Microsoft’s £2,599 Surface Laptop Ultra targets MacBook Pro buyers with Nvidia graphics, up to 128GB of unified memory, a touchscreen and user-removable storage.
Microsoft’s new Surface Laptop Ultra enters the premium Windows category with a clear target: users who want workstation-class performance in a portable machine. According to Trusted Reviews’ comparison, the 15-inch device is available to pre-order now and is due to ship on 16 October, with a starting price of £2,599 in the UK and $2,599 in the US. Windows Central likewise reports that Microsoft has tied the launch to a limited trade-in offer for eligible MacBook Pro owners in the US, underlining that the company is aiming directly at Apple’s most expensive laptop buyers.
The biggest distinction is the silicon. Microsoft has built the Surface Laptop Ultra around Nvidia’s RTX Spark platform, which combines a Blackwell RTX GPU, a Grace CPU and up to 128GB of unified memory. MacRumors notes that Microsoft is pitching the machine for local AI work, creative production and other demanding tasks, with support for large models without depending on the cloud. Apple’s MacBook Pro M5 range, by contrast, spans the standard M5, M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, with Apple claiming the higher-end versions deliver its fastest CPU core yet and very high memory bandwidth for developers, researchers and creatives working on-device.
Display choice is another point of separation. The Surface Laptop Ultra is only offered in a 15-inch format, but Microsoft says its panel is the brightest and most vivid display it has put in a Surface laptop, and Trusted Reviews says the company also claims the highest peak HDR brightness of any laptop it has tested. The MacBook Pro offers more flexibility, with 14-inch and 16-inch versions, plus an optional nano-texture finish for users who want to reduce reflections. The Surface’s touchscreen is likely to matter to some buyers, although its practical value will depend on how often that input method is used in day-to-day work.
Storage and connectivity tilt the comparison in different directions. Trusted Reviews says the MacBook Pro can be specified with up to 4TB of storage, but it remains a fixed configuration. The Surface Laptop Ultra, by contrast, includes user-removable storage, which should make future upgrades easier, although Microsoft warns that damage caused during replacement may not be covered by warranty. On ports, Microsoft is presenting the Surface as its most fully equipped laptop yet, with a magnetic USB-C connection, two further USB-C ports, HDMI, USB-A, an SD card reader and a headphone socket. Apple’s machine also offers a strong spread of ports, including three Thunderbolt USB-C connections, HDMI, SDXC and a headphone jack, alongside its magnetic power connector.
For buyers weighing up the two, the choice appears to come down to priorities rather than raw capability. The Surface Laptop Ultra looks tailored to users who want Nvidia’s AI hardware, a touchscreen and more straightforward upgrade potential. The MacBook Pro M5 series remains the more established premium option for those already invested in Apple’s ecosystem, especially if they value the choice of sizes and the company’s mature software integration with iPhone and iPad. Trusted Reviews says it will update its verdict once both machines have been fully reviewed, which is sensible given that much of the decision will ultimately depend on real-world performance rather than specification sheets alone.
Disclaimer: This content is intended for informational purposes only. Readers are advised to exercise their own judgement, conduct due diligence, or consult a qualified expert before acting on any information provided.
