Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. News

Reader poll: Would you trade in your MacBook Air for a Surface Pro 3?

By
Microsoft SURFACE Pro 3 front angle
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Right now, Microsoft is offering people a credit of up to $650 towards the purchase of a Surface Pro 3.

The catch? You have to trade in a MacBook Air in order to get the credit. Oh, and don’t even think about giving them one that’s busted. It has to be in working condition.

Recommended Videos

Once we learned of this offer from Microsoft, we couldn’t help but wonder whether anyone would actually take them up on this offer. After all, even the cheapest MacBook Air you can get today costs significantly more than the maximum value of this credit. Right now at Apple.com, the entry-level 11-inch Air costs $899. That’s $249 more than the full credit you could get from Microsoft.

Plus, only “select” MacBook Air models are eligible for the trade in, but Microsoft doesn’t specify which versions are and aren’t eligible. Also, considering that Microsoft language mentions that consumers could get “up to” $650, this leads us to believe that you would have to trade a 2013 or 2014 model in order to get the maximum trade in value. At the end of the day, part of what determines how good of an offer this is depends on how much you could get for an older MacBook Air, and how the amount of credit that Microsoft doles out breaks down as you move up the ladder from older MacBook Airs to newer ones.

The base model Surface Pro 3 costs $799, packs an Intel Core i3 processor, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. The next step up is the $999 version, which bumps the CPU to a Core i5, keeps the RAM constant at 4GB, and doubles the storage. For $1,299, you still get a Core i5-powered Surface Pro 3, but the RAM jumps to 8GB and storage shoots up to 256GB.

From there, the price goes up to $1,549, which nets you an Intel Core i7 processor, but keeps the RAM and storage at $1,299 levels. And then there’s the mack daddy model: an Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB of memory, and a 512GB hard drive for $1,949.

With all of that in mind, would you consider trading your MacBook Air in for up to $650 towards the purchase of a Surface Pro 3?

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Konrad Krawczyk
Konrad Krawczyk
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Konrad covers desktops, laptops, tablets, sports tech and subjects in between for Digital Trends. Prior to joining DT, he…
MacBooks may get very strange (and exciting) in 2026
Foldable Macbook concept image created by LunaDisplay.

Apple's first all-screen foldable MacBook has been rumored for many years, and it's finally getting closer. Reports from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggest Apple plans to release its first foldable as early as 2026.

According to Kuo, Apple is considering both 20.25-inch and 18.8-inch panels that, when folded, would equate to a 14- to 15-inch MacBook and a 13- to 14-inch MacBook. Previous reports estimated a 2027 release for these all-screen MacBooks, but Kuo's latest information suggests we could see them as early the first half of 2026. And now that Apple has introduced its M4 chip, it's little surprise that these future devices are expected to run on M5 series processors.

Read more
Why you should buy a Mac mini instead of a MacBook Air
Apple Mac Mini side view showing edges.

Apple’s MacBook Air is an incredibly popular device, and it’s our pick for the best MacBook you can buy. But there’s a strong case to be made for passing over it and buying a Mac mini instead. Apple’s desktop computer is cheaper, supports more displays and ports, and is better for your posture. Those reasons could be enough to sway the balance in its favor.

If you’re on the fence, give this guide a read to see if it helps you make up your mind. Here, we’ll show you four of the most compelling reasons to buy a Mac mini instead of a MacBook Air.
It’s much cheaper

Read more
The first Copilot+ PC has been tested — and it destroys the MacBook
The Surface Laptop shown in front of a Copilot+ sign.

We've heard a lot about Microsoft's new Copilot+ PCs over the past few days, but we can finally put some hard data to the company's bold claims. Signal65, a benchmarking and analysis company, put the new Surface Laptop through its paces, and it absolutely wrecks the MacBook Air M3.

The laptop, equipped with a Snapdragon X Elite processor, put up impressive results across the board, but battery life stands out most. According to the report, the Surface Laptop lasted over 21 hours in a local video playback test. For reference, that's close to twice as long as the Surface Pro 9, and more than 15% longer than the MacBook Air M3.

Read more