Surface Laptop Ultra vs MacBook Pro is a real matchup now that Microsoft’s flagship laptop went on sale October 16. It starts at $2,599.99, runs Windows 11 on an Nvidia RTX Spark chip and tops out at 128GB of unified memory, the same ceiling as the 16-inch MacBook Pro.
Microsoft opened pre-orders on October 7, and the first hands-on reviews followed at launch. The Surface Laptop Ultra pairs a 15-inch mini-LED touchscreen with up to 128GB of memory. The 16-inch MacBook Pro matches that ceiling with the Apple M5 Max.
Surface Laptop Ultra and the 16-inch MacBook Pro Both Reach 128GB of Memory
Both laptops share one pool of memory between the CPU and GPU. The Surface Laptop Ultra comes with 24GB, 32GB, 64GB or 128GB. The 16-inch MacBook Pro starts at 24GB and reaches 128GB only with the Apple M5 Max and its 40-core GPU.
Microsoft says the GPU can address only part of that memory. On the 128GB Surface Laptop Ultra, Windows Central’s review found the split defaults to 50/50 between the system and the GPU, and changing it in the Nvidia app requires a restart.
| Spec | Surface Laptop Ultra | 16-inch MacBook Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $2,599.99 | $2,699 |
| Chip | Nvidia RTX Spark N1X, 18-core or 20-core CPU | Apple M5 Pro or Apple M5 Max, 18-core CPU |
| GPU | 5,120 or 6,144 Blackwell cores | 20-core (Apple M5 Pro), 32-core or 40-core (Apple M5 Max) |
| Memory | 24GB to 128GB | 24GB to 128GB |
| Storage | 512GB to 2TB, user-replaceable | 1TB to 8TB |
| Display | 15-inch mini-LED touchscreen, 120Hz | 16.2-inch mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR, 120Hz |
| Peak HDR brightness | 2,000 nits (10 percent window) | 1,600 nits |
| Weight | Under 4.5 pounds | 4.7 pounds |
| Thickness | Under 18 mm | 0.66 inch (16.8 mm) |
| Battery rating | Up to 15 hours video, 12 hours web | Up to 24 hours video, 17 hours web (Apple M5 Pro) |
| Ports | 3 USB-C, USB-A, HDMI 2.1b, SD card reader, headphone jack | 3 Thunderbolt 5, HDMI, SDXC slot, headphone jack, MagSafe 3 |
| Webcam | 1080p | 12MP Center Stage |
| Operating system | Windows 11 | macOS |
Apple’s top configuration reaches 614GB/s of memory bandwidth and up to 8TB of storage. The Surface Laptop Ultra tops out at 2TB.
The 16-inch MacBook Pro Is Faster and Lasts Hours Longer
Windows Central found the Nvidia RTX Spark delivers okay CPU performance and strong GPU performance. Overall it lands closer to the Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite or last-generation Apple M4 Pro than to Apple’s latest high-end chips.
The GPU is where the Surface Laptop Ultra has a case. Most games run above 60fps at 1440p on high settings, and the top configuration can load large AI models directly onto the GPU. Microsoft lists full CUDA support and local models of up to 120 billion parameters. Its 1 petaflop figure is a theoretical FP4 number that uses sparsity.
The same review flagged a few rough edges. The laptop ships in the Best Power Efficiency profile, which can cut performance by up to a quarter or even half until you switch to Balanced or Best Performance in Windows Settings. It also took over 2 minutes to restart, reached 123°F on the keyboard deck under full load and produced audible coil whine. Fan noise peaked around 42 decibels. Copilot+ PC features are not available yet, and Microsoft says they are coming in the next few months.
Apple rates the 16-inch MacBook Pro with the Apple M5 Pro at up to 24 hours of video streaming and 17 hours of wireless web browsing from its 100-watt-hour battery. The Apple M5 Max version is rated at 22 hours and 16 hours.
Microsoft rates the Surface Laptop Ultra at up to 15 hours of local video playback and 12 hours of active web browsing, measured on a preproduction unit with 64GB of memory. In Windows Central’s testing, a battery benchmark ran about 14 hours and real use came closer to 10. Heavy GPU work cuts that roughly in half.
Anyone building iPhone or Mac apps will also want the 16-inch MacBook Pro, since Xcode runs only on macOS.
Surface Laptop Ultra Offers Touch, More Ports and a Replaceable SSD
The Surface Laptop Ultra has a 15-inch touchscreen with up to 2,000 nits of peak HDR brightness, measured over a 10 percent window. Apple rates the 16-inch MacBook Pro at 1,600 nits peak and 1,000 nits sustained. The Surface Laptop Ultra supports touch only, with no Surface Pen support, and the 16-inch MacBook Pro has no touchscreen.
The mini-LED panel drew the review’s main complaint. It has 1,344 local dimming zones, which the reviewer says is fewer than the 16-inch MacBook Pro. That shows up as blooming around bright elements on dark backgrounds and slight ghosting when a bright window moves across the screen. Light mode hides most of it.
Ports are a clear advantage for the Surface Laptop Ultra, which adds USB-A and a full-size SD card reader. One of its USB-C ports is magnetic and snaps on like MagSafe. The cable only fits that port, but the included power brick accepts it too, so the brick still charges other devices over standard USB-C. The 16-inch MacBook Pro has three Thunderbolt 5 ports and MagSafe 3.
The SSD is user-replaceable, with a 512GB PCIe Gen 4 drive on the base model and 1TB or 2TB PCIe Gen 5 drives above it. Microsoft publishes repair guides and sells replacement parts through the Microsoft Store and iFixit. The 16-inch MacBook Pro has no user-upgradeable SSD, so storage is fixed at purchase.
Starting Prices Sit $99 Apart, and Microsoft Is Paying MacBook Owners to Switch
The Surface Laptop Ultra starts at $2,599.99 with the 18-core chip, 24GB of memory and a 512GB SSD. The 16-inch MacBook Pro starts at $2,699 with the Apple M5 Pro, 24GB of memory and a 1TB SSD. The Apple M5 Max version starts at $3,899. The top Surface Laptop Ultra, with the 20-core chip, 128GB of memory and a 1TB SSD, costs $5,899.
Surface Laptop Ultra
16-inch MacBook Pro with Apple M5 Pro
Microsoft is running a trade-in offer that gives MacBook owners up to $1,000 back. It covers qualifying purchases at the Microsoft Store online in the US and Canada between October 7 and November 23, 2026, and the old laptop has to be mailed in within 15 days.
Apple’s touchscreen OLED MacBook Pro is reportedly set to debut on October 27 or 28 and go on sale November 6, with the same Apple M5 Pro and Apple M5 Max chips. That lands well before Microsoft’s trade-in offer ends on November 23.
Our Take
The 16-inch MacBook Pro is still the preferred pick for most people. It is faster and lasts hours longer, and its display handles dark scenes better. The Surface Laptop Ultra is the better pick if you need CUDA, run local AI models all day or have to stay on Windows. If you buy one, I would move the power profile out of Best Power Efficiency on day one.
Anyone leaning toward the Mac may want to wait for the touchscreen model first. The base Surface Laptop Ultra costs $99.01 less than the base 16-inch MacBook Pro and comes with half the storage.
Common Questions About Surface Laptop Ultra and the 16-inch MacBook Pro
Is Surface Laptop Ultra better than the 16-inch MacBook Pro?
For most buyers the 16-inch MacBook Pro is the better laptop because it has the faster CPU and the longer battery life, while the Surface Laptop Ultra is the better fit if you need CUDA, Windows, a touchscreen, more ports or a replaceable SSD.
How much does Surface Laptop Ultra cost?
It starts at $2,599.99 with the 18-core chip, 24GB of memory and a 512GB SSD. The top configuration, with the 20-core chip, 128GB of memory and a 1TB SSD, costs $5,899.
Does Surface Laptop Ultra have a touchscreen?
Yes, the 15-inch mini-LED display supports touch. It does not support Surface Pen or other pen input.
Can Surface Laptop Ultra run AI models locally?
Yes. Microsoft lists full CUDA support and local models of up to 120 billion parameters. The GPU can address only part of the 128GB of memory, and the split defaults to 50/50 on the top configuration.
How long does the Surface Laptop Ultra battery last?
Microsoft rates it at up to 15 hours of local video playback and 12 hours of active web browsing. Windows Central measured about 14 hours in a battery benchmark and close to 10 hours in real use. Apple rates the 16-inch MacBook Pro with the Apple M5 Pro at up to 24 hours of video streaming.
Can you upgrade the Surface Laptop Ultra SSD?
Yes. The SSD is user-replaceable, and Microsoft sells replacement parts through the Microsoft Store and iFixit. The 16-inch MacBook Pro has no user-upgradeable SSD.
When does the touchscreen MacBook Pro come out?
Apple’s touchscreen OLED MacBook Pro is reportedly set to debut on October 27 or 28 and go on sale November 6. Apple has not confirmed either date.
