Microsoft Surface Pro 3 is gaining more attention as Apple's MacBook Air fell below the expectation of many consumers.

Apple silently slipped the upgraded MacBook Airs in the market. To the disappointment of many fans, the new MacBook Air skipped the Retina display, which was rumored to arrive in the notebook. Moreover, the laptop packed less stellar specs and features that made consumers look for other alternatives.

Originally, Microsoft Surface Pro 3 is a contender in the tablet market. However, the Redmond-based giant offers an optional keyboard that transforms the tablet into a notebook. Microsoft's latest offering packs specs and features that are at par with other notebooks such as that of MacBook Air.

Moreover, Microsoft Surface Pro 3 also comes with touchscreen panels and a stylus that are missing in Apple's laptop. Below is the comparison of the specs and features of Microsoft Surface Pro 3 and MacBook Air 2014

Processor

Both laptops packed Intel "Haswell" processors. However, only Microsoft is giving the consumers to get a laptop with an i3 as Apple upgraded its laptops to the faster i5 Intel chips. MacBook Air is equipped with 1.4GHz Intel Core i5.

Battery

Microsoft Surface Pro 3 promises a battery capacity of up to nine hours for web browsing, while the MacBook Air boasts up to 12 hours of battery life of browsing and up to 30 days of standby.

Operating System

Microsoft Surface Pro 3 packs a Windows 8.1, while MacBook Air runs with 10.9 OS X Mavericks. In choosing which operating system is better depends on personal preference, ease of use, and habit.

Portability

Microsoft Surface Pro 3 is thinner with 9.1mm size compared to the 17mm of MacBook Air. Microsoft's tablet-laptop hybrid is also lighter with 800 grams compared to MacBook Air's 1.35 kilograms weight.

Price

Microsoft Surface Pro 3 costs $799.99. However, the optional keyboard costs $129.99. MacBook Air, on the other hand, costs $999. MacBook Air costs $70 more compared to Microsoft Surface Pro 3.