2020 MBA - Display.

[blaugrana69]

How’s it going to compare with a 12.9 2020 iPad Pro ? I realise it‘s 400 (?) nits Vs 600, but aside from that ? Will it look vastly inferior. No Apple stores open in the UK so not easy to readily check this out.
For context - I’m only looking at the MBA as a second device for a couple of things I can’t do on the iPad. I just don’t want the difference to be that “jarring”. Don’t really want to go beyond an i3 budget wise, realise the MBP would have a better / brighter screen but it’s £270 more (UK education store prices) than the i3.

 

[filmbuff]

Yes it will look vastly inferior. The iPad also has higher resolution (227ppi vs 264ppi), 120hz pro-motion, and P3 color.

 

[blaugrana69]

Yes it will look vastly inferior. The iPad also has higher resolution (227ppi vs 264ppi), 120hz pro-motion, and P3 color.

Yeah, I think it might be too much of a difference. The MBP has P3 doesn’t it ?

 

[CheesePuff]

Yes the MacBook Pro line has 500 nit, P3 wide color gamut displays which will be more representative of what you have in the iPad Pro.

However I do not agree with the previous poster that it will look vastly inferior (the MBA vs iPad Pro)

 

[edubfromktown]

Yes the MacBook Pro line has 500 nit, P3 wide color gamut displays which will be more representative of what you have in the iPad Pro.

However I do not agree with the previous poster that it will look vastly inferior (the MBA vs iPad Pro)

I also agree that it won’t be vastly different.

I’ve found the same to be true viewing/editing static Lightroom (Nikon RAW) images between a 2020 MBA and 2020 MBP (10th generation / 4-port 2GHz). Video may be a different story...

 

[blaugrana69]

Interesting. I suppose the big factor is brightness ?

 

[Spinning Fan]

I own both a 2020 MBA i5 and a 2020 iPP 12.9 (it was renewal time for hardware in my house .. some dictated by the wait for new Macbook keyboards..).

For context - I’m only looking at the MBA as a second device for a couple of things I can’t do on the iPad.

It truly depends on what you intend to use the machine for, but the iPP screen definitely looks brighter and crisp, although not "ugh" different IMHO. The iPP screen also seems a bit easier on the eyes. Hope you can check out the MBA in person, with the lock downs easing a bit.

For my use, during office work, my iPP sits next to my laptop with mail or Slack or Calendar type "static" apps open, while I work on documents and Web systems on the laptop. FWIW I connect an external Magic Trackpad 2 and an Apple BT Keyboard with the iPPP, although I rarely use the keyboard (this adds to the cost, if you don't have them already).

One thing I thought I'd use the iPP more for was media consumption on a sofa.. which I find easier on a laptop for me due to the keyboard, the self stand nature of a laptop computer form, and the fact that I read web pages instead of apps. YMWV on this one, but I guess I took the ease of form over the prettiness of the screen for this usage, and find it ok.

Also for me, the iPP 12.9 is a bit too big to be an in bed/fall asleep iPad .. so that task goes to my trusty old iPad Mini. The screen on the Mini is obviously not as good as the iPP, but again, form and function over screen prettiness here.

Again, I hope you get to compare in person but, for me, the MBA screen is decent even when sitting next to the iPP.