Football has United and City, DC has Batman and The Joker, and computing has Microsoft(opens in a new tab) and Apple. While the two have traded blows over everything from desktops to processors, Apple was the only one of the pair producing laptops. That’s changed over the last few years, and now Microsoft finds itself on par with its competitor, or in some cases even outpacing Apple, with a variety of 2-in-1 models and laptops on the market.
Microsoft finally jumped into the space with the first Surface tablet back in 2012 and never looked back. The tablet was originally released to serve as direct competition to the iPad, which had long been the best premium tablet line on the market. The Surface proved to be a success, offering a true alternative to Apple’s iPads and MacBooks.
What has worked in Microsoft’s favour has been a more fluid design philosophy and features across all its Surface products compared to Apple. While Apple has maintained a type of hardline separation between iPads and MacBooks, with each one distinctly a tablet or laptop, Microsoft has tried to blur that line with 2-in-1 options and flexible laptops. The best example of this is the Surface Pro 9(opens in a new tab), the powerhouse 2-in-1 of Microsoft’s offerings. At first glance, you get a laptop that fits along the lines of the MacBook Pro, but if you need a power tablet, snap the screen off and now you have, in a sense, an iPad Pro. If you prefer a more traditional design, the Surface Laptop(opens in a new tab) provides that while keeping some features, like the responsive touchscreen.
If there’s one downside to Microsoft’s approach it’s that there’s still a limited choice, but the sheer flexibility makes up for the lack of choice in spades. And if you can offer a legitimate alternative to Apple, especially with fewer options, then you’re doing something right.
