Thanks to the non-standard aspect ratios of both screens, it's a little difficult to parse what that means, so let's put this another way. Resolution is also different between the two, with the Surface Laptop Go offering 1536 x 1024 resolution, and the MacBook Air outfitted with a 2560 x 1600 resolution panel. If you want touch capability, the Surface Laptop Go is the clear winner.
#2017 MACBOOK PRO VS 2017 MACBOOK AIR PRO#
The MacBook Air has no touchscreen, not even the divisive touch bar found on the more expensive MacBook Pro models. The Surface Laptop Go leverages one of Microsoft's biggest advantages over Mac, with the 12.4-inch pixel sense display offering 10-point multi-touch. When it comes to laptops, half of the equation may come down to the display, which is literally half of the laptop and the central interface for the entire machine. Surface Laptop Go vs MacBook Air: Display MacBook Air gets the point, but I'd award a half point to the Surface Laptop Go for providing ports that are more usable. Sure, you can get an adapter for the MacBook Air that plugs into a USB-C connection and then offers all sorts of port options for plugging in multiple devices, but it requires an extra purchase, and carrying around an extra adapter. Many, many people are still using flash drives, external hard drives, mice and keyboards that connect via USB-A, giving the Surface Laptop Go a little more accessibility than the MacBook Air. Thunderbolt 3 offers some of the fastest connectivity available, and will support both power and external displays, something that a standard USB-C connection can't promise.īased purely on the speed and flexibility of the Thunderbolt 3 connection, the MacBook Air takes the point on port options, but with one caveat. The MacBook Air is also outfitted with only two ports, but both of these are Thunderbolt 3 ports with a USB-C connection. Microsoft has not specified whether the USBA port is USB 3.0 or the older 2.0 standard. The Surface Laptop Go is outfitted with a single USB-C port and a single USB-A port, giving you quick options for plugging in new and old peripherals. Surface Laptop Go vs MacBook Air: PortsĬonnectivity is another point of sharp distinction between the two laptops. The MacBook Air comes with three anodized finishes, silver, space gray and gold. With the Surface Laptop Go measuring 10.95 x 8.1 x 0.62 inches and the MacBook Air measuring 11.9 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches, the 12.4-inch Surface Laptop Go is just a bit smaller and lighter than the Air, and thus might be a little easier to carry all day in a backpack.īoth come in a trio of colors, with the Surface Laptop Go offered in ice blue, a sandstone and platinum. The result won't be as rigid as aluminum, but it is lighter. It's a composite resin reinforced with glass fiber and made up of 30% post-consumer recycled content. The Surface Laptop Go has a metal lid, much like the MacBook Air, but the rest of the laptop chassis is actually a polycarbonate material. For that more affordable price you get a more powerful processor, a touch screen, and a laptop that will likely match the MacBook Air in many respects, from comfortable typing and processing power. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go is the cheapest laptop in the Surface family, and starts at $549. Surface Laptop Go vs MacBook Air: Price and valueĪfter all of the details of the product are considered, the biggest difference between the two is price.