Do I need a MacBook Air AND an iPad?

I have both an iPad2 and a MacBook Air...I love them both and use both for different purposes. The iPad2 as a consuming device (which it excels at) and the Air as more of a productivity device...if I could only have one for my needs, I'd pick the Air...

I know there are some who say they can use the iPad for just about anything they can do on a MBA, but not me...I use the iPad for mostly media consuming and light email, video conferencing and web surfing. The lack of connectivity ports, a decent sized storage drive and it's limited printing ability keep me from using it for more serious tasks.

I use my Air for writing and editing longer documents, editing photos, downloading and uploading large files and watching Flash video among other things...

Both excellent devices and I wouldn't want to be without either as I use them both nearly every day...

Considering how portable the MBA is, it doesn't make a lot of sense to have both the iPad and the MBA.
However, the specific tasks you mention, that you need a Mac for don't seem to necessarily require mobility. Perhaps an idea to explore is to get a Mac Mini with affordable peripherals and keep the iPad.

Yumunum said:

Cool, thanks for the insight! What is it about the iPad that makes it a better consuming device for you?

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It is just SO portable and light...literally HALF the weight of the 11" MBA...the display is beautiful even with the black bars needed for 16x9 content...IMO (and I am a HUGE media consumer), the iPad 2 is the greatest portable media device ever...I have a 64GB version and I have several 720p videos on it and they look absolutely stunning...even Netflix videos look DVD quality on the iPad (btw, the Netflix iPad app is a MUST HAVE IMO)...reading books and multi-media magazines like The Daily is an eye-popping experience and the incredible graphics ability of the iPad2 make gaming so much more enjoyable...add a SlingBox Pro HD and the SlingPlayer for iPad and you have about every type of media you could possible want to take with you...and I have't even covered the "music" side of the iPad...truly an media consumers dream machine...

I think iOS 5 plays an important role in your decition considering you use your MBA for organizing photos this os make you have more options than iOS 4 to do that, today iPad is almost useless in managing photos.

I have both and my MBA gets used only every now and then. Occasionally, if I know I'm going to be staying in a hotel AND there's a chance I might need to get serious work done, then I'll bring the MBA.

The MBA might not seem like it's much bigger than the iPad, but the portability of the two is worlds apart in my opinion. Just the simple fact that I can whip out the iPad and start using it nearly immediately makes it a much more practical device for me on the go. I've also got my iPad setup so that all my key docs are accessible and editable on the road. There's nearly nothing I can do on an MBA that I can't do on my iPad.

What might be directly relevant to you is that, for a period of time, I DID try to get by with my MBA as a substitute for my iPad (sort of counterintuitive, I know). The short of it is that reading books and surfing the web (say, in bed, on the couch or pretty much anywhere else) was much less enjoyable than on my iPad. I was also checking the battery meter all the time due to the MBA's much shorter battery life.

Yumunum said:

My computational needs/uses:
-lots of emailing
-taking notes and participating in class (I'd HAVE to use the MBA for this, due to some teacher's websites not working with the iPad)
-organizing and editing photos
-making music
-the device being something I can easily bring with me, either around the house or on campus

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If you're comfortable with the iPad keyboard, then there wont be much of a difference in emailing between the 2, although personally I prefer the iPad client UI over anything on a computer. If you send lots of attachments etc, the MBA is clearly better.

As you said, you need the MBA for notes and stuff, and I wouldnt take an iPad to class with me anyway for note taking. No matter how good the iPad keyboard is, I can still type 20-30% faster and more accurately on a conventional keyboard.

One of the main drawbacks currently in iOS4.3.3 is the lack of ability to manage / edit photos. If by editing you mean basic crop, rotate, enhance etc then the iPad will do that (probably more efficiently and enjoyably) once iOS5 comes out, but for managing them, the MBA would still win out.

For making music, if you just like to create songs and play around, then I'd say Garageband on the iPad is more than enough (especially as you can plug guitars / keyboards into it) but if you do it more seriously or have more complex parts, then you really will need a full computer and Logic / Garageband / similar.

For using around the house / campus etc, for me the iPad would win every single time.

Basically I think it comes down to how serious your usage on the MBA would be in regards to photos and music. Remember, the iPad is a complement to a computer, not a replacement (yet). In my own personal opinion, I'd get both!

Have both.

Each one does certain things better than the other.

Sounds to me like you don't absolutely need to sell your iPad in order to afford the Air. In that case, why not just go ahead and buy the Air, then see if your iPad usage decreases to an extent that you feel comfortable selling it? In general, I think most people would benefit from having both, but each individual is different. Living with both for a while is the best way to tell how *you* fare with having both. It's not like the resale value of the iPad will plummet dramatically if you wait an extra month to sell it.

bowlerman625 said:

Have both.

Each one does certain things better than the other.

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the right tool for the job, every time.

i have both and a MBP. they are used all in different ways and times...

If you can afford it. I want both, waiting on the MBA refresh. Do I need both? No. Do I want both? Yes!

Night Spring said:

Sounds to me like you don't absolutely need to sell your iPad in order to afford the Air. In that case, why not just go ahead and buy the Air, then see if your iPad usage decreases to an extent that you feel comfortable selling it? In general, I think most people would benefit from having both, but each individual is different. Living with both for a while is the best way to tell how *you* fare with having both. It's not like the resale value of the iPad will plummet dramatically if you wait an extra month to sell it.

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I could give you my opinion regarding what I would do but ultimately this is the best solution I think. It depends on how much you use the iPad and how much you will still use it when you get the MBA.

Based on what you have said I would sale the iPad and just get the MBA. As others have mentioned the MBA provides the total experience. It will be able to handle all of the tasks you highlighted in your post, it has ports if you ever need it, it can handle all the same multimedia and its light and portable. While the iPad maybe neat to keep around if the MBA can serve you in more ways it may be beneficial to sale the iPad and use the savings for other things and as a college student myself I can think of quite a bit of other things $600 could be used for, lol.

Good Luck

I read al ot of ebooks on my iPad. I find it uncomfortable to do any real reading on my MBA.

as previously stated by some other people, I have a macbook air and an iPad 2, and an iPhone also, and i love them all for different purposes. My iPad gets a lot of my mobile needs done, and my phone is now primarily for quick googling, texting, calling people, listening to music on the go, and playing the occasional game. My iPad has become my around the house/starbucks device. I web browse on it, watch movies occasionally, and read my books and magazines. My macbook air is used less - i can tell you that, but I still do use it. Emailing longer messages, watching movies, listening to music in my room, instant messaging people, typing up papers, and working with photoshop/illustator (other school things too), and web browsing while in my room.

i would be lying if i said i didn't use my macbook air differently/less after getting an iPad, but i would still be sad/have a gap in my usage.

I would recommend getting the 13 inch air. there is enough of a differentiation between that and an ipad to get different usages out of them.

hope that helped!

PhoneI said:

I read al ot of ebooks on my iPad. I find it uncomfortable to do any real reading on my MBA.

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I concur. The screen rotation to portrait mode is perfect for reading...the Air cannot do that and thus is difficult to read books or magazines with...

Ronnoco said:

I have both an iPad2 and a MacBook Air...I love them both and use both for different purposes. The iPad2 as a consuming device (which it excels at) and the Air as more of a productivity device...if I could only have one for my needs, I'd pick the Air...

I know there are some who say they can use the iPad for just about anything they can do on a MBA, but not me...I use the iPad for mostly media consuming and light email, video conferencing and web surfing. The lack of connectivity ports, a decent sized storage drive and it's limited printing ability keep me from using it for more serious tasks.

I use my Air for writing and editing longer documents, editing photos, downloading and uploading large files and watching Flash video among other things...

Both excellent devices and I wouldn't want to be without either as I use them both nearly every day...

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Well said.. I have both as well and completely agree.

FAsnakes said:

Well said.. I have both as well and completely agree.

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The funny part is that all of the things you listed that you do on your MBA are things that technically should be doable on an iPad. And I have no idea that eventually it'll all be possible. Just a matter of Apple slowly opening up the OS.

Yumunum said:

But now I'm wondering, once I have a MacBook Air, do I really need an iPad too? I could probably get about $650 back if I was to sell the iPad 2, and I could put that money towards the computer. That's a good amount of cash, and if I'd barely use the iPad it'd be a pretty big waste.

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If you're not 100% sure then what's the rush? The resale value of the Air isnt going to change in the next few weeks so with July bringing in the new Air and a new OS then hold onto it all and see how you feel when you own it all.

For me, the iPad 2 has reduced my computer usage by 90% so I'm replacing my 15" MBP with an Air also. And if by the end of the year I can own an i5 Air + iPad 2 + Sprint iPhone then I'll have all my computer needs satisfied for the next 2 years.

1. Buy the Air
2. If you don't use the iPad 2 much at all sell it.
3. If you do use the iPad 1, but not heavily, sell it and get a cheap iPad 1.

If you ask the question, it means you have the answer. You need a MBA. Otherwise you would be 100% satisfied with you iPad 2.

However, as other said, iOS 5 is supposed to considerably improve the way we use the iPad.

I have a mbp 15, iPad 2, and iPhone 3GS. My next computer upgrade will be a 13inch air, I think toting around the 15inch is a bit lame, but even if I had the air I would still use the iPad 2 for certain tasks. Its an amazing ebook reader, news consumption device for me. It really depends on your usage as other have said.

I have an 11-inch air and an iPad 2. I use both a lot for different things.

I often carry both with me to work and on trips. The air I use for computer tasks -- word processing, excel work, going into my work's system via Citrix.

I use the iPad for e-mail, calendar, browsing, reading PDFs, entertainment, etc. I often carry the iPad to meetings during the day; I do not do that with the air often.

The review below deals explicitly with the question the OP is asking.

http://www.businessinsider.com/macbook-air-review-2010-11