Microsoft's unveiling of its Surface tablets was to set the standard for OEMs building devices for Windows 8, and Microsoft sees the Surface as an innovative tablet. The new iPad is the market leader, so how does Surface compare?

Display

The new iPad uses a 2048x1536 Retina display - the best screen on the market. It means that pixels are indistinguishable and text is super clear to read even when enlarged. The Windows Pro and RT versions of Surface uses a "full HD" and "HD" display respectively according to Microsoft, but the company didn't specify the resolution.

Surface has a 10.6-inch display, while the iPad's is 9.7 inches. Deciding which size is better is entirely dependent on the user, but there should be little difference considering the Surfaces' thin form factors.

Viewing angles from a SlashGear hands-on looked solid, and the display overall seemed bright. Whether the resolution is close to or better than the iPad's is unknown, so there's no definite winner here.

Design

The Windows RT Surface is .36 inches thick, and weighs 1.5 pounds, while the Windows Pro variant measures .49 inches thick and weighs 1.99 pounds. The new iPad's thickness is .37 inches, just thicker than the RT version of Surface, while it weighs 1.46 pounds. For those planning to buy the Windows Pro version, it won't be the the lightest or thinnest device on the market.

Internals

Inside the Surface there are two different chip types, probably because Windows RT is a more limited version of Windows 8: Surface for Windows RT uses a Nvidia Tegra chip, while Surface for Windows Pro uses an Intel i5 Ivy Bridge chip. Apple uses its in-house A5X chip, the latest model, but a lack of benchmarks means there's no performance data available to compare.

Memory-wise, the new iPad uses 1GB. Again, Microsoft didn't reveal what the Surface is using.

The Windows RT Surface offers 32 or 64GB of internal storage, while those going for Windows Pro can get 64GB or 128GB. Both versions support microSD card expansion. Apple's iPad offers 16, 32 or 64GB of storage but no microSD expansion.

Finally, the battery is 31.5Wh in Surface for Windows RT and 42Wh in Surface for Windows Pro. The new iPad's is slightly better, at 42.5Wh and lasts for around 10 hours, according to Apple, but is non-removable.

Connectivity

Both Surface tablets and the new iPad support Wi-Fi - the Surface has dual antennas, which Microsoft said allows for fast speeds - and both Surface tablets support 802.11n, g and b wireless connections. The new iPad supports all three, along with 802.11a.

The new iPad had Bluetooth 4.0, but it's not confirmed whether Surface does or does not support Bluetooth.

Externals

There is a front-facing camera on the Surface tablets - positioned at 22 degrees, so people are always perfectly framed - but the resolution isn't known. In comparison, the new iPad uses a VGA camera that produces video at 30FPS.

Regarding a rear camera on the Surface, there's no information. The new iPad has a 5-megapixel camera with autofocus, up to 1080p resolution, and 30FPS video.

Ports on the Surfaces are video out, and USB 2.0 and 3.0 on the Windows RT and Pro versions respectively. The Pro versions also include a 3.5mm headphone jack and a Mini DisplayPort. The new iPad supports video out, lacks any USB connectivity, has a 3.5mm headphone jack and supports data connections from the iPod.

Price

The new iPad retails from $499 in the U.S., rising to $829 for the 64GB Wi-Fi + Cellular model on AT&T or Verizon. Prices for both Surface tablets have not been announced, along with the release date.