Apple's MacBook Air vs. Microsoft's Surface Laptop 2

The MacBook Air, last updated in 2018, is Apple's most affordable notebook machine, with pricing that starts at $1,199 for the newest hardware. Microsoft also makes a comparable machine, the Surface Laptop 2, which came out right around the same time Apple released its 2018 ‌MacBook Air‌ update.

In our latest video, we decided to pit the ‌MacBook Air‌ against Microsoft's Surface Laptop 2 to determine which machine is the better value and the best buy.


Both the ‌MacBook Air‌ and the Surface Laptop 2 are thin, light machines, with each one weighing in right around 2.75 pounds. The Surface Laptop 2 has a 13.5-inch display with a 2256 x 1504 resolution, while the ‌MacBook Air‌ has a 13.3-inch display with a resolution of 2560 x 1600, so all in all, design wise, these two machines are quite similar, though the Surface Laptop 2 offers a 3:2 display.

The Surface Laptop 2 comes in a matte black color (it's also in burgundy and blue) that we were a fan of because it's a nice deviation from the standard gold, silver, and space gray shades Apple uses for its notebooks. Inside, the ‌MacBook Air‌ is all aluminum, but the Surface Laptop 2 uses an Alcantara fabric design, which has become a key feature of the Surface lineup.

surfacelaptop1
When it comes to key feel, the ‌MacBook Air‌ wins out, though those who are not fans of the butterfly key design might not agree. The ‌MacBook Air‌ also has a better trackpad, which is unsurprising because most PCs can't match the feel of the Force Touch trackpad with its haptic feedback.

Both laptops have a questionable port situation, with the ‌MacBook Air‌ limited to two USB-C Thunderbolt 3 ports and Surface Laptop 2 featuring a USB-A port, a proprietary charging port, and, inexplicably, a Mini DisplayPort, an odd choice for a modern laptop. It has no USB-C ports, which is disappointing given that USB-C is the standard device and accessory makers alike are transitioning to.

surfacelaptop2
The ‌MacBook Air‌ uses Touch ID in lieu of a password to make logging in faster, while the Surface Laptop 2 uses Windows Hello for facial recognition. Future Macs might adopt Face ID, but for now ‌Touch ID‌ is just as useful. Each of these laptops features a 720p webcam, which are both terrible, and while both have decent sound, the ‌MacBook Air‌'s speakers are crisper and clearer at max volume.

Each of these machines features similar internal specs, and both are designed for simple tasks rather than heavy duty video editing or 3D work. You can do light editing or use Photoshop on these machines, but that's not their primary purpose.

surfacelaptop3
With these thin, light laptops with low-powered processors, battery life is impressive. Both the ‌MacBook Air‌ and the Surface Laptop 2 offer somewhere around 10 to 12 hour battery life for everyday tasks like using email and browsing the web.

Price is the major differentiator between the Surface Laptop 2 and the ‌MacBook Air‌, and could push some to choose the Surface Laptop 2 instead of the ‌MacBook Air‌.

The base model Surface Laptop 2 features a 1.6GHz 8th-Gen dual-core Core i5 processor, 8GB RAM, and 256GB of SSD storage all for $999, while the base 2018 ‌MacBook Air‌, offering similar specifications with less storage -- a 1.6GHz 8th-Gen dual-core Core i5 processor, 8GB RAM, and a 128GB SSD -- is priced starting at $1,199.

surfacelaptop4
The Surface Laptop 2 and the ‌MacBook Air‌ are similar enough that choosing one over the other ultimately comes down to ecosystem and operating system preference. Microsoft's machines, of course, run Windows, which an Apple product user might not prefer, while Windows users won't want a machine running macOS.

What do you think of Microsoft's Surface Laptop 2? Let us know in the comments.

Top Rated Comments

dannyyankou Avatar
53 months ago
The MacBook Air, last updated in 2018, is Apple's most affordable notebook machine, with pricing that starts at $1,199
This is a sad sentence
Score: 81 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ChrisMoBro Avatar
53 months ago
Why didn’t you compare the Surface with the same spec MacBook Air in terms of storage? Oh wait, that’s because it’s $400 more expensive so you purposefully chose the 128GB model instead to make it appear like the price is similar.
Score: 61 Votes (Like | Disagree)
magicschoolbus Avatar
53 months ago
Never thought I would say this, but that windows PC is sexier then the Mac. What a fine looking machine.
Score: 52 Votes (Like | Disagree)
icolove Avatar
53 months ago
You're dreaming.
Sorry friend, Microsoft has passed Apple in the hardware game, and they're not the only ones.
Score: 48 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LordVic Avatar
53 months ago
The base model Surface Laptop 2 features a 1.6GHz 8th-Gen dual-core Core i5 processor, 8GB RAM, and 256GB of SSD storage all for $999, while the base 2018 MacBook Air, offering similar specifications with less storage -- a 1.6GHz 8th-Gen dual-core Core i5 processor, 8GB RAM, and a 128GB SSD -- is priced starting at $1,199.
this part of the post is intentionally vague to try and skew the opinions?

the two CPU's, while both technically being 'i5's are NOT entirely comparable.

the MBA is a i5-8210Y ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_Core_i5_microprocessors#%22Amber_Lake-Y%22_(dual-core,_14_nm)') series CPU at 7w.

the Surface laptop ships with the Intel Core i5-8250U U series 15w CPU.

performance wise, for benchmarks:
https://cpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Intel-Core-i5-8250U-vs-Intel-Core-i5-8210Y/m338266vsm651922

on the highest end options (i7)
https://cpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Intel-Core-i7-8650U-vs-Intel-Core-i5-8210Y/m353957vsm651922 (not there is no i7 variant macbook air even available)

this puts the Surface Laptop approximately [S]30-40%[/S] 70 - 100%+ faster than the MacBook Air.

WHY Apple ecided to go with the "Y" series after the Air had been a U series for so long is beyond me. I think they were afraid of cannibalizing MbPro 13" sales so purposely gimped the Air.

However, at the higher price point that the air is now, the use of a slower chip continues to potentially reduce the actual value you get per dollar out of the Air.



it's such a weird gimping of the product that the only reason foreseeable is business motivated and not product motivated. the Fct that this part of the article was written without EVER diving into the fact that these are not the same class of CPU is disingenuous and SHOULD be clearly stated if you are doing a direct comparison.
Score: 44 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacFather Avatar
53 months ago
Deleted.
Score: 40 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17 on Phone Feature

Gurman: iOS 17 to Provide Several 'Most Requested Features'

Sunday March 26, 2023 6:05 am PDT by
Apple changed the strategy for iOS 17 later in its development process to add several new features, suggesting that the update may be more significant than previously thought, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. In January, Gurman said that iOS 17 could be a less significant update than iPhone updates in previous years due to the company's intense focus on its long-awaited mixed-reality...
dynamic island

iPhone 15 Dynamic Island to Include New Integrated Proximity Sensor

Friday March 24, 2023 12:27 am PDT by
This year, all iPhone 15 models will include Apple's Dynamic Island that unifies the pill and hole cutouts at the top of the display, but there will also be a material change to the feature that wasn't included in the iPhone 14 Pro models. According to a new tweet by Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the proximity sensor on the iPhone 15 series will be integrated inside the Dynamic Island ...
top stories 25mar2023

Top Stories: iPhone 15 Pro Design Leak, iOS 16.4 Coming Soon, and More

Saturday March 25, 2023 6:00 am PDT by
We're still almost six months away from the official unveiling of the iPhone 15 lineup, but it seems like every day we're learning more about what to expect from the next-generation models. Notably, this week gave us our clearest look yet at what appear to be some changes for the volume and mute control hardware. iOS 16.4 and associated releases are also right around the corner with some new ...
Hero0009

Best Apple Deals of the Week: Samsung's Smart Monitor M8 Gets Massive $250 Discount, Along With Year's Best AirPods Prices

Friday March 24, 2023 10:23 am PDT by
We saw a lot of great deals on Apple products and related accessories this week, including Samsung's iMac-like Smart Monitor M8 for $250 off, a 30 percent off spring sale at Anker, and the year's best prices on numerous AirPods models. All of these deals are still available to purchase right now, so we're recapping them and more below. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these ...
Steve Jobs Theater dusk

Apple Reportedly Demoed Mixed-Reality Headset to Executives in the Steve Jobs Theater Last Week

Sunday March 26, 2023 5:53 am PDT by
Apple showcased its mixed-reality headset to the company's top 100 executives in the Steve Jobs Theater last week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained that the "momentous gathering" is a "key milestone" ahead of the headset's public announcement planned for June. The event was intended to rally Apple's top members of...
apple mixed reality headset concept by david lewis and marcus kane

Some Apple Employees Seriously Concerned About Mixed-Reality Headset as Announcement Draws Closer

Sunday March 26, 2023 8:25 am PDT by
Some Apple employees are concerned about the usefulness and price point of the company's upcoming mixed-reality headset, The New York Times reports. Apple headset concept by David Lewis and Marcus Kane Initial enthusiasm around the device at the company has apparently become skepticism, according to eight current and former Apple employees speaking to The New York Times. The change of tone...
iphone 14 pro max deep purple feature purple

iPhone 15 Pro Rumor Recap: 10 New Features and Changes to Expect

Thursday March 23, 2023 6:42 am PDT by
While the iPhone 15 series is still around six months away from launching, there have already been plenty of rumors about the devices. Many new features and changes have been rumored for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max in particular. Below, we have recapped 10 changes rumored for iPhone 15 Pro models that are not expected to be available on the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus:A1...
iOS 16

iOS 16.4 Will Add These 8 New Features to Your iPhone

Sunday March 26, 2023 8:06 am PDT by
Following nearly six weeks of beta testing, iOS 16.4 is expected to be released to the public as soon as this week. The software update includes a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone 8 and newer. To install an iOS update, open the Settings app on the iPhone, tap General → Software Update, and follow the on-screen instructions. Below, we have recapped eight new features and...