Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch M3 Max vs Microsoft Surface Pro 9 (Core i7) (2026)

Which is better? We compared both on score, owner ratings, pros and cons.

Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch M3 Max

9.6/10 Outstanding

4.8★ (2,400 owners)

M3 Max chip, 128GB unified RAM, 22hr battery, 16.2" Liquid Retina XDR, 16-core GPU. The creative workstation.

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Microsoft Surface Pro 9 (Core i7)

9.0/10 Excellent

4.4★ (3,200 owners)

13" 2880×1920 120Hz touch, Core i7, Slim Pen 2, detachable keyboard, 15hr. Windows tablet-laptop hybrid.

Check Price ↗ Full Review

At a Glance

	Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch M3 Max	Microsoft Surface Pro 9 (Core i7)
247Verdict Score	9.6/10	9.0/10
Owner Rating	4.8★ (2,400)	4.4★ (3,200)
Verdict	Outstanding	Excellent
Battery	22 hours	15 hours
Display	16.2" ProMotion 120Hz XDR	2880×1920 3:2 120Hz touch

Quick Verdict

Both are strong choices, but the Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch M3 Max edges ahead with a 9.6/10 vs 9.0/10. M3 Max chip, 128GB unified RAM, 22hr battery, 16.2" Liquid Retina XDR, 16-core GPU. The creative workstation. That said, the Microsoft Surface Pro 9 (Core i7) is worth considering if 13" 2880×1920 120Hz touch, Core i7, Slim Pen 2, detachable keyboard, 15hr. Windows tablet-laptop hybrid..

Pros & Cons Side by Side

Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch M3 Max

M3 Max with 128GB unified RAM handles simultaneous 4K video exports, ML training and Xcode compilation without throttling
22-hour battery while running M3 Max tasks — no power cable on international flights
16.2-inch ProMotion 120Hz Liquid Retina XDR display is the finest laptop display available
Hardware-accelerated ML processing for ProRes video and Neural Engine workloads outperforms x86 competitors at 3x the power consumption
The laptop that Apple sells to production studios, research labs and professional developers worldwide

£4,500+ requires absolute professional justification — MacBook Pro 14 covers 90% of workflows
16-inch at 2.15kg is heavier than 14-inch M3 Pro for daily carry

Microsoft Surface Pro 9 (Core i7)

2880×1920 3:2 display is the sharpest touchscreen laptop display available from Microsoft
120Hz variable refresh reduces battery drain in static UI while enabling smooth scrolling
Slim Pen 2 included — haptic feedback pen with tilt support for natural drawing and inking
Detachable keyboard converts between tablet and laptop instantly — true dual-mode use
Windows Hello face unlock + fingerprint covers all authentication scenarios

Keyboard cover and Slim Pen sold separately in some configurations — check bundle pricing
Performance trails MacBook Air M3 in battery efficiency
Core i7 throttles under sustained load in the fanless configuration