Microsoft today shared an ad that pits the Surface Pro 7 against Apple's iPad Pro, in a continuation of a Surface Pro 7 vs. MacBook ad campaign that kicked off in January.
The ad highlights the Surface Pro 7's kickstand, pointing out that the iPad does not have a built-in kickstand option, and it calls the iPad Pro's keyboard "a lot heavier" than the Surface option.
Microsoft also goes for the dongle angle, pointing out that the iPad Pro only has a single USB-C port while the Surface Pro 7 has several available ports. "You wanna be this guy?" says the actor in the ad, while holding up an iPad with a dongle attached.
"iPad Pro's just a tablet," adds the actor. "Surface is a whole computer and a tablet." The ad ends by pointing out the price with the iPad Pro Smart Keyboard, which comes to $1,348 for the 12.9-inch model ($999 + $349 for the keyboard). Microsoft's Surface Pro 7 is priced starting at $750, and Microsoft says the version used in the ad is $880, which includes the cost of the keyboard.
Microsoft's previous Surface Pro 7 ad compared the tablet to the MacBook Pro, pointing out its touchscreen vs. the Touch Bar and calling the Surface Pro a "much better gaming device" than the MacBook Pro.
Microsoft often likes to position its Surface line as a tablet/computer experience that Apple is unable to compete with because it has no convertible devices. Intel too has been claiming that touchscreen-based convertible computers are better than Apple's M1 Macs in its ongoing anti-Mac ad campaign.
Apple executives have long said that they have no plans to combine the Mac and iPad lineups, and Apple engineering chief Craig Federighi said in November that Apple does not have plans for a touchscreen Mac.
Top Rated Comments
At the same time, Microsoft cherry picks its strength. That is, Surface Pro is neither a great notebook nor great tablet. iPad has far more compelling selection of apps and superior industrial design, and iPadOS offers superior tablet experience.
I would much rather carry entry level iPad ($329) and entry level MacBook Air ($999) than 2-in-1 Jack-of-all-trade-master-of-none device like Surface Pro 7.
Comparison over.
PS: ..and Intel.
The iPad Pro is no laptop, but you get the best tablet experience available, best performance, battery life, app support, etc.