Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) vs Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra
91.1Performancechip69.4
74.3Display74.3
99.5Battery89.3
53.3Portability56.2
4 spec wins — Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max)3 spec wins — Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra
InnoReviews verdict
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) wins this laptop face-off, 81.9 to 72.6, pulling ahead mainly in performance (+22) and battery (+10). Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra 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 69
- Stronger battery score: 100 vs 89
- 100% higher storage: 2,048 GB vs 1,024 GB
Reasons to pick the Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra
- 78% higher RAM: 64 GB vs 36 GB
- 25% higher Peak brightness: 2,000 nits vs 1,600 nits
- Lower launch price: $2,600 vs $3,899
Display
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 16.2 ″+8% | 15 ″ |
| Panel type | Mini-LED (Liquid Retina XDR) | PixelSense Ultra mini-LED (touchscreen) |
| Resolution | 3456x2234 | 3270x2180 |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 1,600 nits | 2,000 nits+25% |
Performance
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Apple M5 Max (18-core) | NVIDIA RTX Spark N1X |
| Graphics | Apple M5 Max 32-core GPU | NVIDIA Blackwell RTX (6144-core) |
| RAM | 36 GB | 64 GB+78% |
| RAM type | LPDDR5X (unified) | LPDDR5x |
| Storage | 2,048 GB+100% | 1,024 GB |
| Storage type | SSD | SSD (removable, Gen 5) |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 4,336Top 1% | — |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 30,057Top 1% | — |
Battery
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 100 Wh+8% | 92 Wh |
| Charging | 140 W | 140 W |
Design
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 2.15 kg | 2 kg+7% |
| Thickness | 16.8 mm+7% | 18 mm |
| Material | Recycled Aluminum | Anodized aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 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 7 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 6 | Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Webcam | 12MP Center Stage | 1080p Full HD |
| Biometrics | Touch ID | Face recognition (Windows Hello) |
Software
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) | Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | macOS Tahoe | Windows 11 Pro (Arm) |
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