Microsoft Surface Pro 12-inch vs Apple iPad Air (M3)

Microsoft Surface Pro 12-inch

Microsoft Surface Pro 12-inch

vsApple iPad Air (M3)

Apple iPad Air (M3)

Microsoft Surface Pro 12-inchApple iPad Air (M3)
Display12" PixelSense LCD touchscreen, 2196 x 1464 (220 PPI), 3:2, up to 90Hz (60Hz default), 400 nits typical maximum (Microsoft business spec sheet)11" and 13" sizes (Apple release gives no further display specification)
ChipsetQualcomm Snapdragon X Plus (8-core, X1P-42-100) with 45 TOPS Hexagon NPUApple M3 (8-core CPU, 9-core GPU, faster Neural Engine)
RAM16GB—
Storage256GB / 512GB (UFS)128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB
Rear Camera10MP main (Ultra HD rear camera)—
Front Camera1080p Full HD Surface Studio Camera with Windows Hello face authentication—
BatteryUp to 16 hours local video playback and up to 12 hours active web use (Microsoft tests), 38 Wh nominal—
OSWindows 11 (Copilot+ PC)iPadOS 18 with Apple Intelligence
Dimensions274 x 190 x 7.8 mm, 686 g (without keyboard)—
Ports2 x USB-C (USB4 / Thunderbolt 4 per Microsoft's business spec sheet), keyboard connector—
ConnectivityWi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4Optional 5G cellular (Wi-Fi + Cellular models)
AccessoriesSurface Pro 12-inch Keyboard and Surface Slim Pen sold separately; pen stores and charges magnetically on the back—
Pencil—Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C)
Keyboard—New Magic Keyboard for iPad Air with 14-key function row and larger trackpad
Finishes—Blue, purple, starlight, space gray