Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Ultra is shaping up as a rare kind of premium ARM laptop: one that tries to win on both creative work and gaming. That positioning puts it in direct contrast with the MacBook Pro powered by Apple M5 Pro, which remains the more established choice for raw CPU performance in the workstation class.
The comparison is especially interesting because the two machines take different paths to high performance. Microsoft is pairing an ARM CPU with NVIDIA RTX Blackwell graphics, while Apple continues to focus on tight integration and efficiency with its M5 Pro chip.
A larger, brighter display on the Surface side
On paper, Surface Laptop Ultra brings a bigger canvas for work and entertainment. It uses a 15-inch PixelSense Ultra mini-LED touchscreen with a 2880×1920 resolution, a 16:10 aspect ratio, a 120Hz refresh rate, and peak HDR brightness rated at 2000 nits.
The MacBook Pro in this comparison uses a 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED display. Its panel also runs at 120Hz and keeps the same 16:10 aspect ratio, but its peak HDR brightness is listed at 1600 nits, making the Surface the brighter panel on paper.
CPU results still favor Apple
Performance results available so far place the MacBook Pro ahead in CPU-heavy tasks. Surface Laptop Ultra uses NVIDIA’s RTX Spark 20-core ARM CPU, while the MacBook Pro relies on an Apple M5 Pro with an 18-core CPU.
In Geekbench 6 single-core testing, RTX Spark posted 3123, while M5 Pro reached 4295. In Geekbench 6 multi-core, the gap widened further, with RTX Spark at 19708 and M5 Pro at 29256.
A Clang code compilation test followed the same pattern. RTX Spark scored 43149, while M5 Pro recorded 55165, reinforcing Apple’s lead in raw processing work.
Why the Surface may still matter more to some users
Even with those CPU results, the Surface Laptop Ultra has a notable advantage in another direction. Its NVIDIA Blackwell RTX GPU includes 6144 CUDA cores, giving it access to CUDA-based applications that do not run on the MacBook Pro.
That difference matters for users whose workflows depend on NVIDIA’s ecosystem. For those tasks, the Surface may offer a more practical advantage than the gap shown in CPU benchmarks.
The gaming angle is also much stronger on Microsoft’s side. The MacBook Pro is not known as a strong gaming machine, while Surface Laptop Ultra is built on graphics hardware that better fits modern game workloads.
NVIDIA has even shown RTX Spark running Forza Horizon 6 at 1440p and 100 fps with ray tracing and DLSS enabled. That demo makes the Surface Laptop Ultra look far more convincing as a premium laptop that can handle both office work and gaming.
Memory, storage, and build details
Surface Laptop Ultra supports up to 128GB of LPDDR5X memory, while the MacBook Pro configuration in this comparison offers 64GB of LPDDR5 unified memory. That gives Microsoft’s device more headroom on paper for demanding multitasking and heavier workloads.
Storage also follows a different philosophy. The Surface includes a 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD that can be upgraded and replaced, while the MacBook Pro can go up to 8TB PCIe Gen 4 unified SSD but uses soldered storage.
Both laptops use aluminum construction and are described as durable with minimal chassis flex. Surface Laptop Ultra uses an anodized aluminum chassis, while the MacBook Pro comes in an aluminum unibody enclosure.
Important gaps remain before a full verdict
Several practical details about the Surface Laptop Ultra are still missing. Microsoft has not announced battery capacity, dimensions, weight, or official pricing for the device.
That keeps some of the comparison incomplete, especially when portability and value are part of the decision. The MacBook Pro appears more compact thanks to its 14.2-inch display, but Surface is described as thin and light without official figures to confirm that claim.
Price is another major unknown for Microsoft’s machine. The MacBook Pro with M5 Pro starts at 2,199 dollars, while Surface Laptop Ultra has not yet received an official price.
For now, the picture is clear enough to show where each laptop stands. The MacBook Pro with M5 Pro remains stronger in CPU benchmarks, while Surface Laptop Ultra stands out with a larger and brighter display, CUDA support, and a more credible gaming profile.
Source: tech.sportskeeda.com
