Surface Pro 3 Vs. MacBook Air Review: MacBook Air is a popular "Ultrabook" that numerous people are already using. Microsoft mobile products aren't so widespread, but that doesn't mean that the company can't bring a quality product to the market. The third generation Microsoft Surface Pro aims to compete with mobile giants, and brings several developments over the previous model. Specifications that MacBook Air and Microsoft Surface Pro 3 offer are reviewed here.
Microsoft has unveiled the Surface Pro which features a 12in (30.5cm) touchscreen. The firm boasted that at 9.1mm (0.36in) thick. Without the optional Type-cover keyboard, it becomes the "thinnest PC" to be powered by one of Intel's higher-end Core processors BBC News reported. The MacBook Air is thicker with 192mm x 300mm x 17 mm dimensions than the Surface Pro 2 which has 173mm x 275mm x 13.5mm respectively as described by GizMag.
For a more detailed comparison, Time Magazine made table showing the specifications that the MacBook Air and Microsoft Surface Pro 3 offer:
Surface Pro 3 | MacBook Air (13-in.) | |
Operating System | Windows 8.1 | OS X Mavericks |
Screen Size (in.) | 12 | 13.3 |
Screen Area (sq. in.) | 66.46 | 75.58 |
Aspect Ratio | 3:2 | 16:9 |
Screen Resolution | 2160-by-1440 | 1440-by-900 |
Pixel Density | 216 ppi | 128 ppi |
Touchscreen? | Yes | No |
Processor | Intel Core i3 - i7 | Intel Core i5 or i7 |
Memory | 4 or 8 GB | 4 or 8 GB |
Base Storage | 64 GB | 128 GB |
Maximum Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB |
Battery Life | Up to 9 hours | Up to 12 hours |
Front Camera | 5 megapixels | 0.92 megapixels |
Rear Camera | 5 megapixels | None |
USB Slots | 1 | 2 |
SD Card Slot? | MicroSD | Full SD |
Video Out | Mini DisplayPort | Thunderbolt |
LTE Connectivity? | No | No |
Keyboard Included? | No | Yes |
Stylus? | Yes | No |
Runs Office? | Yes | Yes |
Weight (Tablet Only) | 1.76 lbs. | N/A |
Weight (with Keyboard) | 2.41 lbs. | 2.96 lbs. |
Thickness (Tablet Only) | 0.36 in. | N/A |
Thickness (with Keyboard) | 0.56 in. | 0.68 in. |
Base Price (Tablet Only) | $799 | N/A |
Base Price (with Keyboard) | $929 | $999 |
Max Price (Tablet Only) | $1949 | N/A |
Max Price (with Keyboard) | $2079 | $1749 |
Both machines run any office suites designed for their respective operating systems. But Apple now gives away its iWork suite for free with Mac purchases. The Surface Pro 3 doesn't include Office upon purchase.
