In 2021, Microsoft woke up and chose brutal honesty.
In its latest ad for the Surface Pro 7 (by way of MS Power User), the company spent 30 seconds listing all the ways it believes the 2-in-1 laptop is better than Apple's MacBook Pro.
The video starts out by going after what many consider the MacBook Pro's greatest weakness: the Touch Bar. Comparing it to the Surface Pro's stylus and touchscreen capabilities, the young boy praising the device points out:
"The Surface comes with a pen and it is touchscreen. Mac gave me this little bar, but why can't they just give me a whole touchscreen?"
It appears that Apple is aware of how awful the Touch Bar feature is, though. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the company is planning on replacing it with physical keys for the upcoming 14-inch and 16-inch models.
Funny enough though, the video does make it clear its Surface Pen doesn't actually come bundled with the Surface Pro, by adding a disclaimer that reads "Pen and some apps sold separately."
Microsoft points out that the Surface Pro has a detachable keyboard too. Meanwhile, with the MacBook, "you're kind of just stuck with what you got." Of course, this is definitely the company's way of highlighting how versatile the Surface is — with the option to switch between a laptop and keyboard. But I can't help but think it's also a slight dig at the MacBook Pro's messy past with its problematic butterfly keyboard.
The video also addresses the power difference between the two devices, boasting that the Surface Pro "has the power to run all your apps" and "is a much better gaming device." (Editor's note: This is debatable, and depends a lot on which configuration you buy.)
To round out the jabs, Microsoft ends by reminding everyone how much cheaper its device is compared to the MacBook Pro.
The base model Surface Pro 7 (with a 12.3-inch display) starts at $749.99, but that's without the additional accessories like the stylus and keyboard attachment. The 13-inch MacBook Pro, on the other hand, starts at $1,299 for the M1 model (Apple's in-house chip) and $1,799 for its Intel model.
But if Microsoft's new ad has you sold on opting for the Surface Pro 7 over the MacBook Pro, it might be a good idea to hold off — if you want the latest device, that is. According to rumors, it's possible we could see the Surface Pro 8 at some point in 2021.
And whether or not Apple has a comeback for Microsoft's ad remains to be seen. Regardless, all I can say for now is: Touché, Microsoft. Touché.
