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Head-to-head

Apple - iPad (11th gen) vs Microsoft - Surface Go 4

Last updated · How Mars Score works
iPad (11th gen)APPLERENDER
Probe A
Apple
iPad (11th gen)
48.3/ 100D
Performance43· 40%
Display54· 32%
Design· 28%
Surface Go 4MICROSOFTRENDER
Probe B
Microsoft
Surface Go 4
49.1/ 100D
Performance46· 40%
Display52· 32%
Design· 28%
Quick verdict

Between the iPad (11th gen) and Surface Go 4, the iPad (11th gen) comes out ahead in weight and peak brightness, while the Surface Go 4 wins on ram. Overall, the iPad (11th gen) scores 48.3 and the Surface Go 4 scores 49.1 on our Mars Score.

Buying advice

Which should you buy?

These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (48.3 vs 49.1). The decision isn't about overall quality — both clear the bar — it's about which specific trade-offs fit your use.

Pick the iPad (11th gen) if the display is what you stare at all day — refresh rate, brightness, or sharpness is where the difference will be most visible. The biggest gaps in its favor are weight, peak brightness, screen size.

Pick the Surface Go 4 if you push the hardware — gaming, on-device AI, heavy multitasking — and the extra compute headroom is worth the trade-offs. Its strongest claims are ram.

Both ship with comparable storage, refresh rate, stylus support, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.

Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity tells you both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.

Why Apple - iPad (11th gen) wins

  • Weight — 44.00 g less. 477 vs 521.
  • Peak brightness — 42.86% more. 500 nits vs 350 nits.
  • Screen size — 4.76% more. 11 " vs 10.5 ".

Why Microsoft - Surface Go 4 wins

  • RAM — 33.33% more. 8 GB vs 6 GB.
Full readout

Spec comparison

Display

SpecApple - iPad (11th gen)Microsoft - Surface Go 4
Screen size11 "lead10.5 "
Refresh rate60 Hz60 Hz
PanelLCDLCD
Peak brightness500 nitslead350 nits

Performance

SpecApple - iPad (11th gen)Microsoft - Surface Go 4
ChipsetApple A16Intel N200
RAM6 GB8 GBlead
Storage128 GB128 GB

Design

SpecApple - iPad (11th gen)Microsoft - Surface Go 4
Weight477 glead521 g
Stylus supporttruetrue
Cellulartrueleadfalse
OSiPadOSWindowslead
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