The all-new Microsoft Surface Pro 4 has been announced today, and here's a short review of its specs rubbed against its predecessor Pro 3, and rival iPad Pro.
Consumers will have a hard time choosing between offerings from tech giants Microsoft and Apple, as the former has announced the Surface Pro 4's coming on Oct. 26, while the latter promises to deliver its new iPad Pro in November.
In general, Forbes reports that the Surface Pro 4 is better than the Pro 3, and is designed to beat the iPad and MacBook.
According to Digital Trends, comparing the Surface Pro 4 and new iPad Pro is quite hard, given that they run on different operating systems and are operating using different instruction sets. However, they can be compared based on the specs that were released.
Performance-wise, the Surface Pro 4 runs on Intel's Core M3 as base, while the iPad will run on Apple's 64-bit A9X processor. Though earlier reports say that the A9 chip is comparable to an entry-level MacBook's, Surface Pro buyers can opt to get the Core i5 or i7 chip, which makes it more powerful, at an added price.
The iPad will have 4GB of memory. The Surface Pro 4 has more, starting at a base 4GB going up to 16GB.
Apple's current maximum storage is Microsoft's minimum: the iPad will come in 32 or 128GB variants, while the Surface Pro 4 will come in 128, 256, 512GB, and 1TB variants.
The iPad is equipped with a 12.9-inch Retina 4:3 display, while the Surface has a 12.3-inch PixelSense 3:2 display. This means that with the iPad, more can be seen at the same time. However, the Surface Pro 4 has an advantage when videos and photos are viewed.
Although both have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, connectivity is still a steal for Microsoft. The Surface Pro 4 has a USB 3.0 port, microSD card slot, and a Mini-Display port. On the other had, the iPad only has a lightning connector.
Portability matters too. The lighter iPad reportedly has 10 hours of battery life on a full charge, an hour longer than the 9 hours that the slightly heavier Surface Pro 4 promises. Of course, battery life varies with the usage.
Even the prices are neck-to-neck. The iPad Pro starts at $800 with 32GB of storage, and the 128GB variant is pricey at $950. The Surface Pro 4, on the other hand, starts at $900 with 128GB base storage.
Accessories are pricier with Apple, too. The Smart keyboard sells at $170, and the Apple pencil is sold at $100. Microsoft's new Type Cover is only $130, and the stylus even comes free with the Surface Pro 4.
Pre-order the new Microsoft Surface Pro 4 here.
