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Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 ad mocks Apple

Microsoft's new ad attempts to take on Apple's MacBook Air

12 Aug 2014

Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 has gone head to head with Apple's MacBook Air in its latest ad campaign.

The video ads are entitled 'Head to Head', 'Power' and 'Crowded'. Each advert compares the Windows-based hybrid PC against Apple's lightweight MacBook Air.

Head-to-Head starts off with the devices next to each other. It shows how the Surface Pro 3 has a touchscreen, while the MacBook Air doesn't. This allows you to swipe to navigate and make handwritten notes on documents.

It then goes on to showcase the Pro 3's transformation into a tablet, while the display stays firmly attached to the MacBook Air's keyboard.

Power takes a look at running high-powered applications such as Photoshop on the Surface Pro 3, in addition to exploring the device's USB and mini display port. It also showcases the Surface Pro 3's kickstand and, again, demonstrates how the tablet can be transformed into a laptop. Indeed, its final tagline is 'The tablet that can replace your laptop'.

Finally, the Crowded video suggests that MacBook users have to carry their laptop, an iPad and a pen and paper around with them to get the same functionality as the Surface Pro 3, while everything is rolled into one with Microsoft's hybrid product.

The ad finishes with the voiceover making a mockery of Apple's iPhone 5s strapline: 'You are more powerful than you think'.

Last month, Microsoft launched its Cortana advertising campaign and focussed on Siri's shortcomings rather than the benefits of its voice assistant.

Although all three of these Surface Pro 3 ads are clever and certainly show the advantages to having a touchscreen on a laptop, we don't think it'll be long until Apple comes back with something equally as tongue-in-cheek. Alternatively it might just slap a lawsuit on the PC maker.