Technology

Microsoft's Surface Laptop Copilot+ PC Outshines My MacBook Air

Published December 3, 2024

This Cyber Monday, Amazon has slashed the price of the Microsoft Surface Laptop down to $796, making it an appealing option for anyone looking for a powerful and stylish laptop. With only a limited stock available, it’s advisable to act quickly to secure one for yourself.

Just 20 hours after unboxing the Microsoft Surface Laptop and placing it on my desk, I made the transition from my usual M3 MacBook Air. This morning, I found myself flying through my everyday apps and services on a Windows PC, experiencing a fresh workflow.

The Surface Laptop embodies a sleek design reminiscent of a MacBook for Windows users. Additionally, both the new Surface Laptop and the MacBook Air offer 13-inch and 15-inch sizes, showcasing a similar aesthetic appeal. However, the most significant difference may lie in the AI functionalities of the Copilot+ PC series, which aims to elevate the user experience.

Here are three key areas where the Surface Laptop has proven to be more beneficial than my MacBook Air.

1. Enhanced On-Device AI Features

While I hadn't integrated AI tools into my routine before, I was pleasantly surprised by the seamless AI features present in the Surface Laptop. These features are integrated within Microsoft apps such as Microsoft Word, Paint, and Teams, eliminating the usual hassle of navigating through multiple sites or signing up for services. The AI tools for editing documents, generating images, and enhancing videos are easily accessible with just a click.

The inclusion of a dedicated Copilot key makes accessing these features even simpler. As I am getting accustomed to Windows shortcuts and multitasking, having an AI assistant available through the keyboard, voice, and taskbar is highly convenient. Moreover, these Copilot+ AI features operate on-device, ensuring that processing is faster and more private, which can put users at ease when it comes to data security.

2. Lightning-Fast Windows Hello

A key feature I examine when testing any electronic device is how quickly it can wake up and unlock. The Surface Laptop employs Windows Hello, which uses an infrared camera for facial recognition. Compared to my MacBook Air, I find this method of unlocking to feel exceptionally responsive.

With Windows Hello, the laptop recognizes my face immediately as I lift the lid, providing a swift entry without the need to input a password or use a fingerprint sensor, even in low-light conditions.

3. Touchscreen Experience

While touchscreen functionality has been a common advantage of the Surface Laptop series, it feels especially impactful within the context of a Copilot+ PC. For tasks such as sketching in Paint's new Cocreator tool, the touchscreen allows for effortless direct interaction. Being able to quickly draw with my finger, rather than struggling with a trackpad, enhances my creative workflow.

The small 13.8-inch Surface Laptop also feels like a portable 2-in-1 device, making it perfect for quick interactions on-the-go, such as on a bus, plane, or crowded café.

Bonus: Performance Benchmarks

The following scores exemplify the performance capacity of both laptops, with higher scores indicating better performance:


Cinebench (CPU, Single Core)

Cinebench (CPU, Multi Core)

Geekbench 6 (Single Core)

Geekbench 6 (Multi Core)

Microsoft Surface Laptop (Snapdragon X Elite, 16GB RAM)

122

652

2,794

13,487

Apple MacBook Air (M3, 16GB RAM)

141

638

2,963

12,112

Overall, the new Microsoft Surface Laptop Copilot+ PC offers a compelling user experience that surpasses my expectations compared to the MacBook Air and is currently available at a significant discount.

Microsoft, Surface, Laptop