Laptopy tablet vs tablety laptop
The Apple iPad Pro vs Surface Pro 8
For general comparison, let’s go over the raw stats
First, let’s go over the externals
The iPad Pro starts at $800 for the small version and $1,100 for the larger one,
while the Surface Pro 8 just starts at $1,100
Both of these are also eligible for student discounts to varying extents,
so keep that in mind
Now, for sizes, the iPad Pro has 2:
The 11 inch and the 12.9 inch
And, with these two different versions, we also have two different screens
Both versions of the iPad Pro come with 120Hz displays,
but the top of the line version comes with MiniLED and high peak brightness,
while the Surface Pro 8 only has one size, 13 inches
and also 120Hz,
but it does not come with MiniLED or that high of peak brightness
But, it does have a helpful kickstand
And, for connectivity, the iPad Pro only has one single USB port,
meaning, yeah, you’ll probably need a dongle if you want to have a few accessories,
while the Surface Pro 8 is a bit better with:
a couple USB ports, a headphone jack, and the Surface Connect Port
For cameras, the iPad Pro comes with three different lenses,
a wide, and ultrawide, and a LIDAR scanner,
which allow for it to be able to record at 4k and cover a large space
and also be helpful for those who want to use the AR technology
And, on top of that, it also has a pretty good camera up front
It also comes with Apple’s Center Stage feature, which keeps you in frame as you move around,
while the Surface Pro 8 only has two cameras, with the rear being able to record at 4k
So, all in all, for the externals
The iPad Pro has a better display and camera setup,
while the Surface Pro 8 has better connectivity and a few neat features
Now, for internal specs, the iPad Pro sports the M1 Chip,
while the Surface Pro can either have an Intel Core i5 or i7
And here are the single-core performances of these device configuration:
And here are the multi-core:
As you can see, the iPad Pro is a bit faster
And, for storage, both devices start with 128 gigabytes,
But, they can be configured with more
at an increasing price
And they both have facial recognition software,
with the iPad Pro sporting FaceID and the Surface Pro using Windows Hello
And, lastly, for the operating systems,
The iPad Pro runs iPadOS while the Surface Pro uses Windows 11,
which are two completely different softwares that will guide much of my verdict
But, in summary, the iPad Pro has faster internal specs
And, now before getting on to my verdict,
let’s go over some reviewer acclaims and criticisms of both devices
The iPad Pro was praised for its processor, battery life, and center stage feature
And it was criticized for its operating system, lack of a built-in kickstand, and front camera placement
The Surface Pro 8, on the other hand, was praised for its design, kickstand, and overall typing experience
And it was critiqued for its accessories sold separately, connectivity, and price
So, let’s discuss which one you should buy
Firstly, in these types of apples to oranges comparisons, the decision always comes down to your needs
Specifically, will you be taking a lot of notes or drawing?
Or will you be running a lot of different computer-esque programs?
In other words, do you want a primarily tablet experience?
Or more of a computer one?
This is because, as stated previously, both these devices runs different operating systems
The iPad Pro runs iPadOS, which is based off of the iPhone mobile operating system,
which means you’ll be limited in things, such as multitasking
But, you will have a far superior tablet experience with iPadOS’s inherent touchscreen integration
But, on the other hand, the Surface Pro 8 runs full 64 bit Windows 11,
meaning you’ll be able to do anything a typical computer can,
but not everything a specialized tablet can
So, as you can tell, there are advantages and disadvantages with either choice
But, as it stands, my recommendation is:
If you have another computer,
get the iPad Pro
It’s faster, has more note taking apps, and is meant to be a companion to your main device
But, on the other hand, if you don’t have another computer,
I recommend getting the Surface Pro 8
Even though it doesn’t have all the cool and neat features of the iPad Pro,
The Surface Pro more than makes up for it with its greater functionality,
being that it’s a 2-in-1 and it runs the Windows 11 operating system
At this moment, you still can do more with Windows 11 than you can with iPadOS,
and that greater freedom is needed for your primary device
Despite all of this, though, I recommend checking both out at your local Best Buy
just to make sure you get what you want, and, especially, what you need
But, ultimately, all of this is your decision based on your preferences
Don’t just watch my video on this.
I’ve linked many more down in the description to view at your discretion
My name is Cyrus.
It’s spelled like “Cyrus,” pronounced like “See Rooster,” just take out the “ter”
Thank you very much for watching, good luck with your purchase, and have a wonderful day