Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy Tab A9+ | Microsoft - Surface Go 4 |
|---|---|---|
| RAM | 4 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage | 64 GB | 128 GB |
| Refresh rate | 90 Hz | 60 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 480 nits | 350 nits |
| Weight | 491 g | 521 g |
| Screen size | 11 " | 10.5 " |
Between the Galaxy Tab A9+ and Surface Go 4, the Galaxy Tab A9+ comes out ahead in refresh rate / peak brightness, while the Surface Go 4 wins on ram / storage. Overall, the Galaxy Tab A9+ scores 55.4 and the Surface Go 4 scores 54.9 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (55.4 vs 54.9). The decision is not about overall quality — both clear the bar — it is about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the Galaxy Tab A9+ 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 refresh rate, peak brightness, weight, among others. The single most decisive one: Refresh rate — 50.00% more. 90 Hz vs 60 Hz.
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, storage, stylus support. The single most decisive one: RAM — 100.00% more. 8 GB vs 4 GB.
There are no meaningful ties on the headline specs — every popular-comparison metric has a winner.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Which should you buy: Samsung - Galaxy Tab A9+ or Microsoft - Surface Go 4?
Samsung - Galaxy Tab A9+ leads the current Mars Score by 0.5 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare screen size, ram, storage, refresh rate against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Samsung - Galaxy Tab A9+ if…
Samsung - Galaxy Tab A9+ has the measurable edge on refresh rate hz, peak brightness nits, weight g.
Choose Microsoft - Surface Go 4 if…
Microsoft - Surface Go 4 has the measurable edge on ram gb, storage gb, has pencil support.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Samsung - Galaxy Tab A9+ wins
- ▲Refresh rate — 50.00% more. 90 Hz vs 60 Hz.
- ▲Peak brightness — 37.14% more. 480 nits vs 350 nits.
- ▲Weight — 30.00 g less. 491 vs 521.
- ▲Screen size — 4.76% more. 11 " vs 10.5 ".
Why Microsoft - Surface Go 4 wins
- ▲RAM — 100.00% more. 8 GB vs 4 GB.
- ▲Storage — 100.00% more. 128 GB vs 64 GB.
- ▲Has Stylus support.
Spec comparison
Display
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy Tab A9+ | Microsoft - Surface Go 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 11 "lead | 10.5 " |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 90 Hzlead | 60 Hz |
| Panelⓘ | LCD | LCD |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 480 nitslead | 350 nits |
Performance
Design
| Spec | Samsung - Galaxy Tab A9+ | Microsoft - Surface Go 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 491 glead | 521 g |
| Stylus support | false | truelead |
| Cellular | truelead | false |
| OS | Android | Windowslead |