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Updated January 10, 2024· Prices updated 24 hours ago
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) offers higher performance, especially for 3D tasks, machine learning, and engineering, thanks to its powerful processor and integrated graphics. It features a larger, high-resolution screen, but it's less portable when compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, which is lighter and smaller, making it easier to carry around. The MacBook Air is typically more expensive, so if budget is a concern, the Surface Laptop Go 3, with its lower midrange price, is more affordable. Keep in mind the MacBook Air runs MacOS while the Surface Laptop Go 3 runs Windows 11 Home, which can be a major factor depending on your preferred ecosystem or software requirements. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)
- Good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- 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
- Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
7.9
7.2
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
501.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for general use, though the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is rated higher for general use primarily because it has a more powerful CPU, more vibrant screen with higher resolution and brightness, and longer battery life, all of which contribute to a better overall user experience. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, while offering good portability thanks to its lower weight, falls short with a less impressive screen and shorter battery life, making it less suitable for more demanding tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.6
6.8
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air 15, equipped with the powerful Apple M2 chip and higher screen resolution, offers a more robust performance for CPU and GPU-intensive engineering and design tasks than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, which has an Intel i5 processor and less impressive graphics capabilities. Additionally, the MacBook Air boasts better screen quality, which is crucial for detail-oriented work, while the Surface Laptop Go 3, being lighter and more compact, offers superior portability and quieter operation, but at the expense of lower performance and screen fidelity.
Content Creation
8.0
7.3
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is very good for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is good.
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
8.1
7.1
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) 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
7.8
6.8
15.3in
SIZE
12.4in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 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 has a high-resolution display with bright, vibrant images, making it excellent for general use and detail-oriented work like engineering and design due to its wide color gamut support. However, its refresh rate is lower, which is less ideal for 3D applications where smoother motion is crucial. On the other hand, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go has a sufficiently high-resolution and bright screen for general use and design tasks, its lower color gamut coverage compared to the MacBook Air, and similarly lower refresh rate, make it less suitable for professional design work and 3D experiences.
Battery
15.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 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
7.8
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) 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.
Cost
$1,299
$797
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 costs $797.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.5
6.1
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
15.3in
SIZE
12.4in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.6in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 to have excellent portability, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,299 | $797 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2023 | October 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13.4'' x 9.4'' x 0.45'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.3 lbs | 2.49 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.4" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 | Intel i5-1235U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 66.6 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.3" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2880 x 1864 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 501 nits | 337 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | N/A | |
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Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | June 2023
"The Apple MacBook Air 15 is boringly good. The new MacBook Air 15 is a very good, but also boring device, because apart from the larger screen and the higher price, there are no differences compared to the smaller MacBook Air M2 from last year. No new processor, no additional ports, just the usual basic hardware - but the overall package is extremely good and it simply works. Above all, the lack of fans is an aspect that should not be underestimated in everyday use. In our opinion, the Air could be a lot better, but Apple goes easy on itself here."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
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Pricing last updated 24 hours ago |
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Joe Osborne | October 2023
"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."
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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