Battery Test: Microsoft Surface 7 vs. Apple M3 MacBook Pro

The Phone Buff team conducted a comprehensive two-day battery test, Microsoft Surface 7 laptoppowered by the Snapdragon X Elite processor, and 2024 Apple M3 MacBook Proequipped with the M3 Pro chip, the two laptops were put head to head to evaluate battery life and performance across a variety of tasks. The test included web browsing, workflow, video calls, standby mode, video streaming, and gaming to provide a thorough assessment of each laptop’s capabilities. The video below details how both laptops work. Let’s get into more detail.

Price and specifications comparison

Both the Surface Laptop 7 and MacBook Pro are priced at $2,000, and offer top-of-the-line features and performance. The Surface Laptop 7 comes with Snapdragon X Elite Processorwhile the MacBook Pro offers M3 Pro SystemIn addition, the MacBook Pro has a 30% larger battery and a stunning miniature LED displayincreasing its overall attractiveness.

Web browsing performance

During the web browsing test, the Surface Laptop 7 experienced a 24% battery drop, while the MacBook Pro saw a more efficient 16% drop. MacBook Pro is more energy efficient when it comes to web browsingso users can spend more time surfing the web without worrying about battery life.

Productivity Workflow Efficiency

In a work efficiency test that simulated typical work tasks, the Surface Laptop 7 showed a 21% battery drop, while the MacBook Pro had a slightly higher drop of 25%. This suggests that Surface Laptop 7 is more powerful for productivity tasksallowing users to work longer on a single charge.

Video calling performance

Both laptops showed a consistent 6% battery drain during video calls, which shows what they offer similar performance for virtual meetings and videoconferencingUsers can expect both devices to operate reliably during long video calls without significantly draining the battery.

Standby performance

When left in standby mode, the MacBook Pro showed a drop in battery charge of just 2%, while the Surface Laptop 7 had a slightly larger drop of 4%. It presents MacBook Pro’s incredible battery lifespan when not in active usemaking it ideal for users who often leave their laptops on standby.

Video streaming performance

The Surface Laptop 7 showed its strengths in streaming video, reducing the MacBook Pro’s lead to just 4%. Surface Laptop 7 performs better for streaming video contentproviding users with longer viewing time without having to recharge.

Gaming Performance and Battery Life

In the gaming test, the MacBook Pro delivered higher frame rates for smoother gameplay. However, this came at the expense of faster battery discharge. On the other hand, the Surface Laptop 7 offered lower frame rates but maintained longer battery life during gaming sessions. This compromise suggests that Surface Laptop 7 is more efficient at gaming in terms of battery lifewhile MacBook Pro focuses on performance.

Total battery life and performance

Despite the smaller battery, the Surface Laptop 7, powered by Snapdragon X Elite Processormanaged to extend the battery life of the MacBook Pro by 7 minutes. The faster battery drain of the MacBook Pro can be attributed to its higher performance in terms of screen resolution, speakers, and GPU capabilities.

In summary, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 and the Apple M3 MacBook Pro offer clear advantages in terms of battery life and performance across a variety of tasks. While the MacBook Pro excels in web browsing and standby performance, the Surface Laptop 7 shows better performance in productivity workflows, video streaming, and gaming battery life. Ultimately, choosing between these two laptops comes down to the user’s priorities and specific needs.

The most important conclusions from the battery test:

• • MacBook Pro is more efficient when browsing the web and in standby mode
  • Surface Laptop 7 is more efficient in productivity tasks, video streaming and gaming battery life
  • Both laptops offer similar performance for video calls
  • The Snapdragon X Elite processor in Surface Laptop 7 shows impressive performance despite a smaller battery
  • MacBook Pro offers a better overall experience, but at the cost of faster battery drain

Image credit and credit: Phone Buff

Filed in: Apple, Laptops, Top News

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