Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Rectangle VS Surface Pro

Compare Rectangle VS Surface Pro and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Rectangle logo Rectangle

Window management app based on Spectacle, written in Swift.

Surface Pro logo Surface Pro

A new, more powerful Surface Pro
  • Rectangle Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-20
  • Surface Pro Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-06-22

Rectangle features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    Rectangle offers an intuitive user interface that makes window management straightforward and user-friendly.
  • Customizable Shortcuts
    Users can easily configure keyboard shortcuts to better suit their workflow, making window management faster and more efficient.
  • Free
    Rectangle is available for free, making it accessible to anyone without the need for a financial investment.
  • Frequent Updates
    The app receives regular updates, introducing new features and ensuring compatibility with the latest macOS versions.
  • Lightweight
    Rectangle is a lightweight application that doesn't consume many system resources, ensuring smooth performance even on older Macs.

Possible disadvantages of Rectangle

  • Limited Advanced Features
    Rectangle lacks some of the more advanced features found in paid window management applications, such as multiple monitor support and more complex window arrangements.
  • MacOS Only
    Rectangle is only available for macOS, so users of other operating systems are unable to take advantage of its features.
  • Occasional Bugs
    Some users report occasional bugs or unpredictable behavior, which might require troubleshooting or waiting for a future update.
  • Learning Curve for Shortcuts
    While customizable shortcuts are a benefit, there is an initial learning curve for users to memorize and effectively use these shortcuts.
  • Basic Aesthetic
    The app's design and aesthetic are quite basic, lacking the polish and visual appeal found in some other similar tools.

Surface Pro features and specs

  • Portability
    The Surface Pro 9 is lightweight and has a slim design, making it easy to carry and ideal for users who need a device for on-the-go productivity.
  • Versatility
    It functions as both a laptop and tablet with its detachable keyboard and touch screen, providing flexibility for various tasks and usage scenarios.
  • High-Resolution Display
    Offers a high-resolution PixelSense display that delivers sharp and vibrant visuals, enhancing the viewing experience for professional and multimedia use.
  • Performance
    Equipped with powerful processors and generous RAM options, the Surface Pro 9 is capable of handling demanding applications and multitasking efficiently.
  • Windows Integration
    Runs on Windows, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of software and seamless integration with Microsoft Office and other productivity tools.

Possible disadvantages of Surface Pro

  • Price
    The Surface Pro 9 is relatively expensive compared to similar devices, which may be a consideration for budget-conscious buyers.
  • Limited Ports
    Comes with a limited number of USB and other connectivity ports, which may require users to purchase additional adapters for expanded functionality.
  • Keyboard Sold Separately
    The detachable keyboard, a key feature for full laptop functionality, is sold separately, adding to the overall cost of the device.
  • Battery Life
    While the battery life is decent, it may be shorter compared to some competitors, especially under heavy usage, limiting its duration between charges.
  • Lack of Thunderbolt 3/4
    Missing Thunderbolt 3 or 4 support, which could restrict the potential for ultra-fast data transfer and connectivity with high-speed peripherals.

Analysis of Rectangle

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Rectangle is highly regarded for its ease of use, extensive customization options, and the fact that it is free and open-source. It provides essential functionality without unnecessary complexity, making it suitable for both casual users and power users who need efficient window management.

Why this product is good

  • Rectangle is a popular window management tool for macOS, known for its simplicity and ease of use. It allows users to efficiently organize and resize application windows using customizable keyboard shortcuts or by dragging windows into pre-defined areas of the screen. This can enhance productivity by minimizing the time spent arranging windows and improving multitasking capabilities.

Recommended for

    Rectangle is recommended for macOS users looking for a straightforward, lightweight solution to manage application windows. It is particularly beneficial for those who frequently work with multiple applications at once, including developers, designers, and anyone who values a tidy and organized desktop environment.

Rectangle videos

SKYWALKER RECTANGLE TRAMPOLINE REVIEW!!!

More videos:

  • Review - Skywalker Rectangle Trampoline Review #1
  • Review - Marvin Malton 160 Rectangle Flying Hour Watch Review

Surface Pro videos

Surface Pro X review: heartbreaker

More videos:

  • Review - Surface Pro 7 Review - Is This Perfect?
  • Review - Microsoft Surface Pro X Full Review - Should You Buy It? | The Tech Chap
  • Review - Microsoft Surface Pro X Review - 6 Months Later

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Rectangle and Surface Pro)
Mac Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Hardware
0 0%
100% 100
Window Manager
100 100%
0% 0
Digital Whiteboard
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Rectangle and Surface Pro

Rectangle Reviews

Best 6 Mac Window Managers
Rectangle shows that you donโ€™t need to dip into your bank account to get window resizer tools. This free Mac window manager lets you manage multiple windows using keyboard shortcuts, menu options, or by dragging and dropping. Just like Magnet, you can split your screen up into quarters, thirds, or halves.
Source: mackeeper.com
Top 6 Window Manager Apps for Mac
Most window manager apps for Mac support multiple monitors. They can help you move windows between screens and create custom layouts for each monitor. Many window manager apps โ€“ such as BetterSnapTool, Magnet, and Rectangle โ€“ offer this functionality.
The 6 Best Mac Window Management Tools
However, it might take some time for you to get used to the shortcuts in the Rectangle app since there are many. Furthermore, you can also add some of your apps to exceptions if you want to keep them away from Rectangle's shortcuts.

Surface Pro Reviews

We have no reviews of Surface Pro yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Rectangle seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 479 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Rectangle mentions (479)

  • Ubuntu 26.04 LTS Released
    As a both old Linux and now decade user of MacOS, after I got used to no middle-click paste and no focus-follows-mouse: 1. Keyboard shortcuts are Emacs, Ctrl-A: start of line, E: end of line, K: kill selected or to end of line, Y to paste, etc. https://support.apple.com/en-au/102650#text 2. Karabiner elements (FOSS) fixes keyboard mappings outside of the Settings: https://karabiner-elements.pqrs.org/ 3. I have the... - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Native Instant Space Switching on macOS
    Every macOS user uses Rectangle.app โ€” https://rectangleapp.com The ones who don't use it is because they donโ€™t know it exists. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Native Instant Space Switching on macOS
    I use https://rectangleapp.com/ and enjoy it. I have shortcuts to move windows to the left/right half of the screen, and cycle between monitors. This, combined with native cmd+tab and cmd+` is enough for me. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Make macOS consistently bad (unironically)
    Rectangle [1] is pretty much essential for me because of this. I use only a few keypresses (maximize window, move to one of the halves of the screen horizontally) but that is enough. My mouse very rately interacts with the borders of any window, or those buttons. I had to click on the green one that you mentioned in order to see what it did (yuck). [1] https://rectangleapp.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Make macOS consistently bad (unironically)
    I use Rectangle [1] for window management. I only use three shortcuts: full screen, left half of the screen, and right half of the screen. My editors and chrome are always running in one of these modes. But for other apps like Messages, Notes, Music, etc - yeah I don't usually expand them to full screen. [1] https://rectangleapp.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
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Surface Pro mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Surface Pro yet. Tracking of Surface Pro recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Rectangle and Surface Pro, you can also consider the following products

Magnet Window Manager - Magnet Developers

Microsoft Surface Laptop - Microsoft's answer to the MacBook Air

yabai - A tiling window manager for macOS based on binary space partitioning

Surface Studio - A brilliant screen for your ideas, from Microsoft

BTT Remote - A remote control for you Mac, using your iPhone or iPad

MacBook Pro - The new MacBook Pro with TouchBar and more