Microsoft Surface RT (32GB) vs Apple iPad Air 2 (4G 16GB)
Side by side comparison between Microsoft Surface RT vs Apple iPad Air 2 tablets, differences, pros, cons and full specifications. What's the better?
,
10.6"
TFT
TFT
768x1366
1
MP
MP
1mp
2GB
RAM
RAM
Penta-core
4120
mAh
mAh
(Non removable)
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 16GB)
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!
3 Advantages 
21 Advantages | 18 Common items in both devices |
| 60Hz |
| 16 million |
| Only digital zoom |
| Autofocus |
| EIS: Digital stabilization |
| (front) HD (1280x720) |
| Capacitive |
| +11 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 RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 16GB) | |
| Model | Surface RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 16GB) |
| Other model names | Tablet Microsoft Surface RT 1 | iPad Air 2 A1567 Cellular (4G LTE), iPad 6 |
| Country or region available |  (Global, International) | (Global, International) |
| Brand | Microsoft | Apple |
| Release date | 10/26/2012 | 10/24/2014, Announced: 10/16/2014 |
| Depth | 9.4 millimeters (0.37 inches) | 6.1 millimeters (0.24 inches) |
| Size (width x height) | 172 x 274.6 millimeters (6.77 x 10.81 in) | 169.5 x 240 millimeters (6.67 x 9.45 in) |
| Weight | 680 grams (23.8 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 RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 16GB) | |
| Display type | TFT LCD | TFT LED-Backlit IPS LCD |
| Screen size | 10.6" inches | 9.7" inches |
| Screen-to-body ratio | ~65.6% (screen-to-body ratio) | ~71.6% (screen-to-body ratio) |
| Display resolution | 768x1366 pixels | 1536x2048 pixels (4:3) |
| Touchscreen | Capacitive Multitouch 5-points | Capacitive Multitouch 10-points |
| Pixel density (dot pitch) | 148 PPI | 264 PPI |
| Colors | 16 million | 16 million |
| Scratch-resistant glass | Not supported | Scratch-resistant glass |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 60Hz |
| Display features | Not supported | Not supported |
🤖 Operating System | ||
| Microsoft Surface RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 16GB) | |
| System version | Windows RT 8.0 | iOS 8.0 |
| Firmware update | Windows RT 8.1 | iPadOS 13 |
| User Interface | feature not registered | feature not registered |
⚙️ Processor | ||
| Microsoft Surface RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 16GB) | |
| Chipset | 32bit: NVIDIA Tegra 3 (T30L) (40nm) | 64bit: Apple A8X (20nm) |
| CPU | Penta-core, 2 processors: 4x 1.3GHz ARM Cortex-A9 (Quad-core) 1x 500MHz ARM Cortex-A9 (Single-core) | Triple-core, 1 processor: 3x 1.5GHz Typhoon (Triple-core) |
| GPU graphical controller | NVIDIA GeForce ULP MP12 (416MHz) | PowerVR GX6450 Rogue (8-core) |
| Performance (benchmark) | Browsermark: 73180 (v1) | Basemark X: 29753 |
💽 Memory and storage | ||
| Microsoft Surface RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 16GB) | |
| RAM memory | 2GB LPDDR2 | 2GB LPDDR3 |
| Internal storage | 32GB (15GB available) SSD | 16GB (10GB available) |
| External storage | Until 64GB microSD, microSDXC (dedicated slot) | Not supported |
📶 Mobile networks | ||
| Microsoft Surface RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 16GB) | |
| 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 RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 16GB) | |
| Back camera (main camera) | 1 megapixels | 8 megapixels |
| Main camera resolution | 1280x720 pixels | 3264x2448 pixels |
| Video recording (primary) | HD (1280x720) 30 fps | Full HD (1920x1080) 30 fps |
| Flash | Not supported | 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 | EIS: Digital stabilization | EIS: Digital stabilization |
| Zoom | Only digital zoom | Only digital zoom |
| Face/smile detection | Not supported | 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 RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 16GB) | |
| Front camera (secondary) | 1 megapixels | 1.2 megapixels |
| Front camera resolution | 1280x720 pixels | 1280x960 pixels |
| Video recording (secondary) | HD (1280x720) | 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 RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 16GB) | |
| 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 RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 16GB) | |
| USB | USB 2.0 | 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 RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 16GB) | |
| 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 RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 16GB) | |
| Battery type | LiPo: li-ion polymer (Non removable) P21GK3 | LiPo: li-ion polymer (Non removable) |
| Battery capacity | 4120 mAh | 7340 mAh |
| Charger, watts | Wired charging | Wired charging |
| Inductive / wireless charging | Not supported | Not supported |
| Talk time autonomy | 8 hours | 10 hours |
| Standby | 360 hours (15 days) | feature not registered |
➕ Other features | ||
| Microsoft Surface RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 16GB) | |
| 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 • Optional Touch Cover with keyboard • WiFi Direct • Microsoft Office 2013 RT | • Colors: Space Gray, Silver, Gold • Retina display • Oleophobic coating • AirDrop file sharing • iCloud service • iCloud Keychain • FaceTime HD |
☢️ Radiation rate | ||
| Microsoft Surface RT (32GB) | iPad Air 2 (4G 16GB) | |
| 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 |