Microsoft Surface Studio vs Macbook pro

[Ally78]

Hi Brian.   Could you share you thoughts/opinions on the pros/cons of Macbook/Imac vs Microsoft surace studio - in relation to photo editing please?  I use Macbook pro and an Imac, but am considering changing over to Msoft studio.  You views would be appreciated. Thanks.   

[Brian]

Basically, pick your poison. Both are really overpriced for what they are.  

Personally, I hate using a Laptop for Photo Editing. I own a fancy 27" iMac from 2017 and it works just fine for what I do these days. But people have a love-affair with laptops, so I just got tired of fighting and trying to convince people otherwise.

In terms of specs, a MacBook is typically "better," and a equivalent Windows Computer with separate monitor will be WAY cheaper than the Microsoft Surface Studio 2, which is what I'm assuming that you are asking about. If you are talking about the Tablet Version of Microsoft's products, I would not recommend ANY Tablet/iPad based product for real photo editing. Pseudo Laptop or not.

How much cheaper? A member here just purchased a Dell computer with 64GB of RAM for just under $2400 or so. (Maybe even less.) She will be using her current display for the short term and well eventually purchase a new 27" display for about $365-ish. So that's $2765, give or take. The Surface Studio 2 starts at $3499 and it has less memory, less video card performance, less cpu power, slower motherboard, etc. etc. So basically, you are blowing an extra $735 (or more) just to have a fancy Microsoft Surface Studio Desktop and to be locked into Microsoft without any choices, just like you are with an Apple Product. AND it's slower than the equivalent product, both on the Windows side and Apple side. The difference is, Apple has been doing this forever. Microsoft has tried copying this way of doing things and usually fails. Remember the Zune?

Between the two? I'd stick with Apple. Though a $4300+ Price-tag for a MacBook Pro is a little silly. (A Mac Laptop that's Good for Photo Editing.)

Oh, if you are planning on switching platforms, keep in mind that Apple makes is very difficult to switch back. By Default, a Mac will read a Windows EHD just fine, it just will not write to it. There is software that allows you to convert from one to the other, but it's not bullet-proof. You also really don't want to bounce back-and-forth between a Windows Computer and a Mac. Well, at least on a normal basis. If you do want to do something like that, I'd recommend in investing in a NAS or get a really good Cloud Service for you to dump entire HDs on.