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Updated January 12, 2024·
Without access to the specifications or a summary of the two laptops, I can still provide general advice. The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) typically offers high performance, a larger screen, and a longer battery life but is heavier, which impacts portability. It's well-suited for demanding tasks like video editing, software development, and design work. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is typically more portable due to its smaller size and lighter weight; it's a good match for everyday tasks like web browsing, office work, and media consumption. The Surface Laptop Go 2 may also offer better integration with Windows-based business environments. So, if you need a powerful workstation for intensive tasks, the MacBook Pro may be the better choice, despite being slightly more expensive. However, if you prioritize portability and primarily engage in general use, the Surface Laptop Go 2 might be the more convenient option. Consider also the ecosystems; if you are invested in Apple's ecosystem, the MacBook will integrate seamlessly with your other devices. 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 16 (Late 2019)
- Good for engineering and design
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Very good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
- Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
7.8
7.0
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
477.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for general use, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) excels in general use with a powerful CPU, ample RAM, high-quality screen, and strong battery life but is less portable due to its weight and size. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, while highly portable and featuring a decent CPU, offers a lower RAM capacity, smaller screen size, and diminished battery life, which makes it fair for general use but not as capable for demanding tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.5
6.5
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) outshines the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 in engineering and design due to its more powerful CPU and GPU, significantly higher RAM and battery capacity, as well as its superior screen quality indicated by better resolution, brightness, and color space coverage. On the other hand, while the Surface Laptop Go 2 offers greater portability owing to its lighter weight and smaller size, its lower-grade CPU and GPU, more limited RAM, and smaller screen with a lower color gamut make it less optimal for demanding engineering and design tasks.
Content Creation
8.0
7.1
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is very good for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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
7.9
7.0
4.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is somewhat better.
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
6.9
16.0in
SIZE
12.4in
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
477.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16's larger, high-resolution display along with its exceptional brightness and panel type deliver a crisp and vibrant visual experience ideal for general use and engineering tasks where color accuracy is key. Its comprehensive color gamut coverage ensures designers see true-to-life colors, crucial for precise work. However, its standard refresh rate limits its effectiveness for 3D applications, where smoother visuals are needed for animation and modeling.
Battery
12.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 12 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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
Good
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
12.4in
4.3 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has excellent portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
7.8
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has best in class build quality, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.0
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
60Hz
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 16 (Late 2019) and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) provides decent 3D performance due to its dedicated AMD GPU, but its MacOS limits the number of popular games it can run; compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, which also offers fair performance for gaming and 3D graphics with an integrated Iris Xe GPU, the MacBook's screen delivers higher resolution and quality, which is important for these tasks, but both have a standard screen refresh rate which is not ideal for the most fluid gaming experience.
Cost
$511
$519
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has a price of $511 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 costs $519.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$511 | $519 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2019 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.7'' x 0.64'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.3 lbs | 2.48 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.09" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.68" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-9750H | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 128 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 12 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 100 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3072 x 1920 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 477 nits | 401 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 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 | 8.8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720P | 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 | 4 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 4 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | N/A | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019)
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NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | February 2023
"The Apple MacBook Pro 16 2023: M2 Max challenges GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. The new MacBook Pro 16 2023 with the M2 Max SoC is the most powerful laptop Apple has on sale right now. While we do not get the expected performance and efficiency improvements from completely new 3 nm chips, which we expected ahead of the launch, the 2023 model is still a solid update. The CPU of the M2 Max can be up to 20 % faster than the old model and we also see an advantage of 25-30 % for the GPU with 38 cores. However, both components also consume more power, so the efficiency did not change that much under maximum load."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | August 2022
"The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 review is a compact companion with old hardware. The Surface Laptop Go 2 shows some weaknesses. Microsoft didn't really develop the second generation of the Surface Laptop Go 2 any further but has only equipped it with a slightly more powerful Core i5 processor. However, the performance still remains at a fairly low level overall, but for many users, it definitely should still be sufficient for everyday tasks."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
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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About the laptop team
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CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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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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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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