Our Verdict
It ’s a tough choice between the MacBook and Surface 3 Pro . Both have their impregnable points and weaknesses , but overall we ’d have to choose the MacBook . The amount of attention to detail that Apple has and the feature that the MacBook has make water it the good choice of the two . As we pronounce , it is a tough choice and really it come down to the individual and their portable computing needs . The Surface 3 Pro swash some great features including its touch screen and thinner , light-colored form factor but it just does n’t palpate comfortable to habituate over long periods of metre .
While the Microsoft Surface 3 Pro is technically a pad of paper , Microsoft claims that it can play the penury of a regular laptop user . When it was announced , it was compare a hatful to the MacBook Air . But since then , Apple has announce the MacBook – how does Apple ’s late offering compare with the claimed laptop computer killer , the Surface Pro 3 ? Read on to find out !
MacBook vs Surface 3 Pro: UK Price
Let ’s begin by comparing the prices of the MacBook and the Surface Pro 3 . The cheapest interlingual rendition of the Surface can be blame up for as little as £ 579 , but note that the initial cost does n’t include the £ 109 keyboard , so lets say the crummy Surface 3 Pro is £ 688 .
It ’s still well cheaper than the MacBook , with an introduction - grade Leontyne Price of £ 1049 – but it also has a gamy specification than the entry level Surface 3 Pro , with double the RAM and four times the storage .
permit ’s equate prices :
Model
CPU
chock up
Storage
price
12 in MacBook
1.1GHz Core M Processor
8 GB
256 GB
£ 1,049
1.2 gigahertz Core M Processor
512 sarin
£ 1,299
12 in Surface Pro 3 & keyboard
sum i3 Processor
4 GB
64 gilbert
£ 688
Core i5 Processor
128 GB
£ 878
£ 1,058
Core i7 Processor
£ 1,238
£ 1,508
As you could see that once you total on the surplus £ 109 to the Surface Pro 3 note - up , it protrude to get expensive pretty rapidly . In fact , the title of most expensive model amazingly goes to the Surface , even after the original price rent a £ 250 toll fall .
It ’s also deserving notice that the highest spec Surface only fit the spec of the MacBook , it does n’t beat it . That ’s not evoke that it ’s not deserving the extra money – with the Surface , you get a gadget that can be used as a notebookanda pad , with the add up fillip of a stylus .
Read ourcomparison review of the MacBook Air and the MacBook , find out which is the best lightweight laptop
MacBook vs Surface 3 Pro: Design
Though the purpose of the MacBook and Surface Pro 3 is quite similar , the two could n’t be any more dissimilar in footing of purpose . The MacBook is the thinnest laptop computer that Apple has ever created and is actually 24 percent thin than the MacBook Air . The MacBook cadence in at 3.5 mm at its thinnest item and 13.1 millimetre at its heavyset , a effort of invention and engineering that should n’t be disregarded .
However 9.1 mm thick-skulled Surface 3 Pro is both the thinner and lighter option of the two , weighing at only 1.76 lb equate to the 2.03 lb MacBook . However it should be pointed out that the without the Surface 3 Pro ’s Type Cover , it ’s reasonably much a tablet and some tolerance should be tolerate for the Macbook ’s non - detachable keyboard .
The Surface Pro 3 ’s Type Cover , which magnetically snaps into place , provides you with a full keyboard and racetrack launchpad . The good news is that the Type Cover is , in Microsoft ’s own news , “ one of the thinnest mechanically skillful keyboard available ” that only adds 5 mm of majority to the Surface when it ’s attached .
Like the MacBook , the Type Cover is backlit , a massive plus for work in dark environments . It ’s also available in five different people of colour : crimson , purple , blue , black or cyan – all of which compliment the black and grey-headed color scheme of the Surface Pro 3 .
The MacBook on the other manus is made from aluminium and is the first Apple laptop computer to arrive in more than one color . As with the iPad Air 2 and iPhone 6/6 Plus , the MacBook comes in a Silver , Space Grey or Gold finish .
It features a full keyboard that Apple had to completely redesign to burst . The biggest improvement to the keyboard is the inherent chemical mechanism – traditionally , keyboard employ a scissor mechanism that makes key wobble around the edges . Apple settle to reinvent the mechanism and designed the Butterfly mechanism , which is made from a stiffer material and allows for a more stable , responsive experience .
Comfort impertinent , we ’d have to say that the MacBook provides a well typing experience than the Surface Pro 3 , especially when being used on your lap . This is primarily because of the fact that the Surface Pro 3 is naturally a tab , and while it has a work up in kickstand with different angle available , it ’s just not as stable and square when sat on your overlap .
MacBook vs Surface 3 Pro: Display
Up until now , Apple fans have had to decide between an 11.6 ” screen and a 13.3 ” cover for their laptop , but that all changed with the MacBook . The MacBook boasts a 12 ” Retina display with IPS engineering and an astonishing 226 pixels per in .
The MacBook ’s widescreen display can also treat multiple firmness of purpose – as well as its default 2304×1440 resolution , other selection include 1440×900 , 1280×800 or 1024×640 .
The Surface Pro 3 also has a full HD 12 ” display with ClearType applied science built in . ClearType is Microsoft ’s answer to sub - pixel render technology , which aims to ameliorate the appearance of text edition on projection screen but give colour accuracy at the same time . The resolving power of the Surface Pro 3 is slightly smaller than that of the MacBook too , at 2160×1440 and 216ppi .
While the shrill and bright retina display of the MacBook beats that of the Surface Pro 3 , it does support multi - touch comment , which the MacBook does n’t . We ’ve often sample to intercept the show of the MacBook intellection that it was touchscreen enable , so the touchscreen capacity of the Surface Pro 3 is a neat feature to have .
The touchscreen also enable stylus use , which Microsoft has also thought about . While a style for the MacBook would be a jolly useless accessary , Microsoft offers its own branded stylus , the Surface Pen . The Surface Pen is a bombardment - power stylus that you could use with the touchscreen for more precise input – a huge fillip , especially for graphic designers and the like .
MacBook vs Surface 3 Pro: Processor & performance
While we mentioned the processor hurrying when discussing pricing , here ’s a good look at the internals of both the MacBook and the Surface 3 Pro .
The MacBook has two model available . you could choose for the £ 1049 introduction - stratum MacBook that boasts a 1.1GHz dual - Congress of Racial Equality Intel Core M Processor with a Turbo Boost up to 2.4GHz , with the option of being kick upstairs to a 1.3GHz two-fold - core Intel Core M CPU with a Turbo Boost up to 2.9GHz . The entry level MacBook also has 256 GB of PCIe - based on - board flashgun storage .
If that ’s not enough bang for your dollar , the £ 1299 MacBook offers a 1.2GHz dual - core Intel Core M Processor with Turbo Boost up to 2.9GHz that ’s also configurable to a 1.3GHz dual - core Intel Core M Processor with the same Turbo Boost , giving it up to 2.9GHz of processing force . The £ 1299 MacBook also comes with more memory than the submission - level role model , boasting 512 GB of PCIe - based on - display board fanfare storage .
The Surface Pro 3 is useable in five configurations , starting at £ 688 for a 64 GB mental ability , 4th propagation Intel i3 powered Surface with 4 GB RAM all the way up to £ 1,508 for a 512 GB capacity , fourth propagation Intel i7 power Surface with 8 GB RAM .
MacBook vs Surface 3 Pro: Software
The MacBook will of course melt Apple ’s recent OS , OS X Yosemite , software system that act upon hand in hired hand with other iOS products . OS X Yosemite afford you admittance to the Mac App Store , as well as other nonrational features , including the ability to make and receive calls / texts from your iPhone flat on your Mac .
Unlike Apple ’s tablets that run a unique OS , the Surface Pro 3 runs a full adaptation of Windows 8.1 Pro , which is design to be used with a touchscreen . It fundamentally allows you to instal and employ screen background programs , such as Photoshop or Microsoft Word , on a tablet .
MacBook vs Surface 3 Pro: Battery life
In terms of battery life , both Apple and Microsoft claim that their several products will last around 9 hours when wirelessly browsing the web . Of naturally , this will deviate depending on what ’s run – using C.P.U. hungry programs will cause the battery to drain a fortune faster .
Interestingly , Apple claimed that its MacBook Air would last around 12 hours on a single charge but would often last longer , which makes us marvel whether the MacBook will follow in the Air ’s step .
MacBook vs Surface 3 Pro: Camera and connectivity
Connectivity wise , both the MacBook and the Surface Pro 3 offer Wi - Fi 802.11ac but are also compatible with 802.11a / b / g / n. They also both have Bluetooth 4.0 tuner engineering , but that ’s where the similarities stop .
The MacBook has a single USB - speed of light port . Just one . The good news is that USB - C has been specifically designed to be able to cover level , video production and datum transfer all at once . Pretty impressive hooey , correct ? The forged newsworthiness is that the redesigned USB - cytosine embrasure mean that adapters will be require if you want to plug away in any USB 2.0/3.0 devices .
In regards to the camera , the new MacBook has a rather underwhelming 480p FaceTime photographic camera just above its screen . It ’s interesting to note that Apple chose to use a 480p camera when a 720p FaceTime HD television camera is available on middling much every other current Apple laptop and desktop .
The Surface Pro 3 by all odds comes out on top when it comes to television camera , boasting not only one but two HD cameras – one on the front , one on the back . The resolution is practiced than that of the MacBook too , with both camera boasting 5MP sensor . This intend that Skype video calls , selfie taking and general camera utilization should be an all around better experience on the Surface Pro 3 .
See also : New 12 in MacBook hands on review
