Customers are more satisfied with Microsoft's Surface tablets than they are with Apple's iPad and tablets built by Samsung, LG, Amazon, Acer and Asus, a study by US-based marketing information services company J.D. Power said on Friday.

According to J.D. Power 2017 US Tablet Satisfaction Study, Microsoft is the highest performer in three areas: variety of pre-loaded applications; internet connectivity; and availability of manufacturer-supported accessories. 

"The Microsoft Surface platform has expanded what tablets can do, and it sets the bar for customer satisfaction," said Jeff Conklin, Vice President, Service Industries, J.D. Power.

Additionally, Microsoft has the highest performance in three styling and design attributes: size of tablet; quality of materials used; and attractiveness of tablet design. 

Customers who want the newest technology -- early adopters -- are picking up Microsoft Surface tablets instead of iPads.

The US Tablet Satisfaction Study, now in its sixth year, measures customer satisfaction with tablets across five factors (in order of importance): performance (28 per cent); ease of operation (22 per cent); features (22 per cent); styling and design (17 per cent); and cost (11 per cent). 

The 2017 study is based on experiences evaluated by 2,238 tablet owners who have owned their current device for less than one year.