Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 Comparison

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Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 2025

13.6 inches | March 2025

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Microsoft Surface Laptop 13

13 inches | May 2025

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Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 Comparison Overview

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In this review, we will be comparing MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 and Surface Laptop 13, two laptops from Apple and Microsoft. Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 was introduced to market in March 2025 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 was launched in May 2025. There is only 2 months difference between MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 and Surface Laptop 13 so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Click for Available Configurations of the Laptops

MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 and Surface Laptop 13 are members of Microsoft's series of laptops. Below you can find the latest models from this series.

Apple Series History

	Release Date	Screen Size	Dimensions	Weight
Apple MacBook Pro 14 M5, 2025	October 2025	14.2"	312.6 x 221.2 x 15.5 mm	1.55 kg (3.42 lbs)
Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 2025	March 2025	13.6"	304.1 x 215 x 11.3 mm	1.24 kg (2.73 lbs)
Apple MacBook Air 15 M4 2025	March 2025	15.3"	340.4 x 237.6 x 11.5 mm	1.51 kg (3.33 lbs)
Apple MacBook Pro 16 M4, 2024	October 2024	16.2"	355.7 x 248.1 x 16.8 mm	2.14 kg (4.72 lbs)

Here is a brief look at the main features of Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 Key Specs

Launched in March 2025
13.6" IPS LCD, 16:10 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Apple M4 (10-Core)
GPU: Apple M4 GPU (10-Core)
16GB Ram
304.1 x 215 x 11.3 mm (11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches)
Weight: 1.24 kg (2.73 lbs)

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 Key Specs

Launched in May 2025
13.0" Touchscreen - IPS LCD, 3:2 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus (X1P-42-100)
GPU: Adreno X1-45
16GB,32GB,64GB Ram
285.65 x 214.14 x 15.6 mm (11.25 x 8.43 x 0.61 inches)
Weight: 1.22 kg (2.69 lbs)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 and Surface Laptop 13 compares and decide which one is better for you.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 over Microsoft Surface Laptop 13

Display Size	13.6 inches vs 13 inches	Larger Screen Estate
Contrast Rate	1494:1 vs 1000:1	more pleasing colors
Screen PPI	225 ppi vs 178 ppi	More pixels per inch
Screen Resolution	2560 x 1664 pixels vs 1920 x 1280 pixels	Higher pixel count screen
sRGB Color Space	99.9% vs 97.6%	Wider sRGB Color Space Coverage
DCI-P3 Color Gamut	99.4% vs 72.4%	Wider DCI-P3 Color Gamut
Adobe RGB Profile	93.4% vs 72.6%	Wider Adobe RGB Coverage
Max Brightness	500 nits vs 400 nits	Brighter Screen
CPU Fabrication Process	3 nm vs 4 nm	Newer Generation CPU
GPU Fabrication Process	3 nm vs 4 nm	Newer Generation GPU
GPU FLOPS	4.6 TFLOPS vs 2.3 TFLOPS	Better Sound capture
Number of Microphones	3 vs 2	Support audio, data, power and video all through one single port
Thunderbolt	v4 vs No

Reasons to choose Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 over Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 2025

Weight	1.22 kg vs 1.24 kg	0.02 kg lighter
Screen-to-Body Ratio	~82.3% vs ~82%	Larger screen area ratio
Side Bezel Thickness	5.5 mm vs 5.6 mm	0.1 mm thinner bezels
Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Interact with your fingers
Upgradable Storage	Yes vs No	Easily increase the Storage when needed
WiFi Standard	v7 vs v6E	More advanced Wi-fi connectivity
Bluetooth	v5.4 vs v5.3	More advanced Bluetooth connectivity
Key Travel	1.5 mm vs 1 mm	Better typing feel

Common Strengths of Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 and Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 2025

Launch Dates	March 2025 vs May 2025	Both laptops are recent models
Fast Charging Support	Yes vs Yes	Charge the battery in a shorter time
SSD Type	NVMe vs NVMe	Faster Data Transfers
Dolby Atmos Support	Yes vs Yes	3D Surround Sound Support
Fingerprint Sensor	Yes vs Yes	Easy Login with Fingerprint Sensor
VGA Output	No vs No	Connect to External Displays via VGA cable
Keyboard Backlight	Yes vs Yes	Easily see the keys under low light

Common Weaknesses of Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 and Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 2025

Upgradable RAM	No vs No	No Option to increase the RAM size
HDMI Output	No vs No	Need an adapter to connect to HDMI displays

Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 13: Physical Specs Comparison

In this section, we will be comparing the physical specifications and body features of the Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.

Physical Specs
Weight	1.24 kg (2.73 lbs)	1.22 kg (2.69 lbs)
Surface Area	654 cm2 (101.3 inches2)	612 cm2 (94.8 inches2)
Screen to Surface Ratio	~82%	~82.3%
Side Bezel Thickness	~5.6 mm	~5.5 mm
Weight per Inch of Screen	0.09 kg/inch	0.09 kg/inch
	0.198 lbs/inch	0.198 lbs/inch
Colors	Black, Silver, Gold, Blue	Silver, Gray, Purple

Comparison of the Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 External Dimensions

Weight

MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 weighs 1.24 kg (2.73 lbs), whereas the Surface Laptop 13 weighs 1.22 kg (2.69 lbs). There is a notable difference in weight between these two laptops. However, it's important to consider that comparing their weights directly may not provide a complete picture since they also have different display sizes.

Weight Comparison

Displays size 13.0-13.9 inches

Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 2025

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13

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Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Displays size 13.0-13.9 inches

Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 2025

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13

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Average

Max

Another value that we use for comparing the weights of the laptops is the Weight per Inch of Screen, which is calculated by dividing the total weight of the model with its usable diagonal screen size. This value for the Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 is 0.09 kg/inch.In comparison, this value for the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 is 0.09 kg/inch.Here are some of the best performing laptops in this area:

Microsoft Surface Go 4: 0.05 kg/inch
LG Gram SuperSlim 15.6 2023: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus Zenbook A14 UX3407: 0.06 kg/inch
Microsoft Surface Pro 12: 0.06 kg/inch
Dell Latitude 7330: 0.07 kg/inch
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2: 0.07 kg/inch
LG Gram 14 2022: 0.07 kg/inch

Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 13: Internals (CPU, GPU, RAM, Battery, SSD, etc.) Comparison

CPU Comparison

CPU Model	Apple M4 (10-Core)	Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus (X1P-42-100)
Base Frequency	4.41 GHz	3.2 GHz
Number of Cores	10 (4P + 6E)	8
Number of Threads	10	8
Integrated GPU	Apple M4 GPU (10-core)	Qualcomm Adreno X1-45
CPU Fabrication Process	3 nm	4 nm

Above you can see the CPU options and the CineBench and GeekBench test scores for both laptops, which gives an idea about what kind of performance difference you may experience between the Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.

You may also read reviews of latest laptops with the same CPUs and compare them:

Laptops with: Apple M4 (10-Core)

Laptops with: Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus (X1P-42-100)

GPU Comparison

GPU Model	Apple M4 GPU (10-Core)	Adreno X1-45
Base Clock Frequency	500 MHz	280 MHz
Boost CLock Frequency	1800 MHz	1107 MHz
TGP (Total Graphics Power)	18 W	30 W
Type	Integrated	Integrated
FLOPS	4.6 TFLOPS	2.3 TFLOPS
Memory Size	System Shared	System Shared
Memory Type	LPDDR5X	LPDDR5X
Memory Bus	128 bit
Memory Speed	7.5 Gbps	8.45 Gbps
Shading Units Cores	1280	1024
TMUs	80	48
ROPs	40	24

GPU is as critical as the CPU for graphic heavy applications and the table above gives a picture of how the two GPU compares. FLOPS is a measure of a GPU's performance based on the number of floating-point arithmetic calculations that the processor can perform within a second. Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 has a FLOPS value of 4.6 TFLOPS whereas the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 ' has a FLOPS value of 2.3 TFLOPS. If graphical performance of the laptop is important for your use type, the Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 may be the better choice between these two setups.

RAM Comparison

RAM	16GB 24GB 32GB	16GB 32GB 64GB
Memory Bus	2x8 GB	2x8 GB
RAM Clock	7500 MHz	8448 MHz
RAM Type	LPDDR5X	LPDDR5X
Upgradable	No	No
Memory Bus	Custom	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)

Both laptops, the MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 and the Surface Laptop 13, come with similar RAM capacities of 16 GB, providing comparable performance in memory-intensive tasks.

LOCAL LLM Compatibility Evaluation

This quick guide shows what types of large language models (LLMs) each of these laptops could support, based on their respective hardware specifications. It's meant to help you compare their suitability for running AI models locally.

LLM Category	Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 (2025)	Microsoft Surface Laptop 13
Small Models(1-3B):Examples: Phi-2, Qwen-1.8B	✔ Run smoothly.	✔ Run smoothly.
Medium Models(7-8B):Examples: Mistral-7B, Qwen-7B	✔ Good performance.	✔ Good performance.
Large Models(13-30B):Examples: Mixtral, Qwen-14B	✖ Not supported.	⚠ Can run slowly on CPU with enough RAM and good iGPU.
Extra-Large Models(65B+):Examples: LLaMA2-70B, Qwen1.5-72B	✖ Not supported on most systems. Requires high-end GPU or advanced setup.	✖ Not supported on most systems. Requires high-end GPU or advanced setup.

Note: Optimized (e.g., 4-bit) models may run on limited hardware. Performance depends on runtime and setup.

📌 MoE Models: Some models like Mixtral 8x7B and Qwen3-30B-A3B use a Mixture of Experts (MoE) design, activating only part of the model during inference. This means they can often run efficiently on laptops with 12–16 GB of VRAM when quantized.

BATTERY

BATTERY	53.8 Wh	50 Wh
Battery Type	Li-Po	Li-Po
Replaceable	No	No
Fast Charging	No	No
Charging Port Position	Left	Right
Charge Power	30 / 35 / 70 W	45 W
Full Charging Time	2:40 hr	2:10 hr
Cable Length	2 meters

Moreover, the MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 boasts a larger battery capacity of 54 Wh, offering extended usage time compared to the Surface Laptop 13's50 Wh.

Battery Comparison

Displays size 13.0-13.9 inches

Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 2025

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13

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Average

Max

STORAGE
With a larger storage capacity up to 2 TB, the MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 provides more space for storing files and applications compared to the Surface Laptop 13's max. storage capacity of 1 TB.

Storage Options	256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB	256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB
Upgradable	No	Yes
Storage type	SSD (M2)	SSD (M2)
NVMe	Yes	Yes

If your budget allows, we recommend opting for the largest possible disk size, considering the potential increase in storage capacity needs in the future. However, please keep in mind the question 'What will the laptop be used for?' when making this decision. Of course, you can later upgrade the hard disk capacity by getting a larger disk. However, if your laptop has only one disk slot, it may not be as straightforward as a RAM upgrade, where you simply add or replace a module, as moving or cloning files to a new disk may be necessary.

Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 13: Display Comparison

The display is an essential aspect to consider when comparing the Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 since its is the component that you interact the most and significantly impact the experience.

Screen Area and Dimensions

Now let's look at the comparison of the actual display areas of both laptops below, keeping the bezels around the screens out of the equation. MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 has a display size of 13.6".On the other hand, Surface Laptop 13 has a smaller 13.0" display.The total usable screen area of the MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 is 536cm² / 83inch² whereas the Surface Laptop 13's total usable screen area is 503cm² / 78inch².

PPI (Pixels per Inch)
Additionally, the MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 features a higher pixel density with 225 pixels per inch (PPI), ensuring sharper image details.

Screen PPI (Pixels Per Inch) Comparison

Displays size 13.0-13.9 inches

Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 2025

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13

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Average

Max

Refresh Rate
Both MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 and Surface Laptop 13 offer the same refresh rate of 60 Hz.

Brightness
The MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 offers a higher maximum brightness of 500 nits, delivering a brighter screen.

Brightness Comparison

Displays size 13.0-13.9 inches

Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 2025

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13

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Max

Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 Connectivity Comparison

In terms of connectivity,

Wifi
Surface Laptop 13 features a more advanced Wi-Fi standard v7, providing faster and more reliable wireless connections compared to MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 (v6E).

Below, you'll find a Wi-Fi Versions Table, along with their release dates and speeds, to provide a brief overview of its development.

Wi-Fi Versions and Speeds

Standard	Speed	Release Date	Network	Frequency Bands (GHz)
Wi-Fi 7	up to 40 Gbps (5 GB/s)	2023	802.11be	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6E	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2020	802.11ax	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2019	802.11ax	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 5	up to 6.93 Gbps (866.25 MB/s)	2014	802.11ac	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 4	up to 600 Mbps (75 MB/s)	2009	802.11n	2.4, 5

* Please note that the provided transfer rates are maximum theoretical values, and real-life performance may vary based on environmental factors.

USB
Surface Laptop 13 is equipped with 1x USB 3.2 USB-A ports. MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 does not have USB-A ports.
Both MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 and Surface Laptop 13 feature 2x USB 4.0 USB Type-C ports.

Below, you'll find a table of USB ports, along with their release dates and speeds.
To mitigate the confusion caused by generation names, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) suggests using marketing names like USB 5Gbps, USB 10Gbps, and so forth, based on their respective transfer rates.

USB Type and Speeds

USB Type	Version	Speed	Date	Other Features/Explanations
USB4	Gen 4 (2.0)	80 Gbps	2022	Also known as USB 80Gbps
USB4	Gen 3×2	40 Gbps	2019	Also known as USB 40Gbps
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2x2	20 Gbps	2019	Double the data transfer rates of Gen 2
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.1
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.0
USB 3.1	3.1 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2013	Faster data transfer rates
USB 3.0	3.1 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2010	SuperSpeed USB, improved data transfer rates
USB 2.0	2.0	480 Mbps	2000	High-speed data transfer
USB 1.0	1.0	1.5 Mbps	1996	Original USB standard

Thunderbolt
MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 is equipped with Thunderbolt 4 port. Surface Laptop 13 does not have Thunderbolt port.

HDMI
Neither MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 nor Surface Laptop 13 has an HDMI port for connecting to external monitors. Neither MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 nor Surface Laptop 13 has an HDMI port for connecting to external monitors.

Below, you'll find a comparison table detailing different HDMI versions, including their bandwidth, color depth, maximum resolution, and release dates. This information can be helpful in understanding the capabilities of each HDMI version and choosing the most suitable one for your needs.

HDMI Comparison Table

HDMI Version	Maximum Resolution	Bandwidth (Gbps)	Color Depth (bits)	Release Date
HDMI 2.1-2.1b	7680 x 4320 *(8K)* @ 60p 3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 120p	48.0	48	2017
HDMI 2.0-2.0b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 60p	18.0	48	2013
HDMI 1.4-1.4b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 30p	10.2	48	2009
HDMI 1.3-1.3a	2560 x 1440 @ 60p	10.2	48	2006
HDMI 1.0-1.2a	1920 x 1200 @ 60p	4.95	24	2002

* Please note that the provided resolution values represent the maximum supported resolution, and actual display quality may depend on other factors such as source content and connected devices.

SD Card Reader
Neither MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 nor Surface Laptop 13 has an SD Card Reader.

Audio Jack
Both MacBook Air 13 M4 2025 and Surface Laptop 13 are equipped with a 3.5mm Audio Jack, providing seamless connection to headphones and speakers.

To summarize the connectivity and ports details, please refer to the table below to see them listed.

Connectivity and Ports
WiFi Standard (latest: v7)	v6E	v7
Bluetooth (latest: v5.4)	v5.3	v5.4
USB-A (latest: 3.2)	No	1x USB 3.2
USB Type-C (latest: USB4 2.0)	2x USB 4.0	2x USB 4.0
Thunderbolt (latest: 5)	Thunderbolt 4	No
HDMI (latest: 2.1)	No	No
Display Port (latest: v2.0)	No	No
VGA	No	No
Fingerprint Sensor	Yes	Yes
Optical Drive	No	No
Audio Jack 3.5mm	Yes	Yes
Ethernet RJ45	No	No
SD CardReader	No	No
Proprietary Charging Port	Yes	No