When choosing between the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, consider your needs. The MacBook Pro offers higher performance, better screen quality, and longer battery life, making it suitable for intensive tasks like 3D modeling, machine learning, and engineering software. However, it comes at a higher price and is less portable than the Surface Laptop Go 3. The Surface Laptop Go 3 is more affordable, extremely portable, has touch screen capability, and is adequate for general use and light productivity tasks. If you prioritize performance and screen quality for professional work and can afford the higher price, go for the MacBook Pro. If you seek portability, touch screen convenience, and your tasks are more general in nature, the Surface Laptop Go 3 would be a cost-effective choice. 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 Pro 14 (Late 2023)
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Excellent 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
8.2/10
7.2/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
489.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
17.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 is favored for its more powerful Apple M3 processor, higher RAM capacity, superior mini LED screen with better resolution and color accuracy, larger battery, and longer battery life, which makes it well-suited for demanding tasks and extended use.
Gaming and AI
6.7/10
6.1/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14, with its higher-performance GPU and a screen that refreshes faster, excels in rendering 3D graphics, making it well suited for intense 3D tasks, despite the fact that it may not support many popular games. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 offers fair gaming capabilities with a capable integrated GPU and a standard refresh rate screen, but its 3D performance and gaming options are limited compared to the MacBook Pro, and it is compatible with a wider range of games thanks to its Windows operating system.
Engineering and Design
8.1/10
6.8/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very 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
8.4/10
7.3/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 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
8.2/10
7.1/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 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
9.2/10
6.8/10
14.2in
SIZE
12.4in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
489.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 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 Pro 14, with its high-resolution and bright Retina display, excels in offering crisp visuals for everyday tasks, making it ideal for general use. For engineering and design, its wide color gamut covers a broad spectrum of colors, crucial for accuracy in creative work. However, its standard refresh rate limits its suitability for 3D where a higher refresh rate is essential to provide smoother motion and better user experience.
Battery
17.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 17 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.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
14.2in
SIZE
12.4in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has excellent portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.8/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 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
$1,499
$729
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has a price of $1,499 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 costs $729.
"In the Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023, the M2 Pro is slowed down. From the improved 5nm process, the new M2 Pro is a very solid upgrade. Graphics performance has increased by about 25% in tandem with a clear improvement in efficiency. The processor has also seen a performance leap of up to 20%, but this is accompanied by an increase in consumption of up to 25%. Fundamentally, Apple its maintaining its advantage over AMD and Intel, particularly in optimized applications where the results are very good in view of the comparatively low power consumption."
"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 Pro 14 (Late 2023) 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.
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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
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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.