iPad Air 13‑inch M4 vs Microsoft Surface Pro 8
Verdict: The iPad Air 13‑inch M4 outperforms the Surface Pro 8 in raw CPU benchmarks (2,200 vs 1,200 single‑core per Geekbench 6) and offers a slimmer, lighter design (6 mm vs 8.3 mm thickness). Its lower price ($949 vs $999) and longer software‑support horizon give it a clear value edge, though the Surface Pro 8 wins for users who need full Windows 11 and a detachable keyboard. Overall, the iPad Air is the stronger all‑round tablet for most consumers.
iPad Air 13‑inch M4 lists at $949 while Microsoft Surface Pro 8 lists at $899 — Microsoft Surface Pro 8 undercuts iPad Air 13‑inch M4 by $50 (6%).
Winner: iPad Air 13‑inch M4
iPad Air 13‑inch M4: 7.5/10
Microsoft Surface Pro 8: 6.5/10
Spec-by-spec comparison
| iPad Air 13‑inch M4 | Microsoft Surface Pro 8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 13‑inch Liquid Retina | 13‑inch PixelSense |
| Processor | Apple M4 | 12th Gen Intel Core i5/i7 or SQ3 |
| RAM | — | up to 16 GB |
| Storage | — | up to 256 GB SSD |
iPad Air 13‑inch M4
What works
- Apple M4 delivers strong performance for tablet tasks
- All‑day battery life (up to 10 h mixed use per Apple)
What doesn't
- No native support for external GPUs
Microsoft Surface Pro 8
What works
- Runs full Windows 11 for desktop apps
- Detachable keyboard adds laptop‑like ergonomics
- Supports both Intel and ARM configurations
What doesn't
- Heavier than most tablets (≈ 891 g)
- Processor generation is now two generations old
Bottom line
Our pick: iPad Air 13‑inch M4.
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