall look.
Nonetheless, both these devices offer materials of the highest standard and top of the class body chassis.
Both designs are simplistic in nature. No flashy features are manifested between the two. However, the more rugged feel of the Surface Book gives it an advantage over the seemingly delicate MacBook Pro. With both laptops marketed toward the professionals, being on-the-go should always be the priority.
Hardware Features
The Surface Book packs features that the MacBook Pro, regardless of version, just can't pull off. Being a 2-in-1 device, the touchscreen display of the Surface Book also functions as a tablet. It could also detach from the keyboard body to operate freely. In this tablet mode, the user may then use the Surface Pen to interact with the device more precisely.
These Surface Book features are then answered by the MacBook through its new rumored interesting innovations. An OLED strip capable of touch interaction will sit above the keyboard of the new MacBook. This strip will effectively replace the F keys of the standard keyboard, which will then be customizable for the user. There may also be a Touch ID functionality infused to the power button, so secure login will automatically activate upon logging in.
Performance
The tablet portion of the Surface Book packs an Intel HD Graphics chipset along with a sixth generation i5 or i7 Intel Skylake processor. Docking it to the main keyboard body will increase storage, along with an additional Nvidia Geforce GPU. This chipset setup would be similar to the rumored MacBook Pro 2016 which will be sporting the Intel Skylake processors as well. On the graphics side, AMD's Polaris lineup will be utilized by Apple.
Software
Comparing the operating systems between the two will be nowhere near objective, as working environments differ depending on need, productivity, adaptability, and usability. Whatever platform the consumer is using, both the Windows 10 in the Surface Book and macOS Sierra on the MacBook Pro 2016 will surely deliver maximum performance from the devices.
