Between the Surface Go 4 and Pad 7 Pro, the Surface Go 4 comes out ahead in several specs, while the Pad 7 Pro wins on refresh rate and peak brightness. Overall, the Surface Go 4 scores 49.1 and the Pad 7 Pro scores 61.1 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Pad 7 Pro is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 12.0 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
The Surface Go 4 doesn't pull ahead on any single popular-comparison spec — its strengths sit in the spec table groups rather than the headline advantages.
Pick the Pad 7 Pro if the display is what you stare at all day — refresh rate, brightness, or sharpness is where the difference will be most visible. Its strongest claims are refresh rate, peak brightness, storage, among others.
Both ship with comparable stylus support, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Pad 7 Pro is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Microsoft - Surface Go 4 wins
- No decisive advantages.
Why Xiaomi - Pad 7 Pro wins
- ▲Refresh rate — 140.00% more. 144 Hz vs 60 Hz.
- ▲Peak brightness — 128.57% more. 800 nits vs 350 nits.
- ▲Storage — 100.00% more. 256 GB vs 128 GB.
- ▲RAM — 50.00% more. 12 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲Weight — 21.00 g less. 500 vs 521.
- ▲Screen size — 6.67% more. 11.2 " vs 10.5 ".
Spec comparison
Display
| Spec | Microsoft - Surface Go 4 | Xiaomi - Pad 7 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 10.5 " | 11.2 "lead |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 60 Hz | 144 Hzlead |
| Panelⓘ | LCD | LCD |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 350 nits | 800 nitslead |
Performance
Design
| Spec | Microsoft - Surface Go 4 | Xiaomi - Pad 7 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 521 g | 500 glead |
| Stylus support | true | true |
| Cellular | false | false |
| OS | Windowslead | Android |
Frequently asked
Spec-level deep dives
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