Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max) vs Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra
78.2Performancechip69.4
74.3Displayspec-based74.3
66.6Batteryspec-based89.3
71Portabilityspec-based56.2
2 spec wins — Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max)5 spec wins — Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra
InnoReviews verdict
This one is close to a dead heat: Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max) scores 73.4 against 72.6 for Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra. Pick by the categories that matter to you — Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max) edges ahead in performance, or by price.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max)
- Stronger performance score: 78 vs 69
- 19% lower weight: 1.62 kg vs 2 kg
- 14% lower thickness: 15.5 mm vs 18 mm
Reasons to pick the Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra
- 78% higher RAM: 64 GB vs 36 GB
- 46% higher charging: 140 W vs 96 W
- 27% higher capacity: 92 Wh vs 72.4 Wh
- 25% higher Peak brightness: 2,000 nits vs 1,600 nits
- Lower launch price: $2,600 vs $3,199
Display
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 14.2 ″ | 15 ″+6% |
| Panel type | Mini-LED (Liquid Retina XDR) | PixelSense Ultra mini-LED (touchscreen) |
| Resolution | 3024x1964 | 3270x2180 |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 1,600 nits | 2,000 nits+25% |
Performance
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Apple M4 Max (14-core) | NVIDIA RTX Spark N1X |
| Graphics | Apple M4 Max 32-core GPU | NVIDIA Blackwell RTX (6144-core) |
| RAM | 36 GB | 64 GB+78% |
| RAM type | LPDDR5X (unified) | LPDDR5x |
| Storage | 1,024 GB | 1,024 GB |
| Storage type | SSD | SSD (removable, Gen 5) |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 3,864Top 4% | — |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 23,035Top 2% | — |
Battery
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 72.4 Wh | 92 Wh+27% |
| Web browsing endurance | 13 h | — |
| Charging | 96 W | 140 W+46% |
Design
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 1.62 kg+19% | 2 kg |
| Thickness | 15.5 mm+14% | 18 mm |
| Material | Recycled Aluminum | Anodized aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 3x Thunderbolt 5, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm | 3x USB-C/USB4 (one with Magnetic Connect), USB-A 3.1, HDMI 2.1b, SD card reader, 3.5mm headphone jack |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Webcam | 12MP Center Stage | 1080p Full HD |
| Biometrics | Touch ID | Face recognition (Windows Hello) |
Software
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | macOS Sequoia | Windows 11 Pro (Arm) |
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