Surface Pro 2. It's bigger, thicker, heavier than the iPad. Oh yeah, it's more expensive too.
Does the Surface Pro hold up in a comparison with the iPad?
The short answer is no, if you're in the market for a tablet.
But I'll let Panos Panay, Microsoft's Surface boss, make that clear.
So now that we've clarified that it's not a tablet, the longer answer is: the two-pound Pro 2 -- like the first iteration -- is a decent portable computer that runs all your favorite Windows applications. But that's not saying a whole lot.
What about the thinner, lighter Surface RT, you ask? Yes, that's a tablet. Problem is, it doesn't run all those Windows apps (with a few exceptions, like Office RT) and people aren't buying it (thus the $900 million write-down).
That's the bigger problem for Microsoft. It means in 2013, more than three years after the introduction of the iPad, Microsoft still doesn't have a viable tablet.
The iPad Mini and iPad 4 are true tablets that run lots and lots of apps. That's hard for Microsoft to compete with.
In a word, the Pro is heavy. Weight and size -- even a slight difference -- is a deal-breaker for a lot of people. Look at all the consumers (including me) who opted for the Mini over the iPad 4. Somehow, I don't think Microsoft really gets the importance of size.
Let me insert here that I had the Pro for about two months, then sold it. As I said before, it was a decent laptop, but I didn't need another laptop.
Oh, and the price. Without the keyboard the Pro starts at $900. The iPad, starts at $500 (which jumps to $700 for the 64GB version). The Mini starts at $330.
And with new iPads on the horizon packing Apple's 64-bit A7 chip, the comparison is going to get even worse for Microsoft. The iPad 5 will be thinner and lighter, and the Mini will eventually get a Retina display.
But let's end on a positive note. Here's an idea for Microsoft (Are they listening? No.): Make a Surface Pro that is as thin and light as Surface RT. Put Intel's quad-core "Bay Trail" chip inside, and sell it at a price that makes consumers (like me) think twice about buying an iPad.
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