If you need a device that’s as portable as a tablet, but powerful enough to work as a laptop, then you’ll likely have come across the Microsoft Surface Pro and iPad Pro.
The most obvious difference is that the Surface Pro runs on Windows while the iPad Pro is powered by Apple’s iPadOS but otherwise, what else really separates the devices?
While we haven’t reviewed the latest iPad Pro M5 yet, its predecessor (the iPad Pro M4) earned a spot on our best tablet list, so we have high hopes for the newer model. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Pro 12 scored a pretty average 3.5-stars.
With this in mind, we’ve compared the specs and highlighted the key differences between the Surface Pro and iPad Pro below.
Price and Availability
The Surface Pro 12-inch starts at £799 / $799 for its 12-inch model with 256GB of storage. Or, for an additional £100 / $100, you can double the storage to 512GB instead.
In comparison, the iPad Pro M5 has a considerably more expensive starting price at £999 / $999 for the 11-inch and 256GB iteration, or £1299 / $1299 for the 13-inch model.
Neither the Surface Pro nor iPad Pro come equipped with a keyboard or stylus, so you’ll need to factor this into your costs. While the Surface Pro’s keyboard will set you back £149.99 / $149.99, Apple’s Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro is pricier at £299 / $299.
Equally, the Surface Pro’s stylus has an RRP of £99.99 / $99.99 while Apple’s Magic Pencil starts at £79.99 / $79.99.
Snapdragon vs M5 chips
One of the biggest differences between the Surface Pro and iPad Pro M5 is with their respective chips. Regardless of the size you choose, the latest iPad Pro will come equipped with Apple’s top-end desktop processor, M5.
While we’re yet to review the M5, Apple promises the chip will deliver “a big boost in performance iPad Pro users”, with up to 3.5x the AI performance that the M4 and is up to 5.6x faster than the M1. However, although it’s a desktop level chip, the iPad Pro M5 is limited by iPadOS which means instead of running desktop apps, you’ll likely run the tablet version instead.
Powering the Surface Pro series is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Plus, which is an 8-core Arm chip. Unlike the iPad Pro, the Surface Pro runs most standard Windows 11 apps and isn’t restricted to tablet versions.
Having said that, it’s worth remembering that the Snapdragon X Plus is still a mid-range chip and, therefore, isn’t the best for intensive tasks such as video editing or gaming. In fact, during our use we found the tablet had a tendency to lag when multitasking between apps or tabs.
Windows 11 vs iPadOS
Although we touched upon this earlier, it’s worth explaining the difference between the operating systems. The Surface Pro runs on Windows 11, which can be found in many of the best laptops and, following Windows 10’s end of life, is currently Microsoft’s main OS. In comparison, the iPad Pro runs on iPadOS and not MacOS like its desktop M5 chip might suggest.
The difference here is that iPadOS is actually more similar to iOS, Apple’s mobile operating system, and means many desktop apps simply won’t work on the iPad Pro. With that in mind, if you need a laptop that can power apps such as Photoshop then you might be better off using the Surface Pro instead.
iPad Pro M5 has an OLED display
The iPad Pro M5’s display is more or less the same as the iPad Pro M4’s – and this is not a bad thing. While we’re yet to review the iPad Pro, considering it sports the same Ultra Retina XDR screen with ProMotion technology and anti-reflective coating, we have high expectations.
Plus, like its predecessor, the iPad Pro M5 has nano-texture display options too. While only available on the 1TB and 2TB models, the nano-texture works to reduce glare and reflections even further too.
The Surface Pro is fitted with an LCD display instead, which caps out at a 90Hz refresh rate compared to the iPad Pro’s 120Hz. This may sound like a dealbreaker, however we did find that the LCD screen was perfectly sufficient in everyday use. It just means the display is more of a mid-ranger and can’t compete with the likes of the iPad Pro nor the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra.
iPad Pro M5 comes in a 2TB-sized model
Although both the Surface Pro and iPad Pro are available in a few different storage options, the iPad Pro M5 boasts the highest at a whopping 2TB. However, remember you’ll certainly be paying for the privilege, at £1999 / $1999 for the 11-inch or £2299 / $2299.
Otherwise, the biggest storage option for the Surface Pro is 1TB. Both the Surface Pro and iPad Pro come in smaller sizes too, including 256GB and 512GB.
iPad Pro M5 has a 12MP Center Stage front camera
While tablets are rarely praised for their photography prowess, a laptop replacement needs to have a decent front camera for attending virtual meetings and taking video calls.
The iPad Pro M5 is fitted with a 12MP landscape front camera which also sports Apple’s Center Stage technology, to ensure you remain in frame during calls. Comparatively, the Surface Pro’s 1080p webcam is fitted with Microsoft’s AI-powered Eye Contact tool which gives the impression your eyes are always looking straight ahead.
That might sound a bit strange, but we concluded this feature works surprisingly well. Otherwise, we found that the webcam is merely adequate.
Early Verdict
While we’re yet to review the iPad Pro M5, considering it seems to borrow a lot of the specs found in its predecessor, the iPad Pro M4, it looks like a promising choice. However, the powerful chip, OLED display and versatile size and storage options come at a high cost.
Having said that, it isn’t as straightforward to say the Surface Pro is a more affordable option. Sure, its starting price is smaller but you do need to factor in the cost of the accessories too.
We’ll be sure to update this guide once we’ve reviewed the iPad Pro M5. In the meantime, visit our best tablet and best laptops guides to see the top-rated devices we’ve reviewed in 2025.
