Microsoft Surface Pro vs. the New Apple iPad Pro: There’s Just One Winner

As rumored, Apple used the opening keynote at WWDC this year to take the wraps off its new 10.5-inch iPad Pro, a rival to the Microsoft Surface Pro that can be used as both a tablet and a laptop, though the mobile operating system doesn’t necessarily recommend it for the latter form factor.

And while both Microsoft and Apple are betting big on the 2-in-1 market, the comparison between the new Surface Pro and the just-launched iPad Pro shows that there’s just one device that offers good value for the money.

Apple has often been criticized for selling overpriced products and when putting the new iPad Pro side by side with the Microsoft Surface Pro, such a claim pretty much makes sense.

Hardware comparison

First of all, the Surface Pro comes with a bigger display than the iPad Pro. Microsoft is offering a 12.3-inch PixelSense display with a resolution of 2736x1824 pixels and 267 PPI, while the iPad Pro, which according to Apple has the best display in the world, boasts a 10.5-inch screen with 2224x1668 pixel resolution and 264 PPI.

In terms of CPU, the top Surface Pro model features an Intel Core i7 CPU with 16GB RAM and 1TB storage space. Apple’s model comes with the A10X Fusion chip, up to 512GB storage and 4GB RAM, though this isn’t confirmed just yet, as Cupertino hasn’t provided any specs in this regard.

When it comes to connectivity, there’s no doubt the Surface Pro is the better device as it comes with one USB 3.0 port, a Surface Connector port, a 3.55mm headphone jack and an SD card slot. The Apple iPad Pro with 10.5-inch screen, on the other hand, features just a Lightning connector plus a headphone jack and that’s it.

At 1.03 pounds (469 grams), the iPad Pro is a lot lighter than the Surface Pro, which tips the scales at 1.73 lbs (784 g), though we should keep in mind that Microsoft’s model comes with a bigger screen and more storage.

As far as pricing is concerned, this is where the iPad Pro wins. Apple is selling the top model for $1,079, while the top-of-the-range Surface Pro can be yours for… $2,699.