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[DragoonKain]

I currently have an iPad and I wanted to upgrade my tablet at some point over the next year. I’m probably going to decide between an iPad Pro and a surface pro. I like a lot of things about the iPad, but using a more PC-like device tablet is appealing. I’ve heard the processing power of Surface Pro’s isn’t very good though and once you try to do anything remotely hefty it bogs down badly.

Any insights into the surface pro to help me make the decision.

 

[Vestal]

I currently have an iPad and I wanted to upgrade my tablet at some point over the next year. I’m probably going to decide between an iPad Pro and a surface pro. I like a lot of things about the iPad, but using a more PC-like device tablet is appealing. I’ve heard the processing power of Surface Pro’s isn’t very good though and once you try to do anything remotely hefty it bogs down badly.

Any insights into the surface pro to help me make the decision.

I have a Surface Pro which I purchased almost 2 years ago. Recently purchased an Ipad for my kids and have fooled around with it. Honestly they are just two distinct devices IMO. The Surface pro is a hybrid Tablet/Laptop, while the Ipad is mostly just a tablet. If you are going to do heavy typing, or even drawing I would say you get more bang for your buck with the Surface Pro. I haven't had any issues with performance on it either, and well you can run win32 apps on it which is an extra bonus

If you have the money, go with the Surface Book

 

[RainblowDash]

I had the Surface 3 Pro.

I tried daily driving it and using it for digital art, but eventually sold it and got a proper laptop.

It wasn't as good as an iPad in tablet mode and obviously not for a laptop either.

 

[teezzy]

Never owned an Apple product in my life, and likely never will

Considered switching to iPhone 12 this year but am so glad I went with the Galaxy S21 phone instead

I'd get the Surface. It's cooler and scores you teezzy points

 

[WoJ]

I have a Surface Pro which I purchased almost 2 years ago. Recently purchased an Ipad for my kids and have fooled around with it. Honestly they are just two distinct devices IMO. The Surface pro is a hybrid Tablet/Laptop, while the Ipad is mostly just a tablet. If you are going to do heavy typing, or even drawing I would say you get more bang for your buck with the Surface Pro. I haven't had any issues with performance on it either, and well you can run win32 apps on it which is an extra bonus

If you have the money, go with the Surface Book

Also a Surface Pro owner. I have a Galaxy Tab S7 instead of an IPad though. Either way, I agree with everything posted here 100%.

 

[Spukc]

I owned a surface 5 before.

now i own an ipad pro and a mac mini m1
Not going back

 

[*Nightwing]

I work with surface pro 4 & 6 at work having to image and send replacements. They overheat so much. Can’t speak for any other ver though

 

[Porcile]

I have the Surface Pro 7 i7 version. I love it for what I need it for, basically a light as hell laptop and tablet that can run Windows all software natively. It does get hot sometimes though. Also, the battery isn't great and already it's starting to lose its charge after one year of use. Except for that, I like it a lot, but the accessories that are essential are damn expensive. Probably next time I'll go for the Surface laptop if the line is still around.

Edit - The bevel is really sucky though.

 

[raduque]

I've had the Surface RT, RT 2, Pro 2 and 3. I love Surface devices.

 

[V1LÆM]

Go with iPad. They are easily the best tablets out there.

I'd only recommend a Surface if you really really want to use Windows 10 and even then you'd be better buying a proper laptop/desktop cause yeah the Surface tablets struggle. The hardware can't keep up with the OS. MS really need to release a version of Windows that isn't so bloated. iPads will handle anything you throw at them and i mean that to a fault. The new M1 iPads are ridiculously powerful that people are now complaining iPad OS just isn't advanced enough to make the most of the hardware. There are people with the older iPad Pros saying that they still can't really take full advantage of the hardware.

If you're just gonna be casually browsing the internet, posting on social media, watching YouTube, listening to music then iPad OS is more than enough for you. If you want to do some medium to heavy workloads then the OS is still very much capable. You can edit 4K video on the iPad, output 6K resolution (or 2x 4K) to an external monitor(s), transfer files at 40Gb/s. but it's at the point now where the hardware is insanely powerful that people are wanting to run Mac OS on their iPads so they can run "full fat" programs such as Final Cut, Ableton, Logic, etc. the M1 iPads are about the same performance as the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models. It's basically a "full fat" laptop in a tablet. hopefully iPadOS 15 really puts the hardware to use for those who want it.

 

[RaptorGTA]

I have a Surface 2 or 3. Used it a bit for work and travel and liked it. Then my fiancee used it for a few years for nursing school. Because of that, I wanted my own laptop again. Went with a used Google Pixelbook and have loved it ever since. My fiancee began to have issues with the Surface during his last year so she started using my Chromebook instead. So I got her a Duet Chromebook and she's been using that.

Wouldnt mind getting another Surface but for my needs, I'll likely stick to a Chromebook.

 

[Rickyiez]

IPad is still the best tablet, with iPad OS nowadays its even better.

I'm saying this as an Android user for 9 years and Windows since the beginning of time.

 

[Orutisu Furio]

The Surface Pro is a good laptop replacement but not a good tablet. Windows 10 just doesn't work or make sense in tablet mode. The iPad is still the superior tablet, and not half bad when paired with their magic keyboard and trackpad case.

It all depends what you're looking for.

 

[MachRc]

I have a Surface Pro 4 and with a 512 g sd card in the back. I use it only now to load up large switch XCIs or NSPs games onto the switch and it doubles as a 2nd screen once in awhile so I can play Xbox Game streaming test app to stream Series X to the surface while wife watches her shows. I used to use my phone to stream games but this is better.

I love that its a "open" operating system that runs native x86/x64 pc apps. I have a bunch of decent fatgirl PC games on it that runs well and my son takes it on road trips and tethers his phone to it for on the go minecraft java with his friends, it gets used alot and abused and has held up.

We also purchased 2 newer 2 ASUS laptops with mobile Ryzen & 5 Radeon graphics cards(APUs?) and those run better games for the kids, but its more "clunky" to take around. Im sure it being 1080p helps in the performance department over the surface's 2144( or whatever it's screen resolution is)


I prefer it over the ipad.
Again, i can just about use it to torrent/download anything and run anything and basically do anything a pc can which is limitless and not held back by tablet operating systems.
and I cant stand the walled garden approach to apple's eco system.

Thats why i prefer android over IOS as well.

 

[RowdyReverb]

The Surface Pro is a good laptop replacement but not a good tablet. Windows 10 just doesn't work or make sense in tablet mode. The iPad is still the superior tablet, and not half bad when paired with their magic keyboard and trackpad case.

It all depends what you're looking for.

Agreed. Although it sometimes comes in handy for filling out pdf forms

 

[Jag]

I use a Pro 6 for work. It works as well as my old work desktop. I'm swapping it out for the new Surface Laptop 4 because I prefer a real laptop over a tablet hybrid when I travel, but as a PC it is as good as any regular desktop.

 

[DragoonKain]

Think I'm gonna get the ipad, because you can text on it, and that's handy. I've made a concerted effort to use my phone less and less. I decided to only use it when out and about and only then only when I'm in a position where I have nothing else to do. Like in a waiting room or at a restaurant waiting to get the bill or whatever. At home I use ipad almost exclusively. No reason to use a smaller screen when at home, so I text on it too.

I guess the draw of a surface would be to browse on Windows 10 with ad blocking add-ons, which iOS apps don't have(unless I've been missing out on this and if I have I'm an idiot)

 

[LordCBH]

I can’t recommend the surface line in all honesty. Dreadful products. Half the ones our company bought were either dead out of the box, or turned on but wouldn’t charge.

 

[daveonezero]

Think I'm gonna get the ipad, because you can text on it, and that's handy. I've made a concerted effort to use my phone less and less. I decided to only use it when out and about and only then only when I'm in a position where I have nothing else to do. Like in a waiting room or at a restaurant waiting to get the bill or whatever. At home I use ipad almost exclusively. No reason to use a smaller screen when at home, so I text on it too.

I guess the draw of a surface would be to browse on Windows 10 with ad blocking add-ons, which iOS apps don't have(unless I've been missing out on this and if I have I'm an idiot)

1Blocker is decent. Not free but that with a vpn doesn’t get some things.

 

[DanteFox]

I have a surface pro that I use for my graduate engineering program and I love it. Being able to hook it up to a second monitor and use it as a home PC, then take it on the go as a laptop, or use the drawing capability in OneNote to write my homework assignments is phenomenal. The keyboard is one of the best I've used on a portable device as well. Computing power can be configured to match any thin and light Ultrabook. If you're looking for raw power though, you're better off with a 15 inch work laptop with a graphics card or a desktop computer.

 

[Ozzy Onya A2Z]

My recommendation would be stick to one ecosystem. If you go Apple, go full Apple around your office/home. Beyond graphics applications personally I think Apple is shit for everything else e.g. open system, accessories, programming, office, etc. If you're into art/content creation Apple is solid in terms of hardware/software. In terms of most other industries Apple are a shit product to deal with in a mixed ecosystem e.g. mixing windows and iOS.

 

[hullostranger]

Was in a similar situation to the OP a year back. Wanted a tablet but didn’t wanted something that I could tinker with. Got a Surface Go, was a great little tablet but definitely underpowered, even in locked down S mode and had terrible battery life
Ended up selling it and getting a base iPad which works wonderfully for content consumption.

Key takeaway, If you want a full blown windows PC in tablet form factor, you can’t go wrong with a Surface. But be prepared to deal with PC niggles in the same context. If you just want a media consumption/light gaming device, an iPad or Samsung Tablet might be a better option.

 

[dr_octagon]

I prefer the surface book because it has a proper keyboard. The novelty of the surface pro is apparent when it doesn't excel at either. I don't need windows for basic tasks, a cheaper, lighter tablet with better battery does the job. iPad is the best for the tablet experience.

 

[DGrayson]

I have an always on headless server at my house running Windows 10. If I ever need a Windows environment I just use Anydesk to view my server screen and just use my tablet with a mouse and keyboard as a mini laptop.

Can even work remotely outside of my house.

 

[Alx]

I've been using my old Surface Pro 3 as a "work on the go" device for years, and it's mostly great. It fits in my satchel, the cover-keyboard works just as well as a regular one, you have a full PC experience and decent performances even for software development/building/testing,...
Only drawbacks are power-related : the power connectors is a bit unreliable (much easier to fit than the V1, but sometimes you'll need a few tries to have it light up), and the battery life isn't that great : sufficient for a train ride but not a full day of work.
I don't use the pen for artsy stuff (the one on SP3 is very basic anyway), still functional enough to do some simple doodles, signing documents etc.
It's true that for tablet mode, Win10 isn't great, only functional (early Win8 was much better on that regard)