Apple recently launched the iPad Pro. The Microsoft Surface Pro launched a little earlier, but it still is fresh. Both of these tablets target professional users. This means they have impressive specs and offer great user experiences. While they have their similarities, they are also quite different in many ways. Naturally, Apple fans wouldn’t even consider betraying the company for a Microsoft product. Surface Pro fans, on the other hand, would never buy an Apple iPad. If you aren’t in either category and would like to purchase a powerful tablet in the near future, you should check them out both and decide depending on what you need more.
Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch
The iPad Pro keeps the classic Apple design, with its slim aluminum unibody and its delicately rounded corners. Its display is covered in glass, making it look and feel premium. As for the color options, customers can choose between Space Gray, Rose Gold, Gold, and Silver. It measures 12.0 by 8.68 by 0.27 inches, and it weighs 1.49 pounds. The LTE version is slightly heavier, weighing 1.53 pounds. The 12.9-inch Retina display is a stunning one with a 2,732 by 2,048 resolution and 264ppi pixel density. It offers a wide color gamut and True Tone, so the visual experience will be well above average with this tablet.
The device is powered by Apple’s 64-bit A10X Fusion processor. While it isn’t a desktop-grade chipset, it is a really powerful one. Customers can choose between three storage options when purchasing the Apple iPad Pro. 64GB of internal storage, 256GB, and 512GB of native storage are the options buyers can choose between. Just like any other iPad, it comes in a WiFi only version or a WiFi and cellular version. Naturally, the more complex version is more expensive also. As for the battery, according to Apple, it can ensure up to 10 hours of video watching, surfing the web or listening to music. Users will only benefit from an Apple Lightning port and a 3.5mm audio jack. This means they won’t be able to connect too many accessories to the tablet.
The Apple iPad Pro has a 12MP back snapper and a 7MP front-facing camera. The former is capable of shooting 4K videos and features optical image stabilization. It will capture good quality images even in low-light conditions thanks to this feature. The selfie camera is perfect for video calls and for taking selfies. The iPad Pro runs on iOS 10 at the time, but it will get the update to iOS 11 in the fall. iPad Pro users will be able to use the tablet with a Smart Keyboard and with the Apple Pencil also. However, the tablet is not compatible with a mouse. This only makes it clearer that the iPad Pro is a tablet, not a laptop or a desktop. Also, because of the operating system, users won’t be able to run full versions of any desktop applications on the device.
The starting price of the iPad Pro is $799. This price rises, depending on the configuration of the device, up to $1,229 for the most powerful version of the gadget. Overall, the iPad Pro is exactly what its name suggests it is: a tablet suitable for professional users. However, for those who need to complete office work on it, might not be a perfect choice.
Specs
– 12.9-inch 2,732 x 2,048 pixels resolution display
– 64-bit Apple A10X Fusion processor
– up to 512 GB storage
– 12 MP rear camera, 7MP secondary camera
– battery life up to 10 hours
Microsoft Surface Pro
The Microsoft Surface Pro’s design is very similar to the one of the Microsoft Surface Pro 4. It has a magnesium alloy body, and the corners of the device are not as rounded as the ones of the iPad Pro. Even so, the end result is not a bad one at all. The device looks premium, and it also feels like that. However, it comes in only one color option, unlike the Apple iPad Pro. Users can add a touch of color with the help of the Type Cover though, which comes in Platinum, Burgundy, and Cobalt Blue. The Surface Pro is also smaller than the iPad Pro. It measures 11.5 by 7.9 by 0.33 inches and it weighs 1.73 pounds, which is actually heavier than the iPad, even though it is smaller. If you add the Type Cover, the device will only get heavier. The 12.3-inch Pixel Sense Display of the Surface Pro has a 2,736-by-1,824 resolution and a 267 ppi pixel density, which is slightly higher than the one of the Apple tablet.
Microsoft’s Surface Pro tablet has a great number of different configurations. Users can choose between several seventh-gen Intel Core i7 processors, Thes include the Intel Core m3, the Intel Core i5, and the Intel Core i7. As for internal storage, it can go up from the minimum 128GB until the maximum 1TB. While the weaker versions only offer 4GB of RAM, users can boost this up to 16GB of RAM. The 16GB of RAM are paired with Intel Core i7 processor and 512GB or 1TB of internal storage. The tablet that offers these specs will definitely be quite a powerful one. Unfortunately, the price of the device can go as high as $2,699 for the most powerful version of the tablet. According to Microsoft, the battery of the Surface Pro can offer up to 13.5 hours of battery life. The Surface Pro really impresses when it comes to ports. The tablet, or laptop, as Microsoft wants to call it, features a USB 3.0 port, a mini Display Port, a 3.5mm audio jack, a microSDXC card reader, and a connector for power and docking.
While the Surface Pro is much more impressive than the iPad Pro on the ports side, it is not so great when it comes to the cameras. It only features an 8MP rear camera, instead of the Apple tablet’s 12MP back snapper. It’s only capable of capturing 1080p video, which is definitely not as impressive as the iPad Pro’s camera’s capability of shooting 4K video. The selfie camera is also weaker with its 5MP lens. It’s still able to capture nice selfies and offers a nice user experience when it comes to video calls, but it’s definitely not as great as the iPad Pro’s 8MP front-facing camera. The tablet comes running on Windows 10 Pro, allowing users to enjoy everything Windows has to offer, on a tablet. Users can further improve their experience by adding the Surface Pen, the Keyboard, and a mouse to the tablet. Thanks to all these, the Microsoft Surface Pro actually behaves as a laptop in many situations, allowing users to complete office work on it easily.
The starting price of the Microsoft Surface Pro is the same of the iPad Pro. However, the $799 price quickly escalates to up to $2,699 for the most powerful version of the tablet. The Surface Pro is notably more expensive than the iPad Pro. The 512GB storage version of the Microsoft tablet costs $2,199, while the iPad Pro with the same storage only costs $1,229.
Specs
– 12.3-inch 2,736 x 1,824 pixels resolution display
– Intel Core m3, Intel Core i5, Intel Core i7 processor
– up to 1Tb GB storage
– up to 16GB of RAM
– 8 MP rear camera, 5MP secondary camera
– battery life up to 13.5 hours
Conclusion
Choosing between these two tablets really comes down to personal preferences. The design and the size might make the iPad Pro the better choice for many people. However, the Microsoft Surface Pro comes in many configurations, and it enables users to complete work on it due to its software. On the other hand, simply as a laptop, the iPad Pro is nicer to use and it is also more affordable. Those who don’t necessarily need a tablet that can be used as a computer should probably consider choosing the Apple device over the Surface Pro.
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