FA Dev Tools
← Brand Compare

Microsoft · Laptop

Microsoft

Good7/10

Software giant behind Windows and Office; also makes Surface PCs, Xbox and PC accessories.

Founded
1975
From
United States
HQ
Redmond, United States
Owned by
Independent
Made in
Mostly China (contract manufacturers)
Also sold as
Surface, Microsoft Surface, Xbox
www.microsoft.com

Laptop

Good7/10Premium

Surface Laptop and Surface Pro are well-built, polished Windows machines, and the Arm-based models fixed the old battery-life complaints. They're priced like MacBooks, and app compatibility on Arm is good but not perfect.

Good at

  • Premium build, sharp 3:2 touchscreens and good keyboards
  • Snapdragon Surface models have long battery life
  • Clean Windows install with little bloat
  • Recent models are easier to repair than early Surfaces

Weak at

  • Expensive, and the Pro's keyboard cover costs extra
  • Few ports; limited high-end GPU options
  • Some older apps and drivers still struggle on Arm models
Reliability
Value
Features
Service & warranty

In New Zealand: No Microsoft retail stores; warranty repairs are handled by mail-in service or the retailer.

Surface LaptopSurface Pro

Best for: Windows users who want a premium, clean, MacBook-style machine

nzauukushk

Laptop brands in New Zealand

Microsoft is #6 of 9, best rated first.

#BrandRatingPriceDetails
1AppleUnited States9/10ExcellentPremium
2LenovoChina8/10GoodMid-range
3DellUnited States7/10GoodMid-range
4ASUSTaiwan7/10GoodMid-range
5FrameworkUnited States7/10GoodPremium
6MicrosoftUnited States7/10GoodPremium
7MSITaiwan7/10GoodMid-range
8AcerTaiwan6/10MixedBudget
9HPUnited States6/10MixedMid-range

Researched September 2026 from public reviews, consumer groups and retailer listings, and summarised by hand — ratings are a judgement, not a lab score. Check current reviews and local retailers before you buy.