Earlier this week, the company Microsoft unveiled the Surface go tablet, which should compete with the iPad 6th generation. Budget laptops and tablets are rapidly gaining popularity among students in the United States. Now in this market the leaders are opposed by the companies Microsoft and Apple.
Usually the devices Microsoft Surface are more expensive, but with the $ 399 Surface Go, the company is expanding its potential audience and aims to grab the attention of students. The Surface Go is slightly more expensive iPad 6 ($ 399 and $ 329), but the latter runs on a mobile operating system, while the former runs on a full version Windows 10.
For students on a tight budget, both tablets will seem attractive, but many will choose to buy iPad just because of the aggressive ads Apple. So how is Microsoft Surface Go different from iPad 6th generation? Read about it below.
Comparison of characteristics of Microsoft Surface Go and iPad 6th generation
|
Characteristic |
Surface Go |
iPad (6th generation) |
|
Dimensions |
245 x 175 x 8.3 mm |
240 X 169.5 X 7.5 mm |
|
Housing |
Magnesium |
Aluminum |
|
The weight |
from 1.15 lbs |
1.03 lbs |
|
Display |
10 ”PixelSense Display |
9.7-inch Retina display, 2048×1536 resolution, 264 PPI |
|
CPU |
Intel Pentium Gold Processor 4415Y @ 1.60 GHz |
A10 Fusion processor, 4 cores |
|
Kernels |
Two cores |
Four cores |
|
Graphic professor |
Intel HD Graphics 615 |
Own 6-core GPU |
|
RAM |
4 / 8GB |
2GB |
|
Memory |
Built-in memory: 64GB |
32 / 128GB |
|
Main camera |
8MP, autofocus, 1080p HD video |
8MP, f / 2.4, video Full HD |
|
Front-camera |
5MP, 1080p video Skype HD |
1.2MP, 720p video |
|
Speaker |
2W Stereo Speakers with Dolby Audi o Premium |
2 speakers |
|
Ports |
1 x USB-C |
Lightning connector |
|
Sensors |
Ambient sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer |
Ambient sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, barometer |
|
Communication |
Wi-Fi b / g / n / ac, |
Wi-Fi b / g / n / ac, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, LTE option available |
|
Battery |
Up to 9 hours of video playback |
9-10 hours of use |
|
Stylus |
Yes (Surface Pen) |
Yes (Apple Pencil) |
|
Keyboard |
Yes (support) |
Yes (support), only by Bluetooth |
|
Other |
Face Recognition Windows Hello, Windows 10 S |
Touch ID, iOS 11 |
Processor Intel Dual-Core vs Apple A10
The Surface Go does not lag behind the iPad 6th gen in terms of performance, but we still don't know how the 2-core processor will perform in the business. It is unlikely that the processor Intel will pull Windows 10 S if you run powerful programs and games on it.
The Apple A10 processor works fine. Compared to Windows 10 S, iOS 11 is less resource-intensive, so Apple has an advantage.
However, you can simply buy a Surface Go with more RAM and memory, and that option will perform much better. With iPad this is not possible. Apple only provides more memory option, not RAM.
Windows 10 S vs iOS 11
The biggest advantage of the Surface Go is that the tablet runs on Windows 10 S. In this version, the program can only be installed from the Microsoft Store, but users can upgrade to the full version Windows 10 for free. iOS 11 on iPad contains many restrictions. Of course, some applications of this platform are better for some tasks, but compared to Windows 10 there are very few features in the system.
As for the quality of programs and applications (and even their quantity), iOS App Store wins, not Microsoft Store. However, the programs on Surface Go contain more features and functions. Another problem iPad is only 2GB of RAM, which limits multitasking capabilities. The company only provides one RAM option.
If you do not play powerful games, then it is better to buy the 9.7-inch iPad 6th generation, because more high-quality mobile games are available for it.
Price
iPad Gen 6 starts at $ 329 and the base Surface Go starts at $ 399. The basic version iPad has 32GB of internal memory, which is not enough for our time, so most users prefer to buy the 128GB version, which already costs $ 429. Accordingly, the Surface Go for $ 399 can be considered cheaper iPad at $ 429.
The situation is changing when it comes to tablet options with LTE. iPad with LTE costs $ 459. The Surface Go isn't out with LTE yet – it will debut later this year and will retail for $ 500.
Keyboard and stylus
It is important to note that none of the tablets come with a keyboard and stylus included and will need to be purchased separately. Gen 6 iPad does not have Smart Connector technology, so the official smart keyboard Apple (which costs $ 99.99) is not supported by the tablet. As for the Apple Pencil, it also costs $ 99. The keyboard Microsoft Surface starts at $ 99, just like the Surface Pen.
In this regard, Apple and Microsoft are on par. If tablets are aimed at students, then they could be given a discount.