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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is more powerful with better graphics capabilities, so for intensive engineering tasks, creative work like video editing, or high-end gaming, it would be the better choice. However, it is also heavier and less portable than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13", which might be an important consideration if you frequently travel or move around. The MacBook Pro has a larger, higher-resolution Mini-LED display which is superior for multimedia tasks, but this also makes the device larger and drains the battery faster. On the other hand, the Surface Laptop 5 13" is a more budget-friendly option with a smaller, more traditional IPS display that's better suited for general use and has good portability. It runs Windows, which may be preferable if your work relies on Windows-exclusive software. Finally, the MacBook will likely have a longer battery life, which is beneficial if you're often away from power sources. 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 2023)
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Best in class battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
- Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
8.8
7.4
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
487.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) boasts a high-end CPU, more RAM, superior screen quality, and a longer battery life which makes it very good for general use but it is less portable due to its size and weight. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offers good general performance with decent CPU and RAM, a quality screen, and more portability due to its lighter weight and smaller size, though with a shorter battery life.
Gaming and AI
7.5
6.1
6.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
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 16 (Late 2023) is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is better suited for 3D applications due to its more powerful GPU and higher screen refresh rate compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13", which has a capable but less potent integrated graphics solution and a standard screen refresh rate, making it fair for gaming and 3D tasks. However, the MacBook Pro runs MacOS, which does not support many popular games, whereas the Surface Laptop with Windows has wider game compatibility despite its lower gaming performance.
Engineering and Design
8.9
7.1
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
6.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
18.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) excels in engineering and design use due to its more powerful CPU, higher RAM, and superior integrated GPU, coupled with an exceptional Mini LED screen that offers better resolution, brightness, and color accuracy.
Content Creation
8.9
7.4
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
18.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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
8.9
7.2
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
18.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for software development, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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
9.3
7.2
16.2in
SIZE
13.5in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
487.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16" offers a high-resolution display that delivers crisp visuals with bright colors, making it excellent for general use and detail-oriented work like engineering and design due to its wide color gamut coverage. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" also provides a quality screen with good resolution and brightness suitable for everyday tasks and professional design work, albeit on a smaller display. However, for 3D applications where smooth motion is key, neither of these laptops excels as they prioritize color accuracy and resolution over the high refresh rates that 3D work often benefits from.
Battery
17.5 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has 7.5 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
16.2in
SIZE
13.5in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has excellent portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
7.8
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has best in class build quality, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,499
$1,200
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has a price of $2,499 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" costs $1,200.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,499 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2023 | October 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.57'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.7 lbs | 2.86 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.01" | 12.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.77" | 8.8" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M3 Pro (12C) | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 18 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 17.5 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99.6 Wh | 47.4 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16.2" | 13.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3456 x 2234 | 2256 x 1504 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 487 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 9/10 | |
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 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023)
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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 5 13"
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Lori Grunin | October 2022
"The Surface Laptop 5 remains afloat as a solid machine. It's just not one that stands out in any particular way. Just like the last one. The biggest upgrade were some new components, but they perform in the same range as other laptops with them, and frequently at the bottom of that range. I suspect Microsoft's settings are very conservative to help keep cooling and battery life within reason in the older chassis design."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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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