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There is a lot of good information in these posts but each seems to pick up only on bits and piece and there's an inherent cross-communication of data being presented.

First, please note that the Surface Pro, while it has the capability to replace a desktop, may not necessarily be the best option for all users. When I was working as a CAD software designer, high-end graphics and mathematical computational speed for multi-caluculations were essential needs. I am not aware that Microsoft has ever touted such claims about their Surface Pro, and I am sure that there are a number of other industries and user types which would find the current hardware specs of the Surface Pro to be quite inadequate for their daily needs.

Here are some points for real Apples-to-Apples comparisions when deciding whether and iPad or Surface Pro suits your needs better:

The Apple iPad runs only Apple Apps, not Mac programs; The Surface Pro runs full Microsoft Programs. I have also read articles that say the Surface Pro will still be able to run RT Apps but I currently cannot find a confirmation for that.

The basic Microsoft Surface Pro comes with 64GB of storage for a retail price of $899; The basic Apple iPad (with retina display) comes with 16GB of storage for a retail price of $499. If you want to upgrade that model to 64GB it will retail at $699 (the iPad 2 is not availabel in a 64GB option). However, this upgrade still does not open up access for you to run Mac programs on your iPad. Also, the Surface Pro reserves much of the 64GB storage for operational overhead so that only about 30GB remains available for the user but for an additional $100 you can purchase a Surface Pro with 128GB RAM which leaves about 90GB free to the user.

iPad (w/Retina display) specs.....................Surface Pro specs

weight = 1.44 pounds..................................Weight = 2 pounds
9.5"h x 7.31"w x 0.37" thick.........................10.81"h x 6.81"w x 0.53" thick

9.7" diag display..........................................10.6" diag display
2048 x 1536 resolution................................1920 x 1080 resolution

Lightning connector, Micro-SIM..................Full-size USB 3.0, MicroSDXC,
and headset ports.......................................headset, mini DisplayPort ports

Battery life up to 9 hours............................Battery life up to 4+ hours

(Of course, these are just a few key specs of the two units. )

So as you can see there is a trade-off between an app-based "utility" tablet and a PC-based tablet. This is why the Surface Pro is bigger and weighs more (to acomodate PC accessory ports), the resolution is standardized (to conform to PC application needs), the battery life is less (more things going on at the same time), and total user-accessible storage is less (to accomodate the OS resource needs).

When deciding "which is better" you need to first ask yourself if you are looking for a tablet which acts like a lighter, more portable version of the laptop or desktop you are accustomed to using... or, are you looking for a tablet which is more recreational in its functions. Yes, there are iPad apps which can emulate functions to those you might find on a laptop or desktop PC but there are many, many more functions and programs which an app-based tablet cannot begin to replace. So the choice really boils down to what do you NEED your tablet to do for you?