Microsoft simply launched the Floor Laptop computer Go 3, which ostensibly is its finances laptop computer providing. Nevertheless, it raised the beginning worth from the laptop computer’s unique $550 to $800, whereas additionally providing a barely upgraded mannequin for $1,000. That locations it in competitors with some wonderful laptops.
Two of essentially the most vital are the Apple MacBook Air M1 and MacBook Air M2. The previous begins at $999, whereas the latter is at the moment (and infrequently) on sale for $950. Can the Floor Laptop computer Go 3 compete with two of the very best laptops at its greater worth?
Specs and configurations
| Microsoft Floor Laptop computer Go 3 | Apple MacBook Air M1 | Apple MacBook Air M2 | |
| Dimensions | 10.95 inches x 8.12 inches x 0.0.62 inches | 11.97 inches x 8.36 inches x 0.63 inches | 11.97 inches x 8.46 inches x 0.44 inches |
| Weight | 2.49 kilos | 2.8 kilos | 2.7 kilos |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-1235U | Apple M1 | Apple M2 (8-core) |
| Graphics | Intel Iris Xe | Apple M1 | 8 GPU cores
10 GPU cores |
| RAM | 8GB 16GB |
8GB 16GB |
8GB 16GB 24GB |
| Show | 12.4-inch 3:2 PixelSense 1,536 x 1,024 IPS show | 13.3-inch 16:10 (2,560 x 1600) | 13.6-inch 16:10 Liquid Retina IPS 2560 x 1664 |
| Storage | 256GB ssd | 256GB SSD 512GB SSD 1TB SSD 2TB SSD |
256GB SSD 512GB SSD 1TB SSD 2TB SSD |
| Contact | Sure | No | No |
| Ports | 1 x USB-C 3.2 1 x USB-A 3.1 1 x 3.5mm audio jack 1 x Floor Join port |
2 x USB-C 4.0 with Thunderbolt 4 1 x 3.5mm audio jack |
2 x USB-C with Thunderbolt 4 1 x 3.5mm audio jack |
| Wi-fi | Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 | Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 | Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Webcam | 720p | 720p FaceTime HD | 1080p |
| Working system | Home windows 11 | macOS Sonoma | macOS Sonoma |
| Battery | 41 watt-hours | 49.9 watt-hour | 52.6 watt-hour |
| Worth |
$800+ |
$1,000 |
$1,100+ |
| Ranking | 2 out of 5 stars | 4.5 out of 5 stars | 4 out of 5 stars |
The Floor Laptop computer Go 3 is available in two configurations. At $800, you get a previous-gen Intel Core i5-1235U CPU, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and a 12.4-inch IPS show at simply 1,536 x 1,024. For an extra $200, you may improve to 16GB of RAM.
There are nonetheless just a few configurations obtainable for the MacBook Air M1, beginning at $999 for an 8-core CPU/7-core GPU Apple M1 processor, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and a 13.3-inch IPS show at 2,560 x 1,600. Totally upgraded, you may spend $1,999 for 16GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD. The MacBook Air M2 has much more configurations obtainable. The $1,099 base mannequin has an 8-core CPU/8-core GPU M2 CPU, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and a 13.6-inch IPS show at 2,560 x 1,664. For an 8-core CPU/10-core GPU M2, 24GB of RAM, and a 2TB SSD, you’ll spend $2,399.
At its $1,000 worth, the Floor Go Laptop computer is competing instantly with the MacBook Air M1. And as of when this comparability is being written, you should buy the
MacBook Air M2
base mannequin for the very engaging worth of $950 from Finest Purchase. That places the Floor at a definite drawback, as we’ll see under.
Design
The Floor Laptop computer Go 3 is a small machine, with a 12.4-inch show and fairly skinny prime and facet bezels. The MacBook Air M2 has thinner bezels than the M1 model, however the bigger show dictates a barely bigger chassis. The Floor is thicker at 0.67 than each the MacBook Air M1 at 0.63 inches and the extremely skinny MacBook Air M2 at simply 0.44 inches. The Floor is lighter than the MacBook fashions at 2.49 kilos, however simply barely.
The Floor Laptop computer Go 3 is constructed of aluminum within the lid and keyboard deck and plastic within the backside. The lid is kind of versatile, with apparent LCD distortion, which is all the time disconcerting. The MacBook Air M1 and M2 are each product of CNC-machined aluminum and are significantly extra inflexible. Aesthetically, the Floor Laptop computer Go 3 has the standard Floor aptitude, with 4 obtainable colours: Platinum, Ice Blue, Sage, and Sandstone. It additionally has sweeping strains and angles that present a beautiful look. The MacBook Air M1 has the old-school tapered design that’s simplistic, but in addition handsome, whereas the M2 mannequin takes on the blockier and fairly elegant design of the most recent MacBook Professionals, with 4 colours of its personal: Silver, Starlight, Area Grey, and Midnight.
Each the MacBook Air M1 and the M2 get pleasure from Apple’s Magic Keyboard, which is the very best keyboard obtainable on a laptop computer as we speak. Its switches don’t have ton of journey, however they make up for it with unimaginable snappy precision. It additionally boasts massive keycaps with loads of key spacing. The Floor Laptop computer Go 3’s keyboard is barely cramped as a result of laptop computer’s slender width, and the switches are stiff, with an abrupt bottoming motion. It’s not even near Apple’s keyboard in consolation, and the Floor is the one laptop computer on this group and not using a backlit keyboard. The MacBooks even have bigger Apple Pressure Contact haptic touchpads that supply a superior really feel and extra performance than the Floor’s smaller mechanical touchpad.
If you would like fashionable connectivity with the quickest and most versatile efficiency, then the MacBooks are superior, with two Thunderbolt 4 ports. The Floor is restricted to at least one USB-C port and a legacy USB-A port, which could be good for those who don’t wish to use a dongle. The MacBook Air M2 has the MagSafe 3 connector for energy, whereas the Floor has its Floor Join port, which retains the opposite connections free. The Floor and MacBook Air M1 are a era behind in wi-fi connectivity, whereas the MacBook Air M2 is updated.
Lastly, the Floor Laptop computer Go 3 and MacBook Air M1 each have 720p webcams, which don’t present the identical excessive picture high quality because the MacBook Air M2’s 1080p model. All laptops have fingerprint readers embedded of their energy buttons.
Efficiency
The Floor Laptop computer Go 3 makes use of a previous-gen Intel Core i5-1235U CPU with 10 cores (two Efficiency and eight Environment friendly) and 12 threads. It usually gives good productiveness efficiency. The MacBook Air M1 makes use of the 8-core CPU/7-core GPU M1 processor, whereas the MacBook Air M2 makes use of the M2 with eight CPU cores and both eight or 10 GPU cores. Each chips present strong productiveness efficiency and higher than standard artistic efficiency thanks go GPU optimizations.
Merely put, the Floor is slower than each Air fashions, in some instances considerably. It’s going to deal with typical productiveness workflows, however the two MacBook Airs will probably be sooner throughout the board.
| Geekbench (single/multi) |
Handbrake (seconds) |
Cinebench R23 (single/multi) |
|
| Microsoft Floor Laptop computer Go 3 (Core i5-1235U) |
Bal: 1,179 / 5,652 Perf: 1,524 / 6,226 |
Bal: 194 Perf: 214 |
Bal: 1,118 / 5,170 Perf: 1,534 / 4894 |
| Apple MacBook Air M1 (M1) |
Bal: 1,727 / 7,585 Perf: N/A |
Bal: 156 Perf: N/A |
Bal: 1,479 / 6,680 Perf: N/A |
| Apple MacBook Air M2 (M2) |
Bal: 1,925 / 8,973 Perf: N/A |
Bal: 151 Perf: N/A |
Bal: 1,600 / 7,938 Perf: N/A |
Show and audio
The Floor Laptop computer Go 3 has a 3:2 12.4-inch IPS show with quite low decision of simply 1,536 x 1,024. That places it at a definite drawback in comparison with each MacBook Air fashions, which have a lot greater resolutions.
The MacBook Air M2 takes the crown with considerably greater brightness, deeper distinction, and wider and extra correct colours. The MacBook Air M1 is available in second place, and the Floor in third. The MacBook Air M2 will present the very best show for each productiveness and inventive customers, and most customers won’t just like the Floor Laptop computer Go 3 show’s low decision and comparatively inaccurate colours.
| Brightness (nits) |
Distinction | sRGB gamut | AdobeRGB gamut | Accuracy DeltaE (decrease is best) |
|
| Microsoft Floor Laptop computer Go 3 (IPS) |
354 | 1,060:1 | 96% | 71% | 3.41 |
| Apple MacBook Air M1 (IPS) |
389 | 1,130:1 | 100% | 79% | 1.29 |
| Apple MacBook Air M2 (IPS) |
486 | 1,310:1 | 100% | 90% | 1.08 |
The Floor Laptop computer Go 3 has OmniSonic audio system that venture up from the keyboard. The setup gives surprisingly good audio, with crisp mids and highs and a contact of bass, in addition to loads of quantity. The MacBook Air M1 will get by with respectable stereo audio system, whereas the MacBook Air M2 has quad audio system that sound fuller than Microsoft’s providing.
Portability
Every of those laptops is very moveable. The Floor Laptop computer Go 3 is the smallest, thickest, and lightest, whereas the MacBook Air M2 is the thinnest laptop computer round. Every of them will match simply right into a backpack and received’t weigh you down.
Battery life is a unique story, nevertheless. The Floor Laptop computer Go 3 had disappointing longevity, significantly in our web-browsing check. Each of the MacBooks had stellar battery life that was many hours longer.
| Internet searching | Video | |
| Microsoft Floor Laptop computer Go 3 (Core i5-1235U) |
6 hours, 29 minutes | 13 hours, 39 minutes |
| Apple MacBook Air M1 (M1) |
14 hours, 34 minutes | 18 hours, 28 minutes |
| Apple MacBook Air M2 (M2) |
17 hours, 59 minutes | 21 hours, 9 minutes |
The Floor Laptop computer Go 3 simply can’t compete
At its unique worth of $550, we’d be evaluating the Floor Laptop computer Go 3 to a unique class of laptops, and it could be much more aggressive. At its $1,000 worth, although, the diminutive laptop computer is preventing in a unique weight class totally.
Merely put, both MacBook Air mannequin is vastly superior to the Floor. They’re sooner, constructed higher, have superior shows, and final a lot longer on a cost. Should you’re going to spend $1,000, you don’t wish to spend it on the Floor Laptop computer Go 3.
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