Microsoft ridicules MacBook Pro for not having a touch screen — forgets about iPad Pro

By Imad Khan
last updated

Yeah, but the MacBook Pro will have M1X

Surface vs MacBook
(Image credit: Microsoft Surface)

Microsoft used a commercial for its Surface Pro 7 to take a whack at the MacBook Pro during Sunday's NFL Championship game. The ad, a sort-of reversal of the "I'm a Mac" commercials from the mid-to-late 2000s, calls out Apple's hesitance in including a touch screen with its laptops. 

The ad specifically goes after Apple's touch bar, with an actor in the  ad exclaiming, "why can't they give me a whole touch screen." 

We suspect it's because Apple wants you to buy an iPad. 

Unfortunately for Surface, the ad has a high dislike ratio on YouTube. It seems that Apple fans aren't too happy with being called out by Microsoft. Sadly too, comments have been disabled so you can't read MacBook fans returning fire at the laptop maker who mocked them. 

As for the MacBook Pro's touch bar, rumors have begun circulating that the company plans on killing the svelte OLED display. If true, it confirms that consumers didn't find much use out for the touch bar.

Weirdly, Microsoft's ad goes on to claim that the Surface Pro is a better gaming device than the MacBook Pro. While this might be true on paper, as the Windows gaming library is far larger than on MacOS, it's disingenuous to prop up the Surface as a gaming device. 

The current Surface Pro 7 uses 10th Gen Intel Core processors. The integrated Intel UHD graphics is far from a gaming powerhouse. According to our sister publication Laptop Mag (opens in new tab), 10th Gen UHD graphics can barely run a seven year old game like Grand Theft Auto V. Although, the upcoming Intel 11th Gen CPUs with Iris Xe Graphics do sport a greatly superior integrated graphics processor. But we'll have to wait to get hands on before we know how it truly stacks up.

Of course, Microsoft does have an edge with price. The MacBook Pro sells for $1,299, while the Core i5 Surface with keyboard and pen starts at $890. Granted, the MacBook Pro does come with Apple's new stellar M1 chip.

Imad Khan
Imad Khan

Imad is currently Senior Google and Internet Culture reporter for CNET, but until recently was News Editor at Tom's Guide. Hailing from Texas, Imad started his journalism career in 2013 and has amassed bylines with the New York Times, the Washington Post, ESPN, Wired and Men's Health Magazine, among others. Outside of work, you can find him sitting blankly in front of a Word document trying desperately to write the first pages of a new book.

1 Comment Comment from the forums
  • Making a Difference
    admin said:
    Microsoft's Surface has a new commercial taking aim at the MacBook Pro's touch bar and lack of touch screen.

    Microsoft ridicules MacBook Pro for not having a touch screen — forgets about iPad Pro : Read more
    I think that Microsoft is right on is so many ways. First, the iPad is not a computer. You can argue all you would like, but there are to many functions that make it impractical. The Surface Pro will run older software, like those of us that purchase the Adobe Suite before it all went to the cloud. Yes, there is Affinity, but it is still not Photoshop. I can also run applications like Solidworks, AutoDesk Fusion. There are also Windows only functions of Office that make the Surface Pro a more compelling device. I can continue the list.

    As for the device, it is a Computer that works like a tablet, too. The handwriting experience is incredible. The touchscreen is responsible and helpful if you work with 3D applications. The size of the device is amazingly small and light. So, you would have to buy a Macbook and iPad at more than twice the cost of the Surface Pro. Sorry, but I will take one device. And this is coming from a former all Mac user.
    Reply