Now, that’s a good question! Since its release, reviewers, pundits and bloggers alike have been cluttering the Web with comparisons between the new 12 inch Apple MacBook and a string of devices that have little to do with the new MacBook, including the iPad.
The Microsoft Surface 3 has been a favorite to pit against the 12 inch MacBook, for no apparent reason, other than size proximity. This types of reviews don’t really help consumers, especially when two devices differ so broadly in terms of internal architecture, design and even user experience.
What is a Surface 3, if not a Surface 3?
The Surface 3 is one of Microsoft’s best ideas. It’s a signature product that unifies a Windows laptop and a tablet. It’s thin, light, and powerful, with respectable battery life.
The choice of a Magnesium body, rather than Aluminum may make the Surface less WiFi receptive, and keep the CPU a little warmer, but the Surface is also running on an Intel Atom Quad Core processor, which has considerably lower power requirements.
About the touchscreen/stylus, the Microsoft Surface’s intended purpose is to switch from laptop to tablet, which is an entirely different user scenario than a MacBook’s.
Having LTE may come in handy when WiFi is not available, and the Microsoft Surface 3 is certainly a pioneer in integrating this technology, as part of Microsoft Mobile-First strategy, and make no mistake, the Surface is very much about mobility.
The choice of 2GB to 4GB of RAM is a little on the low end, and certainly nowhere near the 8GB offered by the new MacBook, which is why the emphasis is on features, battery life and mobility, rather than performance, although it’s important to remember that performance is also dependent on the operating system and other factors such as internal storage access speed.
The 3.5MP front-facing camera, and 8MP rear camera on the Surface earned a few gold stars, in comparison with the MacBook’s 480p front-facing camera.
The Surface’s choice of 64GB to 128GB internal eMMC storage is another reason why the Surface can’t be compared to the 12 inch MacBook, sporting up to 512GB SSD.
What is a MacBook, if not a MacBook?
The new 12 inch MacBook may be packed with innovative concepts, some of which ahead of its time, but it is still an Apple product, with a signature style and usability Apple users have come to expect.
One particularly baffling term of comparison, is the missing touchscreen/stylus.
Realistically, the chances of Apple implementing a touchscreen and, especially, a stylus on a MacBook are next to none. Integrating a touchscreen into a MacBook would do Apple absolutely no good, as it would create a big identity problem, for users of iOS.
Apple has spent decades perfecting the right balance between each device, to make sure that users know exactly what to buy. An iPad running Mac OS X is simply not happening.
The choice of an aluminum body is one of many Apple has made, to pack as many advanced features as possible, in a thin and light construction, with an obvious emphasis on battery life. Apple has made a marvellous job at redesigning the battery, which is setting the course for all future iterations of the MacBook.
Replacing all connectors with a single USB-C port has been the focus of much debate, and one of the terms used in comparing the MacBook to the Surface, which features a single USB 3.0 port, and one Micro-USB, for good measure.
Decisions, decisions.
Consumers have very specific reasons for buying a device. Some will buy a Surface because perhaps they are more accustomed to using Windows than Mac OS X, or because they want both a tablet and a laptop. Others will choose a MacBook, because they feel more at home with Mac OS X, and don’t want to skimp on power, quality and performance.
Both products have their merits, but they are very different merits. Too different to be truly meaningful terms for comparison. The MacBook wins this battle.