It might seem unusual to equate a clamshell laptop with a detachable tablet 2 - in-1 , but the fact is , if you ’re look for a small yet hefty , highly portable personal computer , you have two great options . TheApple MacBook Air 13 ( M4)is thebest 13 - inch laptopyou can grease one’s palms ( peradventure the best ever ) , and theMicrosoft Surface Pro 11is thebest 2 - in-1 .
Both are very small , both are loyal and get great battery life , and so both can serve anyone well who want a real PC that feels more like a mobile equipment . But which one is the right choice for you ?
Specs and configurations
The MacBook Air 13 ( M4 ) starts at $ 999 with a 10 - core CPU , 8 - core group GPU M4 chipset , 16 GB of RAM , and a 256 GB SSD . That ’s a break from the past , where Apple used to keep the previous generation car around at the low-toned price . From there , it ’s $ 100 to raise to a faster M4 with a 10 - core GPU , then $ 200 for 24 GB of RAM and $ 400 for 32 GB . repositing can be upgraded to 512 GiB for $ 200 and up to 2 TB for an extra $ 800 . The most expensive modelling is $ 2,199 .
The Surface Pro 11 starts at $ 999 with a Snapdragon X Plus chipset , 16 GB of RAM , a 256 GB SSD , and an IPS display , so the same as the MacBook Air . The OLED version starting signal at $ 1,499 with a libertine Snapdragon X Elite chipset . It , too , has a miscellany of configuration choice , with the highest - priced model at $ 2,499 with OLED , 64 GB of RAM , and a 1 TB SSD .
powerful now , the Surface Pro 11 is on sale , something Apple seldom does with its current political machine . So , the prices are nigher together , with the Surface Pro 11 being a bit less expensive reckon on the configuration . Neither will be confused for a budget laptop .
Design
The MacBook Air 13 is very maybe the arrant 13 - inch laptop design . perchance the staring 14 - inch laptop , bet on how you want to assort a laptop computer with a 13.6 - in exhibit . It ’s incredibly thin , light but not fragile , and it transude lineament . Just open and closing the utterly - designed flexible joint provides a visceral impression of great fabrication . At the same time , the Surface Pro 11 is evenly well - made . It ’s also all - metal , it has the near work up - in kickstand on any tablet today , and it ’s slender and light enough to be very portable . snap on the keyboard wee-wee it a little less slight and light , but it stay one of the well-fixed laptop computer to carry around .
Both laptop computer also look great . The MacBook Air has several attractive coloring material and a very cohesive aesthetical that mime every MacBook made today is both minimalist and refined . The Surface Pro 11 also comes in several colour with detachable keyboard to rival . It ’s a simple ticket with rounded corner and a simplistic conception . It ’s very attractive as well .
The difference , of course , is in their shape element . The MacBook Air is a standard clamshell that will be now familiar to most laptop users , while the Surface Pro 11 is a tablet that serve dual functions . According to our reviewer , it ’s not as great a tablet as it is a laptop , mainly because Windows 11 just does n’t provide the same touch experience as , say , iPadOS . And when connected to its keyboard , the Surface Pro 11 is n’t as stable on anything other than a fast aerofoil . So , if you want a “ normal ” laptop experience , then the MacBook Air is the best choice . But if you need a tablet with pen potentiality for digital draftsmanship to go with a laptop , then the Surface Pro 11 is for you .
The MacBook Air ’s keyboard is superscript , and in fact , Apple Magic Keyboard is really the sound laptop keyboard around . The keycaps are perfectly sized , the spatial arrangement is fantabulous , and the switches are weak and dashing . For anyone who type a lot , it ’s the best experience . The Surface Pro 11 ’s detachable Surface Pro Flex keyboard , which costs special , is also very effective , with calibre electric switch and a operational , if hamper , layout . But typecast on the keyboard has a bit of a saltation when it ’s prop up at an angle . That might bother some masses .
The MacBook Air ’s Force Touch tactual touchpad is also the best uncommitted on a laptop today . It ’s very enceinte , absolutely responsive , and has the additional Force Click feature article where pressing a slight “ harder ” call down additional functionality . The Surface Pro Flex keyboard also has a haptic touchpad that works well , but it ’s quite a second small . Of course , the Surface Tablet 11 ’s display is touch- and pen - enabled , and when matte up with the Surface Slim pen , even adds in haptic feedback when writing and guide on the display . If you ’re a digital artist , the choice is percipient .
Connectivity is closely matched . Both have just innovative USB - one C ports , the MacBook Air with Thunderbolt 4 and the Surface Pro 11 with USB4 . Both have proprietary power transcriber that keep both ports free when charging . The MacBook Air has a 3.5 mm audio jack that the Surface Pro 11 lacks , while the latter has a nanoSIM for optional cellular radio that the former deficiency . And the Surface Pro 11 has more up - to - date wireless connectivity .
Finally , the two laptop both have 12MP webcams , while the Surface Pro 11 adds a 10MP rear camera . The MacBook Air benefits from better gloomy - light performance and the Center Stage feature that automatically centers the substance abuser when moving around . It also has Desk View that can divvy up a background view combined with a picture - in - icon video recording . The Surface Pro 11 uses its truehearted Neural Processing Unit for Copilot+ PC AI sport , while the MacBook Air ’s fast Neural Engine does n’t have quite as much use today . AI feature are evolve , though , so that ’s belike not a rationality to choose on over the other .
Performance
The Surface Pro 11 uses either the 10 - core Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus or the 12 - inwardness Snapdragon X Elite chipsets , which are aimed at combing faster performance with eminent efficiency than we ’ve run across from past generations of Windows laptop computer . Graphics are powered by the Adreno integrated GPU . The MacBook Air 13 has Apple ’s latest M4 chipset , with 10 central processing unit inwardness and eight or 10 GPU cores . Apple Silicon has always been about both performance and efficiency .
In our benchmark , the MacBook Air 13 is the faster laptop , both in multi - core processing and in single - core processing , where it ’s a lot faster . For distinctive productiveness labor , even the most demanding , the MacBook Air will be a spate more responsive . Neither is a gaming laptop , but the MacBook Air also do good from various central processing unit optimizations that make it quicker for restrained creative task as well , such as video editing .
Display and audio
The MacBook Air has a 13.6 - inch 16:10 2560 x 1664 IPS display that ’s very bright , has wide and accurate color , and very good direct contrast for the engineering . The Surface Pro 11 come with two display pick , both 13.0 - inch 3:2 at 2880 x 1920 , one IP and one OLED . We tested the OLED version , and it , too , is bright with encompassing and even more accurate color . It has OLED ’s usual inky blackamoor , though , which gives it an bound .
Both display are very good and will please the vast majority of users . The Surface Pro ’s OLED control panel will use more great power , which is its primary downside .
The MacBook Air has a four - speaker audio frequency scheme with force - cancelling woofer . It ’s probably the good effectual system on a 13 - inch ( or 14 - inch ) laptop , with lot of volume , clear mids and highs , and surprising bass voice . The Surface Pro 11 ’s dual , side - firing speakers are just okay by comparison .
Portability
As observe above , these are two eminently portable laptop computer that still provide great performance when using “ real ” PC operating systems . You ’ll barely notice that you ’re carrying them around .
Both laptops get better great battery sprightliness , but the MacBook Air ’s is better . It ’s likely that the IPS version of the Surface Pro 11 will be more comparable . You ’ll get more than a full day ’s work out of both car .
Want a tablet, get the Surface Pro 11, but otherwise, the MacBook Air is for you
There ’s a reason why I give the MacBook Air ( M4 ) a thoroughgoing score . It ’s the skillful belittled laptop computer ever made , in my opinion , with a sublime build , great performance , and awe-inspiring bombardment life . The keyboard and touchpad are the best you may purchase , and the display is great for every use .
At the same time , the Surface Pro 11 is the good 2 - in-1 ever made . It ’s not as great as a laptop computer as the MacBook Air , but it ’s also a decent tablet . So , if that ’s what you want , grease one’s palms the Surface . But everyone else should just buy the MacBook Air and be done with it .
