Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) vs. Microsoft Surface Pro 11: two diminutive laptops fight for the top

It may seem strange compared to a laptop of invalida with a 2 -semester tablet device, but the truth is, if you are looking for a very small and powerful computer, you have two great options. Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) is the best 13 -inch laptop you can buy (perhaps the best ever), and Microsoft Surface Pro 11 is the best 2 in 1.
Both are very small, both are fast and get a great battery life, so they can both serve anyone well who wants a real computer -like computer. But which one is the right choice for you?
Specifications and compositions
Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) | Microsoft Surface Pro 11 | |
Dimensions | 11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches | 11.3 x 8.2 x 0.37 inches |
weight | 2.7 pounds | 1.97 pounds (tablet device only) |
Processor | Apple M4 (10 essence) | Qualcomm Snapdragon x plus Qualcomm Snapdragon x Elite |
Graphics | 8 Core GPU 10 Core GPU |
Qualcomm Adreno |
ram | Unified memory 16 GB Unified memory 24 GB Uniform 32 GB memory |
16 GB 32 GB |
an offer | 13.6 inches 2560 x 1664 IPS LED screen on 60 Hz | 13 inches (2880 x 1920) IPS, 120 Hz 13 inches (2880 x 1920) OLED, 120Hz |
storage | 256 GB SSD 512GB SSD 1 TB SSD 2TB SSD |
256 GB SSD 512GB SSD 1 TB SSD |
Touch | no | Yes |
Ports | 2 x USB-C with Thunderbolt 4 1 x Magsafe 3 for shipping 1 x 3.5 mm Jack Sound |
2 x USB4 |
Wireless | Wi-Fi 6e and Bluetooth 5.2 | Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 |
webcam | 12 -megapixel camera with an office display | 12 -megapixel front camera The rear camera is 10 MP |
OS | Mcus Sikoya | Windows 11 on the arm |
battery | 53.8 watt battery | 48 watts an hour |
price | 999 dollars+ | 1300 dollars+ |
classification | 5 of 5 stars | 4.5 of 5 stars |
MacBook Air 13 (M4) starts from $ 999 with a 10 -core CPU, 8 -core GPU M4 slices, 16 GB RAM, and 256 GB SSD. This is a break from the past, as the Apple was used to keep the previous generation machine at the lowest price. From there, it is $ 100 to upgrade to the M4 faster with the 10-Core graphics processing unit, then $ 200 for 24 GB of RAM and $ 400 for 32 GB. Storage can be upgraded to 512 GB for $ 200 and up to 2 TB for an additional $ 800. The most expensive model is $ 2,199.
Surface Pro 11 starts from 999 dollars with Snapdragon x Plus, 16 GB RAM, SSD 256 GB, an IPS screen, and thus like MacBook Air. The OLED version starts from $ 1,499 with a faster Snapdragon X Elite x elite x chipset. It, also, has a variety of configuration options, with a $ 2,499 -price model with OLED, 64 GB of RAM, and 1 TB SSD.
Currently, Surface Pro 11 is offered for sale, which is rarely Apple with its current machines. Therefore, the prices are closer together, as Surface Pro 11 are a little less expensive depending on the composition. It will not be confused by a budget laptop.
design
MacBook Air 13 may be the perfect 13 -inch laptop design. The perfect 14 -inch laptop may be, depending on how you want to classify a 13.6 -inch laptop. It is incredibly thin and light but not flimsy, and the quality is exuded. Just open and close the perfectly designed hinges provides an insect impression of great manufacturing. At the same time, Surface Pro 11 is good at equal. It is also a metal, and it contains the best built -in cakestand on any tablet today, and it is thin and light enough to be very carried. Potting on the keyboard makes it less thin and light, but it remains on the easiest laptops for pregnancy.
Both laptops look great as well. MacBook Air has many attractive and very coherent colors that simulate all MacBook devices today are minimal and elegant. Surface Pro 11 also comes in several colors with separate keyboard to suit them. It is a simple menu with round corners and a simplified design. It is very attractive too.
The difference, of course, is in their factor. MacBook Air is a standard distine that will immediately be familiar to most laptop users, while Surface Pro 11 is a tablet that serves dual functions. According to our reader, it is not a large tablet as it is a laptop, because Windows 11 does not provide the same touch experience as iPados. When connected to its keyboard, Surface Pro 11 is not stable on anything other than a fixed surface. So, if you want to try a “regular” laptop, MacBook Air is the best option. But if you want a tablet with a pen with digital drawing to go with a laptop, Surface Pro 11 suits you.
MacBook Air keyboard is superior, in fact, the Apple Magic keyboard is really the best laptop keyboard. The main complex is perfect, the spacing is excellent, the switches are light and easy. For anyone who writes a lot, it’s the best experience. Surface Pro Pro Flex keyboard from Surface Pro 11, which costs additional, is also very good, with quality keys and functional planning, if crowded. But writing on the keyboard has a little bounce when it is supported at an angle. This may disturb some people.
The Touch Force Touch’s Haptic’s Haptic’s Haptic plate is also the best on a laptop today. It is very large, completely responding, and has an additional click feature as it requires the “harder” pressure a little additional function. The Surface Pro Flex keyboard also has a well -working touch panel, but it is a little smaller. Of course, the Surface Tablet 11 screen is the touch and pen, and when mating with the slim and superficial pen, until it adds in the HAPTIC comments when writing and drawing on the screen. If you are a digital artist, the choice is clear.
The connection is closely identical. Both have only modern USB-C ports, MacBook Air with Thunderbolt 4 and The Surface Pro 11 with USB4. Both have special energy transformers that keep both free ports when shipping. MacBook Air has a 3.5 mm audio socket that Surface Pro 11 lacks, while the latter has a nanosim for the optional cellular wireless wireless that the former lacks. Surface Pro 11 has an updated wireless connection.
Finally, both laptops have a 12 -megapixel web, while Surface Pro 11 adds a 10 -megapixel rear camera. MacBook Air benefits a better performance of low light and the lead center feature that automatically focuses the user when moving. It also contains an office display that can share a desktop view with a video clip in the image. Surface Pro 11 uses the fast neurotransmitter unit for Copilot+ PC AI features, while the MacBook Air Fast Neural feature is not used much today. Artificial intelligence features develop, though, this may not be a reason to choose the other.
performance

Tune Surface Pro 11 uses either Qualcomm Snapdragon x Plus or Snapdragon X Elite slices consisting of 12 nucleus, which aims to comb faster performance with higher efficiency than we saw from previous generations of Windows laptops. Graphics are run by ADRNO graphics processing unit. MacBook Air 15 has the latest Apple M4 slides, with 10 CPU’s CPU nuclei and 10 or 10 GPU cores. Apple has always been about performance and efficiency.
In our standards, the MacBook Air 13 is the fastest laptop, whether in multi -core processing or in mono -core processing, as it is much faster. For typical productivity tasks, and even the most demanding, MacBook Air will be more responsive. There is no laptop for games, but MacBook Air also benefits from the various central treatment unit improvements that make it faster for moderate creative tasks as well, such as video editing.
Geekbench 6 (One/multiple) |
Cinebench R24 (One/multiple/battery) |
3dmark Wildlife is extreme |
|
MacBook Air 15 (M4 10/8) |
3,751 / 14,801 | 172/854 | 7,827 |
Surface Pro 11 (Snapdragon x Elite X1E-80-100 / Adreno) |
2,365 / 13339 | 106/523 | 6128 |
View and sound

MacBook Air has an IPS 16.6 -inch 16:10 x 1664, which is very bright, has wide and accurate colors, and a very good contradiction to technology. Surface Pro 11 comes with two width options, both 13.0 inches 3: 2 in 2880 x 1920, one iPS and OLED. We have experienced OLED version, which is also bright in wide and more accurate colors. It has the usual blacks of OLED, though, which gives it an advantage.
Both offerings are very good and will satisfy the vast majority of users. Surface Pro OLED will use more energy, which is the main downside.
MacBook Air has four speakers with loudspeakers with powerless loudspeakers. It is possible that the best audio system on a 13 -inch (or 14 -inch) laptop, with a lot of size, clear media, heights, and surprising dress. Double amplifiers and the Surface Pro 11 sides are fine.
MacBook Air 15 (IPS) |
Poety Street 7 (IPS) |
|
brightness (Nits) |
532 | 561 |
Adobergb Gamut | 85 % | 85 % |
SRGB GAMUT | 100 % | 100 % |
Dci-P3 Gamut | 97 % | 95 % |
accuracy (Delta, less better) |
0.74 | 1.27 |
interview | 22,680: 1 | 1,440: 1 |
Transmission

As we mentioned above, you will hardly notice that you are carrying it.
Both laptops get a better battery life, but MacBook Air’s is better. The IPS version of Surface Pro 11 may be more comparable. You will get more than a full day of work from both devices.
Web | video | |
Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4 10/10) |
16 hours, 30 minutes | 20 hours, 31 minutes |
Surface Pro 11 (Snapdragon x Elite X1E-80-100) |
14 hours, 39 minutes | 16 hours, 36 minutes |
You want a tablet, get Surface Pro 11, but otherwise, MacBook Air for you
There is a reason that makes MacBook Air (M4) perfect degree. It is the best small laptop ever, in my opinion, with great construction, great performance and great battery life. The keyboard and touch plate are the best you can buy, and the screen is great for every use.
At the same time, Surface Pro 11 is the best 2 at all at all. It is not like a laptop like MacBook Air, but also a decent tablet. So, if this is what you want, buy the surface. But just anyone should buy MacBook Air and be done.
2025-03-23 21:11:00