Microsoft Surface 2 RT (32GB) vs Apple iPad Air 2 (4G 128GB)
Side by side comparison between Microsoft Surface 2 RT vs Apple iPad Air 2 tablets, differences, pros, cons and full specifications. What's the better?
,
vs
9.7"
IPS
IPS
1536x2048
8
MP
MP
1.2mp
2GB
RAM
RAM
Triple-core
7340
mAh
mAh
(Non removable)
What's the better tablet? Apple iPad Air 2 (4G 128GB)
The phonemore's choice is much more technical than personal. Therefore, you shouldn't only consider this. Our goal is to help you, but what's important to us may not be important to you. You decide which one is the best! Comment!
6 Advantages 
18 Advantages | 16 Common items in both devices |
| 2GB LPDDR3 |
| 16 million |
| Only digital zoom |
| Autofocus |
| Full HD (1920x1080) |
| Capacitive |
| Multitouch |
| +9 specs and more in the table below |
Check the comparison table below for more items that are not evaluated in comparison score above.
Highlight differences Clear highlight📱 Model features | ||
| Microsoft Surface 2 RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 128GB) | |
| Model | Surface 2 RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 128GB) |
| Other model names | Microsoft Surface RT 2, Microsoft Surface 2 RT | iPad Air 2 A1567 Cellular (4G LTE), iPad 6 |
| Country or region available | feature not registered |  (Global, International) |
| Brand | Microsoft | Apple |
| Release date | 9/23/2013 | 10/24/2014, Announced: 10/16/2014 |
| Depth | 8.9 millimeters (0.35 inches) | 6.1 millimeters (0.24 inches) |
| Size (width x height) | 172.5 x 274.6 millimeters (6.79 x 10.81 in) | 169.5 x 240 millimeters (6.67 x 9.45 in) |
| Weight | 676 grams (23.66 ounces) | 444 grams (15.54 ounces) |
| Build, materials | feature not registered | Aluminum body, glass front |
| Protection against water and others | Not supported | Not supported |
📲 Display | ||
| Microsoft Surface 2 RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 128GB) | |
| Display type | TFT LCD | TFT LED-Backlit IPS LCD |
| Screen size | 10.6" inches | 9.7" inches |
| Screen-to-body ratio | ~65.4% (screen-to-body ratio) | ~71.6% (screen-to-body ratio) |
| Display resolution | 1080x1920 pixels | 1536x2048 pixels (4:3) |
| Touchscreen | Capacitive Multitouch 5-points | Capacitive Multitouch 10-points |
| Pixel density (dot pitch) | 208 PPI | 264 PPI |
| Colors | 16 million | 16 million |
| Scratch-resistant glass | Not supported | Scratch-resistant glass |
| Refresh rate | feature not registered | 60Hz |
| Display features | feature not registered | Not supported |
🤖 Operating System | ||
| Microsoft Surface 2 RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 128GB) | |
| System version | Windows RT 8.1 | iOS 8.0 |
| Firmware update | feature not registered | iPadOS 13 |
| User Interface | feature not registered | feature not registered |
⚙️ Processor | ||
| Microsoft Surface 2 RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 128GB) | |
| Chipset | 32bit: NVIDIA Tegra 4 Wayne (28nm) | 64bit: Apple A8X (20nm) |
| CPU | Penta-core, 1 processor: 5x 1.7GHz ARM Cortex-A15 (Penta-core) | Triple-core, 1 processor: 3x 1.5GHz Typhoon (Triple-core) |
| GPU graphical controller | NVIDIA GeForce ULP MP72 672Mhz | PowerVR GX6450 Rogue (8-core) |
| Performance (benchmark) | feature not registered | Basemark X: 29753 |
💽 Memory and storage | ||
| Microsoft Surface 2 RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 128GB) | |
| RAM memory | 2GB LPDDR3 | 2GB LPDDR3 |
| Internal storage | 32GB (15GB available) | 128GB (117GB available) |
| External storage | Until 64GB microSD, microSDXC (dedicated slot) | Not supported |
📶 Mobile networks | ||
| Microsoft Surface 2 RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 128GB) | |
| Dual-SIM | Not supported | Not supported |
| SIM card | Not supported | 1 slot (Single-SIM) nano-SIM (4FF) |
| Maximum Download / Upload | feature not registered | 100/50 Mbps |
| Network technology | feature not registered | 2G, 3G, 4G |
| Frequency, bands | Expand band details Collapse details | |
| GSM MHz band | Not supported | Quad-Band 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Primary 2G network | Not supported | CDMA 800/1900, GSM 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Primary 3G network | Not supported | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100 |
| Primary 4G network | Not supported | LTE Cat4 (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29) TD-LTE (Bands 38, 39, 40, 41) |
| Primary 5G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Primary data network | Not supported | GPRS, EDGE, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev 0, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev A, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE |
| Secondary 2G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Secondary 3G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Secondary 4G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Secondary data network | Not supported | Not supported |
📷 Camera | ||
| Microsoft Surface 2 RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 128GB) | |
| Back camera (main camera) | 5 megapixels | 8 megapixels |
| Main camera resolution | 2592x1944 pixels | 3264x2448 pixels |
| Video recording (primary) | Full HD (1920x1080) 30 fps | Full HD (1920x1080) 30 fps |
| Flash | LED flash | Not supported |
| Focal aperture | feature not registered | f/2.4 (aperture) |
| Focal length | feature not registered | 31mm lens |
| Sensor size | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Pixel size | feature not registered | 1.12µm pixel |
| Autofocus | Autofocus | Autofocus |
| Touch focus | Not supported | Supported |
| Image stabilization | feature not registered | EIS: Digital stabilization |
| Zoom | Only digital zoom | Only digital zoom |
| Face/smile detection | Face detection | Face detection, Smile detection |
| BSI sensor | Not supported | Supported |
| HDR | Not supported | HDR photo/video and HDR photo on front camera |
| Camera extras | feature not registered | feature not registered |
📸 Front camera | ||
| Microsoft Surface 2 RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 128GB) | |
| Front camera (secondary) | 3.1 megapixels | 1.2 megapixels |
| Front camera resolution | 2048x1536 pixels | 1280x960 pixels |
| Video recording (secondary) | Full HD (1920x1080) | HD (1280x720) |
| Front flash | Not supported | Not supported |
| Focal aperture | feature not registered | f/2.2 (aperture) |
| Focal length | feature not registered | 31mm lens |
| Sensor size | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Pixel size | feature not registered | feature not registered |
🔉 Sound and multimedia | ||
| Microsoft Surface 2 RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 128GB) | |
| Loudspeaker | Supported | Supported |
| Active noise cancellation | 2 microphones or more | 2 microphones or more |
| Radio | Not supported | Not supported |
| TV | Not supported | Not supported |
| Video formats | MP4, DivX, XviD, H.264, H.263, WMV | MP4, H.264, MOV |
| Audio formats | MP3, WAV, WMA, eAAC+, AC3, FLAC | MP3, WAV, eAAC+ |
🔌 Connectivity | ||
| Microsoft Surface 2 RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 128GB) | |
| USB | USB 3.0 | MicroUSB 2.0 |
| Audio output | 3.5mm jack | 3.5mm jack |
| TV output | Micro HDMI Type D | Proprietary TV-out |
| Bluetooth | 4.0 + A2DP | 4.0 + A2DP |
| WiFi | 802.11 a/b/g/n [wifi4] (2.4GHz, 5GHz) | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac [wifi5] (2.4GHz, 5GHz) |
| DLNA | Not supported | Supported |
| GPS | Not supported | A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS |
| NFC | Not supported | Not supported |
| Infrared port | Not supported | Not supported |
🧭 Sensors | ||
| Microsoft Surface 2 RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 128GB) | |
| Sensors | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Compass Gyroscope | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Barometer Compass Fingerprint sensor (front-mounted) Gyroscope |
| Vibrating alert | Supported | Not supported |
🔋 Battery | ||
| Microsoft Surface 2 RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 128GB) | |
| Battery type | Li-Ion: lithium-ion (Non removable) | LiPo: li-ion polymer (Non removable) |
| Battery capacity | feature not registered | 7340 mAh |
| Charger, watts | Wired charging | Wired charging |
| Inductive / wireless charging | feature not registered | Not supported |
| Talk time autonomy | 10 hours | 10 hours |
| Standby | feature not registered | feature not registered |
➕ Other features | ||
| Microsoft Surface 2 RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 128GB) | |
| Call control | Not supported | Voice dialing, Voice recorder, Voice commands |
| Messaging | E-mail, Push mail | SMS (T9), MMS, E-mail, Push mail |
| Hands-free calling | Supported | Supported |
| Video calling | Supported | Supported |
| Ringtones | feature not registered | Polyphonic and customized |
| Web browser | HTML, XHTML, HTML5, Flash player | HTML, XHTML, HTML5 |
| Antenna | Internal antenna | Internal antenna |
| Qwerty physical keyboard | Dock with QWERTY keyboard | Not supported |
| Miscellaneous | • Colors: Dark Titanium • Dual-position kickstand • Optional Touch Cover with keyboard • WiFi Direct • Microsoft Office 2013 RT • USB On-The-Go 1.3 • SkyDrive 200GB for 2 years • Skype free international calls and WiFi for 1 year | • Colors: Space Gray, Silver, Gold • Retina display • Oleophobic coating • AirDrop file sharing • iCloud service • iCloud Keychain • FaceTime HD |
☢️ Radiation rate | ||
| Microsoft Surface 2 RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 128GB) | |
| SAR 1.6W/kg (USA, Mexico, etc.) | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| SAR 2W/kg (Europe, UK, etc.) | feature not registered | feature not registered |