Apple
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026)
$1099
Released 2026-03
Best Laptops · head-to-head
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch (2024)
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch (2024) is cheaper at $999. Every spec and price links to its source.
Microsoft
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch (2024)
$999Cheaper
Released 2024-06
Which is better: the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) or Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch (2024)?
The Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) wins 2 of the 3 specs we compare head to head; the other wins 1. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch (2024) is the cheaper at $999. Get the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) for the stronger spec sheet, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch (2024) to spend less.
See Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) on Amazon See Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch (2024) on Amazon
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Prices verified at capture; live price may differ.
Key specs, head to head
The numbers that decide it, drawn to scale — longer bar wins, the accent bar is the stronger figure.
Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $1099 | $999 |
| Brand | Apple | Microsoft |
| Released | 2026-03 | 2024-06 |
| Display (in) | 13.6 | 13.8 |
| Resolution | 2560x1664 | 2304x1536 |
| CPU | Apple M5 (10-core, 4 super + 6 efficiency) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus (10-core, X1P-64-100) or X Elite (12-core, X1E-80-100) |
| GPU | Apple M5 integrated (8-core or 10-core) | Qualcomm Adreno (integrated) |
| RAM (GB) | 16 | 16 |
| Storage (GB) | 512 | 256 |
| Weight (kg) | 1.23 | 1.34 |
| Battery (Wh) | 53.8 | 54 |
| OS | macOS 26 | Windows 11 Home |
| Ports | MagSafe 3, 2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C), 3.5mm headphone jack | 2x USB-C (USB 3.2 / DisplayPort), 1x USB-A 3.2, 3.5mm headphone jack, Surface Connect, microSDXC (15-inch only) |
| Release | 2026-03 | 2024-06 |
Sources — Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026): apple.com (verified 2026-06-15). Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch (2024): en.wikipedia.org (verified 2026-06-15).
What's the difference between the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) and Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch (2024)?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (9 of 10). Matching specs are omitted.
- Display (in): Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) 13.6 vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch (2024) 13.8
- Resolution: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) 2560x1664 vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch (2024) 2304x1536
- CPU: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) Apple M5 (10-core, 4 super + 6 efficiency) vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch (2024) Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus (10-core, X1P-64-100) or X Elite (12-core, X1E-80-100)
- GPU: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) Apple M5 integrated (8-core or 10-core) vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch (2024) Qualcomm Adreno (integrated)
- Storage (GB): Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) 512 vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch (2024) 256
- Weight (kg): Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) 1.23 vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch (2024) 1.34
- Battery (Wh): Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) 53.8 vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch (2024) 54
- OS: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) macOS 26 vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch (2024) Windows 11 Home
- Ports: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) MagSafe 3, 2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C), 3.5mm headphone jack vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch (2024) 2x USB-C (USB 3.2 / DisplayPort), 1x USB-A 3.2, 3.5mm headphone jack, Surface Connect, microSDXC (15-inch only)
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026)
Three whitelisted testers lab-reviewed the 13-inch MacBook Air (M5) (Tom's Hardware, TechRadar, Tom's Guide); all rate it the best mainstream ultraportable, praising fast M5 performance, roughly 15.5-hour battery life, and the doubled 512GB base storage with a much faster SSD. Shared gripes: a $100 price hike (no longer $999), an incremental update over the M4, and — noted by Tom's Hardware — the fanless chassis throttling under sustained load. (3 sourced reviews, 3 lab-tested.)
Praised: Fast M5 performance that handles everyday and heavier creative workloads; All-day battery life (~15.5 hours in web testing); Doubled 512GB base storage plus much faster SSD.
Flagged: $100 price increase over the M4 (no longer starts at $999); Only an incremental upgrade over the M4, especially for M4 owners; Display notch remains and there is still no touchscreen.
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch (2024)
Three whitelisted testers (Notebookcheck, Tom's Guide, PCWorld) hands-on-benchmarked this exact 13.8-inch Snapdragon X Elite model and broadly recommend it as Windows' first credible MacBook Air rival: fast Arm CPU, spectacular battery, premium build. All three flag weak gaming and x86-app-compatibility gaps under emulation; reviewers split on keyboard feel. (3 sourced reviews, 3 lab-tested.)
Praised: Class-leading battery life for a Windows laptop; Fast Snapdragon X Elite CPU, strong multi-core performance (rivals MacBook Air M3); Premium, sleek aluminum build.
Flagged: Poor gaming performance / weak Adreno GPU; x86 app compatibility gaps under Arm emulation; Copilot+ AI features feel gimmicky / half-baked.