Microsoft Surface Laptop 13" vs Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M2)
Two of the laptops in our most energy-efficient laptops, ranked on official energy star power figures comparison, lined up spec by spec. Every figure comes from the manufacturer pages linked below, and the scores use the same published formula as the full ranking.
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Best for: Official TEC 6.3 kWh, official sleep 0.3 W
Check price at AmazonBest for: Official TEC 7.6 kWh, official sleep 0.3 W
Check price at AmazonSpec-by-spec comparison
Green marks the better published figure. "Not listed" means the manufacturer doesn't publish it.
| Spec | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13" | Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M2) | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official TECThe official Typical Energy Consumption (TEC) of the certified configuration, in kWh, published on the ENERGY STAR Computers V9.0 record. Lower official TEC is a lower certified annual-energy figure. It is a laboratory result for the configuration shown, not a utility bill we measured. Official values outside the reference range are clamped at the range ends for scoring only; the official figure is still shown. | 6.3 kWh | 7.6 kWh | 45% |
| Official sleep powerThe official Sleep Mode power published on the ENERGY STAR record, in watts. Lower official sleep power means less certified power while the computer is in sleep. If the field is blank it is shown as Not listed. Official values outside the reference range are clamped for scoring only; the official figure is still shown. | 0.3 W | 0.3 W | 30% |
| Official short-idle powerThe official Short Idle power published on the ENERGY STAR record, in watts. Lower official short-idle power means less certified power in that idle test state. Official values outside the reference range are clamped for scoring only; the official figure is still shown. | 2.3 W | 3.1 W | 25% |
| Official ENERGY STAR unique ID | 4,015,773 | 4,513,871 | info |
| Official model name | Surface Laptop 13" | MacBook Air 13-inch (M2) | info |
| Official model number | 2095 | A2681 | info |
| Official product type | Notebook | Notebook | info |
| Official TEC | 6.3 kWh | 7.6 kWh | info |
| Official sleep mode power | 0.3 W | 0.3 W | info |
| Official short-idle power | 2.3 W | 3.1 W | info |
| Official long-idle power | 0.3 W | 0.7 W | info |
| Official off-mode power | 0.2 W | 0.1 W | info |
| Official system memory | 24 GB | 8 GB | info |
| Official CPU cores | 8 | 8 | info |
| Official processor brand | Qualcomm | Apple | info |
| Official processor name | Snapdragon X Plus | Apple M2 | info |
| Official CPU base clock | 3.2 GHz | 3.2 GHz | info |
| Official storage technology | SSD | SSD | info |
| Official ENERGY STAR date certified | 2025-03-10T00:00:00.000 | 2025-10-16T00:00:00.000 | info |
| Official battery capacity | 48.3 Wh | 52.6 Wh | info |
| Official integrated display size | 13 in | 13.6 in | info |
| Official integrated display resolution | 2.46 MP | 4.26 MP | info |
| Official touch screen | Yes | No | info |
| Official 'marketed as a workstation' | No | No | info |
| Official external power supply rating | 45 W | Not listed | info |
| Other official certified configurations | Not listed | The ENERGY STAR record lists 2 official certified configurations under this official model. This page uses the official configuration with the lowest official TEC (7.6 kWh). Other official TEC values listed for this model include 8.5. | info |
| BytePick score | 10.0/10 | 9.8/10 | 100% |
Where each one comes out ahead
Microsoft Surface Laptop 13"
Better published figure on: Official TEC, Official short-idle power.
What we like
- Official ENERGY STAR record lists a TEC of 6.3 kWh.
- Official ENERGY STAR record lists sleep-mode power of 0.3 W.
Watch out for
- Official TEC is a certified laboratory annual-energy figure for this configuration, not a utility bill we measured.
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M2)
No scored spec where it is strictly ahead; its case rests on the strengths below.
What we like
- Official ENERGY STAR record lists a TEC of 7.6 kWh.
- Official ENERGY STAR record lists sleep-mode power of 0.3 W.
Watch out for
- Official ratings are for the certified configuration shown; other official configurations of this model can list different TEC, memory or processor figures.
Verdict
On published specs, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13" scores higher (10.0 vs 9.8). Specs don't capture sound character or feel, so weigh the pros and cons above too.
- Choose the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13" if this sounds like you: official TEC 6.3 kWh, official sleep 0.3 W.
- Choose the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M2) if this sounds like you: official TEC 7.6 kWh, official sleep 0.3 W.
- Microsoft Surface Laptop 13": ENERGY STAR Certified Computers V9.0 (pd_id 4015773)
- Microsoft Surface Laptop 13": ENERGY STAR Product Finder (computers)
- Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M2): ENERGY STAR Certified Computers V9.0 (pd_id 4513871)
- Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M2): ENERGY STAR Product Finder (computers)
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