Microsoft has unveiled the second generation for both of its tablet offerings.  The Surface 2 and the Surface Pro 2 still look like their predecessors, but there are a few exceptions.

First, the kickstand can now be angled at much wider stance, so the screen can incline lower or higher, depending on your choice.  The Windows logo at the back of the device has been replaced with the Surface logo, and the Pro 2 comes with two new accessories; the Power Keyboard, which will give the Surface Pro 2 seventy-five percent more battery juice; and the Docking Station, which will give the Surface Pro 2 some extra ports.

The downside of the original Surface Pro was its battery life, but its new processor promises to consume far less power – hence, users can expect to do more with a single charge. Question is, what other features does it offer to make consumers drop their iPads?

Surface Pro 2 vs The iPad 4

Design

Surface Pro 2: VaporMg casing, Dark Titanium color, with volume and power buttons

iPad with Retina Display: has an aluminum unibody which makes the device light, with external buttons and controls for power/sleep, volume and Home button

Dimension

Surface Pro: Height 10.81” x Width 6.81” x Depth 0.53”, Weight 2 lbs

iPad: 9.5” x 7.31” x 0.37”, 1.44 lbs for the WiFi only version and 1.46 lbs for the WiFi + Cellular version.

Display

Surface Pro 2: 10.6″ ClearType Full HD display, 1920 x 1080p, 16:9 (widescreen), 10-point multitouch

iPad: 9.7‑inch (diagonal) LED-backlit Multi‑Touch display with IPS technology, 2048 x1536 resolution at 264 pixels per inch (ppi), Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating

Processor

Surface Pro 2: Fourth generation Intel Core i5 processor that delivers faster performance and 75 percent more battery life

iPad: Dual-core A6X with quad-core graphics

Operating System

Surface Pro 2: Windows 8.1

iPad: iOS 6 upgradable to iOS 7

Wireless

Surface Pro 2: Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0 low energy technology

iPad: 802.11a/b/g/n Wi‑Fi (802.11n 2.4GHz and 5GHz), Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology; cellular version also features GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz), LTE (Bands 2, 4, 5, 17), or CDMA EV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B (800, 1900, 2100 MHz), GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz), LTE (Bands 1, 3, 5, 13, 25)

Battery Life

Surface Pro 2: 42 W-h

iPad: Built-in 42.5-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-polymer battery, up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi‑Fi, watching video, or listening to music, charging via power adapter or USB to computer system, Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi‑Fi, watching video, or listening to music, up to 9 hours of surfing the web using cellular data network

Storage

Surface Pro 2: 64GB and 128GB with 4GB of RAM, 256GB and 512GB with 8GB RAM

iPad: 16/32/64/128GB

Ports

Surface Pro 2: Full-size USB 3.0, MicroSDXC card slot, Headset jack, Mini DisplayPort, Cover port

iPad: 3.5-mm stereo headphone minijack, microSIM tray

Sensors

Surface Pro 2: Ambient light sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Magnetometer

iPad: Three-axis gyro, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor

Camera

Surface Pro 2: Rear and front 720p cameras

iPad: 1.2MP FaceTime, 5MP iSight

Price and availability

Surface Pro 2: Starts at $899, Available in retail stores on October 22, 2013

iPad: Starts at $499, Available in Apple Stores, online, on Carriers networks and some partner retail stores.

Other features:

Surface Pro 2: Free Skype calling to landlines in more than 60 countries, unlimited Skype WiFi at more that 2 million hotspots worldwide for one year, 200GB of free SkyDrive storage for two years, comes with a Surface Pen that is pressure sensitive, built-in microphone, stereo speakers with enhanced signal processing; includes apps such as Mail, Calendar, People, Internet Explorer 11, Photos, Music, Video, Games, Skype, Fresh Paint, Calculator, Reading List, Reader, Scan, News, Weather, Sports, Travel, Finance, Health & Fitness, Food & Drink, Help, Camera, SkyDrive, Sound Recorder and more.

iPad: Built-in speaker, Microphone, Wi‑Fi, Digital compass, Assisted GPS and GLONASS, Cellular; comes with apps such as Safari, Mail, Messages, Photos, FaceTime, Newsstand, App Store, iTunes, Videos, Maps, Music, Game Center, Photo Booth, Clock, Contacts, Reminders, Calendar, Notes, Camera.

The Verdict:

The price and the weight of the Surface Pro 2 can turn consumers the other way, but if you consider that this is actually a computer trapped inside a tablet, then you’d have to agree that the price is quite reasonable.

Though the cameras on the Surface Pro 2 are poor compared to what the iPad offers, it’s meant to be used for communication, not for taking photos or videos when you’re out.  And seriously, people look really stupid when people use their tablets for that.  You are blocking the view of people behind you.

If what Microsoft says is true that the Pro 2’s battery is longer because of the new chip, then you actually have a powerful computer you can take anywhere with you.  And unlike the iPad, which is just a tablet and has limited productivity offerings, anyone looking at buying such a device for productivity is sure to get more out of their money if they purchase the Surface Pro 2.