Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max) vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition)
VS
78.2Performance44
74.3Display41.6
66.6Battery71
71Portability76.6
7 spec wins — Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max)2 spec wins — Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition)
InnoReviews verdict
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max) wins this laptop face-off, 73.4 to 55.2, pulling ahead mainly in performance (+34) and display (+33). Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max)
- Stronger performance score: 78 vs 44
- Stronger display score: 74 vs 42
- 167% higher Peak brightness: 1,600 nits vs 600 nits
- 125% higher RAM: 36 GB vs 16 GB
- 100% higher storage: 1,024 GB vs 512 GB
Reasons to pick the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition)
- Stronger battery score: 71 vs 67
- Stronger portability score: 77 vs 71
- 23% higher Web browsing endurance: 16 h vs 13 h
- 17% lower weight: 1.34 kg vs 1.62 kg
- Lower launch price: $1,400 vs $3,199
Display
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 14.2 ″+3% | 13.8 ″ |
| Panel type | Mini-LED (Liquid Retina XDR) | HDR PixelSense LCD (touchscreen) |
| Resolution | 3024x1964 | 2304x1536 |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 1,600 nits+167% | 600 nits |
Performance
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Apple M4 Max (14-core) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Plus (10-core) or Snapdragon X2 Elite (12-core) |
| Graphics | Apple M4 Max 32-core GPU | Qualcomm Adreno |
| RAM | 36 GB+125% | 16 GB |
| RAM type | LPDDR5X (unified) | LPDDR5x |
| Storage | 1,024 GB+100% | 512 GB |
| Storage type | SSD | Gen 4 SSD (removable, M.2 2230) |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 3,864Top 14% | — |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 23,035Top 9% | — |
Battery
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 72 Wh+34% | 54 Wh |
| Web browsing endurance | 13 h | 16 h+23% |
| Charging | 96 W+48% | 65 W |
Design
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 1.62 kg | 1.34 kg+17% |
| Thickness | 15.5 mm+11% | 17.5 mm |
| Material | Recycled Aluminum | Aluminum (100% recycled) |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 3x Thunderbolt 5, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm | 2x USB-C/USB4, USB-A 3.2, 3.5mm headphone jack, Surface Connect |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Webcam | 12MP Center Stage | 1080p Full HD (Windows Studio Effects) |
| Biometrics | Touch ID | Facial recognition (Windows Hello) |
Software
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | macOS Sequoia | Windows 11 Home (Arm) |
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