The Surface Pro 11 and iPad Pro M4 both cost $1,000+ with keyboard. Both have touchscreens, pen support, and high-refresh-rate displays. Both claim to be laptop replacements. But only one runs desktop-class software.
The Surface Pro 11 runs full Windows 11 on a Snapdragon X Elite. You get real desktop Chrome with extensions, full Microsoft Office, Visual Studio Code, and any Windows app. The ARM-native app library has grown substantially. The keyboard cover has a satisfying typing feel and a haptic trackpad that rivals MacBooks. Battery life hits 14 hours. It is a real laptop in tablet form.
The iPad Pro M4 runs iPadOS. The M4 chip is absurdly powerful — faster than most laptops — but the OS limits what you can do with it. Stage Manager multitasking is better than before but still frustrating compared to a desktop. The Magic Keyboard types well. The Apple Pencil Pro is the best stylus on any device. Creative apps like Procreate, DaVinci Resolve, and Logic Pro are best-in-class. But try to code, run a local server, or use a desktop browser with extensions, and iPadOS hits its limits.
Verdict: get the iPad Pro if you are a creative professional who draws, edits photos, or makes music, and already have a Mac for heavy lifting. Get the Surface Pro 11 if you need one device that does everything — real desktop software, laptop ergonomics, and tablet portability in a single package.