Apple MacBook Pro 16 M5 Pro Beats Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra in Early Buyer Poll
Microsoft’s new Surface Laptop Ultra has quickly become one of the most talked-about premium laptops of the year, largely because it is positioned directly against Apple’s MacBook Pro 16 with the M5 Pro chip. Both laptops target creators, professionals, developers, and power users who are willing to spend around $3,000 for high-end performance, long-term reliability, and a premium computing experience.
The Surface Laptop Ultra stands out because it uses Nvidia’s RTX Spark N1X “Superchip,” which combines an ARM-based Grace CPU with Nvidia Blackwell graphics. That makes it one of Microsoft’s most ambitious laptop releases yet, especially for users interested in AI workloads, graphics performance, and next-generation Windows on ARM hardware.
On the other side, Apple’s MacBook Pro 16 with the M5 Pro continues Apple’s strong reputation in the premium laptop market. With Apple silicon, excellent battery life, a high-quality display, strong creator-focused performance, and a refined macOS experience, it remains a top choice for professionals who want dependable performance in a polished package.
The comparison becomes even more interesting because both entry-level models are priced the same. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra with the base RTX Spark chip, 24 GB of memory, and 1 TB of storage is priced at $2,999. Apple’s MacBook Pro 16 with the M5 Pro chip, 24 GB of memory, and 1 TB of storage also starts at $2,999.
A recent user poll by Hardware Canucks asked buyers which laptop they would choose if they had around $3,000 to spend. The poll compared the Apple MacBook Pro 16 M5 Pro, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra, and a more affordable alternative: the Lenovo Yoga Pro 7a. The Lenovo model costs about $700 less and offers a 3K OLED display, 32 GB of RAM, 1 TB of storage, and an AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 processor.
Despite the Lenovo Yoga Pro 7a offering more memory and a lower price, it finished in third place with 27% of the votes. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra came in second with 30.9%, showing that many buyers are interested in Microsoft’s new Nvidia-powered machine. However, the clear winner was Apple’s MacBook Pro 16 M5 Pro, which earned 42.1% of the votes.
The result suggests that Apple still has a strong advantage among premium laptop buyers, especially in the $3,000 segment. Many users may see the MacBook Pro 16 as the safer investment thanks to Apple’s proven hardware-software integration, strong resale value, excellent battery life, and long-standing popularity among creative professionals.
That said, the Surface Laptop Ultra should not be dismissed. Microsoft’s use of Nvidia’s RTX Spark N1X chip could make it a very compelling choice for users who need advanced AI acceleration, strong GPU performance, and a Windows-based workflow. If Microsoft can deliver strong real-world performance, good battery life, and broad software compatibility, the Surface Laptop Ultra could become one of the most serious MacBook Pro competitors yet.
The Lenovo Yoga Pro 7a is also worth noting. Even though it received the fewest votes, it offers impressive specifications for a lower price. For buyers who care more about value than brand prestige or ecosystem advantages, it could be the smartest option of the three.
Still, this poll should be viewed with caution. It received 489 votes, which is enough to show early interest but not enough to represent the wider laptop-buying market. Real purchasing decisions will depend on reviews, benchmark results, battery life tests, display quality, software support, and how well each laptop performs in everyday professional workloads.
For now, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 M5 Pro appears to have the strongest appeal among early voters, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra is shaping up to be a bold and powerful challenger in the premium laptop space. As both devices reach more users, the real battle between Apple silicon and Nvidia-powered Windows laptops is only getting started.
