Two of the best options for lightweight laptops right now are the Apple MacBook series, and Microsoft’s upcoming Surface Pro (4) series. The Surface Pro 4 is a hybrid tablet and laptop, and comes with a stylus and keyboard attachment directly out of the box. The MacBook is a laptop in all the traditional senses, but is a shockingly light and sleek machine. In terms of accessories, the Surface Pro series has had several cutting-edge accessories, which includes the bundled stylus. The bundled stylus includes palm block technology, which allows a user to draw or write with either their left or right hand without the screen picking up heat signatures from their hand. The MacBook has had its set of implementations, which include a fingerprint sensor allowing a user to swipe their finger to log in, but unfortunately is held back by increasing limitations. Recent MacBook models don’t include CD trays (which, as a college student, I find CDs are still valuable enough from textbooks to warrant having a CD tray), and don’t even include HDMI out ports (The Surface Pro 3 series has had micro-HDMI inputs, and it’s believed that the Surface Pro 4 series will as well).
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Surface Pro 4 vs Macbook Pro
The Microsoft Surface Pro 4 is an upcoming machine and is the fourth in the line of the Surface Pro machines, which have received a lot of critical praise. The Surface Pro series of devices have served as hybrid tablets and laptops, allowing a user to switch between laptop mode and tablet mode just with the click-in of a magnetic keyboard. The Surface Pro 3 and 4 both have two USB ports directly on the device, as well as a powered USB outlet equipped in the charger itself. This allows for a keyboard and mouse to be used with an extra peripheral, and a user can even charge another device (their cell phone, perhaps?) off the charger. The Surface Pro 4’s specs are still up in the air, but it already sounds like a powerful device. To give you an example, the Surface Pro 3 was equipped with the Haswell series of processors which range from 1.5 to 1.9 gHZ on dual core or 1.7 gHZ on a quad core processor, the Broadwell processor is not only more powerful but more efficient. The Broadwell series of processors will be equipped on the coming Surface Pro 4 models. The Surface Pro models  have around 4GB of RAM on them and come equipped with a 64-128GB SSD, with more expensive customization allowing RAM up to 8GB and storage up to 256 or 512GB.  The Surface Pro series do not have dedicated graphics cards.
Macbook Pro Better than Surface Pro 4?
The Apple MacBook Pro is a more traditional laptop, so it’s a little more powerful and 
capable than the Surface Pro series. Because of the dependency of Apple devices on iOS, iOS is a lower-requirement operating system so the specifications of Apple devices are always a little less powerful. MacBooks come equipped with a 1.1 gHZ processor, up to a 1.3 gHZ processor for more money, and 8 GB of RAM and up to 512GB on an SSD. The MacBook series does not have a dedicated graphics card.
Which Laptop Should You Get for 2018 – Macbook Pro or Surface Pro 4
Both machines are lightweight marvels that hold up strong in the market still. Both have around the same battery life, and a strong Surface Pro with all the peripherals will cost about $100 less than a MacBook laptop. That said right now you can get the Surface Pro at an even larger discount on Amazon by clicking here to automatically apply the discounted rate. However, since the Surface Pro series is powered by Windows my support will always be for the Surface Pro hybrid computers. Not only do they function as a laptop and tablet, but the recent generations of Surface Pro computers have been shockingly powerful. Windows is becoming a full-fledged mobile OS, and being able to use the same desktop interface while mobile is a huge benefit. This takes a lot out of the learning curve of the device. I feel that Microsoft’s Surface Pro series will continue to impress, especially if rumors are true about the Surface Pro 4 bringing a lot of power. The Surface Pro 3 is not only cheaper than the MacBook series of computers, but it is more powerful and convenient, assuming that a user has been more familiar with Windows computers all their life. That said if you are still leaning towards the Macbook you can also get that at a discounted price by clicking here.Â
“.,,and is the fourth in the line of the Surface Pro machines, which have received a lot of critical praise”
…which hasn’t kept them out of the remaindered bin
Dear Mr iSheep, please tell me where this is happening, I would love to
pick up one at a bargain price. Awaiting your response ……………..
It happened repeatedly through 2013 / 2014 with MS writing down large volumes of Surface RT and Surface Pro inventory. Look in Microsoft’s accounts.
Note that in “…which have received…”, the plural “have” indicates the line of Surface Pro machines, whereas the singular “has”, would have indicated the forth in the line.
The first two Surface Pro machines were awful. The current one is just bad.
Baa
Mr. Dogg,
MS wrote off the inventory of the Surface RT machines not the Surface Pros. And the time period was 2012-2013. The last two iterations of Surface products are growing in sales and are profitable. So you are wrong on all your arguments> My guess is you feel smarter because you buy Apple products when in fact you are quite the opposite.
Surface Pro in 13/14 were written down too.
Surface Pro 3 and 4 are marginally profitable though whether they have yet covered cumulated losses is less clear.
You can guess all you want. I prefer to stick to facts.
I am not sure you know what a fact is. Microsoft wrote off 900 million on the Surface RT in 2013. The loss in 2014 was scrapping the Surface Mini before is was released. There isn’t any clear statement that Microsoft took a massive write off on the Surface Pro. There maybe some discounting before a new model comes out not unlike Apple but the Surface Pro is performing really well in a market that is declining.
If it wasn’t a valid concept why would Apple copy it with the iPad Pro? The sad fact that Apple copied it after Tim Cook’s comments on it lacks a purpose only goes to show how far Apple has faded since Steve Job’s death. A once proud innovator is now stuck copying others. All of Apples hardware is now in declining revenue and doesn’t have nearly enough services to make up the difference. Why is this important in this discussion? Because MS created the Surface not to be a profit leader for the company but a gateway to the companies software as service. Apple again is late to this party. Alphabet over took Apple today in Market Cap. Want to get really scared? MS is next to do it.
“…There isn’t any clear statement that Microsoft took a massive write off on the Surface Pro….”
And that’s you basis for stating that “…Microsoft didn’t write off surface Pros? And why did you insert the word “massive”? Couldn’t be trying to redefine what I said to give yourself some wriggle room?
So you know that Microsoft wrote down Surface Pros. And you say that I “…don’t know what a fact is.”
Actually, no. I’m sorry. You give yourself wriggle room again. You say “I am not sure you know what a fact is.” So the statement is pure bravado about your lack of confidence, designed to deceive.
Looking back, I’ve consistently said that Microsoft wrote DOWN Surface Pros. And you seek to contradict this by claiming that they didn’t write them OFF. Same silver tongued deceit. Contradicting something that wasn’t said.
Bottom line is that Microsoft wrote down surface Pros and it’s pretty clear that you know this.
So, given how fantastically the Surface Pro is selling, how many hundred million have Microsoft now sold?
As for Apple copying the Surface Pro, lets see.
Third party add on styli and add on keyboard cases have been available for the Mac for years. People have been using the iPad with them for years. Are you saying that Microsoft copied the iPad with a third party stylus and third party keyboard case, because if not, I can’t see your justification for claiming that Apple then copied the Surface.
And if you are, then the prior art argument would be that Apple actually copied the iPad with a third party stylus and keyboard.
In any case, the iPad Pro is primarily a tablet. The Surface Pro is pretty much purely a small notebook. It’s less than useless as a tablet, and there is no worthwhile tablet software for it.
In the last week Apple announced quarterly profits of $18.4 billion and Google announced quarterly profits of $4.9 billion.
Microsoft create the surface as a gateway? The Surface RT, perhaps. The Surface Pro is just a neat little portable PC. There’s nothing gateway about it. Just legacy Windows base milking.
Now Microsoft went into Phones as a gateway product. And that they heavily invested in, not trying to make a profit but instead establish a base. How’s that going? Down something like 49% y/y from memory?
Apple’s quarterly services revenue was over $6 billion. That’s 25% of Microsoft’s total revenue, so I doubt that Microsoft’s services revenue is massively more. So how do you justify your statement that Apple as late for the services party?
So come on. The Surface Pro has been out for 3 years. It’s massively successful. How many hundred million have they sold?
Written as a true Apple fan. MS sells software and hardware is only a side business to allow them show case said software. MS has to keep a fine line between selling hardware and not upsetting their main customers, the OEMs.
You have consistently stated that MS has written off a mass amount of the Surface Pros. No where in MS own financial statements or any where else does it state this. The FACT is they written off the RT tablets and later on the failed release of the mini surface.
Your comments about the iPad Pro not being a copy are down right dumb. The stylus that Apple calls a Pencil is actually developed by Samsung for the note series of phones. MS did take that concept further for the Surface. The keyboard that magnetically attaches to the Surface was their concept. It is better because it doesn’t need to be charged like a bluetooth keyboard. So be absolutely clear Apple stole the pencil concept from Samsung and the magnetic keyboard for MS. These too are facts but for Apple fans living in a delusion world is probably to hard to accept.
MS have no fine line on Windows phone. OEMs didn’t want it so MS was forced to buy Nokia, and now they seem to be ditching that?
Do you see OEMs happy about the Surface Pro creaming of the profitable bit of the netbook market? They’re getting out.
Microsoft sees Apple’s success with tightly integrated hardware and software producing differentiated products and high margins, and rightly wants to copy the model.
You think Microsoft’s retail outlets trod a fine line with OEMs? They trod on their toes.
You really are out of your tree.