I use the iPad for more than ssh to remote servers. I write a lot, for example. I also use it for watching movies and playing games.
I have played with the Surface quite a bit and I know a few developers who use them (or have used them and given up). Partly it comes down to not wanting to use Windows.
I do all of my “office suite” work on the iPad, mainly emails and spreadsheets, but also writing specifications, reviewing issues and PRs in GitHub, etc. No problem with that, the iPad goes beyond mere media consumption.
I think I described that I work on remote servers belonging to my customers, so mainly I use a terminal and a web browser for that. I don’t do native development (anymore), I don’t do embedded programming. I do sometimes do front-end work and I have a Chromebook (and tools like Browserstack) for that.
I don’t try to do everything myself, or have computers that can do everything. I hire a lot of work out.
I have played with the Surface quite a bit and I know a few developers who use them (or have used them and given up). Partly it comes down to not wanting to use Windows.