MacBook Air vs Surface Laptop: Which Should You Buy?
Apple MacBook Air 13" (M5)
Best for: Students, professionals and everyday use
Microsoft Surface Laptop (7th Edition)
Best for: Premium Windows ultraportable
The short answer
Both are superb thin-and-light laptops with all-day battery life. The MacBook Air is the better laptop for most people: it's silent, fast and beautifully built. Choose the Surface Laptop if you need Windows, or want a touchscreen.
Choose the Apple MacBook Air 13" (M5) if…
You want the best all-round laptop, you use an iPhone, or you want a completely silent, fanless design.
Choose the Microsoft Surface Laptop (7th Edition) if…
You need Windows for work or school, you want a touchscreen, or you prefer the larger 15-inch option.
Specifications compared
| Apple MacBook Air 13" (M5) | Microsoft Surface Laptop (7th Edition) | |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Apple M5 (10-core CPU) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus / X Elite |
| Memory | 16GB unified (base) | 16GB (base) |
| Storage | 256GB SSD (base) | 256GB-1TB SSD |
| Display | 13.6-inch Liquid Retina | 13.8 or 15-inch PixelSense touchscreen |
| Battery | Up to 18 hours | Up to 20 hours (13.8-inch, video playback) |
Strengths and weaknesses
Apple MacBook Air 13" (M5)
- Outstanding battery life
- Fanless and completely silent
- 16GB RAM as standard
- Base storage is small
- Limited ports
Microsoft Surface Laptop (7th Edition)
- Beautiful touchscreen
- Long battery life
- Copilot+ AI features
- Some older apps and games run poorly on Arm
- Premium price
Software compatibility
The Surface Laptop uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon (Arm) processor. Most everyday apps run well, but some older programs, specialist software and many games don't, so check the apps you rely on first.
See our laptop buying guide for more options, including gaming laptops.
Our scores are editorial ratings based on specifications, pricing and published performance data. How we choose and score products.