Microsoft's Surface Book beats the new MacBook Pro - here's why

Microsoft and Apple, the PC market's two long-running rivals, are going head to head this Fall with a pair of impressive new laptops targeted at power-hungry pro users.

Microsoft's Surface Book, which launched last year, got a big power boost this year. Meanwhile, the MacBook Pro got its first major redesign in about four years.

Each laptop packs new features sure to please its constituents. But after taking a close look at the two machines and putting them through their paces, the non-partisan Business Insider was forced to acknowledge that Microsoft, a newcomer to the hardware game, came out on top.

Here's why: