iPad Pro vs Surface Pro 9, which is better?

The legendary Apple iPad Pro tablet has had competition. We are talking about Surface Pro 9, the new Microsoft convertible that was presented a few days ago. Take good note, because we are going to analyze its main characteristics to determine which one is better .

For years, it seemed like Apple’s powerful iPad Pro had no rival. This has changed with the appearance of the new Microsoft Surface Pro 9 tablet, which can add a keyboard to become a laptop , and has already pointed ways from its previous generation.

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Therefore, it is not surprising that this device has a higher cost than conventional Android tablets , closer to what we would pay for a laptop.

Considering that both are great options, we are going to determine if the iPad Pro 2021 or the new Surface Pro 9 is better . To do this, we will examine the screen, design, performance, ports and battery sections of both models.

Table of Contents

iPad Pro vs Surface Pro 9: pantalla
iPad Pro vs Surface Pro 9: diseño
iPad Pro vs Surface Pro 9: performance and ports
iPad Pro vs Surface Pro 9: batería
iPad Pro vs Surface Pro 9: precio
iPad Pro 2021, datasheet
Microsoft Surface Pro 9, datasheet

Table of Contents

iPad Pro vs Surface Pro 9: pantalla

In terms of screen size , the differences between the two models are minimal: exactly we are talking about 0.1 inches in favor of the Microsoft tablet . While the new Surface Pro 9 enjoys a 13-inch screen, the iPad Pro 2021 has 12.9 inches.

This aspect can go completely unnoticed, just like Microsoft’s slight superiority in terms of resolution . The iPad Pro has 2,732 x 2,048 pixels and the Surface Pro 9 reaches 2,880 x 1,920 pixels, with a pixel density of 264 and 267, respectively.

Although both devices offer vivid, well-saturated colors, good screen sharpness and a 120 Hz refresh rate, the difference is quite significant when it comes to brightness: 1,600 nits for Apple against 450 for Microsoft .

However, the Surface Pro 9 scores a point with haptic feedback . This is a vibration that appears as a response when using the Surface Slim Pen 2, a feature that is not offered by the iPad Pro.

iPad Pro vs Surface Pro 9: diseño

At first glance, we can see an obvious difference between the two tablets: Microsoft Surface Pro 9 has support to stand up . The relevance of this feature is up to the user, but it can be a determining factor for some people.

It is true that this can be fixed with a Magic Keyboard case , which provides the iPad Pro 2021 with a rear support and includes a keyboard. Of course, you will have to prepare your pocket to spend about 300 additional euros .

Next, we see a big point in favor of the iPad Pro: it offers a much lighter weight . The difference between the two is close to 200 grams (682 vs 879) , a fairly significant figure that can be decisive when choosing one tablet or another.

iPad Pro vs Surface Pro 9: performance and ports

On the Apple side, we have an M1 chip with Neural Engine for the iPad Pro. On the Microsoft side, we find an Intel 12th generation processor for the model with WiFi and Microsoft SQ 3 for the 5G model of the Surface Pro 9.

The Apple iPad Pro 2021 is a device that amazes with its great performance and capacity. However, if we talk about running heavy and powerful apps , such as video games or Adobe programs, the Surface Pro 9 takes the winning medal.

This 2-in-1 device acts as both a tablet and a laptop, making it difficult for other ordinary tablets to overwhelm it, despite being as outstanding as the iPad Pro. Although we should not be confused, since the iPad Pro performs any function with solvency .

As for ports, the iPad Pro only offers a USB-C Thunderbolt 4 port , so you’ll probably need an adapter. Instead, the Surface Pro 9 has two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and Surface Connect, which enables high-speed file transfers.

iPad Pro vs Surface Pro 9: batería

The battery is another of the differentiating aspects between iPad Pro 2021 and Surface Pro 9, probably being one of the most important for the user. In this section, Microsoft clearly wins the battle again .

We all know that the autonomy of electronic devices depends on their use . It is not the same to use a tablet with maximum brightness and playing Clash Royale, than to do it with automatic brightness and doing simple Internet searches.

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In any case, the iPad Pro battery lasts approximately 10 hours , both in Internet browsing and video playback. This figure can be reduced to 9 hours if you have the WiFi + Cellular model, which browses the Internet through mobile networks.

Microsoft ‘s Surface Pro 9 promises a range of 15.5 hours in its WiFi model , increasing to 19 hours in the 5G model . This is an unrealistic data and pending verification, since they warn that it can vary significantly depending on the use, network and characteristics.

iPad Pro vs Surface Pro 9: precio

First of all, you should know that both the price of the Surface Pro 9 and the iPad Pro will depend on the configuration chosen. The most basic in both models has a difference of 100 euros, the Microsoft model being more expensive , but with twice the internal storage.

On the other hand, the most expensive configuration of the two tablets has a difference of 400 euros, with Microsoft again in the lead . You have to look at what each one offers, because the iPad Pro has 1 TB more storage and also has an Internet connection with mobile data.

Since prices range from 1,199 to 2,579 euros in the case of the iPad Pro, and from 1,299 to 2,979 euros in the case of Surface Pro 9, we have decided to make a list to be able to carefully observe all possible price combinations :

iPad Pro

8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage: €1,199 (WiFi) / €1,369 (WiFi + Cellular).
8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage: €1,309 (WiFi) / €1,479 (WiFi + Cellular).
8 GB RAM + 512 GB storage: €1,529 (WiFi) / €1,699 (WiFi + Cellular).
16 GB RAM + 1 TB storage: €1,969 (WiFi) / €2,139 (WiFi + Cellular).
16 GB RAM + 2 TB storage: €2,409 (WiFi) / €2,579 (WiFi + Cellular).

Surface Pro 9

Intel Evo Core i5 12th generation 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage: €1,299 (WiFi).
Intel Evo Core i5 12th generation 16 GB RAM + 256 GB storage: €1,639 (WiFi).
Intel Evo Core i7 12th generation 16 GB RAM + 256 GB storage: €1,859 (WiFi).
Intel Evo Core i7 12th generation 16 GB RAM + 512 GB storage: €2,189 (WiFi).
Intel Evo Core i7 12th generation 16 GB RAM + 1 TB storage: €2,529 (WiFi).
Intel Evo Core i7 12th generation 32 GB RAM + 1 TB storage: €2,979 (WiFi).
Microsoft SQ 3 with 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage: €1,659 (5G).

iPad Pro 2021, datasheet

Screen: 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR, 2,732 x 2,048 pixel resolution, 264 dpi, 4:3 aspect ratio, ProMotion technology at 120 Hz, maximum brightness of 1,600 nits and HDR10 Dolby Vision.
Procesador: Apple M1 con Neural Engine.
RAM memory: 8 or 16 GB.
Internal storage: 128, 256 or 512 GB, 1 or 2 TB.
Rear camera : 12 MP wide angle with f/1.8 aperture + 10 MP ultra wide angle with f/2.4 aperture and 125º field of view.
Front camera: 12 MP ultra wide angle with f/2.4 aperture and 122º field of view.
Connectivity: 5G (optional), WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS (optional).
Ports and sensors: USB-C 4.0, Smart Connector, nanoSIM, eSIM, Face ID, LiDAR scanner, ambient light sensor, five microphones, four speakers, and Apple Pencil support.
Battery: autonomy up to 10 hours with fast charge at 20 W.
Operating system: iPadOS 15.
Dimensions : 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.4 mm.
Weight : 682 grams (WiFi model) or 684 grams (WiFi + Cellular model).
Colors : space silver and space gray.
Price : from 1,199 to 2,579 euros, depending on the configuration.

Microsoft Surface Pro 9, datasheet

Screen : 13-inch PixelSense, 2,880 x 1,920 pixel resolution, 267 dpi, 3:2 aspect ratio, 120 Hz refresh rate, 450 nits maximum brightness, Dolby Vision IQ and Gorilla Glass 5 protection.
Processor : 12th Gen Intel Core i5-1235U/i7-1225U (Wifi model) or Microsoft SQ 3 (5G model).
Graphics : Intel Iris Xe (WiFi model) or Microsoft SQ 3 Adreno 8CX Gen 3 (5G model).
RAM memory : 8, 16 or 32 GB.
Internal storage : 128, 256, 512 GB or 1 TB.
Rear camera : 10 MP main camera with AF, HD 1080p and 4K video.
Front camera: Full HD 1080p video.
Connectivity : 5G (optional), WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS (optional).
Ports and sensors : 2 x USB-C, Surface Connect, Surface Keyboard, nanoSIM, eSIM, ambient light sensor, 2W speakers with Dolby Atmos, two microphones, and Surface Slim Pen support.
Battery : autonomy up to 15.5 hours and charge at 47 W.
Operating system : Windows 11 Home.
Dimensions : 287 x 208 x 9.3 mm.
Weight : 879 grams (WiFi model) or 878 grams (5G model).
Colors : platinum, sapphire, forest and graphite.
Price : from 1,299 to 2,979 euros, depending on the configuration.

If you want to compare these features with another tablet that offers great results, you can do so with this Lenovo Tab M10 Plus Gen 3 review , a device with a 2K screen and compatible with Stylus.

The iPad Pro that we have used to make this comparison is the 2021 model. It was expected that the new Apple tablet would be presented last September, along with the iPhone 14 series, but this did not happen. Some leaks suggest that it could arrive at the end of this month of October .

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Finally, you should know that the Surface Pro 9 convertible tablet was presented a few days ago and can already be reserved through the official Micfrosoft website. However, this will not go on sale until next Monday, November 7 .

We have known the main differences between iPad Pro and Surface Pro 9 , two tablets located in the high-end segment and that perfectly meet the expectations of any user.