Despite hitting some hard times, Microsoft's Surface is still somewhere near the top of the list of 10-inch iPad alternatives. But is the Surface 2 worth a look over the new iPad Air? Or is that goose already cooked? Join Gizmag, as we compare the tablets' features and specs.
Update: For more, you can check out our hands-on comparison of the latest Surfaces and iPads.
Desktop apps
Microsoft's Surface brand can be a little confusing. The company pitches it as a productivity-based tablet that runs Windows, but only half of the Surfaces on the market run full Windows ... which puts a real damper on the other half's potential for productivity.
Like the original Surface RT before it, the Surface 2 runs the limited Windows RT 8.1, which only gives you the Start Screen (or Modern UI) part of Windows. Okay, there technically is a desktop, but it's only there for Office. Traditional Windows desktop apps don't have a seat at this party.
On the Surface 2, all of your software is going to come from the Windows Store, which isn't in the same league (in terms of quantity or quality) as the iPad's iOS App Store. If you want a Surface that runs Windows desktop apps, then you'll want to look at the Surface Pro or Surface Pro 2.
The iPad, of course, doesn't natively run any desktop apps either, but it's also unlikely you'd ever get the impression that it did.
Size
Despite having a similar size of screen, the iPad Air is a much smaller tablet. It's 13 percent shorter and 16 percent thinner than the Surface 2.
Weight
The iPad Air is a certified featherweight that lives up to its name. Even the heavier cellular version is 29 percent lighter than the Surface 2. The Wi-Fi only model, meanwhile, is 31 percent lighter than Microsoft's tablet.
Build
The iPad Air, like just about every other Apple product, is made of aluminum. The full-sized iPad's design and construction also now match the iPad mini. The Surface, meanwhile, uses the same "VaporMg" (magnesium alloy) material from the first crop of Surfaces.
Kickstand
Like all other Surfaces, the Surface 2 has a built-in kickstand, which now supports two different angles. The iPad doesn't have a kickstand, but you can buy covers that achieve a similar end.
Keyboard covers
The Surface's keyboard cover is a big part of Microsoft's marketing, but you can pick up third-party covers for the iPad too. Logitech and Belkin have already announced upcoming covers for the iPad Air, and other vendors will surely follow suit.
The biggest differences between the Surface's and iPad's covers are that the iPad covers don't have trackpads (the iPad doesn't support mouse input), and their design schemes don't blend quite as seamlessly with the tablet.
Colors
The iPad Air is available in two different color options, while the Surface 2 is only sold in one black & silver model.
Display
A 10.6-in screen is a lot bigger than a 9.7-in screen, right? Well, it is bigger, but maybe not by as wide a margin as you'd think. Different aspect ratios have the iPad Air's screen giving you 94 percent as much real estate as the Surface's.
Size is close, but resolution isn't. The iPad wins that round, with the Surface 2 only giving you 66 percent as many pixels. The Surface's screen should look plenty sharp in laptop mode (where it typically sits farther from your eyes), but when used as a tablet, the iPad's Retina Display will look noticeably sharper.
The Surface's widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio basically makes it a landscape mode tablet. Its oblong screen makes it a little awkward in portrait mode. The iPad's 4:3 aspect ratio is great for portrait mode, and fits landscape use as well.
Processor
Never mind the above cores and clock speeds, because the iPad Air's A7 chip wins this battle. The Surface's Tegra 4 has plenty of zip, and its performance shouldn't be an issue, but the iPad comes out ahead there.
Storage
The entry-level Surface 2 gives you double the internal storage of the cheapest iPad Air. The Surface also lets you pop in a microSD card, something no iOS device has ever let you do.
Ports
The Surface is a bit more versatile in expanding its capabilities, as it has a USB 3.0 port. It also adds a micro HDMI port for video out.
There are adapters that let you do many of the same things via the iPad's Lightning port, but that will typically be pricier (and sometimes more limited) than USB-based solutions.
RAM
We suspected 1 GB of RAM in the iPad Air, and our hands-on benchmarks confirmed that. That's half what the Surface gives you, though we wouldn't sweat this too much (or at all) when it comes to performance.
Wireless
At launch, only the iPad Air is available in a Wi-Fi + LTE model. The Surface 2 should have a cellular model coming sometime in 2014.
Battery
Both manufacturers estimate ten hours of battery life, though Apple's estimate is for web surfing, while Microsoft's is for video playback.
Cameras
You probably won't do any serious photography with either tablet, but both will take solid enough photos and let you video chat in HD.
Bundled office software
The Surface 2 includes the RT version of Microsoft Office, which looks and functions almost exactly the same as its desktop equivalent. Apple's iOS version of the iWork suite just went free for the first time, and is now included with every iPad purchase.
Starting prices
The iPad starts at US$50 more expensive than the Surface 2. And remember the entry-level Surface also doubles the internal storage of the $500 iPad Air. Just don't forget that Microsoft's Touch and Type Covers – an integral part of the Surface experience – will set you back an extra $120-130.
Wrap-up
No single product is for everyone, and we aren't here to give you a one-size-fits-all answer. But from where we stand now, we think the iPad Air will be the better buy for most tablet shoppers. Not only does it give you a sleek new build, beastly A7 chip, and sharp display, but – most importantly – it has a far superior app selection. Developers have been packing the App Store chock full of tablet apps since early 2010. The Windows Store has only been around for a year, and, though you can eke together functional equivalents in most app categories, the selection isn't in the same ballpark.What about productivity? Well, as much as we like Microsoft's Touch and Type Covers, the iPad also has those third-party keyboard covers. And remember Microsoft's covers are sold separately anyway. We do think that the Surface Pro, with its legacy desktop apps, can have a productivity advantage over the iPad. But it's hard to argue that the Surface 2's Windows Store has a leg up on the App Store in terms of work-oriented software.
The ace up the Surface 2's sleeve is Microsoft Office. If your work or personal life centers around Office, and Apple's iWork suite just won't cut it for you, then maybe that will be enough to nudge you towards the Surface.
For more on the iPad Air, you can read our review, and see how it compares to older full-sized iPads.
I'm a Surface Pro user and I still want an iPad for stuff. The notion that they are competitors is more superficial than realistic - until you factor in budget. Most people can't, won't, or simply can't justify buying two devices with so much overlapping functionality. That's where, if/when MS' App Store begins to approach the diversity and size of Apple's, the competition will begin. There are obviously many variables (too many to realistically count), but if the development curves remain proportional to today's, MS will have an iPad beater in another two years or so. And by "beater" I mean a tablet that will exceed the iPad on all levels including app availability. That's my main draw to the iPad now - the apps I use on my iPhone on a daily basis are still missing in Win8. Hopefully that's a temporary problem.
Question. Do you not see how someone might also prefer the user interaction of the Surface RT2 (windows tile 8.1) to the iPad (iOS)? I've used several tablets and Windows 8.1 on a tablet trumps anything on iOS or Android when it comes to user experience imo.
Yes, iOS ecosystem trumps 8.1 RT Yes, Android ecosystem trumps 8.1 RT
Using 8.1 RT is more enjoyable (snap windows, multitasking, swipping between open apps) than using an iPad or Nexus device.
Size: I can agree with what is stated here.
Build: Yes, they are made of different material, however you should have let your readers know that the VaporMg (magnesium alloy) is a must stronger material able to withstand much more punishement than aluminum.
Weight: The reason the Surface 2 and the Surface Pro 2 is so much heavier is because of the battery Microsoft uses in the device to compete with the battery life of the iPads. The Surface Pro 2 is still under 2 lbs even with the extra sized battery. Light isn't always better.
Kickstand? Why would I have to add expense to purchase a kickstand for an iPad, when Surface 2 comes with one for free? In fairness, I will admit that the Surface Pro 2 does not come with a keyboard and would need to be purchased for that as well.
Keyboard: I prefer the keyboard with the trackpad because it means I have the ability to use my tablet as a laptop with my previous Windows software. Not to mention the multiple colors available, black, cyan, magenta, purple and they light up in the dark, and come with adapters for wireless connectivity. There is also a stylus, and mice that have bluetooth connectivity as well as a docking station to connect everything including an HDMI TV out.
Colors: Really?! Does anyone REALLY think there's that much difference in black, white and silver? Besides, the Surface Keyboards can add color to the tablet.
Display: I am honest enough to agree that the iPad's screen is vastly better in terms of sharpness, however, the Surface Pro HD screen for watching videos does beat the iPad in this area as there is no "black boxes" while watching the video, and the Intel HD Graphics 4400 graphics card with 1GHz processing allows for very smooth video playback. Also, Surface and Surface 2 need an adaptor like the iPad to connect to HDMI, however the Surface Pro and Surface Pro2 use microHDMI connections that don't require any special connector or adaptor, just use any microHDMI cable.
Processor: Once again comparing the "best" processor for Apple against the weakest processor on the Surface. The Surface Pro 2 has the new Intel Haswell i5-4200U processor 3M Cache 2.60 GHz which is much faster and more powerful than the 1.7 GHz A7 processor. The Intel processor is also designed by Intel to work flawlessly with their HD Graphics 4400 graphic card.
Storage: The Surface Pro 2 is available with up to 512 GBs on board storage with the ability to add up to another 128GB microSD card. Being honest, this configuration WOULD be extremely pricey, but nonetheless it IS available. Plus with any of the Surface tablets, you get USB 3.0 to add external storage capability. I personally have a USB 3.0 1.5 terabyte external HDD that only measure 3 X 3.5 X .5 inches. Easy to carry and connect.
Ports: Thanks to the author for being honest about the ports. Nothing to complain about here.
RAM: The Surface Pro 2 comes with 4 to 8 GBs of RAM.
Wireless: Yes, Surface Pro 2 and Surface 2 will be available in Wi-Fi and Cellular starting in 2014.
Battery: While both the iPad Air and the Surface 2 will get 10 hours of battery life, the Surface Pro 2 will get up to 7 hours even with the Intel Haswell i5 processor. Faster speed, more processing power, better graphics capability and laptop functionality is well worth the loss of 3 hours battery life in my opinion. Plus Microsoft is planning a battery keyboard that will extend the battery by another 5 to 6 hours. Granted all this extra battery weight will make the tablet a lot heavier.
Camera: Fair enough. Both seem to have good cameras.
Bundled Office Software: Outside of Apple's attempt to copy Office Suite, what else can you install on the iPad? Nothing but apps! Surface Pro 2 will allow me to install any program I have had since Windows XP alongside all the available and up and coming apps from the Microsoft Store. But like I said before, who really needs apps?
Price: Yes, the prices is cheaper for the iPad Air when compared to the Surface Pro 2, but for the extra money you get multiple times the functionality, storage and historical program usage. Besides, how often to you hear Apple buyers complaining about the price of Apple products?
Looking forward to the iPad Air vs Surface Pro 2 comparison articles soon.
Malware, viruses. See as much as I love the Surface RT2, I DISLIKE Win32 code. I also hate being REQUIRED to install antivirus software on my tablet. That defeats the purpose of "my" tablet experience. Might a well bring in a Macbook Air... and compare it to the Surface Pro.
I can't believe you want to install a bunch of non-touch based apps and run them on a tablet with a 10" display. Window XP based apps on a touch device that you're spending that much money on?