iPad as a laptop replacement

[Mainsail]

I definitely can't begrudge anyone going to a laptop now--they're a lot more user friendly than they used to be, and I find it important to have one in the lineup myself. I will say that when family and friends ask me which laptop they should buy, I tell them, "If you want me to give you advice on Windows laptops, that will be a dead end."

It's not because of rabid fanboy-ism or anything like that. I don't care what others prefer. I just don't feel like answering 8,000 Windows tech support calls a day until the end of time. A lot of my family still own their ancient Windows PCs and I can't wait for all of those PCs to die so they stop being my problem all the time. Granted, my mom has had iPhones and iPads almost as long as I have now, and still doesn't know how to use those either, so.........

I agree fully. iPads are great, but the latest M1 MacBooks are pretty nice and user friendly. For friends and family that are students or work frequently on productivity apps, my starting point is M1 MBA ($849 on sale) + iPhone SE* ($249 on sale). This is a very difficult combo to beat for the entry level. Of course, they might want a nicer camera or a bigger screen or need a pencil, so we adjust as necessary. But, it is a good place to start the conversation.

*At the moment, I might wait until the spring for the rumored SE update. On the other hand, there are amazing deals on the 2020 SE.

 

[rui no onna]

I will say that when family and friends ask me which laptop they should buy, I tell them, "If you want me to give you advice on Windows laptops, that will be a dead end."

I use Windows myself but if someone asked me for Windows laptop buying advice, it would be hard for me to answer, too.

I use ThinkPads because I like their keyboards best. Alas, most of my acquaintances just seem to be looking for the cheapest one they can buy at Walmart or Best Buy and I wouldn't touch those with a ten-foot pole.

 

[spiderman0616]

I agree fully. iPads are great, but the latest M1 MacBooks are pretty nice and user friendly. For friends and family that are students or work frequently on productivity apps, my starting point is M1 MBA ($849 on sale) + iPhone SE* ($249 on sale). This is a very difficult combo to beat for the entry level. Of course, they might want a nicer camera or a bigger screen or need a pencil, so we adjust as necessary. But, it is a good place to start the conversation.

*At the moment, I might wait until the spring for the rumored SE update. On the other hand, there are amazing deals on the 2020 SE.

Yep. I'm thrilled with the M1 MBA, and it's the only laptop I'm recommending to anyone for any reason until the M2 model comes out. I can't in good conscience suggest anything else. Best laptop I've ever owned, especially at this price point.

 

[rui no onna]

Yep. I'm thrilled with the M1 MBA, and it's the only laptop I'm recommending to anyone for any reason until the M2 model comes out. I can't in good conscience suggest anything else. Best laptop I've ever owned, especially at this price point.

Yep, what I recommended to my aunt as well since she's been wanting to buy a laptop and was platform-agnostic. Lucky it was on sale for $799 at Costco at the time (holiday season). Primarily used just for web browsing.

 

[Mainsail]

Yep, what I recommended to my aunt as well since she's been wanting to buy a laptop and was platform-agnostic. Lucky it was on sale for $799 at Costco at the time (holiday season). Primarily used just for web browsing.

What a great deal!

 

[XIO[-]OIX]

I made iPad my main device. I do keep a JumpDesktop connection to a Windows machine, just in case I need it, and will make another for MacOS. So I am covered from all possible sides.

Albeith, I dont expect to use it much. iPad seems to cover a lot of what I need to get done. What could be improved, in my case has nothing to do with the iPadOS, but with the software selection. There are still apps I use that dont exist for iPad, mostly proffesional ones. I hope more developers will take iPad seriously and brig on the big guns. Some allready have.

 

[dumastudetto]

Yep, what I recommended to my aunt as well since she's been wanting to buy a laptop and was platform-agnostic. Lucky it was on sale for $799 at Costco at the time (holiday season). Primarily used just for web browsing.

Primarily you shouldn't be web browsing on a Mac. Web browsing is far better suited to iPads and iPhones.

 

[Digitalguy]

Primarily you shouldn't be web browsing on a Mac. Web browsing is far better suited to iPads and iPhones.

I don't agree with that, especially for iPhones. I prefer a 1000 times browsing on a laptop than on a phone. iPad and laptop, well I am fine with either, but I wouldn't say it's far better on iPad.... Unless you consider touch far better, which would make browsing on a Windows laptop with touch far better than doing it on any Mac...

 

[UBS28]

Primarily you shouldn't be web browsing on a Mac. Web browsing is far better suited to iPads and iPhones.

How is web browsing better on an iPad? You got better (and bigger) screen, better battery life and better software for browsing on a laptop.

 

[Isengardtom]

I don't agree with that, especially for iPhones. I prefer a 1000 times browsing on a laptop than on a phone. iPad and laptop, well I am fine with either, but I wouldn't say it's far better on iPad.... Unless you consider touch far better, which would make browsing on a Windows laptop with touch far better than doing it on any Mac...

Agreed on the iPhone but I do prefer browsing on a tablet mostly because of touch but also because you can do it lying down on a couch, which is more annoying on a laptop.

 

[Digitalguy]

Agreed on the iPhone but I do prefer browsing on a tablet mostly because of touch but also because you can do it lying down on a couch, which is more annoying on a laptop.

I do see you point, but I think it's a matter of personal preference. At my desk I prefer browsing on a large monitor, which does not work well with an iPad... and even on a couch I still prefer to have a keyboard to answer messages etc. (never use the software keyboard) so laptop or iPad with magic keyboard is not that different to me (I have more Windows laptops with touch than Macbooks... but honestly lack of touch is not a deal breaker on a couch, it's just nice sometimes to have the option)

 

[Mainsail]

For me, both iPad and MacBook work just fine for casual computing tasks like mail, messages, calendar, Photos, and Safari. If I am responding to a long email with multiple attachments, I probably prefer a MacBook. If I am reclining and browsing the web, I probably prefer an iPad. But, like I said, both are fine for these routine activities. There are a few areas where the devices have clear advantages:

iPad advantages
reading
drawing
marking-up docs

MacBook advantages
productivity apps
multi-tasking
file management

Of course, you can read and mark-up documents in Preview on a MacBook, and you can use a paper bound journal for drawing and note taking rather than an iPad. But, the same arguments can be made with respect to the iPad. You can use the iPad as your mobile solution and use a desktop for your heavy lifting for productivity, multi-tasking and file management.

We live in an era of great choices. For me, it is pretty hard to beat the all around portability, simplicity, efficiency, and economy of the MBA. But, other people's needs will vary.

 

[DeepIn2U]

I definitely can't begrudge anyone going to a laptop now--they're a lot more user friendly than they used to be, and I find it important to have one in the lineup myself. I will say that when family and friends ask me which laptop they should buy, I tell them, "If you want me to give you advice on Windows laptops, that will be a dead end."

It's not because of rabid fanboy-ism or anything like that. I don't care what others prefer. I just don't feel like answering 8,000 Windows tech support calls a day until the end of time. A lot of my family still own their ancient Windows PCs and I can't wait for all of those PCs to die so they stop being my problem all the time. Granted, my mom has had iPhones and iPads almost as long as I have now, and still doesn't know how to use those either, so.........

my life mantra day in/out of why I use iOS, iPadOS and macOS for my personal choices after a long day on windows troubleshooting.

 

[ericwn]

Primarily you shouldn't be web browsing on a Mac. Web browsing is far better suited to iPads and iPhones.

As someone working with web interfaces for a living daily, I had to laugh. This couldn’t be further from the truth. But sure thing, there is a reality distortion field somewhere.

 

[ericwn]

Some of the world's most advanced websites are built and maintained using only an iPad. Excel runs perfectly on iPad too, and don't ignore Numbers as a compelling alternative. All the pieces of the jigsaw are there waiting for you to seize the moment and abandon the legacy Mac platform.

Pinging you again on that website statement. Please provide examples for super advanced websites including proof of your theory.

 

[Bubble99]

For our company, it's the opposite. Most of my co-workers didn't really have up to date home computers and primarily just used smartphones at home. A few had iPads. I know a lot who bought new laptops so they could work from home.

He is talking about the 90s and 2000s when desktop computers where the norm. No one used smartphones in the 90s , it was a car phones back than only for the rich people and rich business people. The 2000s was cheap flip phones that only did calling and texting.

The laptops in the 90s and 2000s where horrible so most people used a desktop.

Now days the only people using desktop computers are the youtube gamers, computer nerds, gamers and old folks used to old way of doing things. And businesses that buy bulk desktop used in work stations.

All the collage and university folks are using laptops and Apple pruducts.

 

[rui no onna]

He is talking about the 90s and 2000s when desktop computers where the norm. No one used smartphones in the 90s , it was a car phones back than only for the rich people and rich business people. The 2000s was cheap flip phones that only did calling and texting.

The laptops in the 90s and 2000s where horrible so most people used a desktop.

Now days the only people using desktop computers are the youtube gamers, computer nerds, gamers and old folks used to old way of doing things. And businesses that buy bulk desktop used in work stations.

All the collage and university folks are using laptops and Apple pruducts.

I was referring to this part of the post.

In 2022, the landscape is very different, obviously. I think the pandemic has finally made non-techies realize that the computer on your desk or in your laptop bag are not your only options. Far from it.

At least for our workplace, the pandemic invigorated regular laptop sales. No one in the office is using an iPad for telecommuting.

 

[Bubble99]

How is web browsing better on an iPad? You got better (and bigger) screen, better battery life and better software for browsing on a laptop.

Difference between power users and non power users.

If you look at the work flow of non power users you will see most of them only doing one thing. The power users normaly do more multitasking.

So that is why you get I use my smartphone or iPad and can get every thing done. Where the power users complain of lack of multitasking because they running many different things that the iPad was not designed to do.

 

[Bubble99]

I use Windows myself but if someone asked me for Windows laptop buying advice, it would be hard for me to answer, too.

I use ThinkPads because I like their keyboards best. Alas, most of my acquaintances just seem to be looking for the cheapest one they can buy at Walmart or Best Buy and I wouldn't touch those with a ten-foot pole.

Blame Intel not Microsoft.

People buy those cheap laptops for under $800 running those Celeron , pentium or i3 and 4GB of RAM and wonder why youtube videos are buffering and clicking on say a doc file takes a long time to open.

The only thing I can see is one is Microsoft switching to ARM or two Microsoft brings out new kernel and builds OS from the ground up yes breaking all backwards of software and hardware but with new system requirements 1GB of RAM at the most.

What Microsoft should do is in bring out Windows 12 in 5 years from now and have two versions. One Windows 12 retro for old hardware and old software and saying you going to get up dates for 10 to 15 years and that is it, give people lots of time to switch over. That give businesses and users 10 to 15 years to switch over.

And windows 12 sun valley it was suppose to be all new Kernel and built from the ground up for the new software and new hardware.

 

[alecgold]

I was referring to this part of the post.


At least for our workplace, the pandemic invigorated regular laptop sales. No one in the office is using an iPad for telecommuting.

Over here several people WFH with iPads. Unfortunately we still need to review lots of PDF’s and that is easier done on an iPad with a pencil. I still don’t understand why Adobe thinks those ridiculous yellow post-its in PDF’s are a good idea.

Edit: I should say WFH mainly with iPads, most of them have a M1 MBA or something like that as well and often a 24”/27” display as well. But a lot of work is done on an ipad for some.

 

[rui no onna]

Over here several people WFH with iPads. Unfortunately we still need to review lots of PDF’s and that is easier done on an iPad with a pencil. I still don’t understand why Adobe thinks those ridiculous yellow post-its in PDF’s are a good idea.

Edit: I should say WFH mainly with iPads, most of them have a M1 MBA or something like that as well and often a 24”/27” display as well. But a lot of work is done on an ipad for some.

I think I might be the only one in the office that deals a lot with PDF markup (as alternative to printing 500+ pages per month). Ergo, I’m probably the only one who actually does some of my work on the iPad.

Most others use either Microsoft Office or proprietary Windows-only software plus tons of paper print-outs.

 

[Isamilis]

I think I might be the only one in the office that deals a lot with PDF markup (as alternative to printing 500+ pages per month). Ergo, I’m probably the only one who actually does some of my work on the iPad.

Most others use either Microsoft Office or proprietary Windows-only software plus tons of paper print-outs.

Just curious, do you really use all iPad Air 4, iPad Pro 11 1TB and 12.9 1TB in the same time? Would you share the use case?

 

[XIO[-]OIX]

Just curious, do you really use all iPad Air 4, iPad Pro 11 1TB and 12.9 1TB in the same time? Would you share the use case?

also, can I have one? ?

 

[Bubble99]

Just curious, do you really use all iPad Air 4, iPad Pro 11 1TB and 12.9 1TB in the same time? Would you share the use case?

Sounds like he is running some business if he is doing 500+ pages per month print outs and working with PDF files every day.

 

[rui no onna]

Just curious, do you really use all iPad Air 4, iPad Pro 11 1TB and 12.9 1TB in the same time? Would you share the use case?

I rarely use them at the same time.

Air 4 and Pro 11: manga/manhwa, ebooks, couch/bed web surfing (alternate between the two when one is charging)

Pro 12.9: American comics, magazines, PDFs

I bought an iPad 2 (and some crappy Windows tablets) solely for reading manga/manhwa. Over the years with hardware and software updates, it’s gotten more versatile and I almost never use my laptop anymore (use a Windows desktop for work).

I first bought the 12.9 primarily for comic-reading. It just happened to prove useful for work.