iPad Air iPad Air vs Neo

[Mainsail]

Assuming you have a nice Mac desktop (e.g. iMac or Mini) that fits you needs for heavy lifting. Would you prefer an iPad Air ($599) without keyboard case or a MacBook Neo ($599)? Same price, but very different devices.

Note: For the iPad, I am assuming you might get an inexpensive folio case for protection and to prop the tablet to watch movies and maybe better on-screen typing. Likewise, you might need some kind of protective case or cover for the Neo. So, for the sake of discussion, let's assume those are a push wrt cost.

 

[1BadManVan]

Depends entirely on your use case. There's not just one blanket answer to that question without some context

 

[SnowPenguin]

Unless I want the iPad for drawing, I would take the Neo anytime. Better value & more flexible.

 

[Radon87000]

The iPad has a better display, and is more convenient and portable. It’s also a better content consumption device. The MacBook Neo is a typical laptop. I don’t get why people compare the 2. I like my iPad because I can lay down on the sofa and binge watch movies and shows and read books. You cannot do that comfortably with MacBook Neo. If you know what you want out of the device, this shouldn’t even be a question.

 

[sparksd]

Do you want a tablet or a laptop and can either one accomplish the tasks you intend to use it for? Choice is driven by user needs and usage preferences. Personally, I wouldn't want a Neo.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Just in general terms - I certainly would want a tablet device in my life for the form factor. As it happens my primary daily device is my iPad Air at the moment, though it’s ranged from iPad mini to 12.9” iPad Pro over the past few years. Books, news, email, videos… it’s just way too convenient to do without.

But of course there are things a Mac is REQUIRED for; specific apps you can’t get on iPad. So yeah, just depends on what you need & want.

 

[bapegg]

I agree with everyone has said, different devices for different uses.

I actually have both since there are times that I need MacOS to run certain programs while portable. And when I don't need MacOS software then I use the iPad. I use my M4 Mac mini as my primary when at home.

 

[I7guy]

If I had a desktop I would get a tablet. Can’t beat the form factor, portability, ergonomics etc

 

[snipr125]

Between the 2 I most likely would get the iPad Air M4 over the Neo because i already have a MBA. I just find iPads more versatile and fun to use in general.

 

[TheBeverage]

I was in the situation OP suggests, I have a Mac Studio and ended up buying an iPad Air M4 recently. I remember clearly the days of having two full MacOS machines (and even two Windows machines… bleh) and have no desire to go back, one device with a desktop OS is plenty.

My Mac is my work machine. I generally use my iPad for relaxing on the couch after work, as my computer when traveling, and for some niche cases like using it as digital sheet music. It’s the least essential of the phone/tablet/pc trinity but it’s very possibly my favorite to actually use.

I chose the M4 Air as my last iPad was a 10th gen base model, and both the 4GB of RAM and especially the 64GB of storage were choking it. I bumped to 256GB (only $50 more on Amazon) to future proof a bit. I’m also quite enjoying the laminated, anti-reflective screen and faster USB transfer speeds, and being able to import and run whole Logic projects on the go thanks to that larger RAM pool is an unexpected bonus. I wouldn’t mix on here, but being able to make small tweaks while showing someone a mix is proving quite handy.

 

[bapegg]

I would have just stuck with my M3 iPad Air except for the fact that I do need programs that will only run on MacOS. A lot of my amateur radio and model train programs are not available for iPadOS.

Plus I find it more comfortable to type on the Neo versus the iPad Magic Keyboard.

 

[Mainsail]

I agree that it comes down to use case, so I was just wondering how different folks' use case would influence their decision. When not using my iMac for more intensive tasks, I kind of sit in the middle between pure consumption and light productivity.

I intentionally excluded the keyboard case from the iPad because it makes the cost comparison uneven. Also, it forces one to think about the trade-offs of between pure tablet functionality and laptop functionality. Without a keyboard case, the iPad Air is considerably lighter, smaller, and more portable than the Neo......but, there are productivity trade-offs when using the virtual keyboard and iPadOS.

Anyway, I was interested in how others value these trade-offs. No right or wrong answers here.

 

[rui no onna]

I use iPads 99% of the time for personal use (web browsing, ebooks, comics, etc). I'm not trying to be productive in my personal time.

However, I do still keep a laptop around for the few occasions I need one. For the laptop, I need 15" and numpad so the Neo is out of the running (MacBooks in general, really).

 

[Zazoh]

I think I’m a typical Apple user. Most of my time is spent on an iPhone, 2nd is my iPad, third is my MacBook. Desktops no longer suit my needs.

If I had to give up one it would be the MacBook. Nearly all the apps I use are accessible through a browser. The ones that are not are apps on an iPad. I’m a retired programmer. I use computing to augment my life, not distract from it.

 

[TechnoMonk]

I had maxed out MbP except for storage for past decade or so. For me it was between MBA and iPad Pro. I tried both, and iPad Pro was more portable even with Magic Keyboard. I could connect to cloud or my MBp/Linux workstation from iPP. Just a superior experience. You would need to get the right tools in place and it becomes fun.

 

[1BadManVan]

I agree that it comes down to use case, so I was just wondering how different folks' use case would influence their decision. When not using my iMac for more intensive tasks, I kind of sit in the middle between pure consumption and light productivity.

I intentionally excluded the keyboard case from the iPad because it makes the cost comparison uneven. Also, it forces one to think about the trade-offs of between pure tablet functionality and laptop functionality. Without a keyboard case, the iPad Air is considerably lighter, smaller, and more portable than the Neo......but, there are productivity trade-offs when using the virtual keyboard and iPadOS.

Anyway, I was interested in how others value these trade-offs. No right or wrong answers here.

If i was using it more for web browsing, typing lots whether for emails or on forums such as this, i would lean more towards the neo as i do prefer typing out on an actual keyboard vs using a touch screen for all that, especially on an ipad screen, i find it quicker and easier to type on my iphone vs an ipad. But even easier on a real keyboard

Drawing or just content consumption, ipad may be the better choice.

 

[Abazigal]

Assuming you have a nice Mac desktop (e.g. iMac or Mini) that fits you needs for heavy lifting. Would you prefer an iPad Air ($599) without keyboard case or a MacBook Neo ($599)? Same price, but very different devices.

Note: For the iPad, I am assuming you might get an inexpensive folio case for protection and to prop the tablet to watch movies and maybe better on-screen typing. Likewise, you might need some kind of protective case or cover for the Neo. So, for the sake of discussion, let's assume those are a push wrt cost.

If this were me 3 years ago, I would have gotten both.

The context was that I was away from teaching for a 4-month course, and my typical workflow consisted of my working on my 27" iMac at home (it's great for zoom on days when our lecturers had HBL), while bringing my M1 MBA and my 2018 iPad Pro to university for classes. I would use my iPad for taking notes during lectures (with the Apple Pencil), and my laptop for typing documents and working on google docs during tutorials.

I had a cheap magnetic folio case for the iPad (more to cover the screen), but no case for the MBA. Each had its unique value proposition, and I didn't feel like they overlap the other all that much.

In your case, it would depend on what you see yourself doing away from your desk. More of the same work, or otherwise?

 

[Mainsail]

If this were me 3 years ago, I would have gotten both.

The context was that I was away from teaching for a 4-month course, and my typical workflow consisted of my working on my 27" iMac at home (it's great for zoom on days when our lecturers had HBL), while bringing my M1 MBA and my 2018 iPad Pro to university for classes. I would use my iPad for taking notes during lectures (with the Apple Pencil), and my laptop for typing documents and working on google docs during tutorials.

I had a cheap magnetic folio case for the iPad (more to cover the screen), but no case for the MBA. Each had its unique value proposition, and I didn't feel like they overlap the other all that much.

In your case, it would depend on what you see yourself doing away from your desk. More of the same work, or otherwise?

I think I lean more to the Neo because, while I am retired, I find myself dealing with a fair number of documents and spreadsheets in our family real estate business. MacOS is just easier for me to navigate when I have multiple documents and apps open.

I have an iMac, but I often find myself working on documents, spreadsheets and Quicken away from my desktop.

 

[geta]

Different tools/devices for different purposes, and both have their place and use.

 

[rampancy]

For me personally, it all came down to weight and portability. The Neo is a great machine, but as a easily transportable (DIY) writer deck, an 11" iPad Air with an angle-adjustable folio case and a Bluetooth folding keyboard made the most sense to me.

 

[Mainsail]

For me personally, it all came down to weight and portability. The Neo is a great machine, but as a easily transportable (DIY) writer deck, an 11" iPad Air with an angle-adjustable folio case and a Bluetooth folding keyboard made the most sense to me.

Does the iPad + case + keyboard weigh as much or more than a Neo? Not criticizing, just wondering.

 

[rampancy]

Does the iPad + case + keyboard weigh as much or more than a Neo? Not criticizing, just wondering.

I had to be really careful with that. Because if my setup just ended up weighing as much as a Neo (or costing as much as a MacBook Air), then what would be the point?

With my 11" iPad Air, its case (Tech21 FlexFolio) and the keyboard I already have (ProtoArc XK04), the total weight is 965 g.

A Neo with a hardshell case (something I personally insist on using whenever I get a new Apple laptop) would be around 1.5 kg. By itself the 11" iPad Air is already almost half the weight of the Neo.

I'm debating getting a folding stand to elevate my iPad for better ergonomics, but it'll be a challenging trade off between weight and durability.

 

[Mainsail]

I had to be really careful with that. Because if my setup just ended up weighing as much as a Neo (or costing as much as a MacBook Air), then what would be the point?

With my 11" iPad Air, its case (Tech21 FlexFolio) and the keyboard I already have (ProtoArc XK04), the total weight is 965 g.

A Neo with a hardshell case (something I personally insist on using whenever I get a new Apple laptop) would be around 1.5 kg. By itself the 11" iPad Air is already almost half the weight of the Neo.

I'm debating getting a folding stand to elevate my iPad for better ergonomics, but it'll be a challenging trade off between weight and durability.

The other advantage of the iPad Air is that you have a smaller foot print than the Neo.....of course, you get less screen real estate. Trade-offs.

 

[Starfia]

In that situation (my main device is indeed an M1 Mac mini with a Studio Display), I'd definitely rather have the iPad Air.

I haven't really cared about notebook computers since the first iPad arrived, and while I appreciate its cumulative features, I like the iPad for what it does better than notebooks – I don't have this seemingly ubiquitous urge or longing to turn them into Macs.

 

[rampancy]

The other advantage of the iPad Air is that you have a smaller foot print than the Neo.....of course, you get less screen real estate. Trade-offs.

That actually doesn't bother me, as its screen size takes my Primitive Reptile Brain back to the 11" MacBook Air - in my experience one of the greatest laptops Apple ever made. I know the 11" form factor was hard for some (it was practically unusable for my partner), but for me it was the perfect balance of usability and maximum portability.