The Surface Pro also supports 2560x1600. I run my 30" monitor with my Pro at that resolution.

Wow, $1000 for the 128GB version of the Air and $900 for the MS version? So you get more for less with the Apple version basically because the 128GB version of MS tablet WITH a keyboard is probably much more than $1000. Also, what do you get after windows 8 is installed? Isn't it bloated and you don't get near the storage space?
Microsoft, do you really think you can compete with Apple? They should aim for 75% of what Apple products cost if they want to compete since 99% of people seeing an Apple product next to a MS based product in the same category will buy Apple. Unless the MS product is way cheaper that is.

Since one can get a keyboard for an iPAD, why not compare a tablet with a tablet instead of comparing laptop with a tablet? You noted that they are different types of computers.
If they article was to compare the different types of computers, why not include a desktop and compare it to the others and vice versa?

"Software might be as important as all of these hardware features combined"
It should be pointed out that Windows will run on the Mac should the owner choose but OSX will not run on the Surface (well not at least with out some very very serious hackintoshing).

Let's compare one more thing: Design. Frankly, the 'surface' is absolutely hideous. Orange, blue, purple, green, yellow, shapes over a red background, can you imagine being subjected to that every day?

BigWarpGuy
The main reason for comparing with an Air rather than iPad is that this version of Surface runs with a full version of Windows (Pro), rather than the tablet version (RT). Hence it is a Laptop replacement, not an iPad competitor. If they were reviewing the SurfaceRT, yes, they would have compared it with iPad.

No offense, but this comparison sucks big time. One vendor has laser focus, while the other is an old phillips light bulb. One vendor understands to the point who their client is, the other one is still searching, for the last couple of years. Common guys, compare things that are comparable! It is like you've compared Renault Megane with Aston Martin. Yup, both have 4 tires,.... common!

You forgot to mention that the MacBook Air is able to run both OSX and a full version of Windows and any of its applications—no problem.

“We'd be surprised if we didn't see a second-generation Surface Pro with a Haswell processor sometime in the next year, with much improved battery life.”
If Surface is a “North Star” device to show others the way to a great Windows tablet, its job is done and it doesn't need to be upgraded. Keep it around for developers to test on, and remind Dell, HP, Lenovo and others how they can do better yet.
But if it really is Microsoft's flagship device for the mobile era, you'd think they would need to get the product out yesterday. Why allow comparisons such as this one, that suggests the Surface is sort-of-on-par with Apple's 3-year-old line?
Trouble is, rumors have it that Microsoft has built up a fair amount of inventory. If the estimates of about a million Surfaces sold to date are correct, and if the production guesses of 3–5 million per quarter were correct, there's a serious inventory problem. The educational discount may indeed signal that Microsoft is trying to clear 'em out, but it's not clear that “only” 64GB of memory and only pretty good battery life has been what held back sales.
My own best guess is that Microsoft has finally been forced to realize that just because it was their latest and greatest, that a Windows tablet would take the world by storm. Tablets have been bought by different customers than those who've favored Windows in the past, and they've been bought to do different jobs than Windows has addressed in the past (mostly, to facilitate quick on-and-off, short-stretch work, or for mobile reading, etc.). Microsoft has created a very good tablet for somebody whose starting assumption is that they WILL run Windows; they just haven't done much of anything for those who have been afraid to run Windows, or who've seen Windows as a mismatch to their life- or work-styles.

Good article, horrible uninformed comments. Don't want to spend that much on a keyboard and mouse? Buy an alternative portable one for < $40. Microsoft price is too close to the MacBook Air? FullHD screens with capacitive touch and works with a digitizer (not a $5 stylus you can use on your iPad) are not cheap and I'm sure Haswell will be on the next iteration of the Surface Pro. Don't like the "hideous" colors it uses? Customize it to your liking. Have a need to spend an extra $100 so you can install an OS that runs all the apps you need; lucky you, there's Windows that can be installed on a Mac - is that supposed to be a good thing that Mac doesn't have the apps you need? (I guess one can say Windows is the iTunes app store of desktop OS's.)
Read the reviews of the Asus Eee Slate EP121 to get a sense of the capabilities (Photoshop, OneNote) with this kind of form factor (tablet with a x86 mobile chip and a Wacom Digitizer).
http://www.gizmag.com/asus-four-new-tablets-sliding-keyboard-ces-2011/17457/
http://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Slate-EP121-1A011M-12-1-Inch-Tablet/product-reviews/B004HKIIF8