Surface 2 vs iPad 4 vs Tab 3 – War of Tablets!

The history and origins of tablet PCs is quite interesting. Did you know that the first patent for an electronic tablet used for handwriting was approved in 1888? However, the first manufacturer to coin the term ‘Tablet PC’ was Microsoft in 2000. Almost a decade after that, several other companies entered the tablet arena with their own versions of the handheld gadget. Two of them made the most impact in the market namely Apple’s iPad series (released in 2010) and Samsung’€™s Tab series (also released the same year).

Ever since, it has literally been a war of tablets with manufacturers bombarding the market with better and superior versions of tablet devices periodically. Today we have the Apple iPad 4, Samsung Tab 3 and Microsoft Surface 2 all fighting for a piece of the same cake. With so many types and varieties of tablets to choose from, consumers are bound to get confused. If one manufacturer exceeds its rivals in one area, it lags behind in another. This article seeks to give a clear and detailed comparison of the three top tablet devices currently in the market.

Surface 2 Highlights:

Being one of the latest releases in the tablet market, Microsoft Surface 2 comes with a base price of $449 that goes to a whopping $1499 for the Surface Pro 2 version. It has the biggest screen size (10.6″) as compared to its rivals. Released in September 2013, Microsoft Surface 2 has been optimized for 20% extra performance than the previous version. Microsoft has also enhanced the battery timing that supports up to 10 hours multimedia play. As with all Microsoft products, the Surface 2 comes with Windows 8.1 OS. The worst part about Surface 2 is that it is not a GSM device i.e. it will not work on any GSM networks.

iPad 4 Highlights:

The 4^th generation of Apple’€™s iPad tablet was released in October 2012 with a base price $50 higher than Microsoft Surface 2. However, unlike the latter, iPad 4 is a GSM enabled device support all networks worldwide. The screen size is almost 1 inch smaller than Surface, but still much bigger than Samsung’s Tab 3. It comes with iOS 6 which is upgradable to the recently released iOS 7. While its processor is a Dual-Core as compared to Surface 2’s Quad-Core, iPad 4 is still the popular choice for Apple loyalists.

Tab 3 Highlights:

When it comes to giving competition, Samsung has always been there for Apple in both smartphone and tablet PC market. Since 2010, Samsung has been giving Apple a tough time with its release of Tab versions. Samsung Tab 3 has the smallest screens of the three with a 7″€ display. For a business user, it is less feasible but for an average consumer, it is easier to carry. The best part about Tab 3 is that it is based on Android OS which gives users access to largest app market in the world namely Google Play. The camera resolution of Tab 3 is least in comparison to its counterparts as the rear camera is a mere 3.15 Mega Pixels while the front camera is only 1.3 Mega Pixels which is not pleasant for Skype video chat.

Detailed Comparison Chart:

I have also created a detailed yet easy comparison chart between the three rival tablets.

Which One Should You Go For?

In the end, it all depends on your needs and requirements that will determine which of these tablet devices suite you the best. If you are a professional seeking only fast computing with larger screen area to work on, then Surface 2 will be a better option. For those who want a PC cum smartphone, a choice between iPad 4 and Tab 3 will be necessary depending upon the affordability range and usage. If you are looking for freedom of software and apps to download from Google Play, then Tab 3 is the tablet for you.