Did anybody compare iPads vs Surface when looking to buy a tablet for 1st time?

[dgr874]

Mainly just initial opinions on the two when you use them both... Which do you like to use when you're just relaxing? Working? Etc..

I'd be interested in hearing the differences between them when you get a chance to post. I have an iPad Air and have only played around with the Surface Pro's. I really didn't pay much attention to the Surface 2.

I currently have a iPad 4, a Surface Pro (original) and a Surface RT. I also have windows phones and iPhones. I use a Homebuilt PC to control it all.

First off, build quality..

I find the surface pro, RT and iPad to all be about the same quality when judged purely on their hardware. I have to give the edge to the surface with its kickstand. When I'm using my iPad without a case I'm always very hesitant to just lay it down on the back and possibly scratch the case. With the built in kickstand, I just kick that out and set it down with no worries. Even doing that with the surface I have yet to see any wear or scratches on the corners. None of them creak or flex when a moderate amount of pressure is applied. The iPad (especially the Air) wins in the weight department.

Second, usability..

I'm more of a casual user I guess. I mostly use my tablets for music, videos, and (most of all) surfing the net. I like to use my iPad for reading eBooks much more because of the 4:3 ratio. Using the surface in a vertical orientation just looks and feels silly because of its 16:9 ratio. However, videos that would be letterboxed on the iPad are not on the surfaces so I do like those better for videos. I find all of the touch screens to be about the same in response with the iPad possibly holding a slight edge. I also prefer the iPad when looking at screen brightness.

Its no contest when it comes to battery life, the iPad wins hands down. The Surface RT comes close, but is always second best.

Honestly, I find the Microsoft ecosystem a diamond covered in a huge pile of crap. The potential for everything to work together and sync is there but its so messy that its almost not worth doing it. The potential of the Microsoft is what keeps me messing with it. Take Xbox Music. I signed up for the year long music pass last December and have struggled with it almost every day to try to get it to recognize my own music collection. It cant find matches for albums that have one little difference in the title like & instead of and. Sometimes it just randomly downloads songs and randomly matches things. But, when it works, its awesome to have all your own music available in the cloud to stream or download whenever you want. Xbox video is almost the same way. The ability to incorporate your own videos in a touch friendly format is great, but if you buy a movie you only get to download it 5 times. What??? I can download my media as much as I want with iTunes.

TLDR version'

The hardware is great on everything. Apple has the more mature and user friendly ecosystem. However Microsoft is working on some very cool stuff that could change everything in mobile if they can just get the damn details right.


PM me or ask any other questions and ill be happy to answer them.

 

[AppleScruff1]

I currently have a iPad 4, a Surface Pro (original) and a Surface RT. I also have windows phones and iPhones. I use a Homebuilt PC to control it all.

First off, build quality..

I find the surface pro, RT and iPad to all be about the same quality when judged purely on their hardware. I have to give the edge to the surface with its kickstand. When I'm using my iPad without a case I'm always very hesitant to just lay it down on the back and possibly scratch the case. With the built in kickstand, I just kick that out and set it down with no worries. Even doing that with the surface I have yet to see any wear or scratches on the corners. None of them creak or flex when a moderate amount of pressure is applied. The iPad (especially the Air) wins in the weight department.

Second, usability..

I'm more of a casual user I guess. I mostly use my tablets for music, videos, and (most of all) surfing the net. I like to use my iPad for reading eBooks much more because of the 4:3 ratio. Using the surface in a vertical orientation just looks and feels silly because of its 16:9 ratio. However, videos that would be letterboxed on the iPad are not on the surfaces so I do like those better for videos. I find all of the touch screens to be about the same in response with the iPad possibly holding a slight edge. I also prefer the iPad when looking at screen brightness.

Its no contest when it comes to battery life, the iPad wins hands down. The Surface RT comes close, but is always second best.

Honestly, I find the Microsoft ecosystem a diamond covered in a huge pile of crap. The potential for everything to work together and sync is there but its so messy that its almost not worth doing it. The potential of the Microsoft is what keeps me messing with it. Take Xbox Music. I signed up for the year long music pass last December and have struggled with it almost every day to try to get it to recognize my own music collection. It cant find matches for albums that have one little difference in the title like & instead of and. Sometimes it just randomly downloads songs and randomly matches things. But, when it works, its awesome to have all your own music available in the cloud to stream or download whenever you want. Xbox video is almost the same way. The ability to incorporate your own videos in a touch friendly format is great, but if you buy a movie you only get to download it 5 times. What??? I can download my media as much as I want with iTunes.

TLDR version'

The hardware is great on everything. Apple has the more mature and user friendly ecosystem. However Microsoft is working on some very cool stuff that could change everything in mobile if they can just get the damn details right.


PM me or ask any other questions and ill be happy to answer them.

Thanks for the detailed reply. Hopefully Microsoft keeps working on the ecosystem and gets it up to par. It seems like they are getting serious about the mobile market and trying to improve. Windows Phone 8.1 is a step in the right direction. And they are ironing the kinks out of Windows 8 too with the 8.1.1 update. I'm hoping the change of CEO will get them back on track and give the consumers another solid choice.

 

[maflynn]

The iPad (especially the Air) wins in the weight department.

I was surprised at the weight of the Surface Pro 2. I was at a Microsoft Store this weekend and went to play with one. I like what it had to offer and I picked it up and boom - the thing is like a brick. I said this earlier (maybe in another thread). I don't categorize the Surface Pro as a tablet but really as a laptop (or hybrid laptop). It really is more powerful then a tablet and can replace your laptop but its basically as heavy as one and it runs (the pro flavor) all your windows apps.

TLDR version'

The hardware is great on everything. Apple has the more mature and user friendly ecosystem. However Microsoft is working on some very cool stuff that could change everything in mobile if they can just get the damn details right.

I'm fairly new to the WP8.1 platform and so far I'm pretty happy with some of the services it provides. I've not run into any issue on the ecosystem but I'm a brand new user and I don't use xbox at all, so the music issue you ran into, is not one that I'd have, since I use my own music.

 

[dgr874]

I was surprised at the weight of the Surface Pro 2. I was at a Microsoft Store this weekend and went to play with one. I like what it had to offer and I picked it up and boom - the thing is like a brick. I said this earlier (maybe in another thread). I don't categorize the Surface Pro as a tablet but really as a laptop (or hybrid laptop). It really is more powerful then a tablet and can replace your laptop but its basically as heavy as one and it runs (the pro flavor) all your windows apps.



I'm fairly new to the WP8.1 platform and so far I'm pretty happy with some of the services it provides. I've not run into any issue on the ecosystem but I'm a brand new user and I don't use xbox at all, so the music issue you ran into, is not one that I'd have, since I use my own music.

Well, if you use just the Xbox Music pass or just your own music, there is no issues sure. Its only when you try and combine them that the issues crop up and having everything combined was one of the major selling points for me so its pretty disappointing to me.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

Since Microsoft axed the zune software and tried to replace it with xbox music, it's been nothing but trouble. I actually use iTunes to manage the music on my Windows Phone these days, because it works better

 

[maflynn]

Well, if you use just the Xbox Music pass or just your own music, there is no issues sure. Its only when you try and combine them that the issues crop up and having everything combined was one of the major selling points for me so its pretty disappointing to me.

I have no need to combine them. I can't say if its good/bad/mediocre, I just don't use it.

I'd say given the headaches, its probably something that may be worth avoiding.

 

[osofast240sx]

Its all about the wacom interface--if you dont need the pen then the surface is far less compelling. If you need pen functionality--its one of maybe 3 devices that does that well--and the only one in 10.6 form factor. The samsung tablet pens work well--but they are tiny and hard to hold

I like the pen but, if I need a Wacom interface I'm going to use a Wacom and it's probably going to be connected to my iMac or MacBook Pro. The more I use my iPhone, iPad, iMac and Macbook Pro the more I do not want one device to do everything.

 

[rowspaxe]

I like the pen but, if I need a Wacom interface I'm going to use a Wacom and it's probably going to be connected to my iMac or MacBook Pro. The more I use my iPhone, iPad, iMac and Macbook Pro the more I do not want one device to do everything.

good luck setting that up in an airport

 

[dgr874]

I have no need to combine them. I can't say if its good/bad/mediocre, I just don't use it.

I'd say given the headaches, its probably something that may be worth avoiding.

At this point I certainly agree with you on keeping them separate. The issue I have is that Microsoft advertised this great, awesome, WORKING sync program and then failed to deliver in spectacular fashion.

 

[osofast240sx]

good luck setting that up in an airport

When I'm at the airport that's my " me time" I may answer important emails but that's it. Otherwise I'm connecting with family and friends mostly family. And 95% of the time I'm on a direct flight.