Surface 3 vs iPad

[alisaad619]

I have an S3 and an iPad Air 2. For instant start and battery life the iPad is substantially better than the S3, though Microsoft may update the S3 to improve those. I also had a MacBook Air (now sold) and still have a MacBook Retina Pro. The S3 is amazingly versatile and could easily replace the MacBook/iPad combo, but you'd need a power outlet more frequently with the S3 than even the MacBook Retina Pro, which gets an honest ten hours on a charge (this is the Haswell processor version).

Another consideration would be how much you depend on Apple's "instant hotspot" feature. There is nothing like it on non-Apple platforms. There are less convenient workarounds.

I'm always amazed that people don't know that windows 8 had this "instant hotspot" before the mac

my Lumia 925 appear automatically there (the hotspot is off , you can turn it on from there)




and the Surface 3 is rated for 10 hours ,and you can get a battery bank if you use the device more than 10 hours daily

 

[Stiv X]

All devices nowadays are powerful and can handle basic tasks. Where these two devices most importantly differ is the operating system - iOS is a limited feature mobile OS, while Windows 8.1 update 1 is a full blown OS. This is comparing a computer with a mobile tablet. The questions is, do you want only a tablet or a full computer in tablet form?

 

[Kodiak12]

The questions is, do you want only a tablet or a full computer in tablet form?

This about sums it up. And like you implied, the differences between basic full blown PC's are getting blurrier with each tablet iteration it seems.

I'm down from 3 devices to just 2 now because of these advances. (With a little help from docking accessories of course). In 12 months time and depending on how continuum progresses I could technically be down to one if somebody could figure out a larger screen when out and about.

 

[jbs-horn]

All the discussion about limited mobile OSs vs. Full OSs, and do you know what a good many iPad owners yearn for? What has existed on Surfaces since the original - the ability to display two applications on the screen at the same time.

Incidentally, there's a current discussion over on MacRumors begun by a student getting ready to go back to university. He was wondering what was the ideal device/computer for taking notes, preparing papers, etc. The iPad got short shrift there. A good many recommendations were for the lighter weight MacBook Airs, but the note-taking brought the Surface line into the discussion. Surprisingly for MacRumors, the Surface 3 got a positive recommendation, mainly because of the digitizer. That's the other thing they want. Students are a prime target market for this device.

The Windows-based instant hotspot feature is a too-well kept secret. But you have to have a Windows phone and a Windows tablet to use it. The same form of platform lock-in that Apple is guilty of.

I'm trying to figure out if the pocket on the side of my Incipio sleeve will hold a battery with enough power to charge this thing. I have a Mophie that works for my phone (I've never had to use it), but it lacks the juice to drive a tablet. Something that size would be perfect.

 

[P_Devil]

Since Microsoft made Office available for the iPad, a big advantage to the Surface line was eliminated.

No it wasn't. Office for iOS and Android are still limited, even more limited than the version that shipped free with Windows RT devices. Both iOS and Android run a mobile version of Office that is missing functions. The Surface line now runs the same full blown version of Office as any other notebook or desktop. In fact, Surface systems will soon offer two GUIs for Office: one that is touch friendly (which looks similar to Office for iOS and Android) and one that relies on keyboard and mouse input for when the device is setup as a traditional notebook/desktop.

So the Office advantage is still clearly there especially for business professionals, government workers, and students. As for your other comment about printers, I have yet to actually install a printer in Windows 8.1. I had a wireless HP printer and now a wireless Cannon, both were automatically installed and were usable almost instantly no different than iOS AirPrint support. You can wirelessly tether any smartphone made in the last 5 years (including an iPhone) to the Surface 3 and even the Surface RT/2 without issues. iPhones have been able to broadcast private wi-fi networks for years now and they work with any wi-fi compatible system without iTunes. USB tethering via x86 Windows doesn't require iTunes either. What you do with your iPhone and iPad is not new and fully works with any Windows device too. I did with with my Droid X in 2010, iPhone 5 in 2012, Galaxy S5 in 2014, and now my Note Edge in 2015. It has never been platform dependent.

AirParrot, as much of a solution as it is, still isn't the best option. Apple TVs really only benefit people in Apple's ecosystem. Mirroring a Mac's display is smooth when using an Apple TV but AirParrot still introduces stutter and it isn't free. Microsoft has a similar solution though: their wireless display adapter. It fully works with any Miracast enabled device (including the $99 HP Stream 7) and has support built into Windows 8 for it (same with any Miracast receiver).

 

[Tsang Fai]

Surface is such a wonderful device that once you have used it, you won't consider other devices, because you have get used to the touch, the kickstand, the pens, and the superb build quality.

For people who haven't tried Surface yet, they would say "my device (e.g. iPad) works well already".

So why Surface? Because I want 150% productivity (while 100% portability) iPad? I think at most 70% productivity. (if you do not use the "right" apps for iPad, I would say iPad offers <50% productivity).
(Don't challenge how I came up with these percentages - they are just rough estimates based on my long period of using iPads & Surface).

 

[illegaloperation]

You can ask the Apple people and see what they say: [iPad] iPad Air 2 vs new Surface 3? - MacRumors Forums

 

[Stiv X]

You can ask the Apple people and see what they say: [iPad] iPad Air 2 vs new Surface 3? - MacRumors Forums

Nice to see some actual civility when talking about device capabilities.

 

[Kodiak12]

Surprisingly for MacRumors, the Surface 3 got a positive recommendation, mainly because of the digitizer.

I spent quite a lot of years in MacRumors and still wander over there on occasion. Enough time to see a "shift" in the childish Microsoft bashing since the Surface Pro 3 came along and now the Surface 3. There are a lot jaded Apple users now who are still loyal to the brand but are starting to realize their iDevices are no longer cutting edge.

Some of these fans have grown up, gotten jobs and realized that iOS is much more a consumption device than they care to admit.

 

[Stiv X]

I do think I may lose it someday, though, when I hear of comparisons between mobile, limited-feature OS (iOS, Android, WinRT, Blackberry) devices and the more superior full-feature OS (Windows, OSX, Linux, etc.) devices.

 

[Internaut]

The iPad is infinitely nicer to use as an armchair tablet, but then again I already know that because I've had a T100. The Surface 3 heavier but more versatile. For example, it's good for a little 'proper' photoshopping, when traveling, and Office means full office.

 

[P_Devil]

I do think I may lose it someday, though, when I hear of comparisons between mobile, limited-feature OS (iOS, Android, WinRT, Blackberry) devices and the more superior full-feature OS (Windows, OSX, Linux, etc.) devices.

To be fair, people will compare products that are in the same price categories regardless of the OS and architecture they run on (x86, x86-64, ARM). Multi-platform benchmarks like GeekBench aren't helping either especially when they score the iPad Air 2's CPU higher than an Ivy Bridge quad-core Core i7 (hint: it's not more powerful).

People are going to compare the Surface 3 with the iPad Air 2 and that's OK so long as their differences are pointed out and fully recognized.

 

[Pierre Blackwell]

To me it's always going to be the lack of expandable storage for any iPad. If you're using it exclusively as a leisure tablet, then you have the infinite App store at your disposal. That is where, in my opinion the Surface takes over. Expandable storage, full windows so you're not limited to a mobile OS, keyboard without Bluetooth.