Apple MacBook Pro 14.2" M4 Max Silver 2024
Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8" 7 Platinum 2026
Buy the MacBook Pro M4 Max if you do heavy photo or video editing, AI work, or anything that needs serious GPU muscle and you want the best screen Apple makes.
Buy the Surface Laptop 7 if you want a solid everyday Windows laptop with Wi-Fi 7 and don't need workstation-class performance, especially if you're on a tighter budget.
Key Differences
- The MacBook Pro M4 Max has a 40-core GPU with a benchmark score of 17,798 vs the Surface Laptop 7's Adreno graphics at 59, a 301.7x gap that makes the Surface basically unusable for gaming or GPU-heavy creative work.
- RAM and storage are wildly different: 64GB and 4TB NVMe SSD on the MacBook Pro vs 16GB and 1TB on the Surface Laptop 7, so the MacBook can handle massive projects and file libraries the Surface simply can't.
- The MacBook Pro's Mini-LED display hits 1600 nits brightness at 3024px resolution, while the Surface Laptop 7's IPS panel tops out at 600 nits and 2304px, meaning the MacBook is far better for HDR content and outdoor use.
- The Surface Laptop 7 actually wins on Wi-Fi with Wi-Fi 7 vs the MacBook Pro's Wi-Fi 6E, so if you have a Wi-Fi 7 router and care about future-proofing your connection, the Surface has a small edge there.
- Customer sentiment is telling: the MacBook Pro M4 Max gets a 95/100 sentiment score with users praising its performance and value, while the Surface Laptop 7 sits at 4.1/5 stars from just 8 reviews, suggesting the MacBook is the safer bet for long-term satisfaction.
What Buyers Say
Apple MacBook Pro 14.2" M4 Max Silver 2024
The MacBook Pro M4 Max is widely praised as a powerful workhorse, handling heavy photo and video editing tasks with ease. Users highlight its smooth performance, fast file processing, and seamless integration with the Apple ecosystem. Verified buyers consistently note excellent value, especially when opting for the Pro over the Max model, and commend B&H's customer service and shipping process.
Pros
- Powerful performance for heavy tasks
- Smooth handling of photo and video editing
- Fast file import and export
- Seamless Apple ecosystem integration
- Excellent value for money
Cons
- No significant drawbacks mentioned
Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8" 7 Platinum 2026
No customer feedback yet
Scores
Specifications
| Apple MacBook Pro 14.2" M4 Max | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8" 7 | |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Apple M4 Max★ | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-84-100 |
| CPU Multi-Core Score | No data | |
| Cores | 16★ | 12 |
| Frequency | — | 3.4 GHz★ |
| L3 Cache | — | 6 MB★ |
| Graphics | ||
| GPU* | Apple (40-Core)★ | Ardeno Graphics |
| GPU Benchmark Score | ||
| Type | integrated | integrated |
| VRAM | — | 48 GB★ |
| VRAM Type | System Shared | Shared |
| Memory & Storage | ||
| RAM | 64 GB★ | 16 GB |
| RAM Generation | LPDDR5 | LPDDR5X |
| Storage 1 | 4 TB★ | 1 TB |
| Storage 1 Type | NVMe SSD★ | SSD |
| Display | ||
| Size | 14.2" | 13.8" |
| Resolution | 3024 px★ | 2304 px |
| Panel | Mini-LED★ | IPS |
| Refresh Rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Brightness | 1600 nits★ | 600 nits |
| Color Gamut | 100% sRGB, 95% DCI-P3 | sRGB and Vivid |
| Connectivity | ||
| USB-C Ports | 3★ | 2 |
| USB Ports | — | 1★ |
| Thunderbolt | Thunderbolt 5 | USB4 |
| HDMI | 1x HDMI Output | — |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 7★ |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 | Bluetooth Wireless 5.4 technology★ |
| Physical | ||
| Weight | 1.60 kg | 1.34 kg★ |
| Battery | 72 Wh★ | 54 Wh |
| OS | macOS | Windows 11 Pro |
Pros & Cons
Apple MacBook Pro 14.2" M4 Max Silver 2024
- Strong screen (99th percentile)99th %ile
- Strong user sentiment (99th percentile)99th %ile
- Strong storage (99th percentile)99th %ile
- Strong reliability (98th percentile)98th %ile
Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8" 7 Platinum 2026
- Strong cpu (99th percentile)99th %ile
- Strong portability (90th percentile)90th %ile
- Strong screen (88th percentile)88th %ile
- Strong reliability (81st percentile)81st %ile
- Below average social proof (28th percentile)
- Below average gpu (28th percentile)
Pricing
Verdict
Scores 99 overall, wins 8 of 8 usage categories and 13 of 29 specs.