Surface Pro 4 vs. iPad Pro - A Closer Look At The Two Tablets

Microsoft and Apple are the two biggest names in the computer world, and they are now taking their battle into the tablet arena. It's Apple's iPad Pro vs. Microsoft's Surface Pro 4. On the outside these two tablets are almost identical, but it is beneath the surface where they differ greatly from one another.

Any IT administrators or experts who want to incorporate one of these tablets will need to as much as they can about them before they choose a side. On one hand you have the Surface Pro 4 which runs on a full version of the Windows 10 operating system. This allows admins to handle the tablets like laptops and they also integrate well with Exchange, SharePoint, Active Directory, and other important systems right out of the box. This means there will be no need for you to install any special administrative services or software.

The iPad Pro, on the other hand, runs on Apple's iOS - the same operating system used by the iPhone. This means you will have a tablet that does not possess all of the power or capability of a laptop or desktop system. The iPad Pro will not let users gain access to the local file system, nor will it provide them with the same kind of robust support for multitasking that they can usually get from a desktop OS.

While Windows 10 might be the standard OS for most PC's and laptops right now, it is not without its flaws. According to a report by Tech Target, it can be a little too complicated at times and needs constant updating and maintenance to keep it operating at peak capacity. Windows is also more prone to being infected by viruses than iOS. With that said, many IT administrators have already began to incorporate both iPads and iPhones into their networks.

Apple has also added some native features to its iOS devices to help make it easier for them to integrate into common enterprise systems. Many organizations will also have no problem adding an iPad Pro into their networks as long as they have already integrated iOS devices into them.

As far as technical specs go, the iPad Pro has either a 12.9 inch or 9.7 inch display monitor. It is also very lightweight and ranges from .96 to 1.59 pounds. It can support both cellular and Wi-Fi connections, and comes with a reported 10 hours of battery life.

Meanwhile, the Surface Pro 4 only has one monitor which measures 12.3 inches, and even the lightest version of this tablet weighs more than an iPad Pro. It also falls short in the battery life department as it only has a maximum of 9 hours. However, it carries more storage and processor options, and has a maximum storage capacity of 1 TB. The iPad Pro's maximum storage capacity is only 256 GB.

The Surface Pro 4 also boasts of multiple ports which includes a full sized USB 3.0 connection, while the iPad Pro only has a headset jack and Lightning connector. If you require a tablet that has more processing power and hard drive space, then the Surface Pro 4 would be the right choice. However, for admins who are okay with 256 GB of storage and want a better user experience, the iPad Pro would be the better choice as most consumers have already accepted the notion that Apple always puts the user experience at the forefront of all their devices and innovations.

The iPad Pro ranges from $599 to $1,129 while the Surface Pro 4 ranges from $899 to $1599. As you can see, the latter tablet is much more expensive. It is not an entry level tablet, and even a review from New Atlas recommends consumers to only buy the Surface Pro 4 if they manage to find one at a lower price.