Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 vs. MacBook Pro with M5: Will I Switch?

I purchased the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 as an experiment if Windows for ARM could become mainstream.  Here is my analysis of the situation and why I’m considering moving to an Apple system after having Microsoft OS (starting with MS-DOS 1.1) as my daily driver since 1982.

As of late 2025, the laptop landscape is dominated by efficient ARM-based machines from both Microsoft and Apple. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (released in 2024, focusing on Snapdragon X Elite configurations) remains a flagship Windows ultraportable, while Apple's MacBook Pro lineup features the 14-inch model refreshed in October 2025 with the M5 chip.

These two laptops target similar users: professionals seeking portability, performance, and long battery life. But they differ significantly in ecosystem, pricing, and strengths, including how they handle AI via Microsoft Copilot and endpoint security. Let's break it down.

Design and Build Quality

Both laptops exude premium vibes, but in different ways.

• Surface Laptop 7 (X Elite): Available in 13.8-inch and 15-inch sizes, with a sleek aluminum chassis in multiple colors. It features a touchscreen with a 3:2 aspect ratio (great for productivity) and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. The haptic trackpad and keyboard are excellent, and it includes practical ports: 2x USB-C (USB4), 1x USB-A, headphone jack, and microSD (on 15-inch).

• MacBook Pro 14-inch (M5): Apple's iconic unibody aluminum design in Silver or Space Black. It's thin and solid. The Liquid Retina XDR display is stunning—brighter (up to 1600 nits peak), more color-accurate, with mini-LED—but 60Hz and non-touch. Ports: 3x Thunderbolt 5, HDMI, SD card slot, MagSafe.

Winner: Tie. Surface for touch and versatility; MacBook for display brilliance.

Performance

• Surface Laptop 7 (X Elite): 12-core CPU, Adreno graphics, 45 TOPS NPU. Strong multi-core sustains, great for productivity and light creative work.

• MacBook Pro 14-inch (M5): 10-core CPU/GPU, enhanced Neural Engine. Up to 20% faster than M4 in multi-threaded, massive gains in graphics and AI. Fanless, silent, with top single-core speeds.

M5 leads in graphics, single-threaded, and efficiency.

Winner: MacBook Pro M5 for demanding tasks.

Battery Life and Ports

Surface: 18-22 hours real-world. Better port variety.

MacBook: Up to 24 hours claimed.

Winner: MacBook for battery; Surface for ports.

Running Microsoft Copilot: A Key AI Comparison

Both laptops can access Microsoft Copilot (the cloud-based AI assistant powered by GPT models), but the experience differs dramatically due to OS integration, local AI acceleration, and ecosystem.

• On Surface Laptop 7 (Snapdragon X Elite): As a Copilot+ PC, it offers the full native experience. Copilot is deeply integrated into Windows 11 with a dedicated Copilot key on the keyboard for instant access. The 45 TOPS NPU enables local/on-device AI features like:

• Cocreator (AI image generation in Paint)

• Live Captions with real-time translation

• Windows Studio Effects (background blur, eye contact in video calls)

• Image Creator and Restyle in Photos

• Advanced semantic search and productivity tools

These run locally for privacy, speed, and offline capability. Copilot also integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365 apps (Word, Excel, etc.) for context-aware assistance.

• On MacBook Pro (M5): Microsoft provides a native Copilot app (available on the Mac App Store since early 2025), supporting voice, image upload/generation, and shortcuts. You can use Option + Spacebar for quick access. It works well as a standalone AI companion.

However, there's no deep system-level integration like on Windows—no dedicated key, no local Copilot+ features accelerated by the NPU. Instead, the M5's powerful Neural Engine (enhanced for up to 3.5x faster AI than M4) powers Apple Intelligence: on-device tools like Writing Tools (rewrite/summarize), Image Playground, enhanced Siri, and photo editing. These are privacy-focused and run locally but are Apple's ecosystem, not Microsoft's.

Winner for Microsoft Copilot: Surface Laptop 7 (X Elite). Native, hardware-accelerated Copilot+ features make it far more capable and integrated for Microsoft AI workflows. On Mac, Copilot is solid but feels like an app rather than a core OS feature—better suited if you prefer Apple Intelligence.

Security Features and Tools

Security is foundational on both platforms, with built-in protections enhanced by hardware. Third-party tools like SentinelOne Singularity (a popular enterprise endpoint detection and response solution) provide advanced threat hunting, AI-driven detection, and response.

• Surface Laptop 7 (X Elite): As a Secured-core PC, it features Microsoft Pluton security processor for chip-level protection (securing credentials, keys, and firmware). Windows 11 includes Windows Hello facial recognition with Enhanced Sign-in Security, tamper-resistant firmware, and chip-to-cloud defenses. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (enterprise-grade EDR) is fully supported on Windows ARM devices, offering real-time protection, behavioral analysis, and integration with Microsoft 365 security. SentinelOne does not have official GA native ARM support for Windows as of late 2025, though some community reports indicate it can install and run with potential limitations or stability issues.

• MacBook Pro (M5): Apple's T2-like security is integrated into the M5 chip, with Secure Enclave for encrypted storage, Touch ID, and on-device processing for privacy (e.g., Apple Intelligence runs locally). macOS includes XProtect, Gatekeeper, and notarization for malware prevention. SentinelOne has long supported Apple Silicon natively (since M1 era), with "kextless" agents for seamless integration on macOS, providing strong EDR without kernel extensions. Third-party options like CrowdStrike or Intego are also optimized for macOS.

Winner: Slight edge to MacBook for seamless third-party support like SentinelOne on ARM and on-device privacy. Surface excels in enterprise Windows ecosystems (deep Defender integration and Pluton), but SentinelOne compatibility is not support yet on ARM Windows.

Price and Value

Surface Laptop 7 (X Elite): Starts around $1,299, configurable to high specs with better base value.

MacBook Pro 14-inch (M5): Starts at $1,599.

Surface often provides more RAM/storage flexibility at lower entry points.

Ecosystem and Software

Windows for vast compatibility and touch; macOS for seamless Apple device integration and creative apps.

Final Verdict

The MacBook Pro with M5 wins for raw performance, display, battery, and Apple Intelligence—ideal for creative pros wanting on-device privacy-focused AI.

But the Surface Laptop 7 with Snapdragon X Elite shines if you want full Microsoft Copilot integration, touch input, versatile ports, strong built-in security like Pluton, or better value—making it the go-to for Windows users leveraging Copilot+ features natively, though third-party tools like SentinelOne may require alternatives on ARM.

Ecosystem loyalists will pick accordingly, but for pure Microsoft Copilot experience, the Surface pulls ahead.

Could I recommend Surface for clients? 

Sadly No.  Why?
1) An Annoyance: I upgraded my monitors and the Surface Dock did not support their resolution.  I had a HP USB-C dock and that worked great for months.  Then suddenly the monitors would go blank at random times but not frequently.  Windows believed they were still active, but they went black.  This is probably fixable, but it indicates a lack of driver support for 3rd party (non-MIcrosoft hardware).

2) No SentinelOne support.  As this is our company’s main security tool direction, I am missing the security, and it makes me nervous.  Would I deploy Microsoft Defender for Endpoint for 1 PC? No.  It is not worth my time or the money to pay for it.

3) Better Competition: If a client needs Windows, they can get Intel or AMD chip systems with almost the speed of the ARM system now.  That was not true when I purchased the Surface.

Will I Switch to a Mac? 

Not right away.  I’m not sure if I want to give up the native CoPilot implementation in Windows or change Eco Systems.  Windows Hello is a feature I really like.  I have no idea what my password is (saved in my password manager).  I will continue to look at the options and run regular Microsoft Defender for security for a few more months.  Then there is the option of buying an Intel or AMD based system.  Then I stay in my comfortable Microsoft CoPilot system.