Microsoft's Surface a bigger moneymaker than Apple's iPad?

The Microsoft Surface.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

Microsoft's Surface may be a more lucrative tablet than Apple's iPad, according to IHS iSuppli.

The tech research firm released new numbers today that show each $599 Surface costs $284 to make -- so, almost 53 percent of the cost is profit. The 32GB third-generation iPad, on the other hand, costs $333 to make and has a price tag of $599, which means just over 44 percent profit.

"The Surface represents a key element in Microsoft's strategy to transform itself from a software maker into a devices and services provider," IHS senior principal analyst Andrew Rassweiler said in a statement. "Key to this strategy is offering hardware products that generate high profits on their own, similar to what Apple has achieved with its iPad line. From a hardware perspe... [Read more]