Already own a Macbook, should I get an iPad?

[Awfisch]

I have a 13'' late 2009 macbook pro and I love it. I am getting a good amount of money back when I filed my taxes, and I'm thinking about getting an iPad 3. From your experience, should I get one? I'm a student, so I have the option of saving the money for school, or getting an iPad.

(Also, due to a lot of financial aid, and paying for school in saved cash, I am 2 years in without ANY debt. So it would not make a huge impact on my schooling, but is it worth it?)

 

[camardelle]

I'm using both and the iPad won't replace your macbook anytime soon. This month's MacWorld has an article where a guy replaces his macbook with an ipad for 3 days. It did a lot, but it's no replacment.

 

[eaf7s]

Without question! I'm a student and between the iWork suite and a good PDF reader/marker, it's already become indispensable.

 

[jbachandouris]

Hard question to answer as your mileage may vary.

I have a MBP, an iPad 2, and an iPhone 4S. I am almost always on either the MBP or the iPhone 4S. I rarely use the iPad 2 except using the TWC app to watch TV shows when the kids have the main TV.

I would sell it, but it seems that lately the resale value is too low to make it worth my effort.

 

[iWantThat]

I owned both an iPad 2 and a Macbook at the same time and after the initial honeymoon grace period with the iPad wore off, I didn't use it enough to be worth the significant investment. It's not that it's not great technology but when push came to shove and I wanted to do something on a device, I found it more of a hassle to perform the same task on my iPad. Taking notes in class with the iPad isn't practical enough and while the possibility of future textbooks being available on iOS for college is promising, I just don't see it being that widespread for the next couple years. As someone who just recently graduated from college and has to pay loans, save your money and buy an iPad when you can afford to have it as a luxury, because that's what it currently is.

 

[takeshi74]

Please refer to the countless identical threads that already exist on the topic.

 

[AppleDApp]

I bought a macbook pro in august 2010. I bought an iPad in september 2011. I spend most of my time at school 10+ hours a day. I started by using my ipad for PDF notes. I now use my iPad exclusively for mobile work. My MBP is just sitting at home I am selling it soon. the iPad is great as a mobile computer. As soon as I have to do imore intensive school work like writing reports or whatever I use my mbp.

 

[Ladybug]

Keep the money for your education, and the Macbook for school. JMHO!

iPad is nice but can't fully replace a computer just yet!

 

[Stealthipad]

Keep the money for your education, and the Macbook for school. JMHO!

iPad is nice but can't fully replace a computer just yet!

I agree with you. The OP needs to pay off his own school loan so we do not have too!

 

[Bobby Corwen]

In summary it is a tool for superior and comfortable/convenient content consumption rather than creation -- especially reading.

The areas it overlaps the other 2 devices in, it is superior.

 

[porcupine8]

Normally, I would say get an iPad. But if you can use that money to reduce your student loans, DO IT. I wish I'd realized when I was 20 how much more valuable that money would be to me when I had a mortgage and a baby and a lot of loans to pay off.