Both Microsoft and Apple have launched new laptops that will ship later this year: the all-new Surface Book and the long-awaited MacBook Pro. Each of these notebooks are a considerable upgrade to their predecessors (though some may dispute this) and are the most powerful laptop devices Microsoft and Apple have to offer. If you’re in the market for a new laptop, we’ve made it easier for you to compare the new Microsoft Surface Book with the Apple MacBook Pro 2016 model.
Microsoft Surface Book 2016 Vs Apple MacBook Pro 2016 Specs
Yesterday, we looked at the Microsoft Studio next to the Apple iMac. We decided to pit the new 13.5-inch Surface Book against the new 15-inch MacBook Pro. While the MacBook Pro does come in a 13-inch form factor, the specs and pricing of the Surface Book are more comparable to the 15-inch version. We’re not saying that this is an apples-to-apples comparison; both devices have very distinct differences. But if you’re curious about how the two laptops look side-by-side in terms of specs, here it is:
| Surface Book | MacBook Pro 15-inch | |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 Pro | macOS Sierra |
| Dimensions | 31.23cm x 23.2cm x 1.3cm (2.28cm at the thickest point) | 1.55cm x 34.93cm x 24.07cm |
| Weight | 1.647kg | 1.83kg |
| CPU | Intel 6th generation Core i7 | Intel 6th generation Core i7 |
| GPU | Nvidia GeForce GTX 965M 2GB GDDR5 memory | One of the following (configurable to Radeon Pro 460 with 4GB of GDDR5 memory and automatic graphics switching):
|
| Storage | 256GB, 512GB or 1TB SSD | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB or 2TB SSD |
| Memory | 8GB or 16GB RAM | 16GB RAM |
| Display | 13.5 inch high-resolution PixelSense display optimised for Surface Pen | 15-inch improved Retina display with 500 nit brightness, higher contrast ratio and 25% more colours than sRGB |
| Special features | Detachable screen. Can be rotated 180 degrees and reattached to the integrated keyboard | Touch Bar for contextual functions and Touch ID |
| Battery | Up to 16 hours | Up to 10 hours |
| Wireless | WiFi: 802.11ac wireless, 802.11 a/b/g/n compatible Bluetooth: Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology |
WiFi: 802.11ac wireless, 802.11a/b/g/n compatible Bluetooth: Bluetooth 4.2 wireless technology |
| Camera/Video/Audio |
|
|
| Connections & Expansions |
|
4 x Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports for:
|
| Security |
|
N/A | What’s In The Box |
|
|
It’s also worth noting that both Microsoft and Apple have been using older CPUs and GPUs for their newest products. Click here for our previous article that explains why this is the case.
Pricing
The new Microsoft Surface Book prices start from $3799. Prices vary depending on the configuration you choose. Here’s the price list for the configurations on offer:
- 265GB storage with Intel Core i7, 8GB RAM and dGPU: $3799
- 512GB storage with Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM and dGPU: $4399
- 1TB storage with Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM and dGPU: $5199
You can pre-order the new Microsoft Surface Book over at the Microsoft Online Store. It will start shipping on December 8.
The new 15-inch Apple MacBook Pro prices start from $3599. Prices vary depending on the configuration you choose. Here’s a condensed price list for some of the most common configurations:
- 256GB storage with 2.6GHz quad-core Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM, 2GB GPU memory: $3599
- 512GB storage with 2.6GHz quad-core Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM, 2GB GPU memory: $3919
- 1TB storage with 2.6GHz quad-core Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM, 2GB GPU memory: $4559
- 512GB storage with 2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM, 4GB GPU memory: $4409
- 1TB storage with 2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM, 4GB GPU memory: $5049
- 2TB storage with 2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM, 4GB GPU memory: $6329
- 2TB storage with 2.9GHz quad-core Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM, 4GB GPU memory: $6649 (when you max out CPU, GPU and storage options)
You can buy the 15-inch Apple MacBook Pro 2016 over at the Apple Online Store.
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Comments
8 responses to “Microsoft Surface Book Vs Apple MacBook Pro 2016: Australian Specs And Pricing Compared”
Damn 2tb SSD? Epic! $6k though, ouch! Could get a Surface Studio for that price!
There’s also the issue of upgradability by the user. I have an article going up about this at 11am 🙂
Remember when computer prices were on the way down? Pepperidge Farm remembers.
See comment below
Surface Book looks to start at $2299, not $3799…
Ignore the comment RE: MBP, seems only the 13 inch got the sans touch bar upgrade.
$2299 for the older model that is already available. The new Microsoft Surface Book start from $3799. It’s clearly listed on the Microsoft Australia Store page that I’ve linked to in the article.
Is it just me or is $5000 a bit too much for a laptop that will become obsolete in a couple of years?
No, it’s not just you and the only justification for paying that much for a laptop is where the money isn’t yours.