Indecision plagues my mind!!!

[Reclaim3r]

Ok... Story time.. I'll try to keep it as brief as possible. I like to game, so I bought a new high end 15" Macbook Pro. It was very nice, but I didn't feel it was worth the huge price tag. So, I had a revelation where I would return the 15" for a low end 13" and spend the difference on a desktop gaming rig.

I did this and put together a $800 budget gaming rig while still having my 13". But now I'm having the fear that I'm not going to use my laptop very much. So NOOW I'm thinking about returning the 13" and getting an iPad 2... I very nice savings of about $500.

What are everyone's thoughts on this? Should I go through with it and return my 13" and get an iPad 2, or should I just hang on to the 13" and take the $500 hit (I'm senior in college so money is tight). Are there going to be anything that I'm really going to miss? Honestly, I feel like I'm leaning towards the iPad, but I don't want to be missing a Mac a couple of months from now.


P.S. I'm also looking into turning the desktop into a Hackintosh eventually.

 

[marmiteturkey]

I have an iPad and an 11in Macbook Air. They do overlap quite a bit, esp with the Mac App store. If I were on a budget, and needed a mobile device, I would only have one of them - but I'm not sure which! THe MBA is great for work when I travel; the ipad handles almost everything else.

The MBA is my only computer now, as I don't game; sold a 13in Macbook Pro to buy it, never looked back. I've really missed my iPad the last two weeks (sold it early to get an iPad 2).

 

[jclardy]

What do you use the Macbook for? schoolwork?

 

[sanford]

If keeping an iPad 2 meant not having a Mac at all, I'd keep the Mac. The Mac foremost, then an iPad. I use my iPad a lot, but this is the infancy of the so-called "post-PC era," we're not well in it. When I don't ever need to sync my iPad to a desktop or laptop PC or Mac, for what I do I could get along with a future 128GB iPad and no Mac. Until then, I'd keep a Mac first.

 

[vi2867]

This is the exact issue I have. For the last 3 months I have been trying to decide, should I buy a MacBook Air or iPad 2. I finally have decided that I need to be mobile, and the iPad 2 is better for that.

My other issues is, should I buy a wi-fi only or wi-fi + 3G, should it be Verizon or AT&T, and storage 16GB, 32GB or 64GB.

My choice was Black 32GB wi-fi + 3G on AT&T.

I want to be connected everywhere.

AT&T 3G in the LA area is much faster, than Verizon they have more coverage, but more slow, and price $35 for 2GB and AT&T $25 for 2GB.

16GB is not enough I can fill that up in a heartbeat. 32GB is manageable. 64GB will make me a pack rat.

 

[vincenz]

Keep the MacBook pro. The iPad isnt about to replace all your computing needs.

 

[MacMaad]

I think the answer really depends on what you are going to be using your chosen device for. If you mostly surf the web, watch movies, email, play games etc. I would say go for the iPad. If you are using it for productivity and need a portable computer for classes, etc., then I would say keep the MBP.

 

[Reclaim3r]

What do you use the Macbook for? schoolwork?

I'm about to graduate, so schoolwork is going to be a non-issue. Anyways, when I did my school work, it was 99% in my dorm room on my laptop.

I think the answer really depends on what you are going to be using your chosen device for. If you mostly surf the web, watch movies, email, play games etc. I would say go for the iPad. If you are using it for productivity and need a portable computer for classes, etc., then I would say keep the MBP.

I'm pretty sure I would use the MBP only for web browsing and maybe a few other things, but mostly web browsing. Which makes me feel bad having a $1100 laptop to only use for web browsing.

 

[Phil A.]

Personally, if I had to choose between iOS and OS X, OS X would win every time. I love my iPad but as an addition to my Macs, not as a replacement...

 

[David R]

It depends on what you are going to use it for.

At home, for web browsing and working on documents, for example, I use my laptop. If I want to play a game, I'll grab the iPad.

When I go to work, I leave the laptop home and grab the iPad since I already have a work computer waiting in the office. The iPad is a great little tool to have around, specially when I go to meetings.

The laptop simply has a better web experience than the iPad and since I mostly just browse the web and participate in forums when I'm home, that's what I use. I tried using the iPad for my web browsing for 2 months, and while nice, it's not as nice as using a laptop.

 

[ovrlrd]

I am sorry but this is not a decision that can be made for you. It is something that each individual has to decide for themselves. Personally I love having my MBA and my iPad but I know people who live just fine without a laptop.

 

[Reclaim3r]

I am sorry but this is not a decision that can be made for you. It is something that each individual has to decide for themselves. Personally I love having my MBA and my iPad but I know people who live just fine without a laptop.

I'm not asking for anyone to make a decision for me. I am merely asking what people's thoughts are on the matter. It's a tough decision and one that I am not taking lightly.

 

[marcellus7]

Get a used original iPad while you can for 250 - 350, and keep your MBP. Personally, I find myself not using my macbook pro as much with my iPad, other than work; you may be just fine with your desktop. You could also get a used macbook and an iPad too.

 

[Reclaim3r]

Get a used original iPad while you can for 250 - 350, and keep your MBP. Personally, I find myself not using my macbook pro as much with my iPad, other than work; you may be just fine with your desktop. You could also get a used macbook and an iPad too.

i'm not looking to have 2 mobile devices. I have a desktop and I'm looking for just one mobile device at this point.

 

[David R]

i'm not looking to have 2 mobile devices. I have a desktop and I'm looking for just one mobile device at this point.

An iPad is simply not going to replace a full featured computer for every day use. You can do a lot with it, but it's not perfect. If it's one or the other, I say keep your laptop.