Is Surface Pro 9 Better Than M2 iPad Pro For STUDENTS? 

Being limited by ipadOS has always been the thing that kept me from buying an ipad pro

" There are certain things you can do with only an iPad, but overall, the surface can do a lot more than the iPad" - one of the best reviews! Thanks Ella.

They can make the ipad m2 faster and faster, but the limitations on software support make it an overpowered niche machine

I've used my Surface for 3 years in classes and it was great! I used OneNote for all my basic Notetaking and then had a full Microsoft Visual Studio installation as well as an SQL Server running on it to code and work with databases during classes. All the ones with iPads had to bring a laptop or use the schools computers which are so bad.... So yeah, if you need a tablet/laptop combo for class definitely go for a Surface Pro. You won't be disappointed!

Thank you for this! I had already bought an iPad for taking notes in class, but I always feel I should bring my laptop also because of the many features you mentioned. The iPad is awesome for certain things, and though the software is limited by the OS you will rarely run into problems with apps or with your device. It's been kind of hard for me to adjust to the iPad ecosystem but using the logitech folio case makes the iPad an amazing lite laptop and great note taking with the apple pencil.

You can attach the keyboard backwards to fold the keys behind the surface pro. Also, drawboard is a decent alternative to goodnotes for the surface if you use one drive for storage organization

The best comparison of these 2 devices I’ve seen so far. Been looking since yesterday on youtube but no one covered every aspect of the devices better than this. Great work and thanks for helping me decide

I've just recently started watching her reviews and I've found that I could understand and tune into the video more than other creators, thank you for your reviews

awesome review. very complete and just what i was looking for thank you! (the 8X slowmo was very useful)

I’m so glad you compared these! Very insightful!

In short, yes. Easier to replace the SSD, easier to play X-box live, and easier to use Excel advance features for finance/economic majors. Also, SP 9 feels like a slim laptop that can be a tablet too. Whereas the M2 Ipad Pro feels like only a tablet.

The surface pro 9 is the only tablet you can use for computer engineering

was looking for a video like this. love it!

Great video and breakdown of the pros and cons of the features of the 2 devices! You just helped me decide my mind! I will pick up the surface pro 9 i5 model. All I need from my “big screen” tablet: - reading articles, comics, novels - take notes - Netflix and RU-vid - browsing with extensions! - programming and software development ( occasionally ) - a more complete full fledged computer experience

I have both, I’ve had a lot of surface products in the past and a lot of apple too. I found the surface a lot more functional and flexible when it comes to functionality, BUT!! I’m gonna say it rn, the surface devices give in relatively fast. I don’t overuse or try to tamper into my devices etc- nah, they just crash. Surface prods sometimes overheat and develop those orange spot screen things, too. (If you touch the screen of surface devices,- especially the art-center end ones, you’ll notice the texture is a lil softer than your usual glass. I think it serves a purpose, but it’s also quite fragile) And sure you can have them fixed, BUT IF YOURE IN SOUTH EAST ASIA! Repairing the surface products are kinda quite obnoxiously expensive. When I moved to Australia, it was a lot more convenient. Overall, function wise, I’d say surface; Long term use- I’d go for the iPad.

Thanks Ella. You gave much needed information.

I love your videos! So much detail is packed into them! Amazing! :)

Just discovered your channel. Your reviewing style and thoroughness is fantastic. Subbed!

Great review! Finally someone who is not geeking out but gives out plain data! Thanks

Good video. For 8:49 in video, actually, you can change page size in OneNote like A4 B5 if you want and you can choose different paper background. Even you take notes in infinite page, Onenote will automatically resize page for exporting your notes as PDF

I used my surface pro 6 during my masters and it improved my studies significantly. I used it both to take handwritten notes in class and to write/run code in practical lessons and project work. It's particularly useful because it runs windows, and that means you are not limited by iOS or android. You can run all windows software without issue. So I went from having to lug around 1 laptop + 1 huge dossier + a book or two, to having one single, lightweight device. It honestly saved my back. So I highly recommend it for more STEM degrees. It's was also a long-term investment, because I continue to use it everyday for work and during my free time for drawing on the AutoDesk Sketchpad. It's really quite versatile. There are a few less positive points though: I've had my pro 6 for 6 years now and I've had to replace the pen tips multiple times (and they are so expensive), the keyboard once and the charging cable twice. The proprietary charging is trash it just keeps losing connection, so I hope they've improved that since. Occasionally the surface really lags out but I've noticed that has improved since I've upgraded to windows 11. With that said though, it's a 6 year-old device, so I hope new versions are significantly better built.

great side by side comparisons - really helped me decide!

I really wish Stage Manager did multi-window more similar to macOS as having to manually resize the apps is such a pain. Definitely better to go for the Surface if it’s going to be your only laptop, but if it’s a secondary device the iPad Pro is really great. I’ve got a MacBook Air M1 and M1 iPad Pro 11” and just love the combo.

Another great comparison video. Thanks Ella!

I'm lucky at the moment to carry both a tablet and laptop to school. On most occasions, I carry just my iPad, using the pencil and goodnotes 5 for biology notes. Then for heavier notes such as geography which requires a lot of writing, I type attaching the magic keyboard and use word. For most cases, the system works well but other times, when I need to do a lot of multi-tasking or look at multiple documents at once, I find my iPad Air running out of ram and not able to keep the tabs that I need open. Also, the screen size is a little small for functional use. Therefore for days when I know I am going to need a powerhouse, I use my HP Spectre X360. I'm really glad goodnotes is coming to windows as hopefully, this might enable me to only take a laptop into school and fold it into a tablet when needed with the pen. Edit: I do really like the iPad for most things though, it always connects to my hotspot (iPhone) consistently and quickly while sometimes my laptop struggles. The IOS continuity helps when copying and pasting images and text from my iPhone to my iPad. Even using apps like iMessage and Facetime are super convenient on an iPad without having to use my phone. Battery life is slightly better but the device is more efficient not ever getting very hot. But one of the biggest features for me, the iPad doesn't use as much data as my laptop does on my hotspot. Even with both devices set to metered connections, the iPad uses considerably less amount of data in comparison which makes a massive difference when I only get 40GB a month.

Thank you for making this video! Superb comparison

Outstanding work, Ma'am. You did a hellava comparison video; very impressive.

Thank you for your excellent comparison and review!

thanks for the detailed breakdown!

Thank you so much for this!!! I am going into nursing school and OMG i was stuck looking between these two for so long. This cleared so much up!!!!

i love how you type on the surface, it is why i am convinced! 0:25

For an up and coming content creator this video exceeded my expectation. Job well done!

This is really informative. I love this. It's interesting to see why some would prefer the Surface and others iPad. For me I use a Samsung tablet and have a laptop. I am looking at getting a new larger tablet or laptop. So this definitely does help. Brilliant video Ella.

Good comparison. Helped me decide between the two. Thanks.

Thank you for stating the conclusion at the beginning. I'll "like" your next 2 videos no matter what just because of that LOL! Of course I watched till the end because your content has always been insightful :)

I used the Surface Book 1 when I was in college, and everyone else either had iPads, Macbooks, or traditional pen and paper. I swear people looked at me when I would casually detach the screen and start using it like a tablet. One classmate in a coding lab even mistook it for a Macbook and did a double-take when I asked for assistance. If you don't care or don't need Apple stuff, I think the Surface lineup is actually a pretty good 2-in-1 package. You can also probably save a little more money as well. (I bought a refurbished one for $600).

Great review, thank you i've just ordered my on amazon

Currently a CS student and I am looking for a device which can act as a tablet but with laptop power and very portable without bringing my massive laptop around. A lot of videos on YT are suggesting either Apple Ipad or Samsung Tab S9 (because of Samsung Dex). I think you got me sold on Surface Pro 9. :) Thanks for the nice and realistic review :)

Good review and a new subscriber here all the way from Japan. I have both devices but I always lean towards the surface when it comes to getting work done. iPad for more for leisure for me

Great video! Keep up the great content!

very comprehensive and clear review. I am gonna Subscribe!!!

I guess one ipad alternative for those in IT is to remote into your home computer or use web computer. Although taking a laptop would be easier for those not as advanced in those areas.

Very helpful, Thank you.

i love your videos, very informative!!!!

my old Macbook Air died on me and I have been trying to decide on a replacement since I start grad school next month. This review was so helpful! thank you!

Very well presented. As a university engineering lecturer, I can only agree with your comments. I have both ecosystems. I use Apple ( iPhone pro 13, MBP13 M1 (from work), MBP 16, Mac mini M1, iPad 10.5, iPad gen 9 (from work) and Studio Display. The Mac mini is needed to drive the Studio Display and a Dell 4K 27 in monitor at the same time. All the Apple gear is because I create a lot of content, filming and audio recording so the interfaces and speed for editing and rendering are superb. However, for work stuff such as writing papers, white boards, OneNote etc the Surface 6 and more recently an 8 are brilliant. Your comments on the keyboard are interesting. On a desk you can use it in flat mode to aide stability and feel. It then emulates the Apple Magic Keyboard but with far more functionality. It’s also I think a bit lighter than the 12.9 iPad Pro and keyboard which some of my students use. So it’s a balance really. iPads are great for consumption and creation of films. Surfaces are better for technical working. For most students a MacBook Air or the cheapest MBP Pro are still great options, especially the M1 chip versions possibly from the Apple refurb store. Installing Parallels enables the user to have a hybrid system as most universities will give free copies of W10 or 11 Edu along with lots of other free software. Then buying a basic iPad Gen 9 and pencil gets you the best of all worlds. Using a proper monitor back in your digs is an excellent idea. Dell offers student discounts so you can get a good 24 in for just over $100. Then get a good keyboard and mouse. Here the Surface pro wins hands down. The Surface keyboard is excellent. The Logitech MX keys is superb and would be my recommendation as it can drive 3 devices and both windows and Apple. You only get one set of eyes so a large monitor helps, reduces eye strain and related headaches and definitely improves posture to protect you neck and back. Also get a good desk lamp for reading paper notes.

As an architecture student the classes are a whitewash of iPads in the first half of the year when sketching ideas is priority and a whitewash of gaming laptops in the second half of the year when final drawings are required. There’s virtually no surfaces as there’s no windows procreate and the surfaces overheat to oblivion when given a final render. I guess it entirely depends on your course.

Why lock yourself into Apple's ecosystem? With the surface you get a full operating system that is far more flexible. iPads are just a style over substance choice.

I very much appreciate your honest take on tech 👍

Agree with all your main points, especially on app availability. Maybe not relevant to students but Lumafusion is an iPad video-editing app that many pros use. I have more issues with the poor file handling on the iPad. This, to me, is its major obstacle.

For taking notes I prefer the iPad (I don't use OneNote), but overall for school my older Surface Pro 7 was just better. All of my school's apps/programs as a Mechanical Engineering major are all made for Windows while very few of them are made for iPadOS. That couple with the ability to take notes as well made me get a Surface Pro 7 while I ended up using the iPad Pro more for a gaming/entertainment device that I could also take notes with.

I just want to add something that I think is quite important: the SQ3 version of the surface pro 9, because it's an ARM based SoC, cannot run quite a few apps, even when the device is running windows, because most of the apps, on windows, are made for x86 procesors.

Totally agree with your conclusion for the use case presented. While I prefer my MacBook/iPad combo now, if I could only have one device then the surface pro works well. I used a surface pro for a few years and only stopped using it because as my usage increased due to work from home, the size of the screen became to much of a hinderance - my home setup doesn't have room for a full-size desktop monitor. A MacBook as the main driver with the iPad for light portable duties (noting the MacBook is also pretty portable) suits me now.

Thank you for your first review of surface laptop!

Excellent video. THANK YOU 👍

There id also one thing to add about surface pro features, is that when you fold back the keyboard, win 11 switches automatically to tablet mode, or you can use the semi flipped keyboad as a stand especially when put on a non flat area (stomach/sheets...)

you know what.. you are the first RU-vidr that does a very unbiased review. I feel like other RU-vidrs are somehow trying to cater to apple in their reviews. when it comes down to it I am more interested in capability than looks....

Wow!!! Super Useful Review!!!❤❤

Great review. I am in the market for a device and have been trying to compare which one to go with.

Yeah, if you could only use one device a desktop operating system is always superior. I personally use an iPad when I’m on the move. As a graphic design major it’s great for sketching and taking notes, but adobe apps are lackluster on the iPad and the Affinity apps just aren’t industry standard despite being very close to their desktop counterparts. So I mostly do first drafts on my iPad for its mobile convenience then switch to my desktop for finishing touches (and anything multitasking related).

Very very good review. Well done

@4:15 I loved the 'dramatic reenactment ' 😆

Best 13mins video I've watched all year

Wow. This is the review we are looking for

Thanks Ella for a very helpful review! What size of the iPad Pro is in your video? 11 inches?

Nice video, I like your honesty in reviewing the products, unlike some RU-vidrs, you avoided sugarcoating. Great job 👏

not bad , all points included, very informative, thank you

Just found your channel. Soo refreshing to see a tech girl. :)

Can you make some of the examples of the sense of taking notes on textbooks and stuff? because it's really important not just for taking notes only, but to annotate textbooks as well

Hands down the best lady reviewer out there and probably the best reviewer in any case as well. It feels soothing to watch your content- wish that you upload more videos lol. Thanks a ton for your effort- Keep up the good work😀😀.

Good to see the Quadratic Equation making an appearance!!! :D

There is one thing that you didn't really mention that I think can add a lot of clarity. Inform at the beginning that you have an SQ3 version and explain what that is. I love my Surface Pro 9 and know what SQ3 is but honestly not many people do. Other than that, Love the Vid!

Feels like adding the 5G detail since this is comparing the ARM version and not the Intel chip. Great overall review!

The ipad is just a extra device to do specific things . For example is great if you are a comic artist / tattoo artist and it's nice for sketching on the go . Surface is a full Pc with the same input you find on the ipad for same or less money . So if you don't need something that it's exclusive for IPAD only ... surface will be always better for students or every scenario as well :3

My phone, tablet with pen and laptop are the perfect trio in my classes. Every single one of them has some potential that the other one simply can't reach.

I once heard someone say that an Ipad is only good if the major you are studying is one of those that is essentially a hobby for the ones studying a real major, lol

exactly the same problems i had with samusng android tablet! thanks for talking about these comp science students issues :) I currently plan to switch to surface completely

My sister (who’s a student) really likes the Surface 9

0:25 Ella's typing skill and technique.... Flawless 😎😯😁

Your reviews are perfect

I tried to use the iPad Pro for classes that should ostensibly be fantastic for the iPad (chemistry, physics, and math), but failed every time. Google Docs is severely limited on the iPad and the lack of ability to use Chromium browsers makes it impossible to use the web version which provides support for citation managers, LaTEX, and other extensions, which is highly important when writing up lab reports. The same is true for MS Word. So even if an iPad technically has the same apps, at least in name, as a regular Mac or Windows computer, there’s no guarantee that they’ll be even remotely as good, especially for upper level high school or university students who demand more than a very basic word processor. Also my math class, which is online, required the use of a lock down browser, which cannot be installed on an iPad. I have a friend at school who only used an iPad and when everyone went remote he had to borrow his dad’s old Windows laptop just to take tests.

would love a 10-11 inch version of surface pro

This was such a well balanced review. I wanted a surface while in college but I needed power for video editing so I got a beefy MacBook. It then died but I had a giant gaming pc at my house so I got a Chromebook for like $200 with an employee discount and took notes on that. I wish they’d just add chrome extensions to iPad OS.

Yes it is. In fact, I would go as far as claiming that the surface pro 9 is the ONLY useful tablet for students.

Finally someone on you tube speaks about that iPad university problem

Not the quadratic formula equation HAHAHA i loved the video

Thanks for your comparison in real life experience 👍🏻

I'm using a surface pro 8 for over a year now abd I use it in school for notes, at home as a laptop and as a tablet for watching youtube. If I had bought an ipad, i'd still need to buy a laptop.

When I used my iPhone as a note taking device I liked to use one notes, always thought that if I went for an iPad I would prolly use it for good. Instead I chose s6 lite, no regret!

Brilliant comparison ❤

Thanks. A straight up answer was required and a straight up answer was given.

Great video! How do you manage to get all these laptops / tablets?

Dang it Logisim ! Just had a project for one of my classes 🥶🤣

I have an Ipad Pro but would like to upgrade to a Surface since the former is severely limited for my use as a Computer Science student. Is there a way to take notes that goes hand in hand with recorded voice, as in Notability or Goodnotes for that matter? 😅

Teach you: You can dual boot win10(bitlocker protected) with fydeos(encrypted by default, a chromeos /w android runtime, made in china). you can optionally config refind (1. use preloader method, use the gnu binary + 2. nextboot feature to fullfill the secureboot) Anyway i have to enter uefi to turn secureboot on/off each time i SWITCH OS. worth it

This was very good video. Most videos like this is usually just Apple fanboy talking about how great the iPad is and nitpicking the littlest thing about the Surface. I have used both and there Pros and Cons to each. Again awesome video!

For a medical student having more use of taking notes which one is better to buy?

I bought a surface pro 9 today and if it weren’t for these great reviews and comparisons I wouldn’t have it! Love it, thank you

Great comparison. Excellent video! 👍

I use surface pro for work and Ipad mini for media consumption and note taking. I'm comfortable with this setup.