When choosing between the Apple MacBook Air (2022) and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, consider the following tradeoffs: the MacBook Air generally offers higher performance, better build quality, improved speaker and webcam quality, longer battery life, and a quieter experience since it has no fans. It also comes with a backlit keyboard and is suitable for a wider range of color-intensive tasks due to its better screen color accuracy. However, it's usually slightly more expensive and less portable than the Surface Laptop Go 3. On the other hand, the Surface Laptop Go 3 is a bit more affordable, has a touchscreen, and can be a bit more portable due to its smaller size and weight, but it has a shorter battery life and lower overall performance. If your priority is performance, build quality, and longer work sessions without charging, you may prefer the MacBook Air. If affordability, touch capability, and portability are more critical, the Surface Laptop Go 3 might be your pick. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air (2022)
Good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Good overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air (2022).
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
7.2/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
486.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for general use, though the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is somewhat better.
The MacBook Air, equipped with the Apple M2 processor, offers superior CPU performance and exceptional screen quality with higher brightness and more color coverage, leading to better overall performance and visual experience for general use, plus it has the advantage of a longer battery life and silent operation.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
6.8/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
7.9/10
7.3/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for content creation, though the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
8.0/10
7.1/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is very good for software development, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is good.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
7.6/10
6.8/10
13.6in
SIZE
12.4in
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
486.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Air offers a high-resolution display with vibrant colors and brightness, which enhances the viewing experience for general use and professional design tasks that require precise color accuracy. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 provides a decent display that is bright and clear enough for everyday tasks and some engineering work where color fidelity is important, but not as critical. For 3D applications, both laptops fall short because they lack fast refresh rates that are crucial for smooth rendering and immersive visuals, making them less suitable for high-end gaming or intensive 3D modeling.
Battery
15.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has 8 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.8/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has best in class build quality, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) with its M2 GPU delivers fair performance for 3D tasks and is limited by its 60 Hz screen refresh rate; however, it's not ideal for many popular games as they're not compatible with MacOS. In comparison, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 offers a fair gaming and 3D experience using its Intel Iris Xe GPU, and while it has a similar 60 Hz screen refresh rate, it runs Windows, which supports a wider range of popular games.
Portability
Excellent
Excellent
13.6in
SIZE
12.4in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 both have excellent portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$839
$797
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a price of $839 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 costs $797.
Give feedback
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How the Apple MacBook Air (2022) and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 compare to other laptops
"The Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry is a very good, but too expensive daily MacBook. The new MacBook Air M2 is undoubtedly once again a very good mobile companion, but we are still a little bit disappointed on a very high level, which is definitely connected with the increased price point. The new chassis is extremely slim and the front edge is no problem during typing, but the bezels are pretty wide for a modern device and in addition with the vertical space required for the notch, the new Air has larger footprint than some Windows rivals."
"When it comes to affordably priced laptops, the numbers after the dollar sign are crucially important—more so than in any other price category. By increasing the starting price of its Laptop Go line by $200 and not changing much else, Microsoft irrevocably altered the calculus surrounding the decision of whether to buy the Surface Laptop Go 3. Sure, it has a newer processor and longer battery life, but don’t think for a second you’re not paying dearly for that extra RAM and SSD capacity at that new price."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2022) or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
About Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
About Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
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About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.