Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Cover
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Vs Macbook Air

Can both be the best? We’ve remarked that the Microsoft Surface Pro has the perfect mix of power and portability housed in the best hardware on the market; while the 2016 Apple MacBook outperforms its spec sheet, and features world-class engineering and design.

Both are expensive. The new MacBook carries the “Apple premium,” costing $1299 as of this writing, while the Surface Pro 4 starts at $899, and the Surface Type Cover adds $130 or $150 to the total.

The Surface Pro 4 is 0.33 inches thick, which bests the Surface Pro 3. Otherwise, an open MacBook Air has a height of 8.94 inches and a width of 12.8 inches, whereas the Surface Pro 4 in Portrait. Surface Book vs. MacBook Pro: Why Microsoft Wins. Freedman 23 June 2017. The Surface Pro 7 and MacBook Pro aren't exactly in direct competition. Microsoft has a Surface Laptop 3 that is a more traditional laptop. For what it's worth, many of the benefits highlighted in. While Apple's offerings are true laptops with a few mobile-inspired perks, Microsoft bills the Surface Pro 4 as a tablet that can replace your laptop. 13-inch MacBook Pro (2016) vs. In comparing the Surface Pro 4 with the MacBook Air 13', Microsoft is committing the cardinal sin of failing to compare like with like. The MacBook Air is a laptop, while the Surface Pro is a tablet.

Both are arguably the two best travel machines on the market for their respective operating systems, and both can easily function as daily drivers in a pinch. But potential buyers without the deepest of deep pockets will have to make a choice between these two bests. So which is it, the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 or 2016 Apple MacBook?

We’ve called Intel Core m machines everything from impossibly light to absurdly thin, so what more can we say about the 2016 Apple MacBook?

From the chassis to the lid, keyboard, touchpad, display, and hinges, it all comes together seamlessly to create an eye-catching notebook. It feels great too, consistent and solid, with no salient weak points. It’s cool to the touch, thanks to its aluminum that completely resists fingerprints, smudges, and minor scuffs; and it measures 11.04 x 7.74 x .14-.52 inches (W x D x H) while weighing 2.03 pounds.

It’s also one of the few laptops users can open easily with one hand. That’s a small but important detail, and the kind of thing that distinguishes Apple products.

The Surface Pro 4 we reviewed sported the same Core m processor and was fanless, but Microsoft offers it with various Core i configurations. This means that regardless of whether or not it needs it, the Pro 4 has room for a fan. For an idea of how thin a Core m surface could be otherwise, check out the Samsung Galaxy TabPro S.

Fan or no fan, it’s still the best-built tablet for our money:

The Surface Pro 4 measures 11.5 x 7.93 x .33 inches and weighs either 1.69 (Core m3) or 1.73 (Core i) pounds (the Type Cover adds 0.19 inches and 64 pounds).

The Surface Pro 4 kickstand is one of the best design innovations.

Like all Surfaces before it, it’s a remarkably well-built machine. We’ve long claimed that Surface hardware is the best on the market, and that still stands. The Surface Pro 4 has the same magnesium build as its predecessors and it feels solid, with no flex. Judging how well the old Surface models we have in the office have held up with frequent abuse, we are confident the Pro 4 will handle the rigors of daily use very well.

In addition, the new Surface Pro has the same excellent kickstand as the Pro 3, which still stands as one of the best design innovations of the past five years. New to the Pro 4 is a magnetic strip on the left short edge that serves as a Surface Pen dock.

Bottom Line: This is an apples and oranges comparison. The MacBook is a strict laptop, while the Surface Pro is a tablet that doubles as a 2-in-1 with its separately-sold keyboard cover. Even with the Surface Type Cover, the 2016 Apple MacBook is a superior piece of hardware. This is especially evident with its hinge. It’s an odd comment, but opening and closing the MacBook lid reveals its quality through the hinge’s consistency and perfect amount of resistance.

Ports & Inputs

The Apple MacBook has just two inputs: a USB Type-C that serves double duty for charging and data, and a 3.5mm audio input. The USB Type-C does not support Thunderbolt.

The 2016 Apple MacBook has a single USB Type-C input.

The Microsoft Surface Pro 4 has a full-sized USB 3.0 input, Mini DisplayPort, proprietary charger, and microSD card slot, in addition to a smart connector for the Surface Type Cover.

Bottom Line: This is a no-brainer. The Pro 4 has the more complete selection of inputs and is a better product for it. The single USB Type-C input is the Apple MacBook’s biggest liability.

Yes, USB Type-C is the near future and the Pro 4 should have it (during the transition, all premium products should have both USB types), but USB Type-C accessories, especially expansion hubs, are needlessly expensive. Users can outfit a Pro 4 with addition USB inputs and an Ethernet port for less than the cost of Amazon shipping, while Apple users are forced to shell out outrageous sums upwards of $80. Part of this is because third-party Apple accessories are always finicky, forcing users to pay the Apple premium straight from Cupertino, while Windows 10 USB accessories are abundant, generally reliable, and cheap.

Also, let’s not understate the importance of removable storage. While the cloud handles most photo needs, it’s not ubiquitous. Getting photos off a digital camera and onto a Surface Pro 4 for editing or storage with a microSD card or inexpensive SD-to-USB adapter is much easier (and cheaper) than getting them on the 2016 MacBook.

Display

The Surface Pro 4 display is excellent at resisting glare.

The Surface Pro 4 PixelSense LED display measures 12.3 inches corner to corner, with a 2736 x 1824 resolution, which results in a 3:2 aspect ratio and 267 pixels per inch. It supports up to 10 touch points and the N-trig-based Surface Pen. It’s covered in Gorilla Glass 4 and does a stellar job shirking off glare. Its colors are accurate with high levels of contrast, making a pleasant viewing experience. It’s maybe the best on the market.

The Apple MacBook 2016 display is no slouch. It’s a 12-inch IPS panel with a 2304 x 1440 resolution, resulting in a 16:10 aspect ratio and 226 pixels per inch. Its colors tend to the warmer tones, and its sharp details impress, as does its contrast. This is another panel that resists glare very well.

Just like every MacBook that preceded it, the Apple MacBook does not have a touch-enabled display.

Bottom Line: The Surface Pro 4 is the superior display. A side-by-side comparison reveals that it’s sharper, with slightly better imaging and color reproduction. Otherwise, glare resistance and contrast are close to equal.

The lack of a touchscreen really sets the MacBook back. As we wrote in the MacBook 2016 review:

Even though Mac OSX El Capitan is not as touch-friendly as Windows 10, this is still a liability. Touch is fundamental to device navigation these days, and Apple’s reluctance to embrace it for MacBooks is confounding.

Microsoft also gets points for its Surface Pen support. This is a must-have for digital artists, and even novice inkers will find it useful for quick-launching Cortana and OneNote, and for scribbling down memos.

Keyboard & Touchpad

The MacBook’s keys are spacious, but lack adequate travel.

The Microsoft Type Cover is sold separately for $130, or $150 with a fingerprint ID sensor. It adheres securely via the Pro 4’s magnetic smart connector, and serves double duty as a display cover. It’s one of the best mobile keyboards on the market, with a sloped design that makes for comfortable typing. The 78 large, island style keys have ample spacing and approximately 1.3mm of travel. The adjustable backlighting is a nice touch, and the keyboard is surprisingly quiet.

The Type Cover’s smooth touchpad doesn’t match the keyboard’s quality. It’s a single piece, like the Type Cover touchpads before it, and not as responsive as it should be. The same can be said for the fingerprint ID. It rarely works on the first press, and sometimes not at all.

The Apple MacBook 2016 also has a 78-key backlit keyboard, and the keys are nicely sized and spaced. Apple employs a unique butterfly mechanism underneath each to provide a crisp and consistent snap. Unfortunately, they only have about .5mm of travel, which is not nearly enough (in fact, the Pro 4’s 1.3mm is barely enough). Keys bottom out harshly, which makes f

Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Vs Mac