Between the iPad Air 11 M3 and Surface Go 4, the iPad Air 11 M3 comes out ahead in weight and peak brightness, while the Surface Go 4 wins on several specs. Overall, the iPad Air 11 M3 scores 50 and the Surface Go 4 scores 49.1 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (50 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 Air 11 M3 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.
The Surface Go 4 similarly doesn't carry a headline advantage on the popular specs — look at the full table for category-specific deltas.
Both ship with comparable ram, storage, refresh rate, 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 Air 11 M3 wins
- ▲Weight — 61.00 g less. 460 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
- No decisive advantages.
Spec comparison
Display
| Spec | Apple - iPad Air 11 M3 | Microsoft - Surface Go 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 11 "lead | 10.5 " |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 60 Hz | 60 Hz |
| Panelⓘ | LCD | LCD |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 500 nitslead | 350 nits |
Performance
Design
| Spec | Apple - iPad Air 11 M3 | Microsoft - Surface Go 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 460 glead | 521 g |
| Stylus support | true | true |
| Cellular | truelead | false |
| OS | iPadOS | Windowslead |
Frequently asked
Spec-level deep dives
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