This week Apple and Microsoft revealed their latest visions for Notebook computing, giving users a real choice for how they interact with their devices.
While both offer similar specifications, they primarily differentiate in how you use their touch. Microsoft is focusing on touch and pen-based input right on the screen, while Apple is making smaller, but potentially just as important, tweaks to its established input methods.
In design, Microsoft has stuck with their same design as of last year's surface book. This means same magnesium alloy body, and the same hinge that curls around the back, leaving the middle section of the device feeling strangely open.
By contrast, Apple have managed to shave a large chunk off the new MacBook Pro's chassis. It is quite lighter than the Microsoft's latest model. That lightness is down to a completely redesigned MacBook Pro. It's all-metal (so no plastic hinge).
In display section, Surface Book has 13.7 inch display and is ever so slightly bigger than the MacBook Pro. Microsoft's machine packs in more pixels, too, with a stunning 3,000 x 2,000 pixel resolution. As for the quality, the Surface Book attains an Adobe RGB score of 67.6% and a contrast ratio of 1,750:1, both of which were good enough to beat the previous MacBook Pro at 60% and 1,000:1 respectively. We're not so sure it will manage to keep the new MacBook Pro at bay though.
MacBook Pro has 13.3 inch display and only manages 2,560 x 1,600 pixel resolution. Apple reckons that the new screen is 67% brighter than the previous version, has a 67% higher contrast ratio, and has a 25% wider colour gamut. We'll have to wait to be sure that Apple's new laptop beats the aforementioned figures, but it's shaping up to be a truly stunning laptop display.
The Surface Book includes a 6th Gen Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD and Intel HD graphics while Apple MacBook includes quad-core Core i7 processors, 16GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD and a 2GB Radeon Pro 450 graphics card which is significantly better and much more improved.
Microsoft is continuing to focus on touch screen and pen input, and its Surface Dial adds one more way to offer input. Apple's Touch Bar may be a fantastic way to enable users to do more with their Macs, and we'll have to see how many apps develop for it.
