Apple iPad Air 13" M4 vs Microsoft Surface Pro 12.3" 4
Apple iPad Air 13" M4 2026, 12GB, 256GB, Cellular, Purple
Microsoft Surface Pro 12.3" 4 2015, Core i5, 8GB, 256GB, Silver
What Buyers Say
Apple iPad Air 13" M4 2026, 12GB, 256GB, Cellular, Purple
The iPad Air is highly praised for being a great purchase, with users appreciating the ability to buy through H&B using PayPal and ship to a locker. One reviewer noted a minor delay due to ordering the 1TB version but found the wait reasonable and delivery fast. Overall, sentiment is very positive, though the sample size is small.
Microsoft Surface Pro 12.3" 4 2015, Core i5, 8GB, 256GB, Silver
The Surface Pro 4 receives mixed reviews. Some users praise its performance for digital art and note-taking, highlighting the pen's responsiveness and the device's speed for office tasks. However, several verified buyers report serious issues: missing accessories like keyboards and chargers, incorrect charging cables, and batteries that fail to hold a charge or power on at all. The product listing is also criticized for misleading claims about included items.
Pros
- Excellent for digital art and drawing
- Responsive and smooth pen
- Fast performance for office tasks
- Solid build quality with magnesium body
- Quiet fan and minimal heat
Cons
- Missing accessories like keyboard and charger
- Misleading product listing about included items
- Battery fails to hold charge or power on
- Incorrect or incompatible charging cable provided
- Refurbished units may have high battery cycle count
Scores
Specifications
| Apple iPad Air 13" M4 | Microsoft Surface Pro 12.3" 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Apple M4 ★ | Intel Core i5 6th Gen |
| CPU Multi-Core Score | No data | |
| Cores | 8★ | 2 |
| GPU* | Apple (9-Core)★ | Intel HD Graphics 520 |
| GPU Benchmark Score | ||
| Memory & Storage | ||
| RAM | 12 GB★ | 8 GB |
| Storage | 256 GB | 256 GB |
| Storage Type | SSD | SSD |
| Expandable | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Display | ||
| Size | 13" | 12.3" |
| Resolution | 2732 px | 2736 px★ |
| Panel | Liquid Retina | LCD |
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz★ | — |
| Brightness | 600 nits★ | — |
| Connectivity | ||
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7★ | Wi-Fi 5 |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 6.0 | Bluetooth 4.0 |
| USB-C | 1★ | — |
| Cellular | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Features | ||
| Stylus Support | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stylus Model | Apple Pencil Pro | Surface Pen |
| Fingerprint Reader | ✓ | ✓ |
| Face Unlock | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Physical | ||
| Weight | 0.62 kg★ | 0.79 kg |
| Battery | 37 Wh★ | — |
| OS | iPadOS | Windows 10 Pro |
Pros & Cons
Apple iPad Air 13" M4 2026, 12GB, 256GB, Cellular, Purple
- Strong social proof (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong cpu (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong gpu (97th percentile)97th %ile
- Strong battery (97th percentile)97th %ile
- Below average affordability (9th percentile)9th %ile
- Below average reading battery (20th percentile)20th %ile
Microsoft Surface Pro 12.3" 4 2015, Core i5, 8GB, 256GB, Silver
- Strong feature (95th percentile)95th %ile
- Strong screen (85th percentile)85th %ile
- Strong sharpness (85th percentile)85th %ile
- Strong storage (84th percentile)84th %ile
- Below average user sentiment (4th percentile)4th %ile
- Below average cpu (9th percentile)9th %ile
- Below average gpu (16th percentile)16th %ile
- Below average portability (28th percentile)
Verdict
Scores 94 overall, wins 6 of 6 usage categories and 13 of 25 specs.