Which Tablet Is Right for You: The iPad Pro or Surface Pro 7?

Options abound for modern tablets, but this variety sometimes makes shopping for a new device feel like a hassle. Much of this struggle stems from the war between tech titans Apple and Microsoft for years, with both desperate to get you on board with their respective devices.

While the iPad has been the king of the tablet space for years, Microsoft has slowly gained ground thanks to the innovative Surface design. Keep reading to find out if the new iPad Pro is the device you should pick up — or if a Surface Pro is better suited for your wants and desires.

Apple devices don’t usually garner a lot of praise for their inner components, but that has recently changed thanks to the new M1 chip. This new system is seriously powerful and gives the new iPad Pro a performance boost that leaves the last generation of iPads in the dust. With 8-core CPU and GPU power comes a huge boost in performance. This, in turn, makes it possible to play console-quality games on a tablet.

Better yet: you’ll get to play your favorite games on a 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display that is arguably the most beautiful screen Apple has ever developed. You simply cannot nitpick this screen, since it boasts 1000 nits of full-screen brightness and 1800 nits of peak brightness. All this is made possible by 10,000 mini LEDs on the back of the display.

A 12-megapixel Ultra Wide camera is included in the iPad Pro. The tablet is packed with a surprising amount of features due to Apple’s robust software suite. Center Stage is the most notable, new feature. It gives you the ability to stay in the center of the frame when shooting video. This feature is sure to impress both your coworkers on Zoom and your friends on FaceTime.

The new iPad Pro also features the latest in 5G capabilities, as well as WiFi-6 so you can stream 4K content as fast as possible. A wide variety of accessories are available to transform the iPad Pro into a drawing canvas (with the help of an Apple Pencil) or a makeshift laptop (thanks to the Magic Keyboard). The 12.9-inch iPad Pro retails for $1099. Considering  how much cutting-edge technology is packed into it, the iPad Pro is quite a steal.

Microsoft’s next-generation Surface Pro 7 is available in several configurations. Top options include the Intel Core i3, i5, and i7 models. While the iPad Pro offers a version with a smaller screen, and therefore a smaller price tag, the wide variety of Surface Pro 7 SKUs available is great for consumers. Intel’s 10th generation of CPUs more than gets the job done, but it’s not as flashy as Apple’s M1. Another downside? It doesn’t measure up when tasked with playing demanding PC games.

Thankfully, gaming isn’t really the Surface Pro 7’s intention. Microsoft’s newest Surface Pro is geared towards students looking for a tablet designed for taking notes. If combined with the Type Cover keyboard (sold separately for an irksome price of $130) this device also enhances productivity.

The screen boasts a 2736×1824 resolution and ten-point multi-touch capabilities. It’s not going to blow you away when watching HDR content or streaming video at 4K, but it is perfectly acceptable. Likewise, the 5MP front-facing camera isn’t going to make you eager for that next Zoom meeting.

As a total package, the Surface Pro 7 is solid, if unspectacular. With the base model retailing for just $699, it’s certainly more affordable than the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. That being said, comparing the two really isn’t fair. While the new iPad Pro feels like a next-generation tablet, the Surface Pro 7 seems like a tentative half-step from Microsoft.

Regardless of your personal tablet preferences or sense of brand loyalty, you can benefit from the protection that only a tablet extended warranty can provide. If you spill water on your device or drop it and crack the screen, you’ll want to be covered. Protection is available via retailer warranties, but you can save a great deal by opting for an extended warranty from Upsie. This approach cuts out the middleman without compromising your coverage. Should your device break, you can get it fixed at a local repair shop.

Think carefully about what it will cost you to replace a broken device that is not under sufficient warranty coverage. You’ll quickly realize that an extended warranty from Upsie is your best bet for gaining the protection and peace of mind you need.