Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Microsoft - Surface Go 4 | Xiaomi - Pad 7 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 144 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 350 nits | 800 nits |
| Storage | 128 GB | 256 GB |
| RAM | 8 GB | 12 GB |
| Weight | 521 g | 500 g |
| Screen size | 10.5 " | 11.2 " |
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 / peak brightness. Overall, the Surface Go 4 scores 54.9 and the Pad 7 Pro scores 63.9 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Pad 7 Pro is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 9.0 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 does not 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. The single most decisive one: Refresh rate — 140.00% more. 144 Hz vs 60 Hz.
Both ship with comparable stylus support, so those specs do not 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.
Which should you buy: Microsoft - Surface Go 4 or Xiaomi - Pad 7 Pro?
Xiaomi - Pad 7 Pro leads the current Mars Score by 9.0 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 Microsoft - Surface Go 4 if…
Microsoft - Surface Go 4 does not lead a decisive measured field here, so choose it for price, ecosystem, design, or availability when those matter more to you.
Choose Xiaomi - Pad 7 Pro if…
Xiaomi - Pad 7 Pro has the measurable edge on refresh rate hz, peak brightness nits, storage 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 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 |