iPad Pro (12.9” + 11”) 2020 vs Surface Pro 7 | Note-taking Comparison! By Noah Herman

Tablet computing is all the rage now, and I would know, because I can see your interest in my tablet or Hans content, and recently I repurchase, the Surface Pro 7, to compare to the brand-new Surface Book, 3 of the surface laptop 3 and, of course, the iPad Pro 2020, and that's exactly what I'm doing today in regard to digital note-taking. So in this video I'll be talking about tablet, pricing, the styluses and, of course, I'll be comparing the apps you get with these devices some similar and, of course, some different between these two operating systems, but before we continue here, I'd really appreciate it. If you people like on this video comment, if you have any questions, suggestions or opinions as the YouTube algorithm likes that and will help push my content to more people, and if you are recurring, viewer go ahead and click the bell icon and enable all notifications. It does help the channel out a lot alright. So first up, let's talk about the individual costs of this tablet, setups and then, of course, talk about their respective styluses. So the Microsoft Surface Pro 7 with the Microsoft 10, goes for around 870 to $1000, together, depending on where you get it without taxed, whereas an iPad Pro setup with the Apple Pencil goes for around 9:30 to 11:30 without taxes, at least in the U.

S. here, and that, of course has to do with your ability to buy the 11-inch model and the 12 point 9 inch model. So there's a bit more variability here, and also you have to factor in education, pricing and other discounts which I can't, you know, guarantee or mention, because I'm sure they vary from country to country. As for the stylists is both, of course, magnetically attached to their designated tablet, which is pretty convenient, I'll, be it they are powered or charged differently. I guess.

The surface pen here is powered by a quadruple, a battery that you have to replace from time to time, whereas the Apple Pencil, 2nd generation is rechargeable and recharges via a little side, port or piece on the iPad here when it's magnetically attached. As for ergonomics, I think both of these styluses are pretty comfortable. I think the comfortability factor might lean a bit in favor of the Apple Pencil because it is smoother and a bit thinner. However, the surface pen does feel more premium as it's constructed out of metal, and it has like clickable buttons like a little right-click button on here, as well as a clickable back button which can toggle things like whiteboard, for example, and act as an eraser, and I'll demo that when I get into some of these apps, and I'm gonna, compare here another thing to notice at the surface pen a bit more drag and resistance, which I do particularly enjoy when I'm writing notes and such, but despite their differences, these styluses have an important common factor, and that is pressure sensitivity, which is absolutely vital if you're doing any kind of digital artwork. Next up, I want to quickly talk about displays here are the aspect: ratios are definitely different, although they are a bit similar.

We have a 3 by 2's big ratio with the Surface Pro 7 and a 4 by 3 or 4 by 3 is aspect ratio with the iPad Pro, depending on what size do you get here and of course you can choose between an 11 inch and a 12 point.9-inch, iPad Pro wears with the Surface Pro 7, you get a single 12 point, 3 inch size. Another major display difference here is in refresh rate, we have a 60 Hertz panel at the surface, pro 7, whereas with both iPad Pro sizes, we have a 120 Hertz. Pro motion display double the refresh rate of its competitor here. So it's a really nice feature. It makes the overall UI and writing experience a bit more fluid and lively.

However, depending on what your needs are, this might not matter, but it is a nice feature. Nonetheless, ok, so with the pricing and stylus and the spec comparisons out of the way now, I want to start comparing apps on the first shoe. I want to open are the default note-taking experiences within Windows 10 and iPadOS. So within Windows we have the whiteboard app, which I can toggle with the little eraser button on the surface pen here and then, of course, we have the Notes app with iPadOS, and while these apps may look a bit different and function a bit different, fundamentally, they offer you the same capability, which is quick note-taking with your tablet here, particularly handwriting note-taking. So I can write something with my surface pen here on my Surface Pro hello, for example, on some squiggly lines and if I want to erase them, I can flip the pen around and erase like so no toggling or tapping like you have to do with the Apple Pencil.

So I can also write something on my iPad Pro here and not going to lie. The refresh rate is a really nice thing with this tablet. It makes writing feel a bit more lively and a bit less digital. However, I don't think it's going to be the biggest deciding factor. So don't get too worked up about it here and if I want to erase something I can double tap on the pencil to toggle the eraser tool, or I have to actually go to the eraser tool and select it.

I also want to highlight some similarities here with the menus. You can toggle a ruler which both appear in a sort of similar way, so that's kind of funny. They might be copying each other Apple and Microsoft. You also have the ability to change your pen, color here in size and whatnot, but of course there are some unique aspects, for example, with the Notes app you toggle a pencil and take advantage of the pressure, sensitivity and sort of sketch, whereas with the whiteboard app here, you get a unique tool called the galaxy pen which allows you to color or draw in this sort of galaxy pattern, which is sort of novelty, but fun I would say another commonality is the ability to type text notes within your note or whiteboard entry. I will say, though, with the iPad.

You do have a bit more control here over how your text looks. You know if you want it to be heading or subheading or italicized or underlined, or have struck through any sort of indentation with the Microsoft whiteboard app um. Furthermore, you can type text and move it around, but that's about it, but before we continue with the next app comparison, I want to quickly talk about today's video sponsor. Paper-Like. Surprise, surprise: this is an iPad Pro video about note-taking.

What did you expect, but honestly I wouldn't continue to promote a product that I didn't actually stand behind? This is my personal twelve point: nine-inch iPad Pro I am consistently note-taking and just planning and handwriting with it, and before I bought an iPad Pro I was huge on pen and paper, and pen and pencil I had dozens of composition. Notebooks I was always handwriting and note-taking and when I finally got this device, I was so happy to have everything in one place, but I missed that sort of real-life paper feel, and this is exactly what you regain with a paper like screen protector. Not only are you protecting your screen from scratches, but you get this really great. Matte rough feel um. That will make your stylus the Apple Pencil feel more like a real-life pen or pencil.

So if you are big on note-taking or drawing or sketching like I am I would definitely consider buying this screen protector. It's the best in class in terms of texture and then in regard to image, quality or color. Fidelity and I'll leave a link in the video description. If you're interested next up, I want to compare the Microsoft OneNote experiences with both these tablets here, and I have to say right off the bat they look pretty different, especially with the iPad dark mode enabled, but when I turn that off the purple and white vibe sort of shines through, and I will say some menu items, look a bit different, and they're a bit differently placed or a bit more off to the left. You know in sort of Microsoft, Word, Excel, PowerPoint fashion, with the Windows 10 app after all, and then with the iPad app they're, more centered and that sort of defines the difference here.

This app seems to have a bit more features packed in because it is for Windows 10 and, after all, Microsoft makes it, so they might give you an incentive to buy this tablet over this time. This app seems to be a bit watered down because, for example, I've been looking, but I cannot find like a sort of ruler tool with this tablet, but with the Microsoft app it's right here, ready to use just like it is in the whiteboard app. But beyond that these apps look and feel and function pretty. Similarly, they have, of course you know similar buttons like at section and add a page. They have the same menu items once again for the most part, and of course they can allow you to handwrite within them.

So I can write something out here with my Surface Pro and do the same thing with my iPad Pro as well make a little scribble here and if I wanted to I could, for example, move it around with the selection tool. So I can circle this, and you know of course resize it. If I want to maybe hello there we go. So it's working, and then I can do the same with the iPad Pro as well with the last so select it even as the same animation as you can see here, but once again there might be a few features here and then there might be a bit different, but other than that. Like I said in my previous note-taking comparison, these apps pretty much function the same, whether using it on Windows 10 or on iPadOS.

Next up, let's talk about the Evernote experience with these tablets here and while they're running the same app I have to say they are definitely different versions with different UI aspects. Here, I'll, be it with fundamental similarities. Of course, they are the same app once again you get the same sort of menu. You know new know the ability to search things. You know shortcuts the ability to view all your notes here, but this feels more like a computer program.

This feels more like a tablet app for sure. Another big difference is in the way you handwrite, for example. Here you get this sort of paper view for writing here, and you can also change the background color, but that's not super important, whereas with the iPad Pro, you have to actually tap this sort of pen button, and then you can handwrite or sketch or draw with this sort of whiteboard here and when you're done you press done, and it's sort of copy and paste or clips your handwriting into a little neat box here, and I'll actually turn the dark mode off to sort of bring the ever notice out here to make these apps look more similar but yeah once again. Fundamentally, these apps are the same, especially with their core features. For example, when you organize your notes, they appear in this sort of like centralized column, and then you have similar menu items, for example, creating a new text to note where you can type something out here.

Of course, they're going to look different for their operating system. That really, you know, sums up my final point here. While these apps are the same, they definitely are built differently for their designated operating systems. Next up, I want to compare another cross-platform app here. That is bamboo paper and by far this is the most homogenous app experience I've experienced with both these tablets here.

So I can open up these notebooks and begin writing and drawing, so I can, you know, do some scribbles here as I normally do maybe draw a circle. You know write the word hello. I can do the same with my Apple Pencil. You know squiggles, hello and yeah. The writing feels smooth on both.

Of course, you can erase with the eraser tool with the surface pen here and then erase with the Apple Pencil. However, I haven't been able to toggle the eraser tool with my Apple pencils. Little touch features, so I actually have to tap the eraser and then erase, so that's kind of annoying but yeah for the most part here. The writing experience is excellent, with both very smooth, a bit smoother, of course, with the higher refresh rate with the iPad Pro but yeah beyond that there were any experiences and the overall UI and look is essentially the same here with both of these tablets or both versions of this app, except the different placement of some menu items and last up, I want to compare the finest the App Store and the Windows Store have to offer here. So there's one app with Windows 10 that was really highly rated.

It cost $10, and it's called pen book, and then we have two apps with iPadOS. We have good notes, five and notability, which are staples in this sort of iPad productivity realm here, and I'll, go back and create a new note with pen book just to show you how it works, then I open up notability here to firstly compare to it, so I can create a new landscape pen book and right off. The bat I can choose a certain background, or you know like pen book cover, and then I can choose actual paper like a certain type of paper or digital paper. That I want to take notes on, so I'll choose law ruled, for example, and create my pen book, and then I can get to writing here. I can also highlight and erase with the pencil tool.

I can toggle a ruler the same way you can toggle in OneNote and the whiteboard app here and then with notability here, while you may not be able to toggle some sort of paper background as far as I know or a ruler. Of course, you can get to note-taking like you normally would and a special feature with this app is the to select something and the sort of you know: free form transform it. If you will a drag it around. The canvas like so pinch-to-zoom rotate, you name it you're very free to you know, move things wherever you want them to be. You also have this ability to have this sort of zoomed up mode when you type here by pressing or tapping this a magnifying glass.

So you can write something sort of big, but it will show up small in your note as a whole and when you're you know, reach the end of a line, it will indent, as you can see here, it'll bring it down and out to the left, as you do, you know, write in English, and I'm sure it'll work from right to left. If you write an Arabic or Hebrew but yeah. That's a great feature of this app here so yeah. This is definitely a great app on iPad. You know great for marketing at PDFs, however, I think there's a better app for note-taking.

It's the one that I personally use, and I think it's more comparable to pen up, and that is good notes. Five here, because, as you can see, you can sort of have a paper background. If you want here, I can go to, for example, my econ 202 notes and, as you can see, I have a sort of wide ruled on paper background like I. Do here with pen up, so I can demo the sort of handwriting experience that you get here, so I can write within the lines and, just you know, kind of go all over the same thing here. I can write with them lines if I want to upside the eraser tool, toggled and scribble, all around I mean just like notability.

You do get that sort of zoomed up feature. If you want to use it, you can toggle the box around, and you know, write bigger, although it will show up smaller on the page. I have not found an equivalent feature within pen up, even though it's just as expensive and then of course, if I want to I can highlight anything I deem important in my note-taking and then press like an undo button, if I'm not too happy with that, we have the undo button right here in an undo button right here, actually in a similar spot, so I would say that yeah pen, up and good notes, five are pretty comparable. Cross-Platform here, they're not the same app of course, but they offer a lot of the same features, especially having the ability to toggle a paper looking background, which I think is important, especially if you're trying to stay organized and neat and then also, even though this app doesn't have that sort of zoomed up feature like I talked about here with notability and good notes, you still can zoom up and kind of get into the nitty-gritty and write big. If you want to not a big deal here, but once again, a Windows 10 is a necessity for you, and this is where L sort of end this comparison, then by all means by a surface um.

It's definitely. A great tablet offers a great note-taking experience with the surface pen here once again, you get this really awesome. You know eraser tool here, although I will say, I think that the software available is a bit more limited compared to the App Store, which has been around I. Think for longer. This is wider support from developers and, once again, I'll remind you of some advantages with iPad Pro.

Here you get a 120 Hertz display, which again offers a bit more of a lifelike experience. You know low latency, etc. , and then you get a rechargeable and a bit more comfortable, stylus I will say, but once again it does lack the really convenient eraser tool on the back here, but yeah, just like I said with my you know, previous more budget oriented note-taking tablet comparison here, though, these tablets run different operating systems and have different hardware and different styluses and also different prices. Once again, the Surface Pro is going to be a bit cheaper here, especially compared to the bigger iPad Pro model. The twelve point: nine inch on both offer very similar note-taking experiences, especially when you're running the same apps as OneNote and Evernote and bamboo paper, especially so again, I think it's going to come down to your operating system.

Preference for some people. Windows works better for some people, iPadOS works better, but if you couldn't care less about an operating system, and you're, not necessarily tied to an ecosystem, I would definitely watch designated reviews for both these devices to get a better understanding of what they can offer you, but even so I hope this note-taking comparison. Video gave you some perspective as to how similar or how different the note-taking experiences are with these tablets and that about wraps things up here. I hope this video once again helped you out. I'd, really appreciate it.

If you leave a like on this video comment, if you have any questions, suggestions or opinions and, of course subscribe for a more content like this expect more content for me coming soon, as always, and as always I know, and I will catch you all in the next one.

Source : Noah Herman