Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 5
The Verdict
The Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 sit in the same category and end up appealing to slightly different buyers. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 is the cheaper of the two at $999 versus $2,499, a difference of about $1,500. The Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro is the newer release, which usually means a faster chipset and longer software support. Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro stands out for largest macbook display at 16.2 inches, while Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 is praised for excellent 3:2 aspect ratio pixelsense touchscreen for productivity. Use the side-by-side spec table below to compare cameras, displays, battery life and connectivity in detail and decide which one fits your priorities.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro if…
- →Largest MacBook display at 16.2 inches
- →M5 Pro or M5 Max configurations
- →100 Wh battery with 24-hour life
Buy the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 if…
- →Excellent 3:2 aspect ratio PixelSense touchscreen for productivity
- →Alcantara keyboard deck is comfortable and distinctive
- →Lightweight at 1.27 kg for easy portability
Pros & Cons
Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro
Pros
- Largest MacBook display at 16.2 inches
- M5 Pro or M5 Max configurations
- 100 Wh battery with 24-hour life
- Thunderbolt 5
- Up to 96GB RAM with M5 Max
Cons
- 2.14 kg is heavy
- $2499 starting price
- Non-upgradable components
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5
Pros
- Excellent 3:2 aspect ratio PixelSense touchscreen for productivity
- Alcantara keyboard deck is comfortable and distinctive
- Lightweight at 1.27 kg for easy portability
- Up to 18 hours claimed battery life
- Removable SSD for easier data recovery
Cons
- Only one USB-C port and one USB-A port — very limited
- 60Hz display lacks the smoothness of 120Hz competitors
- No Thunderbolt 4 — USB-C is USB 4.0 with limited bandwidth
- Surface Connect charger is proprietary
- 8 GB base RAM is restrictive for multitasking
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16" M5 Pro | Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | macOS 17 | Windows 11 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 2.14 kg | 1.27 kg |
| Material | Recycled aluminum | Aluminum and Alcantara |
| Dimensions | 17.7 x 24.8 x 1.68 cm | 308 x 223 x 14.5 mm |
| Ports | ||
| HDMI | 1 | — |
| SD card | — | |
| MagSafe | — | |
| Thunderbolt ports | 3 | — |
| USB-A ports | — | 1 |
| USB-C ports | — | 1 |
| Headphone Jack | — | |
| Surface Connect | — | |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | Up to 24 hours | Up to 18 hours |
| Capacity | 100 Wh | 47.4 Wh |
| Display | ||
| Size | 16.2 inches | 13.5 inches |
| Type | Liquid Retina XDR, nano-texture option | PixelSense IPS LCD |
| Resolution | 3456 x 2234 | 2256 x 1504 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz ProMotion | 60Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 1600 | 400 |
| Storage | ||
| SSD | 1 TB / 2 TB / 4 TB / 8 TB | 256 GB / 512 GB (removable SSD) |
| Expandable storage | ||
| Keyboard | ||
| Backlit | ||
| Processor | ||
| RAM | 24 GB / 48 GB / 96 GB | 8 GB / 16 GB |
| Cores | 18 cores (6 super + 12 performance) | 10-core (2P + 8E) |
| Chipset | Apple M5 Pro (18-core CPU, 20-core GPU) | 12th Gen Intel Core i5-1235U / i7-1255U |
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This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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