iPad Pro and Apple Pencil Compared to Surface Pro 4 and Surface Pen - MacRumors
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iPad Pro and Apple Pencil Compared to Surface Pro 4 and Surface Pen

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Apple released the iPad Pro last week as a direct competitor to Microsoft's new Surface Pro 4. The high-end tablets are primarily targeted at creative professionals, with the companion Apple Pencil and Surface Pen available as precise input tools to complement your finger.

iMore has shared a new video that compares sketching with the Apple Pencil on the iPad Pro to the Surface Pen on Microsoft's new Surface Book, which has equivalent display technology as the Surface Pro 4.


Editor Serenity Caldwell found the Surface Pen to be "about as responsive" as the Apple Pencil, but said Microsoft's stylus pressure was slightly harder to control and had more trouble at writing small type.

The Verge has created a similar video that provides more of a high-level comparison of the iPad Pro vs. Surface Pro 4, while also touching upon the Apple Pencil and Surface Pen and showing some limited usage of each accessory.

Editor Jacob Kastrenakes called the Apple Pencil "one of the best" he has ever used, adding that the Surface Pen "can be a little less natural" but benefits from having a hardware eraser -- which the Apple Pencil doesn't have.


Kastrenakes said the Apple Pencil is "really responsive" and has "amazing palm rejection," and he offered similar accolades for the Surface Pen, although quality will vary from app to app on both the iPad Pro and Surface Pro 4.

Apple Pencil online orders began to see movement earlier this week, while Apple retail stores started receiving more reliable Apple Pencil shipments on Tuesday for in-store purchase. The accessory is available to ship in 4-5 weeks online.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Tags: Apple Pencil Guide, Surface Pen, Surface Pro 4
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: iPad Accessories

Top Rated Comments

M
Marx55
136 months ago
Apple should make a Mac tablet.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dannys1 Avatar
dannys1
136 months ago
She's wearing an Apple Watch. 1. According to this forum no one bought one 2. She's drinking "that Apple koolaid" (whatever that ridiculous expression means) so her opinion is massively biased towards Apple...

Apple should make a Mac tablet.
And no. No they shouldn't.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Joseph C Avatar
Joseph C
136 months ago
That iMore video REALLY annoyed me the way the angle of the camera prevented you seeing the tip of the pencil touching the screen to see the latency.

Any direct angled shot of "pen to pad" was sped up, and the real time shots were obscured by her hand.

Surely deliberate? Unquestionably annoying.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Icaras Avatar
Icaras
136 months ago
Apple should make a Mac tablet.
Nah.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ThunderSkunk Avatar
ThunderSkunk
136 months ago
Apple has made it clear that their vision for tablet computing is limited to mobile devices, essentially PDA's, and they have no greater vision of how creative people & professionals will work more efficiently going forward into the future. ...or they can see it, but have decided that like every other area of the once thriving "pro" product line, it's not worth the investment. They'd rather sell short lifecycle watches and phones and cars to teenagers with disposable income.

And so, it falls upon, of all companies, Microsoft, to grab the baton and make the bigger strides pushing computing forward again. ...and we know how that goes.

This will be the biggest missed opportunity for Apple to lead of Cooks career.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
J
JackieInCo
136 months ago
Apple should make a Mac tablet.
They just want to pass the iPad Pro off as one. It's no Surface competitor.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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