Here's our breakdown of how the Surface Pro 3 stacks up against the iPad Air 2.
Prices:
The Surface Pro 3 is priced starting at $799.00 (64GB/Intel i3) to $1,799.00 (512GB/Intel i7).
The iPad Air 2 is priced at $499 (16 GB), $599 (64 GB) and $699 (128 GB).
Deals:
Surface Pro 3: Save over $100 on the 128GB model.
iPad Air 2: Save up to $90 by choosing one of these dealers.
Pros and Cons of the Surface Pro 3:
Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 has a 12-inch, 2160 x 1440 multi-touch screen which is very bright and clear. Microsoft calls the Surface Pro 3 'the tablet that can replace your laptop'. It is very portable. It has a faster Core i7 processor, enhanced kickstand and a pressure-sensitive stylus.
The Surface Pro 3 is slightly bulky to use as a tablet and the kickstand is uncomfortable for use on your lap. The number of ports should have been more. Battery life isn't great and unlike the previous version, it does not come with free Microsoft Office.
Pros and Cons of the iPad Air 2:
At 6.3 mm thick, the iPad Air 2 is thinner and lighter than the iPad Air (7.3 mm). It has an extremely fast A8X processor. It has an awesome display and comes with Touch ID support and improved iSight and FaceTime HD cameras.
The iPad Air 2 is not much different from the previous iPad Air and the battery life is not great. It is quite expensive.
Specs:
The Surface Pro 3 has 4th Gen Intel Haswell Core i3/i5/i7 processor dual-core processor. It comes in variants of 64GB or 128GB with 4GB RAM and 256GB or 512GB version with 8GB RAM. It sports a 12 inch 1920 x 1080 (full HD) screen with 10-point multi-touch. It has Intel HD Graphics 4000 processor. It has stereo speakers with Dolby sound, stereo microphones and two 5MP front- and rear-facing HD cameras.
The iPad Air 2 works on A8X chip with 64-bit architecture and M8 motion coprocessor. It has a 9.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit widescreen Multi-Touch display of 2048 x 1536 pixel resolution. It features an 8 megapixel iSight camera and 1.2 megapixel front camera. It is capable of 1080p HD video recording (30 fps) and slow motion recording (120 fps). It sports Touch ID, a fingerprint identity sensor built into the Home button. It is available in silver, gold and space grey and comes in variants of 16, 64 and 128 GB.
Talking Points:
Microsoft is currently running a great deal on its Surface Pro 3 tablet. Interested customers can now save up to $150 off the price of a Surface Pro 3 and also get a free protective sleeve with their purchase.
The iPad Air 2 has been touted as the best tablet that one can presently buy. While there are plenty cheaper options available, the Air 2 still dominates with its state of the art design, performance and battery life.
Conclusion:
The thinner and lighter iPad Air 2 works better if you desire a device that is strictly a tablet. The Touch ID feature further increases the appeal. The Surface Pro, on the other hand, has introduced an altogether new concept with its hybrid device. If you desire a device that works both as a laptop and tablet, then the Surface Pro 3 is definitely worth spending on.
