Surface 3 vs iPad Air 2; Which is Better? Specs, Features & Price Here!

The announcement of the Surface 3 caused a stir among tech lovers and industry observers. In the wake of the close scrutiny Microsoft's latest product has been subjected to, one can't help but compare it to another gadget with similar capabilities and design - the iPad Air 2. Even the prices of the two mobile devices are similar. Is this Microsoft's way of throwing down Apple a challenge in the tablet race?

"The original Surface and Surface 2 were fine iPad competitors, but they had some flaws. Their screens were wide, but not tall enough to guarantee a notebook-like experience. What's more, you couldn't add any apps you wanted to," GottaBeMobile observed. "The Surface 3 addresses those early issues and so much more."

With that, let's see how these two rival gadgets compare.

Display

Microsoft's bet has a 10.8-inch display, which is larger than the Apple tablet's 9.7-inch screen. However, the latter has a 2048 x 1536 resolution, while the former registers at 1920 x 1280.

"Naturally, both tablets boast multi-touch technology but while Microsoft highlights its Surface pen support (stylus sold separately), there are a range of third-party iPad styluses, as well," iDigitalTimes noted.

Design

Apple's reputation for superb design is well-known and is, as expected, evident in the iPad Air 2 with its super thin, sleek, and classy appearance. Microsoft's tablets are a bit more on the "fun" side, as Tech Times put it. The user has various color options to choose from via the keyboard, "giving it personal flair."

"iPad users can also purchase a keyboard in a variety of colors, but the use of the keyboard is much more central to the Surface experience," the site pointed out. "It's quite a bit thicker than the iPad Air 2, and unlike the iPad, it features a USB 3.0 port and a Mini DisplayPort, a microSD card reader and a micro USB charging port."

The iPad Air 2 weighs a mere 0.96 pounds and is just 6.1 mm thick, while Microsoft's version is 8.7 mm thick and weighs 1.37 pounds, according to iDigitalTimes.

Camera

The Surface 3 has a 3.5 MP front-facing camera and an 8 MP rear camera. The other tablet has a 1.2 MP front-facing camera and an 8 MP rear lens, as well.

Engine

Microsoft's newest release "comes with a quad-core Intel Atom x7 processor, which is quite a high-performing processor for a device of this class," Tech Times said. "The base frequency of the processor is 1.6 GHz, and it is able to reach 2.4 GHz at maximum."

On the other hand, the Apple device has an A8X processor with a 1.5 GHz base frequency with storage options ranging from 16 GB to 128 GB storage options, with 2 GB of RAM. Surface 3 has either 64 GB or 128 GB of memory and has 2 GB or 4 GB of RAM.

For now, Surface 3 is equipped with Windows 8.1, but will be updated to Windows 10 for free once released. The iPad Air 2 comes with iOS 8.

Battery Life

Microsoft promised 10 hours for the Surface 3, while Apple also gave the same promise with its latest tablet.

Price

"Both tablets have a starting price at $499 but the comparable models of the iPad Air 2 are an extra $100," iDigitalTimes noted. "The Surface 3 64GB Wi-Fi only model is $499 and the 128GB version is $599. Meanwhile, the 64GB Wi-Fi only iPad Air 2 is $599 and the 128GB version is $699."

The Wi-Fi and cellular versions of the iPad Air 2 will cost $130 more. Also, you'll have to pay an extra $129 to get the Surface 3 keyboard.

Comparing the two, Microsoft's offering is better suited for those wanting to use a portable gadget for business or work, while Apple's tablet is a better choice for surfing and video viewing, among other entertainment options.

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