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Laptop comparison

Apple MacBook Air 15-inch, M3 vs Microsoft Surface 13-inch 1st Edition (Snapdragon X Plus)

Compare performance, display, memory, battery and ports.

Compared products
01Selected
Apple MacBook Air 15-inch, M3

Apple MacBook Air 15-inch, M3

  • 1,510 g.
  • 15.3 inch screen.
  • 60 Hz display refresh rate.
  • Apple M3 processor.
  • Storage: SSD.
KSh 156,000Out of Stock
02
Microsoft Surface 13-inch 1st Edition, Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB UFS

Microsoft Surface 13-inch 1st Edition, Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB UFS

  • 1,220 g.
  • 13 inch screen.
  • 60 Hz display refresh rate.
  • Snapdragon X Plus, 8 cores processor.
  • Storage: UFS flash storage.
KSh 153,000In Stock
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2 spaces available

HP EliteBook 840 G11, Core Ultra 7 155U, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSDKSh 158,000
Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 DB04250, Core Ultra 7 256V, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSDKSh 155,000
Dell Latitude 5440, Core i7-1355U, 8GB/16GB RAM, 256GB/512GB SSDKSh 150,000
Apple MacBook Air 15-inch, M4KSh 150,000
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch, M4KSh 135,000
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch, M3KSh 140,000
Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 4, Core i7-1365U, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSDKSh 154,000
2 of 4 products

Our quick verdict

Choose the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch if you want a larger 66.5 Wh battery, a larger 15.3-inch screen and a brighter display (500 nits). Choose the Microsoft Surface 13-inch 1st Edition if you want longer rated battery life (23 hours per charge), more memory (16 GB RAM) and more storage (512 GB).

Weight

Apple MacBook Air 15-inch
1.51 kg
Microsoft Surface 13-inch 1st Edition
1.22 kg

Display

Apple MacBook Air 15-inch
15.3 inch screen
Microsoft Surface 13-inch 1st Edition
13 inch screen

Performance

Apple MacBook Air 15-inch
Apple M3 processor
Microsoft Surface 13-inch 1st Edition
Snapdragon X Plus, 8 cores processor

Storage

Apple MacBook Air 15-inch
SSD
Microsoft Surface 13-inch 1st Edition
UFS flash storage

Memory

Apple MacBook Air 15-inch
8 GB RAM in this version
Microsoft Surface 13-inch 1st Edition
16 GB RAM in this version

Key differences

The main differences to help you choose.

Apple MacBook Air 15-inch

  • Larger battery: 66.5 Wh (vs 50 Wh).
  • Larger 15.3-inch screen (vs 13-inch).
  • Brighter display: up to 500 nits (vs 400).
  • Higher screen resolution: 2880 × 1864 (vs 1920 × 1280).

Microsoft Surface 13-inch 1st Edition

  • Rated for up to 23 hours per charge (vs 15).
  • More memory: 16 GB RAM (vs 8 GB).
  • More storage: 512 GB (vs 256 GB).
  • 1 × USB-A 3.1.
  • Newer Wi-Fi 7 (vs Wi-Fi 6E).
  • Newer Bluetooth 5.4 (vs 5.3).

What matters most to you?

Choose any priorities

How each product answers the questions buyers ask most. Tick a topic to add it, untick one to hide it.

More topicsFewer topics
6 priorities selected.
How each product answers the selected priorities
PriorityApple MacBook Air 15-inchMicrosoft Surface 13-inch 1st Edition
PerformanceApple M3 processor, Apple 10-core GPU graphicsSnapdragon X Plus processor, Integrated Qualcomm Adreno GPU graphics
Memory8 GB RAM16 GB RAM
Storage256 GB storage512 GB storage
Display15.3-inch LCD display, 60 Hz, 224 ppi13-inch LCD display, 60 Hz
Battery lifeUp to 15 hours per chargeUp to 23 hours per charge
Charging70 W wired charging60 W wired charging

Detailed comparison

Explore the full specifications, section by section.

General

General specifications comparison
SpecificationApple MacBook Air 15-inch, M3Microsoft Surface 13-inch 1st Edition, Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB UFS
BrandAppleMicrosoft
ModelMacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 2024)Surface Laptop 13-inch (1st Edition)
Announced2024—
Form FactorClamshellClamshell laptop
ColorSilver, Starlight, Space Gray, MidnightOcean
Manufacturer Part Number—EP2-33432
Neural Processing Unit—Qualcomm Hexagon NPU, 45 TOPS
Fast Charging—USB-C power supply rated at least 60W required for fast charging; sold separately if not included

Design

Design specifications comparison
SpecificationApple MacBook Air 15-inch, M3Microsoft Surface 13-inch 1st Edition, Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB UFS
Dimensions34.04 × 23.76 × 1.15 cm285.65 × 214.14 × 15.6 mm
Weight1.51 kg1.22 kg
Build MaterialsAluminum enclosureAnodized aluminium

Display

Display specifications comparison
SpecificationApple MacBook Air 15-inch, M3Microsoft Surface 13-inch 1st Edition, Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB UFS
Display Size15.3 inches13 inches
Display TypeLiquid Retina IPS, LED-backlitPixelSense LCD
Resolution2880 × 18641920 × 1280
Refresh Rate60Hz60Hz
Brightness500 nits400 nits
TouchscreenNoYes, 10-point multi-touch; pen input is not supported
Display Features224 ppi, 1 billion colors, Wide color (P3), True Tone3:2 aspect ratio; 1000:1 contrast; anti-reflective finish; sRGB and Enhanced colour profiles

Performance

Performance specifications comparison
SpecificationApple MacBook Air 15-inch, M3Microsoft Surface 13-inch 1st Edition, Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB UFS
ProcessorApple M3Snapdragon X Plus, 8 cores
CPU8-core CPU (4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores)Snapdragon X Plus, 8 cores
GPUApple 10-core GPUIntegrated Qualcomm Adreno GPU
Graphics MemoryShared unified memoryShared system memory
RAM TypeUnified memoryLPDDR5x
Storage TypeSSDUFS flash storage

Memory & Storage

Memory & Storage specifications comparison
SpecificationApple MacBook Air 15-inch, M3Microsoft Surface 13-inch 1st Edition, Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB UFS
RAM8GB16GB
Storage256GB512GB

Battery & Charging

Battery & Charging specifications comparison
SpecificationApple MacBook Air 15-inch, M3Microsoft Surface 13-inch 1st Edition, Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB UFS
Battery66.5Wh lithium-polymer50 Wh nominal; 48 Wh minimum
Battery LifeUp to 15 hours wireless web; up to 18 hours video playbackMicrosoft tests: up to 23 hours video or 16 hours active web on tested 16 GB platform; actual runtime varies
ChargingMagSafe 3 or USB-C charging; fast-charge capable with 70W adapterUSB-C PD; fast charging with minimum 60 W charger
Power Adapter35W Dual USB-C Port Power Adapter—

Software

Software specifications comparison
SpecificationApple MacBook Air 15-inch, M3Microsoft Surface 13-inch 1st Edition, Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB UFS
Operating SystemmacOSWindows 11 Home

Connectivity

Connectivity specifications comparison
SpecificationApple MacBook Air 15-inch, M3Microsoft Surface 13-inch 1st Edition, Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB UFS
Wi-FiWi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)Wi-Fi 7
BluetoothBluetooth 5.35.4
EthernetNo built-in Ethernet—

Camera & Audio

Camera & Audio specifications comparison
SpecificationApple MacBook Air 15-inch, M3Microsoft Surface 13-inch 1st Edition, Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB UFS
Webcam1080p FaceTime HD camera1080p Surface Studio camera
SpeakersSix-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofersOmnisonic speakers with Dolby Audio
MicrophonesThree-mic array with directional beamformingDual Studio microphones
Audio FeaturesSpatial Audio, Dolby Atmos, Voice Isolation and Wide Spectrum microphone modes—

Keyboard & Input

Keyboard & Input specifications comparison
SpecificationApple MacBook Air 15-inch, M3Microsoft Surface 13-inch 1st Edition, Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB UFS
KeyboardBacklit Magic KeyboardFull-size mechanical keyboard with function row and Copilot key
Keyboard BacklightYesYes
TrackpadForce Touch trackpad with Multi-Touch gesturesPrecision touchpad
Fingerprint ReaderTouch IDFingerprint reader in power button
Stylus SupportNoNo pen input support

Ports

Ports specifications comparison
SpecificationApple MacBook Air 15-inch, M3Microsoft Surface 13-inch 1st Edition, Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB UFS
USB-ANo1 × USB-A 3.1
USB-C2 × USB-C ports2 × USB-C 3.2 with DisplayPort 1.4a and charging
Thunderbolt / USB42 × Thunderbolt / USB 4 (up to 40Gb/s)—
HDMINo built-in HDMI; adapter supported—
DisplayPortDisplayPort output over USB-CDisplayPort 1.4a over USB-C
Memory Card ReaderNo—
3.5mm Audio Jack3.5mm headphone jack with high-impedance headphone support3.5mm audio jack
Other PortsMagSafe 3—

Additional Features

Additional Features specifications comparison
SpecificationApple MacBook Air 15-inch, M3Microsoft Surface 13-inch 1st Edition, Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB UFS
SecurityTouch IDMicrosoft Pluton and TPM 2.0
CoolingFanless passive cooling—
Special Features16-core Neural Engine; external display supportQualcomm Hexagon NPU, 45 TOPS; Copilot key

What's in the Box

What's in the Box specifications comparison
SpecificationApple MacBook Air 15-inch, M3Microsoft Surface 13-inch 1st Edition, Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB UFS
LaptopMacBook Air 15-inch M3Surface Laptop 13-inch, EP2-33432
Charging CableUSB-C to MagSafe 3 cable, 2 m—

Similarities

  • Both have a 3.5 mm headphone jack.
  • Both charge over USB-C.
  • Both have built-in microphones for calls.
  • Both connect over Bluetooth.
  • Both have keyboard backlight.
  • Both use 60 Hz display refresh rate.

In summary

Choose Microsoft Surface 13-inch 1st for Windows, more memory and longer rated battery life; Apple MacBook Air 15-inch combines macOS, a larger battery and Apple 10-core graphics.

Back to compared products ↑

In-stock alternatives

Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 DB04250, Core Ultra 7 256V, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSDFor Apple MacBook Air 15-inch, M3Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 DB04250, Core Ultra 7 256V, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSDView product ↗Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 4, Core i7-1365U, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSDFor Apple MacBook Air 15-inch, M3Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 4, Core i7-1365U, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSDView product ↗HP OmniBook X Flip 14-kb0023dx, Core Ultra 7 355, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSDFor Microsoft Surface 13-inch 1st Edition, Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB UFSHP OmniBook X Flip 14-kb0023dx, Core Ultra 7 355, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSDView product ↗

Related comparisons

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