The results are somewhat surprising.
The iPad took just 2.95s to load the App Store, while the S3 took 3.34 to load the Microsoft Store.
The iPad took just 1.72s to load Safari, while Internet Explorer took 2.14s.
Microsoft Word took 2.09s to load on the iPad, and 2.43s on the S3. The official Facebook app took 3.02s to load in the iPad, on the S3, which was the one anomaly in the bunch, took 11.57.
Apart from the Facebook app, which may just be a poor execution in the platform, there really was not much in it. Indeed, it could be argued that this merely supports the fact that the A8X processor is more powerful than the X7, but more importantly it shows that overall, the S3 gives away very little in terms of horsepower for its power consumption.
It then becomes a little more subjective to proceed with the comparison. But again, we like a challenge!
Pen not sword
The S3 not only supports pen input, but it has the OEM Type III cover, which has a nice feel, good key feedback and a much improved track pad.
While the iPad does have its fingerprint sensor, which is excellent in terms of ID management and authentication, it does not have an OEM keyboard option. While Apple do Bluetooth keyboards, they are not really marketed for use with the iPads, though they are supported.
The iPad tested is a long term review item kindly supplied, with multiple accessories, by Apple, but did not come with a keyboard. The keyboard for testing was the Bluetooth Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover.
With the S3, and the Type III cover, you are essentially just using a small laptop, with all of the added benefit/hindrance of touch (delete as appropriate). And as mentioned, the S3 is more than powerful enough to allow multiple applications to be open simultaneously, having as it does, a decent amount of RAM.
Interaction on any single application with the keyboard on the iPad was a joy, reacting in the same fluid manner as the touch interface. The only place that the experience differed was multi-tasking. The iPad, evening running iOS 8.3, is still lacking in this respect and an app needed to be de-focused via a double tap of the nav button to switch to another app and then interact. Cutting and pasting in this manner of usage can be problematic.
This was certainly one area where the S3 excelled, and in a familiar way for any desktop user.
“If you are after an iPad, then the test model is lovely device, with an excellent user experience that can, when pushed, function in the manner of a laptop/desktop for certain tasks. The S3 on the other hand is full laptop when needed”
One or the other
This brings us to the crux of the matter. If you are after an iPad, then the test model is lovely device, with an excellent user experience that can, when pushed, function in the manner of a laptop/desktop for certain tasks. The S3 on the other hand is full laptop when needed, with a huge range and heritage of Windows applications now available, as well as being an excellent tablet, with a nice form factor, superb build quality and all day battery life.
The Surface 3 really is both a tablet and laptop.
It is easily arguable that the imminent arrival of 12” (305mm) iPad is an acknowledgment of the niche that the S3 now occupies, but its superior multitasking makes it not just a fill in for a laptop/desktop device, it is a genuine replacement candidate.
Price wise, there is not that much between the two either, Even when both are kitted out to the same spec with accessories such as mouse, keyboard, HDMI adapters/extenders, storage, etc., there is still little difference.
When considering outright capability, unless you are set upon an iPad, the S3 is still peerless, unless of course you want its bigger brother, the 12” Pro 3.
Paul Hearns
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