Apple iPad Air 2 vs. Surface Pro 3 – Specifications, Features And Price Showdown

The well-received iPad Air has a successor in the recently released iPad Air 2. Meanwhile, Microsoft released the Surface Pro 3 tablet in June. Readers who are interested in the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 or the latest Apple iPad Air 2 tablets should check out this comparison.

Display, Design And Size

The Surface Pro 3 features a whopping 12-inch Full-HD+ display with an impressive 2,160 x 1,440 pixels resolution. The Apple iPad Air 2, meanwhile, comes with a relatively smaller 9.7-inch LED-backlit IPS LCD display and 1,536 x 2,048 pixels resolution. Also, the pixel strength of the Apple tablet stands at 264 ppi, whereas the Microsoft device settles for 216 ppi.

When it comes to design, the iPad Air 2 is in many ways similar to the predecessor iPad Air. For example, the device sports the much-appreciated aluminium chassis. This aspect provides premium look to the iPad, when compared to umpteen other tablets with polycarbonate chassis. The unique selling point of the Air 2 is that, the device is 18 percent thinner at 0.24-inch when compared to the original Air model, writes Tech Radar.

Moving on to the Surface Pro 3, the device comes with vivid, silver-hued, smooth magnesium exterior, thereby providing the premium look. The tablet is trapezoidal in shape and Microsoft has tried harder to make it lighter and thinner than the original Surface Pro tablet. The thoughtful feature however is that the vent on the edges of the upper half of the device helps in dispersing the heat produced by the fan, in a better way, according to Tech Radar.

Speaking of size, the Microsoft tablet comes with a thickness and weight of 0.36-inch and 800 g respectively, while the Apple device is 0.24-inch thick and weighs 437 g. Therefore, with a huge margin, the Air 2 is both thinner and lighter than the Surface tablet.

Hardware, Software And Memory

The Surface Pro 3 is powered by Intel Core processor. In specific, the company provides 3 different processor choices to choose from, namely, 4th generation Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 with 4 GB or 8 GB of RAM choice. In addition, the tablet houses TPM Chip for enterprise security. On the other hand, the iPad Air 2 is powered by a triple-core (Apple A8) processor, clocked at 1.5 GHz and it comes with 2 GB of RAM. Nonetheless, according to Apple, the sophisticated A8 processor can provide up to 40 percent better CPU performance than the original iPad Air.

Furthermore, the Apple device runs on iOS 8.1, while the Surface tablet runs on Windows 8.1 Pro. The Surface tablet comes with 64 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB and 512 GB of internal storage options, whereas the Air 2 offers 16 GB, 64 GB and 128 GB storage. Plus, the Surface tablet supports microSD card for expansion, while the Apple iPad doesn't. The under the hood specifications clearly point out that the Microsoft tablet is aimed at the enterprise audience that would like to mix work and play.

Camera And Battery

The iPad Air 2 sports an 8 MP primary camera at the rear and a 1.2 MP secondary shooter, whereas the Surface Pro 3 houses a 5 MP unit at the rear and the front of the device. The "iSight" camera in the iPad provides better image quality and low-light performance than the original iPad. Apple has worked relentlessly to improve the camera experience by including a burst mode, time-lapse and slo-mo option, among others, says Tech Radar.

Based on Microsoft's report, the Surface Pro 3 can offer up to 9 hours of battery life after a single charge. Nevertheless, the company has not specified the exact battery configuration. According to Apple, the latest iPad Air 2 can offer up to 10 hours of battery charge. Similar to Microsoft, Apple has not disclosed the battery spec yet.

Misc

1. The Surface Pro 3 tablet comes with the improved "Surface Pen," similar to the Galaxy Note 4's S-Pen stylus. This accessory can be used to write, draw, pull and select items on the display and it is quite easy and comfortable. Moreover, there is a multi-position kickstand to hold the tablet and also a detachable keyboard named Type Cover to make the Pro 3 double as a laptop, says Microsoft.

2. The iPad Air 2 comes as LTE and non-LTE (Wi-Fi only) variants and it also supports Fingerprint scanner (aka Touch ID). This scanner can be utilised to unlock the device and also for making mobile payments. The brand new "Apple Pay" system helps with the payment and the company has struck a deal with Visa, MasterCard and AMEX, Tech Radar reports.

3. Apple iPad Air 2 comes in "Gold" colour, in addition to the standard Space Gray and Silver options. Meanwhile, the Surface Pro 3 comes in Silver hue.

Price

The Microsoft Surface Pro 3 (64 GB variant) is priced at AU$979. Meanwhile, the latest Apple iPad Air 2's (64 GB model) can be purchased for AU$739.

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