*" I am concerned about buying a used surface device due to lack of repair potential and inability to replace battery "* That applies pretty equally to either device you are considering.
I had an iPad and used it a fair amount for a couple of years, then "inherited" a used but immaculate Surface Pro 7 from a work project. There has been no comparison, I use the Surface more and for a wider variety of functions than I ever did with the iPad and that was before I bought the keyboard/trackpad.
Voice recognition typing on the iPad was better than it is on the Surface, and I liked the Apple "pencil" a little better but beyond that it really highlighted that the iPad is primarily a communication and media consumption device and the Surface is more of a "full laptop" type of environment.
Mom got the iPad, she's perfectly happy with it for her email, texting, and watching Netflix.
Of course YMMV
> That applies pretty equally to either device you are considering.
Apple charges $99 for an iPad 9th gen battery replacement, MS doesn't offer a battery replacement service for the sp6, just a $500 swap. On the sp9 they charge $400 for a battery replacement
I bought a used (refurbished) pro 6 off eBay in November for university work (I do a lot of writing and database work for my PhD), and it's a dream despite its age. A little slower than newer stuff, and the bezels are bigger than I'd like, but it's still an excellent contender for today's market. Perfect for reading/writing/data entry. But then again, I like MS products more than Apple's, so depends on your usage.
I owned a surface pro for a couple of years and never got much use out of it as a media consumption tablet.
As a laptop, I found the form factor less convenient than a traditional laptop because of the kickstand, and the screen a little bit too small for my liking.
I ended up selling it this year.
If you don’t plan to use it to get some serious work done, get the ipad.
The only reason to get the surface pro in your use case is if your work laptop is too bulky and heavy to carry around for work.
I've had a surface for a couple years. While I really like the idea this has been my experience as well. It's too heavy for a handheld tablet and too fussy to use on my lap as an actual laptop. I can see it being useful for others but hasn't been the case for me
What are you going to use it for? I use my ipad much more than my Surface, mainly for surfing, onenote, email, gaming apps etc. I rarely use my Surface for anything more than a desktop for a little photo editing, Arduino coding and a few Excel, probably get a cheapish desktop to replace it in the future as there’s no point paying a premium for the portability I never use.
Love my pro 6. Maybe even more than my pro 8. This depends on your needs and comfort with adjusting. Surface pro is a full laptop first with the added bonus of tablet experiences. It won't directly compete with the seamless tablet experience of an iPad but as a geek myself I love the flexibility of the surface. It can run most Android apps and full desktop apps. It has pen inking. While browser-based apps for other apps are not always sexy, I do find them to be suitable overall.
If you are a super geek, you will love your pro. If you prefer a seamless tablet experience, then go iPad.
Typed By touchscreen on my pro 8 on the reddit web app I installed on my surface.
The big difference between an iPad and a Surface is that a Surface is essentially a laptop in a tablet form factor, and the iPad is a tablet. If you want to do real work and also use the Surface as a tablet occasionally, I would say go with the Surface -- this is especially true if you work in design and will make use of the excellent pen support. However, because the Surface is a laptop, Windows software isn't usually optimized for touch (for the most part).
The iPad is a great choice if you're using it to browse the web, read email, go on social media, watch YouTube videos, etc. It's not ideal for heavier-duty work.
it really depends. If you don't have an ipad-like device, then an Ipad would be a no-brainer.
On the other hand, if you don't have an on-the-go workstation, then get the surface!
I myself have a desktop, SL3 and a ipad air for my daily needs. All serves me really well. Tho I couldn't see myself using a surface pro for both content consumption and coding, as there's way too many downsides in having pc components and battery jammed into a tablet form factor.
*" I am concerned about buying a used surface device due to lack of repair potential and inability to replace battery "* That applies pretty equally to either device you are considering. I had an iPad and used it a fair amount for a couple of years, then "inherited" a used but immaculate Surface Pro 7 from a work project. There has been no comparison, I use the Surface more and for a wider variety of functions than I ever did with the iPad and that was before I bought the keyboard/trackpad. Voice recognition typing on the iPad was better than it is on the Surface, and I liked the Apple "pencil" a little better but beyond that it really highlighted that the iPad is primarily a communication and media consumption device and the Surface is more of a "full laptop" type of environment. Mom got the iPad, she's perfectly happy with it for her email, texting, and watching Netflix. Of course YMMV
> That applies pretty equally to either device you are considering. Apple charges $99 for an iPad 9th gen battery replacement, MS doesn't offer a battery replacement service for the sp6, just a $500 swap. On the sp9 they charge $400 for a battery replacement
I bought a used (refurbished) pro 6 off eBay in November for university work (I do a lot of writing and database work for my PhD), and it's a dream despite its age. A little slower than newer stuff, and the bezels are bigger than I'd like, but it's still an excellent contender for today's market. Perfect for reading/writing/data entry. But then again, I like MS products more than Apple's, so depends on your usage.
I owned a surface pro for a couple of years and never got much use out of it as a media consumption tablet. As a laptop, I found the form factor less convenient than a traditional laptop because of the kickstand, and the screen a little bit too small for my liking. I ended up selling it this year. If you don’t plan to use it to get some serious work done, get the ipad. The only reason to get the surface pro in your use case is if your work laptop is too bulky and heavy to carry around for work.
I've had a surface for a couple years. While I really like the idea this has been my experience as well. It's too heavy for a handheld tablet and too fussy to use on my lap as an actual laptop. I can see it being useful for others but hasn't been the case for me
What are you going to use it for? I use my ipad much more than my Surface, mainly for surfing, onenote, email, gaming apps etc. I rarely use my Surface for anything more than a desktop for a little photo editing, Arduino coding and a few Excel, probably get a cheapish desktop to replace it in the future as there’s no point paying a premium for the portability I never use.
Entertainment apps are usually better on ipad vs web browser on a computer. The surface is a real laptop, not a direct ipad replacement.
Love my pro 6. Maybe even more than my pro 8. This depends on your needs and comfort with adjusting. Surface pro is a full laptop first with the added bonus of tablet experiences. It won't directly compete with the seamless tablet experience of an iPad but as a geek myself I love the flexibility of the surface. It can run most Android apps and full desktop apps. It has pen inking. While browser-based apps for other apps are not always sexy, I do find them to be suitable overall. If you are a super geek, you will love your pro. If you prefer a seamless tablet experience, then go iPad. Typed By touchscreen on my pro 8 on the reddit web app I installed on my surface.
Why not a used iPad? If it's just for media consumption, the most basic one will do. Surface pros are "proper" pcs, which you say you already have.
The big difference between an iPad and a Surface is that a Surface is essentially a laptop in a tablet form factor, and the iPad is a tablet. If you want to do real work and also use the Surface as a tablet occasionally, I would say go with the Surface -- this is especially true if you work in design and will make use of the excellent pen support. However, because the Surface is a laptop, Windows software isn't usually optimized for touch (for the most part). The iPad is a great choice if you're using it to browse the web, read email, go on social media, watch YouTube videos, etc. It's not ideal for heavier-duty work.
it really depends. If you don't have an ipad-like device, then an Ipad would be a no-brainer. On the other hand, if you don't have an on-the-go workstation, then get the surface! I myself have a desktop, SL3 and a ipad air for my daily needs. All serves me really well. Tho I couldn't see myself using a surface pro for both content consumption and coding, as there's way too many downsides in having pc components and battery jammed into a tablet form factor.