Microsoft Launches New Holiday Ad Comparing Surface Pro 3 to MacBook Air

Microsoft yesterday launched the latest in its series of ads comparing the Surface Pro 3 to Apple's MacBook Air. The new ad, entitled "Winter Wonderland", compares and contrasts the two machines to the jingle of the Christmas melody.


The ad's predominant assessment of the Surface Pro 3 is how powerful the device is in comparison to the MacBook Air, offering similar performance while also supporting pen input. Microsoft also highlights the use of the Surface Pro 3's kickstand and touch screen as major advantages over the MacBook line, as the Microsoft user in the ad goes about using the Surface to design a Christmas-themed coffee mug. Finally, the ad highlights the Surface Pro 3's ability to detach from its magnetic keyboard for easy travel and its robust array of ancillary ports, such as its USB port. "I think I like your Surface Pro 3," the MacBook Air user states at the ad's end. "No seriously, where can I get one?"

Since the Surface Pro 3 was announced this past May, Microsoft has released several ads comparing the device to Apple's line of MacBooks. Back in August, the company released a series of ads sizing up the MacBook Air with the Surface Pro 3 for the first time, most likely for the then-impending back-to-school rush. Microsoft has also pitted the MacBook Air against Lenovo's Yoga 3 Pro in another ad released earlier this month.

All of the ads unsurprisingly position the Microsoft product as offering more versatility and a wider array of functionality compared to the MacBook Air. None of this is new, of course, as Apple and its products have long been popular targets in ads from a number of competitors including Microsoft, which has in the past compared its Cortana virtual assistant to Siri and the Surface RT to the iPad.

Related Roundup: MacBook Air
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Air (Caution)
Related Forum: MacBook Air

Top Rated Comments

awer25 Avatar
112 months ago
The one thing that no one seems to get is that OSX is the reason I use Apple products. I don't care if it flips backwards.
Score: 66 Votes (Like | Disagree)
decimortis Avatar
112 months ago
Screw my MacBook Air and all my programs running on it, this baby's got a USB!

D.
Score: 59 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Waxhead138 Avatar
112 months ago
I know the OS is the key differentiator here, but it's hard to ignore the versatility of the Surface.

Prior superiority won't be enough to keep Apple on top forever. We need some new ideas.
Score: 50 Votes (Like | Disagree)
creanium Avatar
112 months ago
Why does MacRumors always feel the need to give free advertising to Apple competitors?
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TMRJIJ Avatar
112 months ago
I DONT CARE! Seriously, this is a Apple-centered rumors site. Why do they need to advertise Microsoft's Surface ?
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Spock Avatar
112 months ago
Microsoft does fail to mention that the keyboard and the pen are both add on, to bring it up to comparable specs to the 11 inch MacBook air is $1178 while the MacBook air starts at $899 So, I could get a MacBook air and a new iPad mini for the price of the advertised Surface Pro.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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