Microsoft Launches Three New Surface Pro 3 Ads Targeting the MacBook Air

Microsoft today launched three new ads targeting Apple's MacBook Air and comparing the notebook to its new Surface Pro 3 tablet. All three commercials emphasize the Surface Pro 3's touchscreen multitasking features and expandable hardware, with each showing how the MacBook Air lacks similar functionality. The ads also end with the tagline "The tablet that can replace your laptop."


The first spot is titled "Crowded" and focuses on two narrators and how the Surface Pro 3 is a tablet and a laptop. When told about the Surface Pro 3 by the first narrator, the second claims that the tablet doesn't have the power of the MacBook Air's Intel i5 processor. The first narrator states that the Surface Pro 3 does have an equal processor, and shows off Microsoft Office, Photoshop, pen support and its touchscreen. The second narrator counters with showing off his own touchscreen (an iPad), and exclaims "I have a lot of stuff to carry." The ad ends with the first narrator saying "You are more powerful than you think", referencing Apple's recent "Powerful" ads for the iPhone 5s.


The second ad, named "Head to Head", features a direct comparison between the two, drawing a parallel between the 128GB of storage and 4GB of RAM on each device. However, Microsoft once again emphasizes the Surface Pro 3's touchscreen, pen support and detachable keyboard, while the MacBook Air is shown to have none of those features.


The third ad "Power" starts off with a Mac user curious about a full version of Adobe Photoshop running on the Surface Pro 3, once again demonstrating the device's laptop and tablet capabilities. The narrator claims that the Surface Pro 3 is just as fast as the Mac, boasting a touchscreen with a kickstand along with a Mini DisplayPort and a USB port. The ad ends when the Mac user states "So you're saying it does more than my Mac?", and the Surface Pro 3 user going "Well, technically you said it."

Microsoft originally announced the Surface Pro 3 this past May, and also launched a program offering MacBook Air owners $650 to trade in their laptop towards the Surface Pro 3. In prior years, Microsoft has also released ads poking fun of the iPad and comparing it to the Surface.

Related Roundup: MacBook Air
Related Forum: MacBook Air

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Top Rated Comments

farewelwilliams Avatar
149 months ago
Surface can definitely do more than the Macbook Air...like give you arm fatigue.
Score: 83 Votes (Like | Disagree)
farewelwilliams Avatar
149 months ago
What's with the recent Apple bashing in ads?

Highlight what your product has, not what your competitor doesn't.
to be fair, Apple bashed windows with the "I'm a Mac, I'm a PC" ads.
Score: 82 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gjvon Avatar
149 months ago
too bad it runs Windows.
Score: 65 Votes (Like | Disagree)
azentropy Avatar
149 months ago
It can replace your laptop, but you just can't use it on top of your lap.
Score: 58 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rctlr Avatar
149 months ago
They didnt mention the "free botnet" you join within minutes of firing the surface up without any antivirus.
All that power at someone else's fingertips.
Score: 45 Votes (Like | Disagree)
szw-mapple fan Avatar
149 months ago
Basically the surface is more expensive, have a smaller screen, no real hinge, small trackpad, slower, less battery life, and runs Windows. What's not to love?
Score: 41 Votes (Like | Disagree)