Microsoft Surface Laptop 15" 7 2025, Core Ultra 7 268V, 32GB, 512GB SSD, Black
Apple MacBook Pro 14.2" M4 Max 2024, 64GB, 4TB SSD, Silver
Get the Surface Laptop 7 if you want a well-built everyday machine for browsing, docs, and light photo work without spending MacBook Pro money.
Get the MacBook Pro M4 Max if you're a video editor, 3D artist, or developer who needs desktop-class power in a laptop and doesn't flinch at the price tag.
Key Differences
- The M4 Max scores 43,903 on multi-core CPU benchmarks vs 19,383 for the Core Ultra 7 268V. That's not a small gap, it's a different league.
- Storage is 4TB on the MacBook Pro vs 512GB on the Surface. You'd need to buy a 4TB external SSD just to match what the Mac ships with.
- The MacBook Pro's Mini-LED panel hits 1600 nits brightness vs 600 nits on the Surface's IPS screen. HDR content looks dramatically better on the Mac.
- Price is the elephant in the room: $3,099 vs $1,199. The Surface costs less than half, and for most people it's the smarter buy.
- Surface owners consistently praise the build quality, keyboard, and trackpad, but one reviewer couldn't connect a Canon printer and nobody's actually hitting the claimed 22-hour battery life.
What Buyers Say
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15" 7 2025, Core Ultra 7 268V, 32GB, 512GB SSD, Black
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 receives mostly positive feedback for its build quality, display, keyboard, and trackpad. Users appreciate the fast SSD, long battery life, and the magnetic charging port. One reviewer could not connect a Canon printer, and no one mentioned the claimed 22-hour battery life in actual use.
Pros
- Excellent display brightness
- Fast SSD storage
- Smooth trackpad
- Long battery life
- Magnetic charging port
Cons
- Printer connection issue
- Battery life may fall short of 22-hour claim
Apple MacBook Pro 14.2" M4 Max 2024, 64GB, 4TB SSD, Silver
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
Scores
Specifications
| Microsoft Surface Laptop 15" 7 | Apple MacBook Pro 14.2" M4 Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | ||
| CPU* | Intel Core Ultra 7 268V | Apple M4 Max★ |
| CPU Multi-Core Score | ||
| Cores | 8 | 16★ |
| Frequency | 2.2 GHz★ | — |
| L3 Cache | 12 MB★ | — |
| Graphics | ||
| GPU* | Intel Arc Graphics | Apple (40-Core)★ |
| GPU Benchmark Score | ||
| Type | integrated | integrated |
| VRAM | 16 GB★ | — |
| VRAM Type | Shared | System Shared |
| Memory & Storage | ||
| RAM | 32 GB | 64 GB★ |
| RAM Generation | LPDDR5X | LPDDR5 |
| Storage 1 | 512 GB | 4 TB★ |
| Storage 1 Type | NVMe SSD | NVMe SSD |
| Display | ||
| Size | 15" | 14.2" |
| Resolution | 2496 px | 3024 px★ |
| Panel | IPS | Mini-LED★ |
| Refresh Rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Brightness | 600 nits | 1600 nits★ |
| Color Gamut | — | 100% sRGB, 95% DCI-P3 |
| Connectivity | ||
| USB-C Ports | 2 | 3★ |
| USB Ports | 1★ | — |
| Thunderbolt | Thunderbolt 4 | Thunderbolt 5 |
| HDMI | — | 1x HDMI Output |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7★ | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.4★ | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Physical | ||
| Weight | 1.66 kg | 1.60 kg★ |
| Battery | 66 Wh | 72 Wh★ |
| OS | Windows 11 Pro | macOS |
Pros & Cons
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15" 7 2025, Core Ultra 7 268V, 32GB, 512GB SSD, Black
- Strong screen (89th percentile)89th %ile
- Strong social proof (82nd percentile)82nd %ile
- Strong reliability (82nd percentile)82nd %ile
- Strong user sentiment (81st percentile)81st %ile
- Below average affordability (12th percentile)12th %ile
Apple MacBook Pro 14.2" M4 Max 2024, 64GB, 4TB SSD, Silver
- 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
- Below average affordability (2nd percentile)2nd %ile
Pricing
Microsoft Surface Laptop 15" 7 2025, Core Ultra 7 268V, 32GB, 512GB SSD, Black offers 1.5x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 99 overall, wins 8 of 8 usage categories and 13 of 29 specs.