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Surface Laptop 7 vs MacBook Air M3: OVERVIEW
Last update on 2024-12-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon.
Surface Laptop 7
With its all-new design, Microsoft’s Surface Laptop 7 comes with a haptic touchpad and less bezels. Furthermore, rather than the more recognizable Intel chip you might anticipate from a conventional Surface notebook, this laptop also has Snapdragon X Elite or Snapdragon X Plus chips.
For
Against
MacBook Air M3
The incredibly powerful CPU, lightweight, thin design, and excellent battery life that this laptop series is known for are all included in Apple’s M3 MacBook Air. There’s nothing better than an M3 MacBook Air if you’re searching for a portable Mac that doesn’t sacrifice power.
For
Against
Given the popularity of Apple and Surface in the laptop market, you may find yourself gravitating toward them while looking for a new laptop. It can be difficult to decide between Apple’s most recent Surface Laptop 7 vs MacBook Air M3, though, if you don’t have strong opinions regarding operating systems. Which gadget might be the best fit for you?
Fortunately, we have the definitive Surface Laptop 7 vs MacBook Air M3 comparison right here to help.
Surface Laptop 7 vs MacBook Air M3: Specs & Configurations
Surface Laptop 7 Key Specs
MacBook Air M3 Key Specs
There are 13-inch and 15-inch class variants of these computers. The 13.8-inch Surface Laptop 7 variant comes with a 256GB SSD, 16GB of RAM, and a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus CPU. However, the M3 MacBook Air only has 8GB of RAM out of the box. A comparable MacBook Air outfitted with 256GB of storage and 16GB of RAM. However, it should be noted that upgrading with two more GPU cores comes with adding the extra memory.
To increase the storage to 1TB or double it to 512GB, both firms require an additional fee. This indicates that the Surface Laptop 7 is typically less expensive than the MacBook Air. The only drawback is that switching from the Snapdragon X Plus to the Snapdragon X Elite costs money, albeit it’s still less expensive than the MacBook Air.
- LEAN. MEAN. M3 MACHINE — With a powerful 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU, the blazing-fast MacBook...
- BUILT FOR APPLE INTELLIGENCE—Apple Intelligence is the personal intelligence system that...
- PORTABLE DESIGN — Lightweight and under half an inch thin, so you can take MacBook Air...
Last update on 2024-12-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon.
Surface Laptop 7 vs MacBook Air M3: Design
Continue reading if you are not a slave to any one operating system. The latest edition of the Surface Laptop doesn’t significantly alter the design that has always made it a competitive option to the MacBook Air.
As with the Surface Pro, Microsoft no longer uses the designated model name. It belongs to Microsoft’s new Copilot+ line of notebooks, which highlights artificial intelligence, and is dubbed the Surface Laptop 7th Edition. I’ll call it the Surface Laptop from now on, though, because it has a number of upgrades over the previous model. There are four colors available for this all-aluminum laptop: Platinum, Black, Sapphire, and Dune. It also has a smaller display bezel. This sleek, lightweight laptop has a slight inclination at the sides and is ultramodern.
With a much blockier design intended to convey elegance and simplicity, the MacBook Air adheres to Apple’s most recent aesthetic. It includes a controversial notch that houses the webcam and Face ID circuitry, and its bezels aren’t quite as slim, particularly on the bottom chin.
Both laptops are stylish and among the best-built models on the market right now. The MacBook Air 13 is incredibly small at 0.44 inches and slightly lighter at 2.7 pounds, whilst the Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch variant is rather thin and light at 0.69 inches and 2.96 pounds. The MacBook Air 15 weighs 3.3 pounds and is only 0.45 inches thick, whereas the Surface Laptop 7 weighs 3.67 pounds and is 0.72 inches thick hard deck and haptic touchpad.
Surface Laptop 7 vs MacBook Air M3: Keyboards & Touchpads
One of the best keyboards available is Apple’s Magic Keyboard, which is included with the MacBook Air 13. Large keycaps with plenty of key space and light, responsive switches are features of this device. If the redesigned Surface Book keyboard lives up to the high standards set by the previous iteration, it will rank among the greatest laptop keyboards. The Surface keyboard switches have always been precise and pleasant, and it has greater travel with an equally roomy layout. We won’t be able to assess the newest keyboard until after our review.
Editor’s Choice
Both laptops include haptic touchpads. As good as it has always been, the Force Touch touchpad on the MacBook Air 13 provides amazing precision and responsiveness in addition to a whole new level of access to additional functions. Redesigned and larger haptic touchpad is a characteristic of the Surface Laptop 7. The larger model has more vacant space surrounding the palm rests even though the touchpads on the 15- and 13.8-inch models are the same size. Larger and more generously sized is the touchpad on the 15-inch MacBook Air.
The display on the Surface Laptop is capable of both touch and pen input, an attribute that the MacBook Air 13’s display lacks.
Surface Laptop 7 vs MacBook Air M3: Features
The Surface Laptop features a Surface Connect port for charging, two USB-C/USB4 ports, a USB-A 3.1 port, and a 3.5mm audio jack. The MacBook Air M3 contains two Thunderbolt 3 compatible USB-C/USB4 ports, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a MagSafe 3 charging connector. With no compatibility for legacy devices, this makes the MacBook Air marginally more contemporary. Though the MacBook Air M3 can connect to two when the lid is closed and just one when the internal display is on, the Surface Laptop 7 can connect to three 4K external screens.
The Surface Laptop 7 has improved wireless connectivity with support for Bluetooth 5.4 and Wi-Fi 7. Only Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 are compatible with the MacBook Air M3.
- [This is a Copilot+ PC] — A new AI era begins. Experience enhanced performance and AI...
- [Introducing Surface Laptop] — Power, speed, and touchscreen versatility with AI features....
- [Exceptional Performance] — Surface Laptop delivers faster performance than the MacBook Air...
Last update on 2024-12-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon.
Each laptop includes a 1080p webcam, and the Surface Laptop 7 supports Neural Processing Units (NPUs) for a variety of AI functions, including automatic framing, background blurring, creative filters, and more from Microsoft Studio Effects. Although the MacBook Air M3 includes a neural engine, further information regarding its AI capabilities will probably be revealed during Apple’s next WWDC presentation.
The MacBook Air M3 just has a Touch ID fingerprint reader, whereas the Surface Laptop 7 has an infrared camera for Windows 11 Hello facial recognition.
Surface Laptop 7 vs MacBook Air M3: Performance
The switch from Intel to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X chipsets is the biggest improvement to the new Surface Laptop. The new chipsets, which are based on the ARM architecture like Qualcomm’s, perform on par with the Apple Silicon M3 chipsets used in the MacBook Air. The 10-core Snapdragon X Plus and the 12-core Snapdragon X Elite are the two Snapdragon X versions. CPU core count on the M3 chipset is eight. Leaked benchmarks indicate that while the Snapdragon X Plus may run at roughly the same pace as the Snapdragon X Elite, the latter performs faster in Geekbench 6.
Although the initial testing appears encouraging, we won’t know which is quicker until Qualcomm’s chipset has undergone official benchmark testing. Both laptops should be quite fast for work users; however, it’s unclear how well they will perform in creative apps. The Qualcomm Adreno GPU, which powers the Snapdragon X processor, may be marginally slower than the 8 or 10 core GPU of the M3, but that is still up for debate. It should be noted that the MacBook Air lacks fans, whereas the Surface Laptop 7 does. Although the MacBook runs quietly as a result, sustained performance may be limited more than with the Surface Laptop.
Apple refers to the Neural Processing Units (NPUs) in both laptops as the Neural Engine. Apple states that the M3 attains 18 TOPS, however Qualcomm claims 45 trillion operations per second (TOPS). Until Apple introduces a MacBook Air with the M4 chipset, which Apple claims hits 38 TOPS, the Surface Laptop 7 will have better on-device AI performance if these figures are identical. To be certain, though, we’ll need to wait for the results of our formal testing.
Surface Laptop 7 vs MacBook Air M3: Display & Audio
With a 3:2 aspect ratio, the Surface Laptop 7 comes in two display sizes: 13.8 inches and 15 inches. Only marginally less sharp than the MacBook Air’s 13.6-inch 2560 by 1664 and 15.3-inch 2880 by 1864 displays are the 13.8-inch and 15-inch displays, respectively, at 2304 by 1536 and 2496 by 1664. The MacBook Air’s screens can only run at 60Hz, however the Surface Laptop displays can run at 120Hz. Both types of displays are IPS.
Although the IPS panels on Microsoft Surface laptops are fantastic, they are thinner and less accurate in terms of color than those on MacBook Air laptops. Brightness and contrast have been comparable. Thus, we’re excited to test the display on the Surface Laptop.
The MacBook Air M3 13-inch boasts a superior four-speaker audio system compared to most of its competitors, while the 15-inch model features the same force-cancelling woofers and six speakers as the more costly MacBook Pros. Right now, the laptop audio is the greatest on the market. The Omnisonic speakers of the Surface Laptop 7 project through the keyboard. Although not as good as on the MacBook Air, the system’s audio performance was decent in earlier incarnations.
Surface Laptop 7 vs MacBook Air M3: Portability
Both the 13- and 15-inch models of these laptops are incredibly portable. Nonetheless, the MacBook Air M3, which is significantly lighter than the Surface Laptop 7 and thinner than any other laptop on the market, is the most portable of them all.
According to Microsoft, you can watch local videos on the 13.8-inch Surface Laptop 7 for up to 20 hours and browse the web actively for up to 13 hours, while the 15-inch model can do the same for up to 22 hours and 15 hours. The MacBook Air M3 13-inch proved to be much more durable than the Surface Laptop 7 throughout our tests, with 19.5 hours of online browsing recorded.
We’ll be curious to see the results of our tests, as extended battery life is the main justification for Windows on ARM. It’s probable that compared to the Surface Laptop 7, the MacBook Air M3 will continue to lead the market in efficiency and offer noticeably longer battery life.
Surface Laptop 7 vs MacBook Air M3: Operating System
There is just one option available to you if you are seriously considering buying one of these laptops: Windows 11 on ARM or macOS. If you have a strong preference for one over the other, that preference will inevitably impact your decision. In terms of functionality and features, Windows 11 and macOS have long been rivals. In general, every operating system has advantages and disadvantages. Because of its dependability, speed, and ease of setup, I frequently use macOS; yet some people prefer Windows 11 for its greater customizability, wider application library, and more diverse form factors.
Remember that although Windows 11 on ARM and Intel are practically identical, Windows 11 on ARM is still a nascent operating system. Previous versions of Windows on ARM have not performed well and have had inconsistent support from peripherals and apps. Windows 11 on ARM could be a fascinating development if Microsoft and Qualcomm, the only chipset manufacturer, have resolved those issues. Most significant software now run natively on Apple’s macOS, which underwent a similar transition from Intel CPUs to Apple Silicon chipsets.
What matters is how generative AI elements are integrated into each operating system. At their Copilot+ presentation on May 20, Microsoft unveiled the new Surface Laptop 7 and discussed artificial intelligence in great detail. In short, the primary goal of Copilot+ will be to increase the accessibility and potential on-device use of generative AI. With its WWDC event scheduled for June 10–14, 2024, Apple promises to address many of the questions surrounding the generative AI frenzy.
Surface Laptop 7 vs MacBook Air M3: VERDICT
Compared to the previous version and the majority of Windows laptops, the Surface Laptop 7 should offer competitive performance and significantly longer battery life. This Surface Laptop is the best one yet if there was ever one that could rival the MacBook Air M3.
A definitive decision cannot be made until the Surface Laptop 7 is released on June 18. WWDC will have a significant impact as well because it will reveal Apple’s broader vision for AI integration into Macs, which could alter the MacBook Air’s many features. You can’t go wrong with the M3 MacBook Air right now, but you should wait a few weeks for evaluations of the new Surface Laptop 7 if you’re interested in learning more.
- [This is a Copilot+ PC] — A new AI era begins. Experience enhanced performance and AI...
- [Introducing Surface Laptop] — Power, speed, and touchscreen versatility with AI features....
- [Exceptional Performance] — Surface Laptop delivers faster performance than the MacBook Air...
- LEAN. MEAN. M3 MACHINE — With a powerful 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU, the blazing-fast MacBook...
- BUILT FOR APPLE INTELLIGENCE—Apple Intelligence is the personal intelligence system that...
- PORTABLE DESIGN — Lightweight and under half an inch thin, so you can take MacBook Air...
Last update on 2024-12-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon.
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Berry Alex has been evaluating, testing, and reviewing tech, Household and travel items for several decades. He compiled all of the testers’ input, conducted extra research to assess each phone mount’s essential features and overall functioning, and reviewed professional profiles and verified customer reviews for each product.
