On October 26, Microsoft held a Windows 10 event that announced the release of the new Surface Book i7. The following day, on October 27, Apple unveiled the upcoming 2016 MacBook Pro. Both are definite upgrades to their predecessors, but there are some notable differences between each.
In terms of design, the Microsoft Surface Book i7 looks plenty like the original. However, it definitely comes with more power thanks to the updated processor. Furthermore, there is more battery life as well, which will allow users to take advantage of the unit for more hours at a time.
As MSPowerUser notes, the Surface Book i7 is the most powerful one in its line. Under its hood, it has a sixth generation Intel Core i7 - thus its name - and a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 965M 2GB GDDR5 memory. While these specifications are nowhere near those belonging to gaming laptops, it does provide users with enough power to play some titles.
The Surface Book i7 has a 13.5 inch PixelSense display, with a 3000 x 2000 pixel resolution. It runs smoothly on either 6GB or 16GB of RAM and has three various SSD options: 256GB, 512GB and 1TB. Its rear camera is 8 megapixels, while the front camera is 5 megapixels. Its new battery allows up to 16 hours of video playback when connected to the base keyboard and 12 hours when used as a tablet.
The unit also has stereo microphones and stereo speakers with Dolby Audio Premium. It also has Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology and 802.11ac Wi-Fi wireless networking. The Microsoft Surface Book i7 is also incredibly portable at just 3.63 pounds and will set back a buyer around US$2,399. The unit is already available for pre-order but will start rolling out to the market on November 11.
Just the same, the 2016 MacBook Pro looks very much like its predecessor. However, opening up the device makes all the difference. The keyboard adopts butterfly technology, which places the keys much closer to the surface. The result is less a less clicky feeling, but it allows the device to be thinner and lighter in general. The trackpad is also much larger than it used to be.
As noted by VentureBeat, the biggest addition to the 2016 MacBook Pro is the Touch Bar, which has replaced the traditional function keys. The new feature morphs depending on the demand and necessities of the application or system currently in use. So if the photos app is used, users can quickly choose a photo or edit. Meanwhile, there is quick access to emojis and word suggestions when typing.
The 2016 MacBook Pro comes in three variants: a 13 inch option without the Touch Bar, as well as 13 inch and 15 inch options that both come with the Touch Bar. Undoubtedly, the 15 inch option is the best and most powerful of its generation. It is powered by an Intel i7 processor, runs smoothly on 16GB of RAM and has a Readen Pro 450 or Pro 455 graphics chip.
It sports four USB Type C ports and a 15.4 inch display that has 2880 x 1800 pixel resolution. Storage options are 256GB and 512GB and the battery is 76-watt-hour lithium polymer. Weighing just a little over 4 points, the 2016 MacBook Pro is available in Silver and Space Gray for the price of US$2,399 or US$2,799 depending on the storage. It is also available for pre-order and will reach the market in two or three weeks.
There is no definite choice between the two devices, as both the Surface Book i7 and the 2016 MacBook Pro each have their own strengths and weaknesses. Furthermore, both units are essentially slight bumps from their predecessors and it is in this sense that Microsoft plunges forward: It definitely took Apple longer to release its upgrade.
