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Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite vs Apple MacBook Air 15" M5

The Surface Laptop 15 is the better pick for business buyers who want a bigger 120Hz touchscreen, double the storage and Windows 11 Pro. The MacBook Air 15 M5 is the better pick for battery life, lighter weight and Apple's silicon efficiency, and owners rate it highly. The Surface wins on screen refresh and storage; the Air wins on endurance, portability and resale.

  • Choose the Surface Laptop 15 if you work in Windows, want a 120Hz touchscreen and need 1TB of local storage.
  • Choose the MacBook Air 15 M5 if you want long battery life, a light 3.3 lb chassis and macOS.

Prices

  • Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite: $1,469.00 at Newegg (last seen Nov 11)
  • Apple MacBook Air 15" M5: $1,199.99 at PayMore West Long Branch (last seen Nov 10)
  • Difference: the Apple MacBook Air 15" M5 is $269.01 cheaper than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite at the latest prices (Nov 10 and Nov 11)
Microsoft
Microsoft Surface Laptop High Performance Business Laptop 15.0in Touchscreen LCD 2496x1664 Display

Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite

Microsoft Surface Laptop High Performance Business Laptop 15.0in Touchscreen LCD 2496x1664 Display

$1,469.00at NeweggChecked Nov 11
See all prices and details
Visit Newegg

Store links may earn us a commission. Price via Klarna.

Pros
  • 120Hz touchscreen is smooth for scrolling and pen work
  • 1TB SSD holds large files without external drives
  • Windows 11 Pro suits managed business fleets
  • 12-core Snapdragon X Elite handles office multitasking
Cons
  • LCD panel, not OLED
  • Adreno graphics are weak for gaming and 3D
  • Heavier at 3.8 lb
  • RAM capped at 16GB
Apple
Apple 15" MacBook Air with M5 chip, 10 core CPU / 10 core GPU, 16GB Memory, 512GB SSD

Apple MacBook Air 15" M5

Apple 15" MacBook Air with M5 chip, 10 core CPU / 10 core GPU, 16GB Memory, 512GB SSD

4.7(113 ratings)
$1,199.99at PayMore West Long BranchChecked Nov 10
See all prices and details
Visit PayMore West Long Branch
Pros
  • 18-hour rated battery life
  • Light at 3.3 lb
  • Sharp 2880x1864 Liquid Retina display
  • Strong M5 CPU and GPU efficiency
  • Rated 4.7 out of 5 by owners
Cons
  • 512GB storage is half the Surface's
  • No touchscreen
  • Fewer upgrade options after purchase

What separates them

Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X EliteApple MacBook Air 15" M5
Operating systemWindows 11 Pro, built for business management and legacy appsmacOS, tight Apple ecosystem integration
ProcessorSnapdragon X Elite, 12 cores at 3.4 GHz, ARM-basedApple M5, 10-core CPU at 4.6 GHz
Display15-inch 2496x1664 LCD touchscreen at 120Hz15-inch Liquid Retina 2880x1864, no touch
Storage1TB SSD512GB SSD
Battery lifeAll-day Li-Ion, no figure publishedRated 18 hours
Weight3.8 lb3.3 lb
PortsUSB-CThunderbolt 4, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm jack
GraphicsQualcomm Adreno integrated10-core Apple M5 GPU

Price history

$1,649.00$1,289.00
Oct 28Nov 12
  • Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite: lowest $1,469.00 on Nov 8 at Newegg; $1,469.00 on Nov 12.
  • Apple MacBook Air 15" M5: lowest $1,289.00 on Nov 11 at PC Richard & Son; $1,499.00 on Nov 12.

Prices at every store

Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite

  • NeweggNew

    In stock

    $1,469.00Free shippingChecked Nov 11
    Visit Newegg
  • Best BuyNew

    In stock

    $1,499.00Free shippingChecked Nov 11
    Visit Best Buy
  • WalmartNew

    In stockSold by Deal RoadReturns: Sold by a Walmart Marketplace seller; returns go to the seller under the seller's returns policy.

    $1,649.00Free shippingChecked Nov 10
    Visit Walmart
  • AmazonNew

    Availability unknown

    As an Amazon Associate, Deal.ai earns from qualifying purchases.

    $1,885.00Free shippingChecked Nov 10
    Visit Amazon

Store links may earn us a commission. Some prices via Klarna.

All 4 stores and price history →

Apple MacBook Air 15" M5

  • PayMore West Long BranchNew

    In stockReturn policy

    $1,199.99Checked Nov 10
    Visit PayMore West Long Branch
  • PC Richard & SonNew

    In stock

    $1,289.00Free shippingChecked Nov 11
    Visit PC Richard & Son
  • B&H Photo-Video-AudioNew

    In stock

    $1,329.00+ $12.30 shippingChecked Nov 11
    Visit B&H Photo-Video-Audio
  • AmazonNew

    Availability unknown

    As an Amazon Associate, Deal.ai earns from qualifying purchases.

    $1,299.99Free shippingChecked Nov 11
    Visit Amazon

Store links may earn us a commission.

All 17 stores and price history →

Specs compared

SpecMicrosoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X EliteApple MacBook Air 15" M5
ProcessorSnapdragon X EliteApple M5
RAM memory16 GB16 GB
Screen size15 in15.0
ColorGrayBlue
Weight3.8 lb3.3 lb
TouchscreenYYes
ConnectionsUSB-CThunderbolt
SSD Size512 GB512 GB
Hard Drive TypeSSDSSD
SeriesMicrosoft SurfaceApple Macbook Air 15”
LanguageEnglishSwedish, Finnish
Release Year20242026
Show all 40 specsShow fewer specs
SpecMicrosoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X EliteApple MacBook Air 15" M5
Operating SystemWindowsMac OS
RAM16 GB16 GB
BrandMicrosoft—
Proc. brandQualcomm—
OSWindows 11 Pro—
HD capacity1 TB—
Graphic cardQualcomm Adreno—
Laptop typeBusiness—
Rec. useBusiness—
Resolution2496 x 1664—

What reviewers say

Microsoft Surface Laptop 15 Snapdragon X Elite

Owners of Snapdragon X Elite Surface Laptops generally praise the screen, build and battery life, while noting app compatibility and graphics limits.

What people mention
  • DisplayPraisedOwners like the sharp 2496 x 1664 touchscreen and the smooth 120 Hz refresh rate.
  • BatteryPraisedThe Snapdragon X Elite chip gives long battery life for office and web work.
  • App compatibilityCriticisedSome Windows apps and peripherals run poorly or not at all on ARM.
  • GraphicsCriticisedAdreno integrated graphics are weak for gaming and GPU-heavy tasks.

Apple MacBook Air 15" M5

  • 4.7 / 5113 ratings

Rated 4.7 out of 5 from 113 ratings, the 15-inch M5 Air is received as a fast, quiet large-screen laptop. Owners single out the display, battery life and speakers, while the fixed memory and storage draw the most complaints.

What people mention
  • PerformancePraisedOwners describe the M5 as fast and smooth across apps and multitasking.
  • BatteryPraisedReviewers say the rated 18 hours holds up for a full day of work or class.
  • DisplayPraisedThe 15.3-inch Liquid Retina screen is called bright and sharp with rich color.

Questions and answers

Which is better for business use?
The Surface Laptop 15, because it ships with Windows 11 Pro and 1TB of storage. The MacBook Air is fine for general work but has less storage and no Pro OS tier.
Which has better battery life?
The MacBook Air 15 M5, rated at 18 hours. Microsoft does not publish a comparable figure for the Surface, and ARM Windows laptops typically trail Apple silicon.
Is the Surface screen better?
The Surface has a 120Hz touchscreen, which feels smoother. The MacBook Air has a higher 2880x1864 resolution but a standard refresh rate and no touch.
Which lasts longer?
Both are well built. The MacBook Air has a longer track record on battery longevity and resale, while the Surface's RAM is soldered at 16GB with no upgrade path.
Is the MacBook Air worth stepping up to?
Step up if battery life and weight matter most. Stay with the Surface if you need Windows, a touchscreen or 1TB of storage.

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More comparisons

  • Apple 15" MacBook Air with M5 chip, 10 core CPU / 10 core GPU, 16GB Memory, 512GB SSD vs Apple MacBook Air 13-Inch (2026, M5)
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  • Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 vs Microsoft Surface Laptop High Performance Business Laptop 15.0in Touchscreen LCD 2496x1664 Display
  • Apple 15" MacBook Air with M5 chip, 10 core CPU / 10 core GPU, 16GB Memory, 512GB SSD vs Lenovo ThinkPad 14.0" Laptop
DisplayLCD—
Core count12—
Proc. speed3.4 GHz—
Refresh rate120 Hz—
Max RAM16 GB—
Model nameMicrosoft Surface Laptop—
Data storage1 TB—
Solid state drive capacity1 TB—
Included softwareWindows 11 Pro—
Keyboard layoutStandard Keyboard—
Screen Resolution2496x1664—
Battery TechnologyLi-Ion—
Optical DriveNone—
WebcamYes—
NFCNo—
MaterialAluminum—
Convertible/HybridYes—
Dedicated Graphic CardNo—
  • MemoryCriticisedBuyers complain that 16GB is soldered and cannot be raised later.