Microsoft Surface Pro X Vs 12.9Inch Ipad Pro: Which Big-Screened Productivity Tablet Is Best?

Old enemies, new battle.

- Michael Simon

In the world of ultraportable 2-in-1 tablets that can work as hard as they play, there are but two options: the iPad Pro and the Surface Pro. And on October 2, Microsoft unveiled not just a refreshed Surface Pro 7 (go.pcworld.com/spr7), but the brand-new Surface Pro X (see page 7) (available from microsoft.com [go.pcworld. com/sfpx]), an always-on, always-connected tablet that seems solely designed to take on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro (available from apple. com [go.pcworld.com/ipdr]). So let’s dive in and see how these two tablets stack up.

DESIGN

With either the Surface Pro X or the iPad Pro, you’re getting a modern tablet with a giant display surrounded by slim bezels, all packed in a thin, lightweight frame:

Surface Pro X: 11.3 x 8.2 x 0.28 inches

iPad Pro: 9.7 x 7 x. 0.23 inches

While the Surface Pro X technically has slimmer side bezels, the top and bottom bezels are wider. The iPad Pro’s bezels, on the other hand, are uniformly spaced around the screen, giving the package more balance and symmetry than the Surface Pro X’s.

The iPad Pro has slightly flatter edges, while the Surface Pro X’s edges have a bit of a curve to them.

At 1.4 pounds, the iPad is also a bit lighter than the 1.7-pound Surface.

Around the back, both sport a single camera lens (the Surface Pro X’s is centered, while the iPad Pro’s is in the top left corner). And of course, the Surface includes its trademark kickstand that blends into the bottom half of the tablet when not in use.

Winner: iPad Pro

DISPLAY

Both tablets sport a 3:2 display ratio rather than 16:9. The Surface Pro X’s 13-inch display is ever so slightly bigger than the iPad Pro’s 12.9-inch. Resolution-wise, the two displays are very similar as well:

Surface Pro X: 2880 x 1920, 267ppi

iPad Pro: 2732 x 2048, 264ppi