In depth comparison and review of Apple MacBook Air with Retina display and Microsoft Surface Laptop 3. Compare sizes, performance, storage capacities, batteries and other important specifications and features to easily choose the right laptop for you. Our goal is to help you uncover differences between the products and find the laptop that will best fit your needs.
Advantages and disadvantages of Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 based on its technical characteristics, features, user experience, expert reviews and price level.
lightweight and portable
responsive touchscreen display
stylish aluminum design
fast charging support
solid performance benchmarks
limited port selection
no dedicated graphics
higher price point
average battery life
| DESIGN AND DIMENSIONS | Apple MacBook Air with Retina display | Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 |
|---|
| Product Type | Notebook | Notebook |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions (WxDxH) | 30.41 cm x 21.24 cm x 1.56 cm | 30.8 cm x 22.3 cm x 1.45 cm |
| Weight | 1.25 kg | 1.265 kg |
| Case Material | Aluminum | Aluminum |
| Colour | Space grey | Gold | Silver | Platinum |
| DISPLAY | Apple MacBook Air with Retina display | Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 |
|---|
| Screen Size (Type) | 13.3" - IPS | 13.5" |
|---|---|---|
| Touchscreen | - | Yes (10-point multi-touch) |
| LCD Backlight Technology | LED backlight | - |
| Screen Resolution | 2560 x 1600 (WQXGA) | 2256 x 1504 |
| Pixel Density (ppi) | 227 | 201 |
| Widescreen | Yes | Yes |
| Image Aspect Ratio | 16:10 | 3:2 |
| Features | BFR/PVC-free, Mercury free, beryllium free, arsenic free, Retina display | PixelSense |
| PROCESSOR | Apple MacBook Air with Retina display | Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 |
|---|
| CPU | Intel Core i5 (8th Gen) 1.6 GHz | Intel Core i5 (10th Gen) 1035G7 / 1.2 GHz |
|---|---|---|
| Max Turbo Speed | 3.6 GHz | 3.7 GHz |
| Number of Cores | Dual-Core | Quad-Core |
| Cache | L3 - 4 MB | 6 MB |
| 64-bit Computing | Yes | Yes |
| Features | Intel Turbo Boost Technology | - |
| MEMORY | Apple MacBook Air with Retina display | Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 |
|---|
| RAM | 8 GB (provided memory is soldered) | 8 GB |
|---|---|---|
| RAM Type | LPDDR3 SDRAM | LPDDR4X SDRAM |
| Speed | 2133 MHz | - |
| STORAGE | Apple MacBook Air with Retina display | Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 |
|---|
| Main Storage Size (HDD/SSD) | 128 GB SSD soldered PCIe | 128 GB SSD M.2 - NVM Express (NVMe) |
|---|
| AUDIO & VIDEO | Apple MacBook Air with Retina display | Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 |
|---|
| Graphics Processor (GPU) | Intel UHD Graphics 617 | Intel Iris Plus Graphics |
|---|---|---|
| Camera | Yes - 720p | Yes - 720p |
| Camera Features | FaceTime HD camera | Windows Hello |
| Sound | Stereo speakers, three microphones | Stereo speakers, two microphones |
| Compliant Standards | - | Dolby Audio Premium |
| COMMUNICATIONS | Apple MacBook Air with Retina display | Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 |
|---|
| Wireless | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.2 | Bluetooth 5.0, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax |
|---|---|---|
| Compliant Standards | - | Bluetooth 5.0, IEEE 802.11ax |
| BATTERY | Apple MacBook Air with Retina display | Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 |
|---|
| Technology | Lithium polymer | - |
|---|---|---|
| Battery Capacity (Size) | 50.3 Wh | - |
| Battery Life | Up to 12 hours | Up to 11.5 hours |
| Battery Run Time | Web browsing over Wi-Fi: up to 12 hours Video playback: up to 13 hours Standby time: up to 30 days |
- |
| AC ADAPTER | Apple MacBook Air with Retina display | Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 |
|---|
| Input | AC 100-240 V (50/60 Hz) | - |
|---|---|---|
| Output | 30 Watt | - |
| INPUT | Apple MacBook Air with Retina display | Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 |
|---|
| Type | Keyboard, Force Touch trackpad | Keyboard, trackpad |
|---|---|---|
| Keyboard Backlight | Yes | Yes |
| Features | Pressure sensitivity, multi-touch touchpad, Multi-Touch Gesture Recognition, ambient light sensor, force click, Touch ID sensor | Multi-gesture trackpad, Alcantara material palm rest |
| CONNECTIONS & EXPANSIONS | Apple MacBook Air with Retina display | Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 |
|---|
| Interfaces | 2 x USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 (supports Thunderbolt 3, DisplayPort Alt Mode) (Power Delivery) Headphone output |
USB 3.0 USB-C Headphone output SurfaceConnect |
|---|
| SOFTWARE | Apple MacBook Air with Retina display | Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 |
|---|
| Operating System (OS) | Apple macOS Big Sur 11.0 | Windows 10 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Software Included | iTunes, Apple iMovie, Apple Safari, Apple GarageBand, Photo Booth, Apple Time Machine, Apple FaceTime, Apple Preview, Mail, Maps, Photos, Reminders, App Store, Contacts, Stocks, Notes, Calendar, Siri, Messages, Apple iBooks, Apple Keynote, Apple Pages, Apple Numbers, News, Voice Memos, Home | Microsoft 365 (30 days trial) |
| MISCELLANEOUS | Apple MacBook Air with Retina display | Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 |
|---|
| Dockable | - | Yes |
|---|---|---|
| Included Accessories | USB-C power adapter | Power adapter |
| Cables Included | USB-C charge cable | - |
| Integrated Options | - | Ambient light sensor |
| Security | Apple T2 Security Chip, fingerprint reader | Trusted Platform Module (TPM 2.0) Security Chip |
| Features | T2 Security Chip | - |
| SAR Value | 0.71 W/kg (body) | 0.308 W/kg (body) |
| Repairability Index | 6.1 (out of 10) | - |
| ENERGY STAR Certified | Yes | - |
| EPEAT Compliant | EPEAT Gold | - |
| Max Operating Temperature | 35 °C | - |
| Min Operating Temperature | 10 °C | - |
| Humidity Range Operating | 0 - 90% (non-condensing) | - |
| Manufacturer Warranty | Limited warranty - 1 year Technical support - phone consulting - 90 days |
Limited warranty - 1 year |
cs
sk
de
it
es
fr
hu
pt
ru
pl
br
ro
