Apple iPad Pro vs. Microsoft Surface Pro 3: price, specs, and feature comparison; which is the best buy?

Since Apple released the iPad Pro, people have been wondering how it stands against Microsoft's Surface Pro 3. Both tablet hybrids cost pretty much the same and are marketed towards the same people -- the workforce.

According to PC Mag, both tablet hybrids share nearly similar specs, at least in terms of screen size, weight, and screen resolution, with the iPad Pro bearing noticeable adjustments.

Both Pro tablets start with a 12-inch screen size, with the iPad Pro being 0.9-inches bigger.

The iPad Pro has a screen display at 264 ppi and 2732 x 2048 pixels, compared to the Surface Pro 3 which has 216 ppi and at 2160 x 1440 pixels.

In terms of weight, the iPad Pro is lighter than the Surface Pro 3. Apple's hybrid tablet weighs at 1.57 lbs, while Microsoft's device weighs at 1.76 lbs.

The iPad Pro is also thinner, being only 0.27 inches thick, as opposed to the Surface Pro 3's 0.36 inches.

The iPad Pro has two cameras: a 1.2 MP camera in the front and an 8 MP rear-facing camera, while, the Surface Pro 3 is equipped with a 5 MP front camera and a 1080p rear-facing camera at the back.

The internals of the two devices are quite different, with the iPad Pro utilizing the company's new A9X chip, which Apple claims is 1.8 times faster than the company's previous flagship chip, the A8x, which is found on the iPad Air 2.

The Surface Pro 3, on the other hand, uses a real laptop chip, from the energy saving Intel Core i3 to the powerful Intel Core i7.

The operating system of the two devices are very different however, as the iPad Pro still utilizes iOS, an operating system designed for mobile devices, as opposed to the Microsoft's Surface Pro 3, which uses a full-blown Windows OS.

Business News Daily states that this distinction may matter much for power users, as most business-related software are designed to run optimally on full a full operating system, like Apple's OS X.

However, the iPad Pro does have Apple's massive App Store behind it, which may even out the odds when it comes to software that can be used with the device.

Both devices are purchased separately from their most important accessories, the stylus and the keyboard cover.

For users to be able to enjoy the full iPad Pro experience, they must purchase the $99 Apple Pencil and the $169 Smart Keyboard cover.

The Surface Pro 3 also has these accessories, though they sell for less, with the stylus being $49 and the Smart Keyboard Cover costing $129.

Of course, it must be noted that the Surface Pro 3 is Microsoft's flagship tablet last year. Apple's iPad Pro may beat the Surface Pro 3 on many quarters, but stacked with Microsoft's Surface Pro 4, which is set to be released later this year, the story may be different.