There is no doubt that the Apple’s iPad Air 2 is an amazing, powerful design with big screen and a hefty processor.
Still, with the appearance of hybrids on the market, such as Surface Pros, many people embraced the fact that they can have their notebook and tablet together in one device. Microsoft Surface Pro 3 is that kind of device, a 2-in-1 hybrid. However, this does not have to mean that the iPad Air 2 gives up without a fight. Both these devices have some great specs and features that you’ll surely appreciate. Let’s take a closer look to those specifications and decide whether you’d go for a tablet or a hybrid.
Specifications and Performance
Many say that the Surface Pro 3 is more a laptop than a tablet. The 64-bit Windows 8.1 Pro operating system makes Pro 3 pretty different from the iPad and any other tablet. With Microsoft Surface Pro 3, you can choose between Intel’s Core i7, i5 and i3 processors, and get up to 8GB RAM. This gives the Pro 3 some real laptop-like features. On the other hand, you might have some problems with heavy duty workloads and some files opening with the iPad Air 2. This tablet is a real companion device with an A8X processor and 2GB RAM, as well as an M8 co-processor. These facts indicate that this category winner is Surface Pro 3-it has the features and the performance of a laptop.
Design and Display
Microsoft Surface Pro 3 has a built-in kickstand and a 12-inch display with a 2160×1440 resolution and a pixel density of 216ppi. Its 352cd/m2 maximum screen brightness sounds great, indeed. However, the Surface Pro 3 weights 800g and is pretty large, so it can be pretty difficult to use one-handed. This is where its rival-the iPad Air 2 leads. The Air 2 is lighter, smaller and thinner than the Surface Pro 3. Pretty desirable, unique feature of this tablet is the Apple’s Touch ID fingerprint scanner. Air 2 has a 9.7-inch display, with a 2048×1536 resolution and density of 264 pixels-per-inch. Furthermore, the maximum screen brightness of Air 2 is a little higher than the Surface Pro 3’s (400cd/m2). As already mentioned, at only 437g, the iPad Air 2 is a lot lighter than the Pro 3, as well as it is thinner (6.1mm). It is pretty clear that the winner in this category is the iPad Air 2, since it is more adequate for one-handed use for longer periods and a lot easier to carry out than the Pro 3.
Overall, if you want to have a device that is simply a tablet, you should probably go for Apple’s iPad Air 2, since it is thinner, smaller, lighter and cheaper than the Surface Pro 3. It also comes with better selection of touch applications. You may not be able to do some heavy duty workload, but it will serve you great as a tablet. On the other side, there is the Surface Pro 3 that will do a great job serving you as a laptop, and a tablet too. You’ll find that the extra money was well spent on this great hybrid.
Related ItemsApple iPad Air 2Microsoft Surface Pro 3
