Apple's MacBook Pro vs. Microsoft's Surface Book 2

[MarsViolet]

And having to press a button to eject the display? It’s ultimately still all these small details which differentiates Apple from Microsoft. Apple would find a way for me to be able to just yank the screen away as and when I wish without having to think about it.

Let me just point out that on Macs you need to unmount hard disks before disconnecting them, while on Windows you can safely unplug them at any time. Really. So my money's on Apple needing that eject button too. Not that they'll ever offer laptops with displays that come off, of course.

 

[Janichsan]

And having to press a button to eject the display? It’s ultimately still all these small details which differentiates Apple from Microsoft. Apple would find a way for me to be able to just yank the screen away as and when I wish without having to think about it.

You are aware that the Surface Book's keyboard part also contains a dedicated GPU? Apple can't even handle hot un-plugging a eGPU without crashing the system.

 

[MoreRumors?]

I do wish they bring back the SD card slot and USB port on the MBP. With the price of the Surface 2 close to MBP, I don't think it is enough to make anyone switch over.

 

[theluggage]

The big question: have they fixed the "sleep of death" and related problems of the Surface Book 1?

I had an original Surface Book for a while - and quite liked it until it started having problems: ejecting the tablet (the whole USP of the machine) would lock it up. Then it started the game of not waking up from sleep, and not shutting down fully - requiring continuous "hard resets". Quick google showed that this was a widespread problem with no constructive fixes from Microsoft. I tried a clean re-install of Windows which wouldn't complete because the fault stopped the machine from rebooting cleanly during the install. After a few attempts, the SSD got corrupted and machine ended up effectively bricked. Fortunately I'd got it from a good store and it was still withing a no-quibble returns period, so that little experiment ended.

Apart from that (Mrs Lincoln) OS-wise, I think the experience confirmed for me that I prefer MacOS to Windows - Windows 10 is a bit of a hot mess, with (e.g.) two control panels (a Windows 7 one and a Windows 10 one) offering overlapping but different sets of options (e.g. two separate back-up systems - and when I tried to restore from a whole-disc backup over the network, the installer refused to connect to my server...) - the Win10 email client was quite good, but limited, and I was seriously disappointed by how full-blown Outlook failed to integrate neatly with the system. Windows is technically better at dealing with high-DPI displays (the UI is completely scalable) but is let down by applications that don't scale properly - moving between a 1440p external display at work and a 4k display at home got it thoroughly confused. On the other hand, you have to put that in a context of familiarity vs. non-familiarity - we're all so used to MacOS' little foibles (Mac OS Mail is hardly a paragon) that we stop seeing them.

From my point of view, one of the interesting things about Windows is the way they're building in Linux support. A USP of MacOS for me is that Unix is a more natural environment for things like web development - a year ago when I tried it, Windows Linux support wasn't quite there (it was still more practical to use a VM) but it was early days.

Hardware-wise, the Surface Book 1 keyboard was (for my money) almost up to the "classic" Apple chiclet keyboard and nicer than the new "butterfly" keyboard. The trackpad wasn't up to Apple standards (but then, what is? although I have reservations about the bigger-must-be-better version on the 2016+ MBPs).

The connectivity... now, that's "Top Trumps" vs. practicality. The lack of anything faster than USB 3.0 on the SB1 is definitely an on-paper minus (I'm assuming that the SB2's USB-C can do 3.1g2, but not Thunderbolt). However, I don't actually have a need for anything faster than USB3 - and while the MBP can simultaneously connect to two 5k TB displays and two super-fast SSD RAID arrays, I'm not sure why I'd want to do that on a thin, light laptop with thermally constrained CPU/GPU. In contrast, the SB1 connectivity just worked for me - USB and Mini DisplayPort plugged straight into my 27" (I see the SB2 has sacrificed the MiniDP on the USB-C alter, ho hum) - while at home I had a Surface Dock - bit expensive, but port replicators always are - that gave me 2xMiniDP for displays, ethernet, 4xUSB3 and charging via a single, magnetic connector (so I could leave the original charger at work). So, I only needed to carry the laptop itself between home and work - mission accomplished. The MBP was going to need a plethora of dongles or two docks.

So, in the end I went back to my semi-trusty 2011 17" MBP for work (fingers crossed that the GPU doesn't fail again) and eventually got an iMac for home & found a neat tool called Syncthing to keep the relevant folders on both synced. If the SB1 hadn't died, though, I'd probably have switched & built a custom PC tower system for home.

 

[Valkyrus]

In what fantasy world does a MacBook pro with a Radeon 560 compare to an nvidia gtx1050 or gtx1060? Not the mobile versions mind you, but a full blown desktop GPU. No, these devices cannot be compared to eachother when you factor in modern games, apps and the like. The thing that they most have in common is the fact that they're both hideously overpriced...That being said I still opted in for a 15" book 2. #noragrats

 

[pppx3]

Come on Apple, release a Macbook that is operated using voice and hand gestures and blow to competition out of the water. You should be able to achieve this mostly through software, so PLEASE, get on with it and make it backward compatible with older macs... reward out loyalty !!

 

[maflynn]

If the Surface was about 20 % of the price of the MBP

For me that's the biggest differentiator. I'm well enmeshed in the Apple ecosystem, but I do use windows and I own a Surface Book (first gen). I'd probably opt for the 15" model of the SB, if it was cheaper. Windows has a lot of advantages, including more flexibility, power, and customizations. With that said, I do enjoy OS X more, and for my needs OS X is better.

One thing is sure the SB has a better keyboard and that's what's been stopping me now, more then anything.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Come on Apple, release a Macbook that is operated using voice and hand gestures and blow to competition out of the water. You should be able to achieve this mostly through software, so PLEASE, get on with it and make it backward compatible with older macs... reward out loyalty !!

Not sure why you think Apple has this capability. For one, Siri isn't as functional, supposedly for security, on Mac OS as iOS. So why would you think Apple could securely make the entire Mac OS run on voice commands? And Siri on all OSes, with it's limited command set, isn't always accurate. I find accuracy and listening skills varies from OS build to OS build.

Then you have the issue that voice commands are not really practical in a work or public setting. Even in private, I for one, would not want to control my computer with voice commands unless it understood conversational language rather than having to speak to it, like you do with Siri, like it's a 2 year old unable to understand complex sentences and language nuances like homophones. Otherwise it's making work harder, not easier.

 

[niun]

Except it is double the thickness of a MacBook Pro, and the touchpad / touch screen is not really ergonomic (it requires carrying around a mouse). It may be more powerful, but not as portable as a MBP.

Requires carrying a mouse? How so? Do tell.


On another note. Yes. Made the switch with the Surface Pro 3 / 4, SB 1 and am chomping at the bit for the 15" SB2 - if PC world ever get the 512 back in stock.

Apple lost me when they chose handbag pretty over power, fashioned a keyboard out of pure evil and had the balls to charge me for three incredibly expensive items to do one task - actually might be more with added dongles....

If Apple wants to take care of the coffee shop "rose gold" bloggers out there then all power to them.

 

[Dave245]

Another problem I find is the price, The Surface Book price is around the same as a MacBook Pro, yes it’s still portable but you still end up having to buy the extras like the pen and the dial.

I’ll give Microsoft some credit they have made something different and they must believe in it in order for them to continue down the path. I’ve never looked back after going to a Mac the OS is so much better, granted we talking about Windows from 2011 that I used but still it doesn’t seem that much better now with Widows 10, please correct me if I’m wrong.

Since owning a Mac I never have to defrag the hard drive like Windows, I don’t bother with anti virus since most software I have is from the Mac App Store anyway and and this is a BIG one the MacBook Pro I brought has lasted me from 2011, so has my 2012 iMac. In the past I could never say that about Windows Machine’s, after 3 years they got very slow buggy and utterly frustrating to use.

 

[niun]

you still end up having to buy the extras like the pen and the dial.

No. You. Do. Not... Where do people get these ideas from? If you don't need the pen or dial then why would you purchase them?
They are not required. I notice you failed to mention dongles for the Mac.

Since owning a Mac I never have to defrag the hard drive like Windows, I don’t bother with anti virus

Not had to do that on Windows 10 either and Windows defender takes care of almost everything. If you want to use dodgy software, click dodgy links or open dodgy mail you run the risk of screwing your system regardless of OS so it really is a wafer thin argument.

 

[needsomecoffee]

This article worries me... Dammit, what is Apple doing with all the cash it has?

$100,000,000,000 to buy back stock ($100 Billion).

They rank 5th in the level of R&D investment woefully far behind Amazon, and a good distance behind Google. Link:

https://www.recode.net/2017/9/1/16236506/tech-amazon-apple-gdp-spending-productivity

 

[BenTrovato]

For the same price, I would rather have a MacBook Pro. Fit and finish is far better with Apple. I don't know about you guys but I use both OS's everyday and Windows is now faster than MacOS, in almost every way on identical hardware. MacOS is a bit nicer, and obviously has an ecosystem that is hard to adjust to if you move to Windows. Laptop wise, the MBP is overall a better product. Software wise, I don't feel the Apple advantage anymore.

 

[antonis]

They are both poor choices over the latest huawei matebook x pro. Delete windows and install a Linux on it and you have the best possible laptop out there.

 

[Lax608]

Very good article. For me, like some others have said, it comes down to operating systems and I cannot tolerate Windows; simply personal preference. That being said, Apple does have their work cut out for them. The competition is getting stiffer.

 

[Gherkin]

I switched to a SB2 after ~13 years of only Macs. Absolutely love this computer. If I didn't do digital illustration though I probably would have stayed with a Mac.

I still think Apple makes really amazing products but I was never into any of their services and have owned more Android phones than iPhones (3 to 1 now) so I wasn't really tied into the ecosystem.

It will be interesting to see how iPad/MBP evolve and if Apple is a viable option for me again when I want to upgrade in 3 to 4 years.

Windows is great nowadays. I do prefer MacOS but can't see how it would possibly be a "I will NEVER buy a Surface" bulletpoint. It basically exactly the same but looks and acts a bit differently. This isn't Windows of 7 years ago.

 

[apolloa]

That was a really good video comparison. It is just a matter of preference with the OS. Although I’ve read issues with the Surface?

 

[mike2q]

If you prefer one OS over the other then use what makes you happy. What makes me laugh though is all the responses I see that say they would "never" switch. Never? Really? So even if Apple continues it's trend of ignoring Mac OS you'll stick by them? Even if at some point in the future Microsoft ends up making a superior product you'd still pay a premium for Apple on principle? That sounds to me like more of a sucker than a discerning tech enthusist. One of the hardest things to do in life is to look past your own personal bias.

 

[Dave245]

No. You. Do. Not... Where do people get these ideas from? If you don't need the pen or dial then why would you purchase them?
They are not required. I notice you failed to mention dongles for the Mac.



Not had to do that on Windows 10 either and Windows defender takes care of almost everything. If you want to use dodgy software, click dodgy links or open dodgy mail you run the risk of screwing your system regardless of OS so it really is a wafer thin argument.

The fact that they don't come in the box much like the iPad Pro doesn't come with the Pencil. If you want the extra functionality then you need to buy the pen, especially if you are going to be using it for drawing and so on when detaching the top.

I never mentioned the dongle's because there's not point EVERYONE already knows about that situation.

i never used dodgy software or even clicked on weird or dodgy links back when i owned a Windows machine but still after 3 years of owning my machines were slower and so buggy it was really annoying, as i stated tho that was back in 2011 and earlier ever since then i have been using Mac's my MacBook Pro 2011 is still working to this day granted it's not as fast but it still works, i could never have said that with a Windows machine, not to mention all the bloatware that use to come pre-installed such as free anti virus trials and so on.

It's not wafer thin at all when i've been using Mac OS since 2011 and i've not had a problem at all! i never could say that about Windows back then.
[doublepost=1525784335][/doublepost]

If you prefer one OS over the other then use what makes you happy. What makes me laugh though is all the responses I see that say they would "never" switch. Never? Really? So even if Apple continues it's trend of ignoring Mac OS you'll stick by them? Even if at some point in the future Microsoft ends up making a superior product you'd still pay a premium for Apple on principle? That sounds to me like more of a sucker than a discerning tech enthusist. One of the hardest things to do in life is to look past your own personal bias.

If Microsoft were to make a brilliant product like Apple where they controlled the OS and the hardware, made Windows a much better experience including an app store i would consider it, yes i do use Apple products more than any other in fact i own nearly every Apple product there is because it works for me, BUT i'm only as loyal as long as these products work well enough for me personally, it's about the experience and reliability with that brand.

 

[Rafterman]

I have both and use both at home and at work. The hardware on the Surface Book 2 is great, and the ability to remove the screen to go tablet mode is great. Apple misses the boat on touchscreens. No one uses a touchscreen on Windows as the primary input device, which is Apple's argument against them. But for that rare occasion where you just want to grab something on the screen and manipulate it, its a great capability.

But as an iPhone user, the Mac environment is still supreme, with many iOS apps duplicated and syncing with MacOS, and I still love the Apple "font" and look of the OS. And the space grey Macbook Pro looks sleek and modern (that Surface Book hinge - necessary I know, but ugh). But as Microsoft adds more and more capabilities to Windows with their updates, Apple is getting lazy with MacOS.

 

[grizzelda73]

I should have added a belated Thank's with that post sorry mate.

 

[TComm]

The new keyboard *killed* MacBook Pro. No way I am buying it. Definitely Surface.

 

[jlawr]

One of Apple's biggest competitors in the laptop space is arguably Microsoft, with its line of portable, productivity-focused Surface Book machines. Microsoft in November released its newest product, the Surface Book 2, a 2-in-1 PC that has quite a few selling points to entice Apple customers.

In our latest YouTube video, we took a look at the 15-inch Surface Book 2 and compared it to the 2016 15-inch MacBook Pro across a number of categories including build quality and design, key features, and overall usage experience for someone in the Apple ecosystem.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.​

Both the Surface Book 2 and Apple's most recent MacBook Pro models are powerful machines with some of the latest technology in processor and graphics cards, so modern apps, games, and other software features run well on either device.

The Surface Book 2 and the MacBook Pro are both well-built with attractive, eye-catching designs, but there are some major differences here. While the MacBook Pro is a traditional laptop with a display and attached keyboard, the Surface Book 2 is a 2-in-1 with a touch display that can be converted into a tablet.

Because of its 2-in-1 design, the Surface Book 2 has an usual hinged design that lets the display be folded backwards or disconnected from the keyboard entirely for use in a tablet mode. The MacBook Pro, meanwhile, has no touch screen and it is a unibody machine.

Microsoft's Surface Book 2 has a wealth of ports that are missing from the MacBook Pro, which only offers 4 USB-C ports (albeit with Thunderbolt 3). The Surface Book 2 has an SD card slot, a USB-C port, and two USB-A ports, something that Apple users unhappy with the MacBook Pro port situation will appreciate.

The Surface Book 2 may have a 3240 x 2160 touch screen display, but it has some faults compared to the MacBook Pro's 2880 x 1800 display. It's nowhere near as bright, and it's also not quite as crisp. As for the trackpad, the MacBook Pro wins out because of its large trackpad equipped with haptic feedback and support for multiple gestures. Trackpad is one area where PC laptops often lag behind Apple, and the Surface Book 2 is no exception.

When it comes to the keyboard, the Surface Book 2 has a softer keyboard that's not quite as clicky and solid as the keyboard of the MacBook Pro, but as we well know, the keyboard redesign on the 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pro models has been receiving a lot of attention lately for reliability issues and its seemingly frequent failures, so the Surface Book 2 may have the edge here.

The aforementioned 2-in-1 tablet option for the Surface Book 2 is something Apple just can't compete with. You can press a key on the Surface Book 2's keyboard and pull the display right out of the keyboard to use it as a standalone touch-based tablet with the Surface Pen and the Surface Dial, both of which are ideal for creative tasks.

There are no input devices like a Surface Pen available for the MacBook Pro, and the main feature that it can boast over the Surface Book 2 is the Touch Bar, something that arguably does not get as much use as a 2-in-1 design.

The Surface Book 2 has a lot of perks that aren't available on Apple's MacBook Pro, but choosing to adopt the machine over an Apple device is still going to be difficult for those enmeshed in the Apple ecosystem. There's a lot of integration between macOS and iOS, and features like Continuity, Handoff, and iCloud will be missed if you're used to Apple devices. Certain software, like Final Cut Pro, is also limited to Apple's machines.

So which one is better? As with a lot of devices that are similar in specs, it's tough to say. It largely comes down to preference - do you want to use macOS or Windows? Most people in the Apple ecosystem likely won't want to give up macOS/iOS perks for the Surface Book 2's feature set, but those who don't use a lot of crossover functionality won't miss macOS as much.

If you're not tied to a specific operating system and don't mind mixing devices across different platforms, Microsoft's Surface Book 2 is absolutely worth considering as a powerful, capable machine that offers functionality you can't get in a MacBook Pro.

Would you switch from an Apple machine to the Surface Book 2? Let us know in the comments.

Article Link: Apple's MacBook Pro vs. Microsoft's Surface Book 2

[doublepost=1525784666][/doublepost]I'd like to see a comparison on the performance of Photoshop CC.

 

[niun]

The fact that they don't come in the box much like the iPad Pro doesn't come with the Pencil. If you want the extra functionality then you need to buy the pen, especially if you are going to be using it for drawing and so on when detaching the top.
It's not wafer thin at all when i've been using Mac OS since 2011 and i've not had a problem at all! i never could say that about Windows back then.

Yeah, windows 10 is pretty much up to Mac OS standards these days (I've had issues with both so neither are perfect in any way).
But in any case you are using arguments from 2011 for an OS in 2018. In that case my C64 has been running flawlessly for decades.

Correct. If you want the extra functionality of the Surface you'd need a Pen - dial is in no way required. That's a $99 hit if you REALLY need it..

My choice was this..

Surface with a pen.
Or
Macbook Pro + Wacom + dongle or MacBook Pro + iPad Pro + Apple Pencil..

That's the added cost for being creative on Mac these days. Not to mention the portability..

 

[Optheduim]

I actually strongly considered the surface at one point. I know that Apple seems to think touch-displays are awkward for a vertical screen... but I really really really want touch display in their computers.

...but I’m a lifelong Mac user and fully engrained in the ecosystem. Every time I think it’s time to switch to PC, I always end up staying.