MacBook Air M5 vs Surface Laptop (8th Edition)
The Guardian finds the Surface Laptop 8 fast, silent and long-lasting, with a first-class keyboard and haptic trackpad, but it still lags Apple’s M5 MacBook Air on performance. The Surface adds a 120Hz touchscreen and a USB-A port; the Air is lighter and fanless.
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Quick answer
Choose Apple MacBook Air 13 (M5) (from $1,299) if you want the fastest chip for the money, you prefer macOS or use an iPhone or you want a fanless laptop. Choose Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) ($1,499.00) if you need Windows apps, you want a touchscreen and a 120Hz display or you want USB-A and Windows Hello face login.
Last updated Prices checked Oct 2026
Check Apple MacBook Air 13 (M5) price (opens in a new tab)Check Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) price (opens in a new tab)
Key facts at a glance
| Apple MacBook Air 13 (M5) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | From $1,299 | $1,499.00 (Microsoft); $1,599.99 at launch (The Guardian) |
| Chip | Apple M5, 10-core CPU | Snapdragon X2 Plus (10-core) or X2 Elite (12-core) |
| Display | 13.6-inch Liquid Retina | 13.8-inch HDR touchscreen, 2304 x 1536, 120Hz |
| Touchscreen | No | Yes |
| Battery (maker) | Up to 18 hrs video, 15 hrs web | Up to 20 hrs video, 16 hrs web |
Pick the MacBook Air M5 for the faster chip, if you’re fine with macOS. It starts at $1,299 with 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage, and Apple rates it at up to 18 hours of video streaming. Pick the Surface Laptop if you need Windows, want a touchscreen, or want more ports. The 13.8-inch model has a 120Hz HDR touchscreen, USB-A and Windows Hello face login, and The Guardian[4] measured just shy of 14 hours of work. Windows on Arm still has some app and game compatibility gaps.
Apple MacBook Air 13 (M5) vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition): side-by-side
| MacBook Air 13 (M5) | Surface Laptop 13.8-inch | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | From $1,299 | $1,499.00 (Microsoft); $1,599.99 at launch (The Guardian) |
| Chip | Apple M5, 10-core CPU | Snapdragon X2 Plus (10-core) or X2 Elite (12-core) |
| Display | 13.6-inch Liquid Retina | 13.8-inch HDR touchscreen, 2304 x 1536, 120Hz |
| Touchscreen | No | Yes |
| Battery (maker) | Up to 18 hrs video, 15 hrs web | Up to 20 hrs video, 16 hrs web |
| Ports | 2x Thunderbolt 4, MagSafe 3, headphone jack | 2x USB-C/USB4, USB-A, Surface Connect, headphone jack |
| Weight | 2.7 lb (1.23 kg) | 2.96 lb (1342 g) |
| Login | Touch ID | Windows Hello facial recognition |
| OS | macOS | Windows 11 on Arm |
How much do they cost?
Apple MacBook Air 13 (M5) plans
| Option | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 13-inch, M5, 10-core CPU / 8-core GPU | From $1,299 | 16GB memory, 512GB SSD |
| 13-inch, M5, 10-core GPU | From $1,399 | — |
| 15-inch, M5 | From $1,499 | — |
Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) plans
| Option | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 13-inch | $1,199.99 | Snapdragon X2 Plus (6-core); 60Hz |
| 13.8-inch | $1,499.00 | Snapdragon X2 Plus or X2 Elite; 120Hz |
| 15-inch | $1,699.99 | Snapdragon X2 Plus or X2 Elite; 120Hz |
What are the pros and cons?
Apple MacBook Air 13 (M5): pros
- Faster than the Surface Laptop 8 (The Guardian)
- Fanless and lighter, at 2.7 lb
- Two Thunderbolt 4 ports plus MagSafe 3
- Supports up to two external displays
Apple MacBook Air 13 (M5): cons
- No touchscreen
- No USB-A port
- Only Thunderbolt/USB-C for accessories
Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition): pros
- 120Hz HDR touchscreen
- Excellent keyboard and haptic trackpad (The Guardian)
- USB-A port and Windows Hello face login
- Replaceable SSD; generally repairable (The Guardian)
Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition): cons
- Lags the M5 MacBook Air on performance (The Guardian)
- Some Windows on Arm compatibility issues remain
- Big price increase over the 7th Edition (The Guardian)
Which should you choose: Apple MacBook Air 13 (M5) or Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition)?
If you’re open to macOS, the MacBook Air M5 is the stronger value: it starts lower than the 13.8-inch Surface, and The Guardian[4] says the Surface still lags Apple’s M5 MacBook Air. The Surface Laptop 8 is the better pick for Windows users. The Guardian calls it an excellent premium PC with a good screen, one of the best keyboards and trackpads on a PC, and battery life long enough that you don’t have to carry a charger. It adds a 120Hz touchscreen and a USB-A port that the Air lacks.
Choose Apple MacBook Air 13 (M5) if…
- You want the fastest chip for the money
- You prefer macOS or use an iPhone
- You want a fanless laptop
Choose Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) if…
- You need Windows apps
- You want a touchscreen and a 120Hz display
- You want USB-A and Windows Hello face login
Pricing compared
Apple sells the 13-inch MacBook Air M5 from $1,299, the version with a 10-core GPU from $1,399, and the 15-inch model from $1,499. Microsoft lists the Surface Laptop 8th Edition at $1,199.99 (13-inch), $1,499.00 (13.8-inch) and $1,699.99 (15-inch). The Guardian[4] reported the 13.8-inch model at $1,599.99 with a Snapdragon X2 Plus, 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage, and says prices rose because of the high cost of memory and chips.
Performance and battery
The Guardian[4] found the Surface Laptop 8 with Snapdragon X2 Elite very snappy, but says it still lags rivals such as Apple’s M5 MacBook Air. It runs silently most of the time, and The Guardian measured just shy of 14 hours of work. Microsoft rates the 13.8-inch model at up to 20 hours of local video playback and 16 hours of web browsing. Apple rates the MacBook Air 13 at up to 18 hours of video streaming and 15 hours of wireless web.
Windows on Arm compatibility
The Guardian[4] says most apps run fine on the Surface’s Arm chip, either natively or through Windows’ Prism emulation. Emulated apps can be a bit slow, and some multiplayer games that use anti-cheat software may not run.
Frequently asked questions
Is the MacBook Air M5 faster than the Surface Laptop 8?
Does the Surface Laptop have a touchscreen?
Which has more ports?
Sources
Pricing and plan details were checked on the official pages below as of Oct 2026. Vendors change prices, credits and plan names often, and some show regional pricing at checkout, so confirm on the vendor’s site before you buy.
- Apple: MacBook Air (M5) tech specs (apple.com)
- Apple Store: Buy MacBook Air (checked October 2026) (apple.com)
- Microsoft: Surface Laptop (8th Edition) (checked October 2026) (microsoft.com)
- The Guardian: Microsoft Surface Laptop 8 review (theguardian.com)
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