iPad vs Mac?

[hartofgold]

Hello!

I am the owner of a much-beloved Macbook Pro (2015, 13-inch) which I bought second-hand about five years ago. I absolutely love this laptop and have used it non non stop since I bought it ..... so of course now it's reaching the end of its life and regularly begins to overheat on software such as Zoom / Teams etc. Had the battery/fans fully changed in October by a fantastic team but was advised it would only have a year or so of juice left so have been scouting a replacement, although $$$ is a bit tight atm and I'm really attached to this one so have been putting it off.

However, I was recently super lucky to be able to purchase an iPad 6th gen (2018, 32gb I think) by my workplace at a big discount due to a scheme they run. I'm wondering if I might be able to instead purchase a Magic Keyboard / similar and use the iPad as a substitute for replacing the Mac?

Majority of my laptop use is now based around Word, Excel, video calls, research/reading online, ebooks + some music / video streaming (doing PhD and teaching). All docs are stored in cloud storage which I pay for monthly. Originally bought the Pro as was using Logic and Sibelius a lot and needed something that could process this but no longer!

Any advice????? I am totally clueless and very grateful for any pointers at all!!

Thanks so much for reading and for any replies

Have a great day!!

x

 

[Davidalan]

My usual choice is to recommend the 12.9” iPad Pro and the Magic keyboard. At this time it’s my go to device for 99% of the things I need to do. It has in the past replaced my MacBook Pro and now it has regulated my iMac to secondary status, I’m even having a hard time justifying the purchase of a new 24” iMac, but I will replace my 27” soon with a 24” M1 iMac. However, one of the conditions you mentioned is $$$ are tight. A iPad Pro with MKB will run you more than an entry level MacBook Pro. I would recommend the new MacBook Air and perhaps upping the ram to 16gb’s and I think with the apple back to school special currently running (you should qualify) you will come out ahead. Everything you mentioned that you mentioned you do with you current MacBook Pro you would be able to do on either the iPad Pro or the MacBook Air. You still have a functioning iPad to do quick work on.

 

[PaladinGuy]

It just depends on what you need to do with it. I would say that the iPad version of Office is still nowhere near as capable as the MacOS version. The camera for zoom and such is also not as good because it’s not centered. The new M1 iPad Pro mostly fixed that.

Overall, for the money you have to spend to make the iPad close to a laptop, you’re better off getting a Mac. The only exception would be if you are in graphic design of some sort or another area that heavily needs Apple Pencil capabilities.

 

[ian87w]

Hello!

I am the owner of a much-beloved Macbook Pro (2015, 13-inch) which I bought second-hand about five years ago. I absolutely love this laptop and have used it non non stop since I bought it ..... so of course now it's reaching the end of its life and regularly begins to overheat on software such as Zoom / Teams etc. Had the battery/fans fully changed in October by a fantastic team but was advised it would only have a year or so of juice left so have been scouting a replacement, although $$$ is a bit tight atm and I'm really attached to this one so have been putting it off.

However, I was recently super lucky to be able to purchase an iPad 6th gen (2018, 32gb I think) by my workplace at a big discount due to a scheme they run. I'm wondering if I might be able to instead purchase a Magic Keyboard / similar and use the iPad as a substitute for replacing the Mac?

Majority of my laptop use is now based around Word, Excel, video calls, research/reading online, ebooks + some music / video streaming (doing PhD and teaching). All docs are stored in cloud storage which I pay for monthly. Originally bought the Pro as was using Logic and Sibelius a lot and needed something that could process this but no longer!

Any advice????? I am totally clueless and very grateful for any pointers at all!!

Thanks so much for reading and for any replies

Have a great day!!

x

What do you use Word and Excel for? People keep bashing the iPad version of Office to be not as "capable" as the mac version, but in reality, they work just fine for the majority of the uses of most people.

Since you're tight on budget, right now, I would just get a bluetooth keyboard for your iPad 6th gen. See if you can get used to the iPad for your regular productivity stuff.

Having said all that, if you have the money to upgrade, I'd rather just get M1 Macbook Air. It's not only cheaper than the iPad Pro, you don't have to spend more for the keyboard. Imo in the end a computer is still necessary. The iPad is still not a standalone device. You still need a computer to even troubleshoot the iPad if there's something wrong with it.

 

[Ray2]

You can do a lot on an iPad. All the tasks you mention. Not as quick and efficient as a Mac but not a task you would want to avoid. But then comes the time you need to format a drive. Or whatever task an iPad can’t handle. You either have a friend or you beg the Apple store to do it. Look at those type of functions carefully.

I have an 11” M1. There is zero chance of me viewing my Mac as the secondary device amongst the 2. And I’ve been using iPads since the first one.