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iPad or MacBook / MacBook Pro

A

ArmCortexA8

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Feb 18, 2010
1,109
214
Terra Australis
Hi all

I've had my Apple iPad 3G 64GB since release in Australia on May 28, and own the 64GB version which cost me AU$1,049 (including GST plus I sold off my iPhone 3GS for AU$700 and paid the difference for the iPad). Now this device works perfectly, except for that niggling wireless signal strength indicator which varies yes doesn't disconnect. Now I don't own an Apple MacBook and my only other previous apple devices were the iPhone 3G and then the iPhone 3GS, and what's nagging me is that for about $300 more I could have got a MacBook or MacBook Pro.

I love using the iPad, but I could have purchased a Macbook for not much more which has more functionality, and this is nagging me. I mainly surf the web a d check emails and run Office. What do I do?
 
The iPad is great, but nothing beats a Mac, in my opinion. Especially if you've never had a Mac before. :)

Now, if you already had a Mac and then you got the iPad, it'd be a different story.
 
Yep, buy what you need. If you needed a laptop, why were you not out researching that? Might not need one. If the iPad is suiting your purposes why worry about it?
 
ziggyonice said:
The iPad is great, but nothing beats a Mac, in my opinion. Especially if you've never had a Mac before. :)

Now, if you already had a Mac and then you got the iPad, it'd be a different story.
Click to expand...

I know the iPad is the latest and greatest, but never owned a Mac computer, damn apple make it hard for me.
 
Zazoh said:
Yep, buy what you need. If you needed a laptop, why were you not out researching that? Might not need one. If the iPad is suiting your purposes why worry about it?
Click to expand...

I'm only pondering a MacBook as I already have a windows laptop and the price of the iPad is not much different to a MacBook, plus it has a lot more with it. The iPad is an amazing device.
 
Hammie said:
Is your current MacBook on death's doorstep? If not, just enjoy your iPad.
Click to expand...

I've never owned a MacBook laptop in my life, and only owned the current and previous iPhones. I was comparing the cost difference between the iPad and MacBook / MacBook Pro, so in my mind I'm questioning if I should have gone for the MacBook instead.
 
ArmCortexA8 said:
I've never owned a MacBook laptop in my life, and only owned the current and previous iPhones. I was comparing the cost difference between the iPad and MacBook / MacBook Pro, so in my mind I'm questioning if I should have gone for the MacBook instead.
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Sorry. reading comprehension skills are lacking this morning. :p I thought you said that you had one.

Therefore, my question can be modified to -- Is your current computer on death's doorstep?

BTW, I have had Dell laptop's the last 6 or 7 years and just got my first MBP. It has been a life altering experience... for the better!!!

It now really comes down to needs and portability requirements. I would write down a list of pros and cons regarding a laptop versus an iPad.

Good luck!
 
I'd get a 13" MacBook Pro. I just got a 3G 16GB iPad and while I thought it would replace my MacBook Pro use I still keep going back to my MacBook Pro.

My wife loves the iPad and can't put it down - she has been reading books, playing games, browsing the internet, and listening to music on it. The great thing about it is that now my wife isn't always using my MacBook Pro (she already broke her own MacBook) which means I get to use it anytime I want.
 
Cane?
I'm from Aus too :)

I own the iPhone, 13" MacBook Pro and now 64gb 3g iPad (oh and a time capsule... And still have a super old Windows desktop). Two weeks before i got the iPad I upgraded to the latest mbp because I didn't think I was going to get the iPad :/ I still love my mbp but I've caught myself sitting at my desk with my desktop and my mbp in front of me, yet I'm still surfing with the iPad. Lol

The only time I use the computers now is to type up reports or assignments, look at websites that don't load on the iPad or sync the idevices. Oh and to charge the iPad!

You need to think about what you want to do... A lot of people on here don't use their computers anymore, or just get a Mac when your computer dies if it's still going well :) or eBay it and get a Mac!
 
Hammie said:
Sorry. reading comprehension skills are lacking this morning. :p I thought you said that you had one.Therefore, my question can be modified to -- Is your current computer on death's doorstep? BTW, I have had Dell laptop's the last 6 or 7 years and just got my first MBP. It has been a life altering experience... for the better!!!It now really comes down to needs and portability requirements. I would write down a list of pros and cons regarding a laptop versus an iPad.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

My current laptop (ASUS G1S) is going well and my pc recently died completely and I'm not willing to pay a fortune to get it fixed. The ASUS is over 2 Yeats old but it screams along - Windows 7 x64 and a 128GB Corsair SSD drive - it runs like a rocket, yet I don't play games on it and only use it for the web, movies, and Microsoft office 2010. 2 years ago it cost me AU$2,500. The laptop is hardly moves from the house unless I go on a plane, or I might occasionally take it to work to kill some time during lunch.

I already know the pros and cons, and the biggest nagging factor is that for the price of the ipad i could have bought a MacBook / MacBook Pro laptop.
 
ArmCortexA8 said:
My current laptop (ASUS G1S) is going well and my pc recently died completely and I'm not willing to pay a fortune to get it fixed. The ASUS is over 2 Yeats old but it screams along - Windows 7 x64 and a 128GB Corsair SSD drive - it runs like a rocket, yet I don't play games on it and only use it for the web, movies, email and may some Photoshop stuff. 2 years ago it cost me AU$2,500. The laptop is hardly moves from the house unless I go on a plane, or I might occasionally take it to work to kill some time during lunch.

I already know the pros and cons, and the biggest nagging factor is that for the price of the ipad i could have bought a MacBook / MacBook Pro laptop.
Click to expand...

Sounds like the ASUS is doing its job. I w old stick with the iPad unless you plan on getting into Photoshop a lot more and. You feel your current machine is seriously lacking.
 
Get a Mac dude. The iPad experience is great, but nothing will beat Mac. The iPad is extremely portable and easy-to-use, but since you've never had a Mac before I suggest getting one in place of just an iPad.
 
I have a desktop mac (mini) and purchased an iPad to fill needs the desktop couldn't perform (i.e., around the house surfing, having a computer with me for basic tasks on the go, etc).

That said, if I didn't have a mini, and had no other computer, getting the laptop would be a no brainer. As it is, I like the desktop/iPad combo. Best of all worlds, in my opinion.

Laptops are nice, but when I had them, I never ended up using them for anything intensive while on the go...just surfing, basic word processing, movies, etc. The iPad can do all of that quite well, and for several hundred dollars less.
 
SVT Amateur said:
I'd get a 13" MacBook Pro. I just got a 3G 16GB iPad and while I thought it would replace my MacBook Pro use I still keep going back to my MacBook Pro.

My wife loves the iPad and can't put it down - she has been reading books, playing games, browsing the internet, and listening to music on it. The great thing about it is that now my wife isn't always using my MacBook Pro (she already broke her own MacBook) which means I get to use it anytime I want.
Click to expand...

I was looking at the 13" MacBook Pro which is only about $AU400 more than the iPad and it's a physical laptop with DVD burner etc, and would be my first MacBook computer ever. Despite the iPad letting you read books, I would never use this feature as I've never bought a book in a bookstore in my life, and I simply don't buy books. As for music I have my iPod classic 160GB, and would not use the iPad for music, and as for games, I play games on my playstation 3 and my xbox 360. I only use the iPad for web and email and purchased one movie (Avatar), but prefer a larger screen anyway.

I bought my iPad from JB HiFi so I don't know what they are like with product exchanges within the 2 week period despite being an apple reseller
 
Hammie said:
Sounds like the ASUS is doing its job. I w old stick with the iPad unless you plan on getting into Photoshop a lot more and. You feel your current machine is seriously lacking.
Click to expand...

CORRECTION: I don't use Photoshop, so only emails, movies, music and Office 2010.
 
I used to have an Asus G1S up until a couple of years ago, when it blew up on me due to a power surge. It is not a bad laptop at all, though it is significantly noisier than an MBP. Anyway, I love my iPad 3G, but if you need to run MS Office, you obviously need an MB or MBP.
 
Get both. If you must choose, obviously a MacBook. There are too many things an iPad can't do. It's not a computer. Yet.
 
I have a 20" iMac aluminum 3gb (upgraded from the original 1gb). I considered a MacBook pro but went for the iPad as my mobile device. I was an early adopter bought my ipad on day two of the US release and had a friend ship it to me in Finland.

What can I say it is amazing and works so well as an extension of my iMac, using drop box and air video plus air sharing, it is almost like holding my iMac in my hands in outside the house office/meeting situations.

I got the 32gb wifi as work has a full wifi network as does the city I live in.
Now I can present and display items on the fly with no lag in load time.

Plus both of my apple products have been paid for as expense items from my works budget... Life has been very good recently:)
 
I use the MBP for "serious business" when I need CS4 or heavy document editing.

Traveling (especially traveling) or light browsing/media I carry the iPad and ditch the MBP at home...


You know you need both.... :D
 
Get the Mac. It's a beautiful, powerful beast.

Get the iPad if you really need one after, and you got the money.
 
Get the Mac.

It would be a mistake to choose that tablet over a Laptop.

The tablet is an auxiliary device, not primary.
 
Still cant decide. I like the iPad and it's very handy, plus it has 3G and wifi which macbook's don't, plus I believe product refreshes due soon. It's a catch 22.
 
ArmCortexA8 said:
Still cant decide. I like the iPad and it's very handy, plus it has 3G and wifi which macbook's don't, plus I believe product refreshes due soon. It's a catch 22.
Click to expand...

The ipad is a new device and the majority of notebooks were just refreshed.

I really do not think it is wise to look at the cost between a MacBook and the ipad as a way of determining what to purchase. Although there is an overlap between what they can do, they are fundamentally different devices.

You already own a notebook. Although it can be argued that the experience of a MacBook is superior over a Windows machine, at their core they are both notebook computers running desktop operating systems.

Obviously an ipad is not a necessity for anyone, but since you are currently using one you must ask yourself would you rather replace the experience (the OS, the form factor, the 3G) with another notebook using a desktop OS?

I am currently not on the market for a new notebook, and I do have a macbook pro, but if someone offered to exchange my iPad for a brand-new 17" MacBook Pro or a Macbook Air, I would have to say "no." I imagine I would say the same even if I was running a modern Windows notebook.
 
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