I’ve been comparing the Surface Pro with my current tablet, the iPAD 3. First, let me say that the Surface Pro 3 is NOT a consumer device. Surface Pro 3 is a professional and enthusiast device. I do not think Microsoft intended it as a consumer device, I’m sure the intended it for what it is. It will not sell in the same numbers as the iPad or the Kindle. The Surface Pro 3 is a pre-emptive shot at the iPad Pro, if such a thing exists, and is released by Apple. End of topic.
This is where things stand at the moment, as I see them, from both a hardware and software perspective:
Hardware
Feature | Surface Pro 3 | IPAD 3 |
---|---|---|
Screen Size | Good | Inadequate |
Screen Aspect Ratio | Good | Good |
Main Memory | Good | Inadquate for multi-tasking |
Storage | Good (i5/i7) | Inadequate |
Wifi | Good | Good |
Cell | None (not sure if this is really required, I can always use my iPhone to conect) | Good |
USB | Good (Can use multi-dongle hub to increase ports) | Inadequate |
Battery endurance | (probably) inadequate | Inadequate |
Pen Computing | Good | Inadequate |
iTunes Music and Video | Good – assumed since it runs Windows Pro | Good |
Apps | Good – Desktop Inadequate – Tablet |
Good – TabletInadequate – Desktop |
Soft keyboard | Unknown | Inadequate – works well in landscape mode, but entirely too man mode changes to get to keys required |
Software included | Inadequate – should have Office included, but can always install Libre Office | Full suite – iWorks |
Cameras | Good for tablet | Good for tablet |
Screen Orientation | Unknown | Good portrait Good landscape |
Enterprise Tools | Good – runs same tools as Windows 8.1 Pro | Inadequate |
Communications Tools | Good – runs same tools as Windows 8.1 Pro | Inadequate, no X, limited ssh, limited background running |
Hardware keyboard | Inadequate | Inadequate |
Weight | Inadequate | Good |
Software/Apps
Ipad Apps | Surface Pro Desktop Apps |
---|---|
GoodReader | None equivalent |
Zinio Magazine Reader | Zinio Magazine Reader, tablet and desktop |
PressDisplay (Digital Newsparer) | Tablet App, Web viewer |
Feedly (RSS feed) | Web viewer |
iWorks | None, perhaps Libre Office |
OneNote | OneNote |
Amazon Prime Video | Web viewer |
Itunes Podcasts | None equivalent |
Radio/TV apps | None equivalnet, most in Web viewer |
Vuescan | Vuescan |
Worldcard (Business card scanner) | None, Tablet Apps want access to private data |
Apple Maps | None |
Clock | None |
So that’s how I see things at the moment. Check my next blog for my thoughts on whether to go the Surface Pro route or not.