MacBook 12” 2015 vs. Surface Laptop Go: Full specs comparison

We have comprehensively analyzed the technical specifications for the MacBook 12” 2015 and Surface Laptop Go models. Our report includes intricate details such as the CPU, memory, storage, battery life, display quality, and other features.

MacBook 12” 2015 Pros

Reasons that MacBook 12” 2015 is better than Surface Laptop Go.

About 18% lighter

MacBook 12” 2015 weighed 2.03 pounds, 18% lighter than the 2.45 pounds Surface Laptop Go.

WeightMacBook 12” 2015Surface Laptop Go
Pound
2.03 lbs.
2.45 lbs.
Kilogram
0.92 kg
1.11 kg

Surface Laptop Go Pros

Reasons that Surface Laptop Go is better than MacBook 12” 2015.

Much newer manufacturing

2020 vs. 2015

Much faster CPU performance

Intel Core i5-1035G1 inside Surface Laptop Go has a 152% better multi-core CPU performance score than the Intel Core M-5Y71 (1.3 GHz) inside MacBook 12” 2015.

Geekbench 5 multi-core score
Surface Laptop Go - Intel Core i5-1035G1
2,878
MacBook 12” 2015 - Intel Core M-5Y71 (1.3 GHz)
1,139
MacBook 12” 2015 - Intel Core M-5Y51 (1.2 GHz)
1,109
MacBook 12” 2015 - Intel Core M-5Y31 (1.1 GHz)
1,034
Supports larger memory

Surface Laptop Go supports a larger memory capacity than the MacBook 12” 2015. It supports up to 16GB versus 8GB of system memory on the MacBook 12” 2015.

Max system memory size
Surface Laptop Go
16 GB
MacBook 12” 2015
8 GB
Supports faster memory

Surface Laptop Go supports a faster memory speed than the MacBook 12” 2015. It supports up to 3733MHz versus 1600MHz of system memory on the MacBook 12” 2015.

Memory type and speed
Surface Laptop Go - LPDDR4X
3,733 MHz
MacBook 12” 2015 - LPDDR3
1,600 MHz
Upgradable storage

Surface Laptop Go comes with a single removable M.2 SSD slot that you can replace and upgrade in the future.

SlotsMacBook 12” 2015Surface Laptop Go
M.2
Onboard
Yes x1

Prices

Here are the latest price updates and offers for both devices.

MacBook 12” 2015 Price
Apple MacBook 12in Laptop w/ Retina Display 1.2GHz Core M, (MJY42LL/A), 8GB Memory, 512GB Solid State Drive, Space Gray (Space Gray)(Renewed)
Apple MacBook 12in Laptop w/ Retina Display 1.2GHz Core M, (MJY42LL/A), 8GB Memory, 512GB Solid State Drive, Space Gray (Space Gray)(Renewed)
By Apple
$362.53
$381.51 5% OFF
Apple Macbook Retina Display 12in Laptop (2015) - 256GB SSD, 8 GB Memory, Silver (Renewed)
Apple Macbook Retina Display 12in Laptop (2015) - 256GB SSD, 8 GB Memory, Silver (Renewed)
By Apple
$329.76
Apple MacBook Pro with Intel Core i5, (13.3-Inch, 8GB, 512GB) - Silver (Renewed)
Apple MacBook Pro with Intel Core i5, (13.3-Inch, 8GB, 512GB) - Silver (Renewed)
By Apple
$345.00
$374.99 8% OFF
Surface Laptop Go Price
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 (2023) - 12.4" Touchscreen, Thin & Lightweight, Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD SSD, with Windows 11, Sandstone Color Copilot
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 (2023) - 12.4" Touchscreen, Thin & Lightweight, Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD SSD, with Windows 11, Sandstone Color Copilot
By Microsoft
$699.99
$799.99 13% OFF
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2-12.4" Touchscreen - Intel Core i5 8GB Memory - 128 SSD - Ice Blue (Latest Model)
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2-12.4" Touchscreen - Intel Core i5 8GB Memory - 128 SSD - Ice Blue (Latest Model)
By Microsoft
$479.03
$519.99 8% OFF
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, Intel Core i5-1135G7, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD, Iris Xe Graphics, 12.4" Touchscreen Display, Windows 10 Home S Mode Laptop Computer, KMM-00001, Sage (Renewed)
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, Intel Core i5-1135G7, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD, Iris Xe Graphics, 12.4" Touchscreen Display, Windows 10 Home S Mode Laptop Computer, KMM-00001, Sage (Renewed)
By Microsoft
$345.99
$378.00 8% OFF

Availability

MacBook 12” 2015Surface Laptop Go
Released20152020
Release Date
  • Announced on March 9, 2015
  • Available on March 10, 2015
  • Introduced: October 1, 2020
  • Pre-ordered: October 1, 2020
  • Released: October 13, 2020
Pricing
  • $1,299
    Intel Core M-5Y31 | 8GB RAM | 256GB SSD
  • $1,599
    Intel Core M-5Y51 | 8GB RAM | 512GB SSD
  • For Consumer (Windows 10 Home):
    • $549.99 - i5 | 4GB | 64GB eMMC | No Fingerprint | Platinum only
    • $699.99 - i5 | 8GB | 128GB SSD
    • $899.99 - i5 | 8GB | 256GB SSD
  • For Commercial (Windows 10 Pro):
    • $799.99 - i5 | 8GB | 128GB SSD
    • $999.99 - i5 | 8GB | 256GB SSD
    • $1,199.99 - i5 | 16GB | 256GB SSD | Platinum Only
Generations-

Exterior

MacBook 12” 2015Surface Laptop Go
Dimensions11.04” x 7.74” x 0.14 - 0.52” (280.5 mm x 196.5 mm x 3.5 - 13.1 mm)10.95” x 8.1” x 0.62” (278.18mm x 205.67 mm x 15.69 mm)
WeightStarting at 2.03 pounds (920 g)
  • 2.45 lb (1,110 g)
Colors
Silver Space Gray Gold
Ice Blue Sandstone Platium
Keyboard and TrackpadFull-size backlit keyboard with:
  • 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) individual LED backlit keys, including 12 function keys and 4 arrow keys with ambient light sensor
  • Force Touch trackpad for precise cursor control and pressure-sensing capabilities; enables Force clicks, accelerators, pressure-sensitive drawing, and Multi-Touch gestures
  • Keyboard:
    • Full-size keyboard with a soft-touch feel and full 1.3mm travel.
  • Trackpad:
    • Larger size 115 mm x 76.66 mm, glass.
    • Supports up to Five-finger multitouch gesture.

Display

MacBook 12” 2015Surface Laptop Go
Size12 Inches12.45 Inches
InfoRetina display
  • 12-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology
  • 2304-by-1440 resolution at 226 pixels per inch with support for millions of colors
  • 16:10 aspect ratio
  • Supported scaled resolutions:
    • 1440 by 900
    • 1280 by 800
    • 1024 by 640
  • Resolution: 1536 x 1024 (148 PPI)
  • PixelSense™ Display
  • Aspect ratio: 3:2
  • Touch: 10 points multi-touch

Ports

MacBook 12” 2015Surface Laptop Go
One USB Type-C port with support for:
  • Charging
  • USB 3.1 Gen 1 (up to 5 Gbps)
  • Native DisplayPort 1.2 video output
  • VGA output using USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter (sold separately)
  • HDMI video output using USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter (sold separately)
Surface Laptop Go Ports
Image Source: Microsoft
Left (3)
  • 1 x USB-C
    USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps), Power Delivery, DisplayPort
  • 1 x USB-A
    USB 3.0 (5 Gbps)
  • 1 x headphone jack
    Headphone/Microphone
Right (1)
  • 1 x Surface Connect
    Magnet Charging, Docking

Internal Specs

MacBook 12” 2015Surface Laptop Go
Processor
  1. 5th Gen Intel® Core™ M-5Y31
    2 cores, 4 threads, 1.10 → 2.40 GHz, 4MB Cache, 6W
  2. 5th Gen Intel® Core™ M-5Y51
    2 cores, 4 threads, 1.20 → 2.60 GHz, 4MB Cache, 6W
  3. 5th Gen Intel® Core™ M-5Y71
    2 cores, 4 threads, 1.30 → 2.90 GHz, 4MB Cache, 6W
  1. 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-1035G1
    4 cores, 8 threads, 1.00 → 3.60 GHz, 6MB SmartCache, 15W
Integrated Graphics
  1. 5th Gen Intel® Core™ M-5Y31
    Intel® HD Graphics 5300
    24 Execution Units, 300 → 850 MHz
  2. 5th Gen Intel® Core™ M-5Y51
    Intel® HD Graphics 5300
    24 Execution Units, 300 → 900 MHz
  3. 5th Gen Intel® Core™ M-5Y71
    Intel® HD Graphics 5300
    24 Execution Units, 300 → 900 MHz
  1. 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-1035G1
    Intel® UHD Graphics
    32 Execution Units, 300 → 1050 MHz
Memory
8GB
1600MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory
4GB 8GB 16GB
3733 MHz LPDDR4X RAM
Storage
256GB 512GB
PCIe-based onboard flash storage.
  • 64GB
    eMMC
  • 128 GB 256 GB
    SSD

Connectivity

MacBook 12” 2015Surface Laptop Go
Wi-Fi
  • 802.11ac Wi‑Fi wireless networking
  • IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible
  • Wi-Fi 6: IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax compatible.
BluetoothBluetooth 4.0 wireless technology
  • Bluetooth Wireless 5.0 technology

Battery

MacBook 12” 2015Surface Laptop Go
Size39.5 Wh lithium‑polymer battery39.7 Wh
Battery Life
  • Up to 9 hours of wireless web
  • Up to 10 hours of iTunes movie playback
  • Up to 30 days of standby time
Up to 13 hours of typical device usage
Power Supply29W USB-C Power Adapter
  • 39W power supply
  • Supports Fast Charge (0-80% in just over one hour)

Software

MacBook 12” 2015Surface Laptop Go
OSShipped with OS X Yosemite
  • For Consumer: Windows 10 Home in S-mode
  • For Commercial: Windows 10 Pro
Free upgrade to Windows 11
Built-in Apps
Photos iMovie GarageBand Pages Numbers Keynote Safari Mail Messages FaceTime Calendar Notes App Store iTunes iBooks Maps Contacts Reminders
Microsoft 365 Family 30-day trial

Camera & Audio

MacBook 12” 2015Surface Laptop Go
Camera480p FaceTime HD camera
  • 720p HD f2.0 front-facing video camera
Audio
  • Stereo speakers
  • Dual microphones
  • 3.5 mm headphone jack
    • Support for Apple iPhone headset with remote and microphone
  • Dual far-field Studio Mics
  • OmniSonic stereo speakers with Dolby® Audio™ Premium

Misc

MacBook 12” 2015Surface Laptop Go
Inking-Not Support
Sensors-
  • Ambient light sensor
Security-
  • Firmware TPM
  • Enterprise-grade protection with Windows Hello sign-in
  • One-Touch sign in with FingerPrint Reader Power button
Note Surface Laptop Go i5/4GB/64GB does not include Fingerprint Power Button.
In the box
  • MacBook
  • 29W USB-C Power Adapter
  • USB-C Charge Cable (2 m)
  • Surface Laptop Go
  • 39W Power supply
  • Quick Start Guide
  • Safety and warranty documents
WarrantyLimited Warranty and ServiceYour MacBook comes with 90 days of free telephone support and a one-year limited warranty. Purchase the AppleCare Protection Plan to extend your service and support to three years from your computer’s purchase date. Only the AppleCare Protection Plan provides you with direct telephone support from Apple technical experts and the assurance that repairs will be handled by Apple-authorized technicians using genuine Apple parts. For more information, visit Apple Support or call 800-823-2275. 
  • One-year limited hardware warranty
MoreVideo Support
  • Intel HD Graphics 5300
  • Dual display and video mirroring: Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to 3840 by 2160 pixels on an external display, both at millions of colors
Best-in-class support from Microsoft Store
Microsoft Store Promise for Surface:
  • 60-day return policy
  • 90 days of free technical phone support
  • Free virtual workshops and training
  • Surface price promise

Key Features

MacBook 12” 2015Surface Laptop Go
At Glance
Released in Early
2015
16:10 QHD
12”
1440p 60Hz
Weight
2.03 lb
0.92 kg
Up to
Intel Core M-5Y71 (1.3 GHz)
2C/4T, 1.30 → 2.90 GHz
Geekbench 5
598
Single Core
Geekbench 5
1,139
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® HD Graphics 5300
24 Execution Units, 300 → 900 MHz
8GB
1600 MHz LPDDR3
Released in Late
2020
3:2 1.5K
12.45”
1024p 60Hz
Weight
2.45 lb
1.11 kg
Powered By
Intel Core i5-1035G1
4C/8T, 1.00 → 3.60 GHz
Geekbench 5
979
Single Core
Geekbench 5
2,878
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® UHD Graphics
32 Execution Units, 300 → 1050 MHz
Configurable up to
16GB
3733 MHz LPDDR4X
Surface Laptop Go Ports
Starting at
$550
i5, 4GB, 64GB eMMC, No Fingerprint
Up to
13 Hours
Battery Life
Optional
Fingerprint Reader
On Power Button
Single
USB-A
USB 3.0
Single
USB-C
w/ DP & PD
Wi-Fi 6
Bluetooth 5.0

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