iPad Pro Constructive input on iPP as a laptop replacement

[FelicityW]

I have a 13" rMBP that is 28 months old. I replace my computers at about the 30 month mark while it still has Applecare, and I am thinking about whether the new iPad Pros will be a reasonable replacement. Part of why I want to replace it is that I am frequently on the road without easy electrical access, and it is much more difficult to keep a computer charged than an iPad. I use a hotspot for my internet access most of the time. I have 16GB of RAM because I tend to keep a lot of things in process at once and I loathe slow response times.

The only thing I can currently think of that I might miss is the full version of Excel and maybe Word. I do a lot of research, write a lot, read some, have way too much email, work with photos, do some music things, but nothing creative. I am thrilled to have a pencil option and I was waiting for the smaller one because I thought the larger iPP was too big for reading comfortably and holding for extended periods of time. I don't care for storing things in the cloud, although I do have cloud accounts, I just know the day will come when it will really suck for people who only have all their stuff there, so the 256GB makes it much more attractive.

What things does one miss when trying to make iPad Pro your main computing device? Will I miss OSX too much?

 

[Newtons Apple]

Until the iPad runs full MS Office Suite, Quickbooks Pro and AutoCad I will always need a real computer.

 

[mrklaw]

I'd miss a mouse, but thats about it.

Touch is perfect for web browsing casually and general use of apps
Pencil sounds fantastic for drawing and note taking
There is nothing to match a mouse for rapid and precise selection of text/cells on a screen, especially when you're heavily using the keyboard at the same time.

I hope Apple eventually adds mouse support, and a surface pro style keyboard/trackpad as a smart cover in the future. Until then I'm avoiding the keyboard and it also means I can't use it fully as a laptop replacment, but it is 90%+ of the way there. Soo close.

 

[tbayrgs]

I have a 13" rMBP that is 28 months old. I replace my computers at about the 30 month mark while it still has Applecare, and I am thinking about whether the new iPad Pros will be a reasonable replacement. Part of why I want to replace it is that I am frequently on the road without easy electrical access, and it is much more difficult to keep a computer charged than an iPad. I use a hotspot for my internet access most of the time. I have 16GB of RAM because I tend to keep a lot of things in process at once and I loathe slow response times.

The only thing I can currently think of that I might miss is the full version of Excel and maybe Word. I do a lot of research, write a lot, read some, have way too much email, work with photos, do some music things, but nothing creative. I am thrilled to have a pencil option and I was waiting for the smaller one because I thought the larger iPP was too big for reading comfortably and holding for extended periods of time. I don't care for storing things in the cloud, although I do have cloud accounts, I just know the day will come when it will really suck for people who only have all their stuff there, so the 256GB makes it much more attractive.

What things does one miss when trying to make iPad Pro your main computing device? Will I miss OSX too much?

Considering your sentiment in bold, I'd stick with a Mac. Local storage and easy access to all of your files across apps is not an iPad's forte. And before being accused of any bias, I have replaced most of my laptop/desktop usage with the larger iPP. I can do an overwhelming majority of my everyday tasks but I also utilize cloud services quite extensively.

 

[FelicityW]

I'd miss a mouse, but thats about it.

Touch is perfect for web browsing casually and general use of apps
Pencil sounds fantastic for drawing and note taking
There is nothing to match a mouse for rapid and precise selection of text/cells on a screen, especially when you're heavily using the keyboard at the same time.

I hope Apple eventually adds mouse support, and a surface pro style keyboard/trackpad as a smart cover in the future. Until then I'm avoiding the keyboard and it also means I can't use it fully as a laptop replacment, but it is 90%+ of the way there. Soo close.

Oh, you are right. I will miss a mouse. A lot. I am not a trackpad fan at all. I copy and paste A LOT. I don't want to use my finger. Will the pencil work to highlight?
[doublepost=1458590967][/doublepost]

Until the iPad runs full MS Office Suite, Quickbooks Pro and AutoCad I will always need a real computer.

You are a full on computer user, where I was, but I am no longer. I will have to check on the shortcomings of Word and Excel specifically.

 

[family_guy]

I have a 13" rMBP that is 28 months old. I replace my computers at about the 30 month mark while it still has Applecare, and I am thinking about whether the new iPad Pros will be a reasonable replacement. Part of why I want to replace it is that I am frequently on the road without easy electrical access, and it is much more difficult to keep a computer charged than an iPad.

My Macbook Air with Magsafe power adapter charges much faster than any iPad I've owned and the battery life is about the same. In any case, you just have to prepared to do everything differently, especially when it comes to web browsing. I much prefer the desktop versions of sites than the mobile ones and like that I can download anything from the web to my computer. iPad has some workaround apps for this but not having a central filesystem is terrible in my opinion so I don't use it for anything other than consuming media.

 

[AFEPPL]

I just couldn't do it either, the iPad could never replace a laptop for me.
Maybe look towards the rMB rather than the rMBP.

 

[FelicityW]

Considering your sentiment in bold, I'd stick with a Mac. Local storage and easy access to all of your files across apps is not an iPad's forte. And before being accused of any bias, I have replaced most of my laptop/desktop usage with the larger iPP. I can do an overwhelming majority of my everyday tasks but I also utilize cloud services quite extensively.

All the app stuff is always in the cloud, I have no choice about that. It's my photos, documents, and music that I resent (and do not trust) having relegated to the cloud. I just want to back up my cloud to flash storage;-).

 

[kupkakez]

Oh, you are right. I will miss a mouse. A lot. I am not a trackpad fan at all. I copy and paste A LOT. I don't want to use my finger. Will the pencil work to highlight?
[doublepost=1458590967][/doublepost]

You are a full on computer user, where I was, but I am no longer. I will have to check on the shortcomings of Word and Excel specifically.

The fact you don't want to use finger completely rules out your chances of ever using an iPad as your computer replacement.

I have been using an iPad as my only personal computer since November without any issue. It all depends on what you do. I couldn't do my job on an iPad but I have a work provided Windows laptop that I use for work only.

 

[lparsons21]

I've got both an IPP and rMB and hardly ever use the rMB. Only really need it for music engraving with Sibelius. I do use Excel, but nothing complex or big, could use Numbers just as well. If/when I stop fiddling with Sibelius I'll probably get rid of the laptop.

That said, if I were still working the IPP wouldn't quite cut it as I needed better Excel/Word support, Quickbooks and Vizio. None of that is available for the IPP.

 

[Newtons Apple]

You are a full on computer user, where I was, but I am no longer. I will have to check on the shortcomings of Word and Excel specifically.

MS Office on iPads is better and better and I likely could get by. I do use my iPad while in the field and love it. The laptop and desktop will be with me for a long time.

 

[AlexJoda]

I'd miss a mouse, but thats about it.

Touch is perfect for web browsing casually and general use of apps
Pencil sounds fantastic for drawing and note taking
There is nothing to match a mouse for rapid and precise selection of text/cells on a screen, especially when you're heavily using the keyboard at the same time.

I hope Apple eventually adds mouse support, and a surface pro style keyboard/trackpad as a smart cover in the future. Until then I'm avoiding the keyboard and it also means I can't use it fully as a laptop replacment, but it is 90%+ of the way there. Soo close.

I ordered the Citrix X1 mouse for Windows remote control and it´s great to use it on an iPP. I am always tempted to use it with IOS too. Hope that Apple will give up its dogmatic standpoint sometime. They can be proud of bringing the mouse to the public too a long time ago.......

 

[Capt T]

You say as your main computing device...so are you thinking of keeping your 13"rmbp?

What program do you use to work with your photos?

Are your excel spreadsheets macro intensive?

What do you mean by some music things? Listening? Creating? Editing?

 

[AliMacs]

You're gonna find a ton of varied answers but will fall down to the same things as if you were to buy a car.

Your BMW cannot carry a 12 dozen bags of bark.
Your Van cannot drive around a race track as fast as your BMW.
Your Ferarri is so fast but can only carry 2 people.
Your Honda is not as fast but can carry 4.
Your minivan can carry 7-8 people and luggage and have attachments for external carrying cases.
Your minivan carries a stigma of being slow and annoying.

All the cars have 4 wheels, transmission, and a steering wheel and get from a->b. There's not one thing it cannot do the other can do but if you are gonna buy a cargo van for hauling large items around then you're probably gonna have a sedan for personal use as well. Same goes for this IPad. In it's current state it can do some stuff but it's more like a cargo van IMO which simply means it can do nearly everything but sometimes you just need that extra...

 

[FelicityW]

I'm confused. An iPP is running IOS. So, this mouse works with your iPP running IOS?

I ordered the Citrix X1 mouse for Windows remote control and it´s great to use it on an iPP. I am always tempted to use it with IOS too. Hope that Apple will give up its dogmatic standpoint sometime. They can be proud of bringing the mouse to the public too a long time ago.......

[doublepost=1459514252][/doublepost]Wow, way to flog a point;-). Anyway, I would liken it to coupe that works 90% of the time, but doesn't have speed or space. A desktop is the cargo van.

You're gonna find a ton of varied answers but will fall down to the same things as if you were to buy a car.

Your BMW cannot carry a 12 dozen bags of bark.
Your Van cannot drive around a race track as fast as your BMW.
Your Ferarri is so fast but can only carry 2 people.
Your Honda is not as fast but can carry 4.
Your minivan can carry 7-8 people and luggage and have attachments for external carrying cases.
Your minivan carries a stigma of being slow and annoying.

All the cars have 4 wheels, transmission, and a steering wheel and get from a->b. There's not one thing it cannot do the other can do but if you are gonna buy a cargo van for hauling large items around then you're probably gonna have a sedan for personal use as well. Same goes for this IPad. In it's current state it can do some stuff but it's more like a cargo van IMO which simply means it can do nearly everything but sometimes you just need that extra...

[doublepost=1459514392][/doublepost]

You say as your main computing device...so are you thinking of keeping your 13"rmbp?
Not initially, but as of this moment I think I will just try out the 32GB wireless version and see how it goes. So, keeping the rMBP and the jetpack.

What program do you use to work with your photos?
Photos and several extensions.

Are your excel spreadsheets macro intensive?
Rarely.

What do you mean by some music things? Listening? Creating? Editing?

Listening and merging. No composing or editing.

Thank you for intelligent, relevant questions.

 

[ZBoater]

If you don't own any gadgets that need their firmware updated, you're fine. But if you own a radar detector or gps or something like that, updating their firmware with an iPad is not possible.

Also, Quicken doesn't run on an iPad. If you don't need quicken, you're fine.

Word, Excel and PowerPoint are OK on the iPad. But they're not equivalent to their PC versions.