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Microsoft’s Surface Pro 11 is the right choice for a versatile Windows on ARM experience.
It remains a top choice for anyone who wants a capable notebook that runs macOS.
Microsoft Surface Pro 11 with Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite
Here’s what you should probably know.
Bumping up to a 512GB SSD adds about $200.
Surface Pro 11 models with the more powerful Snapdragon X Elite (X1E-80) chip start at $1,500.
This gets you an OLED touch display, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD.
Microsoft sells its attachable keyboards and active pens separately.
The price jumps by $200 to get a 1TB SSD and another $200 for 16GB of RAM.
That’s a total ofabout $1,999.
Microsoft, at this point, has a fairly wide range of keyboards compatible with the Pro 11.
The new Pro Flex keyboard is the most expensive, but it adds wireless connectivity.
Microsoft Surface Pro 11 with Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite
It otherwise hasWi-Fi 7and Bluetooth 5.4.
The MacBook Pro sticks with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, and there’s no 5G connectivity.
The front-facing camera is set at a 1080p resolution.
Surface Pro 11 vs. MacBook Pro 14" with M3 sitting closed
LikeWindows Studio Effects, macOS offers built-in camera enhancements for things like background blur, framing, and lighting.
The Pro 11 has two cameras.
If you want the absolute best sound, the MacBook Pro is the way to go.
Surface Pro 11 vs. MacBook Pro 14" with M3 display comparison
Typing usually comes down to personal preference.
I like the spacing and keycap size on the MacBook Pro, but typing feels shallow.
As always, we recommend testing the hardware yourself before making a final decision.
Microsoft Surface Pro 11 with Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite
That drops to 60Hz with USB4.
By closing the lid on your MacBook Pro, you might run two external displays.
The second connected display can hit a 5K resolution at 60Hz or 4K at 100Hz.
Surface Pro 11 vs. MacBook Pro 14" with M3 sitting closed with a side view
Microsoft says it set the X Elite chip at a baseline 18W TDP for steady continuous performance.
Its performance cores hit up to 4.06GHz while its efficiency cores top out at 2.75GHz.
The NPU reaches 18 TOPS.
Surface Pro 11 AC (plugged in) vs DC (battery) when set on max performance results in barely any differences.
you’ve got the option to expect the M3 chip to pull about 20W of power under load.
Both models have 16GB of RAM.
The following graph pulled from Rubino’s review shows Geekbench 6 scores on both AC and DC power.
Windows 11 battery estimate on Surface Pro 11.
The MacBook Pro 14 has a 70Wh battery, which is considerably larger than both in the Pro 11.
MacBook efficiency is no joke, and it should also be considered an all-day machine.
Windows Recallis getting the most attentiondue to security concerns, resulting in a delayed launch.
Satya Nadella at the Microsoft May 20 event
Apple also has access to ChatGPT via Siri.
How useful these AI tools are to you will depend on your workflow.
If you’re already inside Apple’s ecosystem, sticking with Apple Intelligence makes a lot of sense.
Surface Pro 11 vs. MacBook Pro 14" with M3
Surface Pro 11 vs. MacBook Pro 14 (M3): Which should you buy?
It’s just behind in single-core scores, but it pulls ahead in multithread performance.
It’s also the right choice if you want to test out cutting-edge AI features.
Copilot+ is here, with Apple Intelligence expected to launch later this year.
Go with the Surface Pro 11 for a versatile PC that runs Windows on ARM.
It’s also more expensive, even when you add a keyboard and active pen to the Pro 11.
