Microsoft Surface Laptop: Outperforming the MacBook Air M3 in Key Benchmarks
Microsoft’s New Surface Laptop vs MacBook Air, Microsoft has set its sights on outperforming Apple’s MacBook Air M3 with its latest lineup of Copilot Plus PCs. Confident in the capabilities of its new Surface Laptop, Microsoft showcased a series of benchmarks at its Redmond headquarters, highlighting the laptop’s superior performance, price, and battery life. This article delves into the detailed benchmark claims and battery life estimates presented by Microsoft, illustrating their confidence in their product’s ability to outclass the MacBook Air M3.
Surface Laptop vs Macbook Air : Benchmark Overview and Context
Microsoft’s recent showcase emphasized the performance prowess of its new SurfaceLaptop powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite processor. The benchmarks were part of a comprehensive demonstration aimed at proving that Windows on Arm has reached a level of performance capable of challenging Apple’s M3 processor. The key areas of focus included raw performance, real-world performance, battery life, and Neural Processing Unit (NPU) efficiency.
Raw Performance Benchmarks
Microsoft’s initial benchmarks focused on measuring the raw performance of the Surface Laptop against the MacBook Air M3. Two specific benchmarks were highlighted:
- Cinebench 2024 Multithreaded Workload
- Geekbench 6 Multithreaded Test
| Benchmark | SurfaceLaptop | MacBook Air M3 | Performance Gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cinebench 2024 | 980 | 650 | 50% |
| Geekbench 6 | 14,000 | 12000 | 16% |
Microsoft claimed a 50% performance increase over the MacBook Air M3 in the Cinebench 2024 multithreaded workload and a 16% increase in the Geekbench 6 multithreaded test. Notably, Microsoft did not emphasize single-threaded performance, where the MacBook Air M3 might have a slight edge.
Real-World Performance
To assess real-world performance, Microsoft used the HandBrake ToS benchmark, which measures the time required to encode a 4K video file. The results showcased significant improvements over both the MacBook Air M3 and previous Surface Laptop models.
| Test | Surface Laptop (Snapdragon X Elite) | MacBook Air M3 | Surface Laptop 5 (Intel 12th Gen) | Surface Laptop 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HandBrake ToS | 5 minutes, 8 seconds | 6 minutes, 26 seconds | 10 minutes, 30 seconds | 13 minutes, 32 seconds |
The Surface Laptop completed the HandBrake test in 5 minutes and 8 seconds, significantly faster than the MacBook Air M3’s 6 minutes and 26 seconds. This was also twice as fast as the SurfaceLaptop 5 and substantially quicker than the SurfaceLaptop 4.
Battery Life and Efficiency
Battery life is a crucial factor for laptops, and Microsoft aimed to demonstrate the superior efficiency of the Surface Laptop in this regard. The tests included simulated web browsing and video playback scenarios.
| Test | Surface Laptop (Snapdragon X Elite) | MacBook Air M3 | Surface Laptop 5 (Intel-based) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Browsing | 16 hours, 56 minutes | 15 hours, 25 minutes | 8 hours, 38 minutes |
| Video Playback | 20 hours | 17 hours, 45 minutes | 12 hours, 30 minutes |
In simulated web browsing, the Surface Laptop lasted nearly 17 hours, outperforming the MacBook Air M3’s 15 hours and 25 minutes. During video playback tests, the Surface Laptop exceeded 20 hours, compared to 17 hours and 45 minutes for the MacBook Air M3. This is also a significant improvement over the SurfaceLaptop 5, which lasted 12 hours and 30 minutes in the same test.
NPU Performance and Efficiency
The final set of benchmarks focused on NPU performance, with Microsoft highlighting the superior AI acceleration capabilities of the Snapdragon X Elite processor.
| Test | Surface Laptop (Snapdragon X Elite) | MacBook Air M3 |
|---|---|---|
| Procyon AI Score | 1,745 | 889 |
| AI Acceleration (TOPS) | 45 | 18 |
| Inferencing Efficiency | 4.5x | – |
| Peak Inferencing Efficiency (TOPS/watt) | 24 | – |
The Surface Laptop scored 1,745 on the Procyon AI Score, nearly double the MacBook Air M3’s 889. The Snapdragon X Elite’s 45 TOPS of AI acceleration performance vastly exceeds the 18 TOPS of the M3. Additionally, the Surface Laptop demonstrated a 4.5x improvement in inferencing efficiency and a peak inferencing efficiency of 24 TOPS per watt.
Conclusion
Microsoft’s new Surface Laptop, powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite, presents a formidable challenge to Apple’s MacBook Air M3 across multiple dimensions. The detailed benchmarks and performance metrics highlighted by Microsoft showcase significant improvements in raw performance, real-world application efficiency, battery life, and NPU capabilities.
As the Copilot Plus PCs launch on June 18th, it will be interesting to see how these claims hold up in independent reviews and real-world usage. Nonetheless, Microsoft’s ambitious benchmarks position the SurfaceLaptop as a compelling alternative to the MacBook Air M3, offering potential buyers a powerful, efficient, and competitively priced option.
For tech enthusiasts and consumers alike, the upcoming launch represents a pivotal moment in the ongoing competition between Microsoft and Apple, with the potential to reshape the landscape of high-performance laptops.
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