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InnoReviews

Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) vs Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra

WINNER
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max)
81.9Inno Score
VS
Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra
72.6Inno Score
91.1Performancechip69.4
74.3Displayspec-based74.3
99.5Batteryspec-based89.3
53.3Portabilityspec-based56.2
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). 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
  • 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

Display comparison: Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) versus Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra
SpecApple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max)Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra
Screen size16.2 ″+8%15 ″
Panel typeMini-LED (Liquid Retina XDR)PixelSense Ultra mini-LED (touchscreen)
Resolution3456x22343270x2180
Refresh rate120 Hz120 Hz
Peak brightness1,600 nits2,000 nits+25%

Performance

Performance comparison: Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) versus Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra
SpecApple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max)Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra
ProcessorApple M5 Max (18-core)NVIDIA RTX Spark N1X
GraphicsApple M5 Max 32-core GPUNVIDIA Blackwell RTX (6144-core)
RAM36 GB64 GB+78%
RAM typeLPDDR5X (unified)LPDDR5x
Storage2,048 GB+100%1,024 GB
Storage typeSSDSSD (removable, Gen 5)

Benchmarks

Benchmarks comparison: Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) versus Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra
SpecApple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max)Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra
Geekbench 6 (single)4,336Top 1%—
Geekbench 6 (multi)30,057Top 1%—

Battery

Battery comparison: Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) versus Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra
SpecApple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max)Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra
Capacity99.6 Wh+8%92 Wh
Charging140 W140 W

Design

Design comparison: Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) versus Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra
SpecApple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max)Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra
Weight2.15 kg2 kg+7%
Thickness16.8 mm+7%18 mm
MaterialRecycled AluminumAnodized aluminum

Connectivity

Connectivity comparison: Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) versus Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra
SpecApple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max)Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra
Ports3x Thunderbolt 5, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm3x USB-C/USB4 (one with Magnetic Connect), USB-A 3.1, HDMI 2.1b, SD card reader, 3.5mm headphone jack
Wi-FiWi-Fi 7Wi-Fi 7
Bluetooth6Bluetooth 5.4
Webcam12MP Center Stage1080p Full HD
BiometricsTouch IDFace recognition (Windows Hello)

Software

Software comparison: Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max) versus Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra
SpecApple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max)Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra
Operating systemmacOS TahoeWindows 11 Pro (Arm)

Related comparisons

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