Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Apple - iPad (11th gen) | Microsoft - Surface Go 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 477 g | 521 g |
| Peak brightness | 500 nits | 350 nits |
| RAM | 6 GB | 8 GB |
| Screen size | 11 " | 10.5 " |
Between the iPad (11th gen) and Surface Go 4, the iPad (11th gen) comes out ahead in weight / peak brightness, while the Surface Go 4 wins on ram. Overall, the iPad (11th gen) scores 55.8 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 (55.8 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 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. The single most decisive one: Weight — 44.00 g less. 477 vs 521.
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. The single most decisive one: RAM — 33.33% more. 8 GB vs 6 GB.
Both ship with comparable storage, refresh rate, stylus support, so those specs do not 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 says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Which should you buy: Apple - iPad (11th gen) or Microsoft - Surface Go 4?
Apple - iPad (11th gen) leads the current Mars Score by 0.9 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare screen size, ram against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Apple - iPad (11th gen) if…
Apple - iPad (11th gen) has the measurable edge on weight g, peak brightness nits, screen size in.
Choose Microsoft - Surface Go 4 if…
Microsoft - Surface Go 4 has the measurable edge on ram gb.
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 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.
Spec comparison
Display
| Spec | Apple - iPad (11th gen) | 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 (11th gen) | Microsoft - Surface Go 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 477 glead | 521 g |
| Stylus support | true | true |
| Cellular | truelead | false |
| OS | iPadOS | Windowslead |