Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition)
VS
91.1Performance44
74.3Display41.6
99.5Battery71
53.3Portability76.6
7 spec wins — Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max)1 spec wins — Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition)
InnoReviews verdict
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) wins this laptop face-off, 81.9 to 55.2, pulling ahead mainly in performance (+47) 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 16 (M5 Max)
- Stronger performance score: 91 vs 44
- Stronger display score: 74 vs 42
- Stronger battery score: 100 vs 71
- 300% higher storage: 2,048 GB vs 512 GB
- 167% higher Peak brightness: 1,600 nits vs 600 nits
Reasons to pick the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition)
- Stronger portability score: 77 vs 53
- 38% lower weight: 1.34 kg vs 2.15 kg
- Lower launch price: $1,400 vs $3,899
Display
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 16.2 ″+17% | 13.8 ″ |
| Panel type | Mini-LED (Liquid Retina XDR) | HDR PixelSense LCD (touchscreen) |
| Resolution | 3456x2234 | 2304x1536 |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 1,600 nits+167% | 600 nits |
Performance
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Plus (10-core) or Snapdragon X2 Elite (12-core) |
| Graphics | Apple M5 Max 32-core GPU | Qualcomm Adreno |
| RAM | 36 GB+125% | 16 GB |
| RAM type | LPDDR5X (unified) | LPDDR5x |
| Storage | 2,048 GB+300% | 512 GB |
| Storage type | SSD | Gen 4 SSD (removable, M.2 2230) |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 4,336Top 2% | — |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 30,057Top 2% | — |
Battery
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 100 Wh+84% | 54 Wh |
| Web browsing endurance | — | 16 h |
| Charging | 140 W+115% | 65 W |
Design
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 2.15 kg | 1.34 kg+38% |
| Thickness | 16.8 mm+4% | 17.5 mm |
| Material | Recycled Aluminum | Aluminum (100% recycled) |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 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 7 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 6 | 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 16 (M5 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | macOS Tahoe | Windows 11 Home (Arm) |
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