Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (1st Edition)
VS

91.1Performance35.5
74.3Display27.3
99.5Battery69.5
53.3Portability82.8
9 spec wins — Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max)2 spec wins — Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (1st Edition)
InnoReviews verdict
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) wins this laptop face-off, 81.9 to 49.5, pulling ahead mainly in performance (+56) and display (+47). Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (1st 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 16 (M5 Max)
- Stronger performance score: 91 vs 36
- Stronger display score: 74 vs 27
- Stronger battery score: 100 vs 70
- 700% higher storage: 2,048 GB vs 256 GB
- 276% higher Peak brightness: 1,600 nits vs 425 nits
Reasons to pick the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (1st Edition)
- Stronger portability score: 83 vs 53
- 43% lower weight: 1.22 kg vs 2.15 kg
- Lower launch price: $900 vs $3,899
Display
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (1st Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 16.2 ″+25% | 13 ″ |
| Panel type | Mini-LED (Liquid Retina XDR) | PixelSense IPS LCD (touchscreen) |
| Resolution | 3456x2234 | 1920x1280 |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz+100% | 60 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 1,600 nits+276% | 425 nits |
Performance
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (1st Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus (X1P-42-100) |
| Graphics | Apple M5 Max 32-core GPU | Qualcomm Adreno X1-45 |
| RAM | 36 GB+125% | 16 GB |
| RAM type | LPDDR5X (unified) | LPDDR5x |
| Storage | 2,048 GB+700% | 256 GB |
| Storage type | SSD | UFS 4.0 (removable) |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (1st Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 4,336+90%Top 1% | 2,287Bottom 7% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 30,057+170%Top 1% | 11,125Bottom 18% |
Battery
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (1st Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 100 Wh+99% | 50 Wh |
| Web browsing endurance | — | 16 h |
| Charging | 140 W+211% | 45 W |
Design
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (1st Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 2.15 kg | 1.22 kg+43% |
| Thickness | 16.8 mm | 15.6 mm+7% |
| Material | Recycled Aluminum | Aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (1st Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 3x Thunderbolt 5, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm | 2x USB-C (USB 3.2, DisplayPort 1.4a), USB-A, 3.5mm headphone jack |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 6 | Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Webcam | 12MP Center Stage | 1080p Full HD |
| Biometrics | Touch ID | Fingerprint (Windows Hello, in power button) |
Software
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (1st Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | macOS Tahoe | Windows 11 Home (Arm) |
Related comparisons
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max)vs Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Pro)VSApple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max)vs Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M5 Max)VSApple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max)vs Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M5 Pro)VSApple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max)vs HUAWEI MateBook Fold Ultimate Design (2026)VSMicrosoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (1st Edition)vs Dell 14 Plus (DB14250)VSMicrosoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (1st Edition)vs ASUS ExpertBook P3 (PM3406)VSMicrosoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (1st Edition)vs HP EliteBook 8 G1i 14VSMicrosoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (1st Edition)vs Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 7VS
