i either want a macbook pro or an iPad but dont know which one to choose. i would appreciate your guys comments, pro and cons about each. (this will be my first mac)
thnks,Gabe
thnks,Gabe
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iPad vs. MacBook Pro
- Thread starter gabrielmata
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
i either want a macbook pro or an iPad but dont know which one to choose. i would appreciate your guys comments, pro and cons about each. (this will be my first mac)
thnks,Gabe
Well, the Macbook is a full independent computer and it is a Mac that runs the Mac OSX operating system.
The iPad is not a Mac, and is not a full independent computer, and really I don't think has anything to do with the Mac much at all.
It's a mobile device running a different lightweight very cut down operating system iOS that is really only made so you can take things from your computer with you onto the device when you are on the move.
It really depends what your needs are.
But really an iPad is not a Mac in any way it's just made by the same company.
Personally, I'd pick the MBP. I have a MBP and an iPad couldn't replace it. I use my Mac for school (composing music, writing papers, doing research) and work (composing music). I also use my Mac for fun stuff like gaming, social networking, etc. Although the iPad can do a lot of that, it can't do everything that I need.
So it really depends on your needs. Are you a student? Are you a musician? Are you a graphic designer? Are you an engineer? If you don't need more than web browsing, social networking, and light productivity, you could get away with just using an iPad. If you see yourself needing an actual computer, the Mac is your best bet.
So it really depends on your needs. Are you a student? Are you a musician? Are you a graphic designer? Are you an engineer? If you don't need more than web browsing, social networking, and light productivity, you could get away with just using an iPad. If you see yourself needing an actual computer, the Mac is your best bet.
Don't pay for something you don't need. If all you need is an iPad, there is no point paying $700 more for a MacBook Pro.
iPad pros: thinner, lighter, touch interface makes web browsing for enjoyable, better for reading, does 90% of what people need a computer for.
MacBook Pro pros: keyboard makes typing faster (though you can learn to type very fast on the iPad), runs more heavy duty apps like photoshop and final cut, runs modern PC games (though iPad has more games in terms of quantity).
iPad pros: thinner, lighter, touch interface makes web browsing for enjoyable, better for reading, does 90% of what people need a computer for.
MacBook Pro pros: keyboard makes typing faster (though you can learn to type very fast on the iPad), runs more heavy duty apps like photoshop and final cut, runs modern PC games (though iPad has more games in terms of quantity).
I had a Windows 7 laptop and bought an iPad for school as soon as they came out.
This saved me so much money on e-textbooks that I could justify a MBP in my budget two semesters later.
I did miss out on a lot in the Mac world until I got the MacBook Pro though. My iPad experience is better with a Mac.
This saved me so much money on e-textbooks that I could justify a MBP in my budget two semesters later.
I did miss out on a lot in the Mac world until I got the MacBook Pro though. My iPad experience is better with a Mac.
The iPad is supplemental to a full laptop, like the MacBook Pro.
It depends on what you are in the market for. Are you trying to replace a laptop? If so, MBP all the way. If you just want something small to browse and do some light gaming on, iPad wins there.
It depends on what you are in the market for. Are you trying to replace a laptop? If so, MBP all the way. If you just want something small to browse and do some light gaming on, iPad wins there.
Totally different devices and price. What kind of functionality are you looking for?
i.e. Writing a lot of papers? MBP.
Let us know so we can let you know!
i.e. Writing a lot of papers? MBP.
Let us know so we can let you know!
iPad vs. MacBook Pro
Apple offers different products belonging to different price ranges. The Macbook Pro family is the premium notebook serie with integrated graphics, big screens, a lot of memory, etc.
What you're doing here is trying to choose between a premium notebook and a tablet device excellent for consuming multimedia, surfing the web, checking your email but not built for the specific purpose of content creation.
So your decision should be taken depending on the use you're going to give to your new device (consumption vs. creation).
I hope you'll end up making the best decision possible.
Cheers
i either want a macbook pro or an iPad but dont know which one to choose. i would appreciate your guys comments, pro and cons about each. (this will be my first mac)
thnks,Gabe
Apple offers different products belonging to different price ranges. The Macbook Pro family is the premium notebook serie with integrated graphics, big screens, a lot of memory, etc.
What you're doing here is trying to choose between a premium notebook and a tablet device excellent for consuming multimedia, surfing the web, checking your email but not built for the specific purpose of content creation.
So your decision should be taken depending on the use you're going to give to your new device (consumption vs. creation).
I hope you'll end up making the best decision possible.
Cheers
I'm a student that does a lot of typing and researching.and browsing on the iPad is awesome. I like the portability of the iPad, but the mbp are just way more advanced. I'm not going to using final cut pro probably just the basics. but thanks for all your inputs.
Get the MacBook pro it's just better. After a while you will buy the iPad any way (the apple deciese). I have an iPad and it works great for browsing the web and writing emails but the MacBook is a real computer. I'd say get the MacBook.
I'd recommend a Macbook Air over either of them right now. They are a lot better value for money than the Macbook Pro and a LOT nicer to carry around than a MBP as well. Apart from that, the iPad is a great device but it shouldn't be your only decide - it'll disappoint in that regard. I do own a MBP and an iPad (the MBA sucked when I got my MBP) but I would like to see what Apple does for the next-generation MBP before I swap my MBP for a MBA, if ever.
iPad is just an oversized iPod touch. Get a real computer for real work buddy. None of the word processors on iPads allow any endnote type of reference management.
Interesting. You could have just as easily have said "You're comparing a $830 iPad to a $999 MBP???" Can you even tell what the OP's budget limitations are? Or if their "first Mac" needs to be a standalone computer or a internet/media consumption device? I can't.
Regardless, it isn't a stupid comparison in the least. I'll likely be getting my wife an iPad or MBA (or MBP) in the spring, and there are pros and cons to each product. There is a LOT of overlap, and one has to decide based on their own needs.
In my case, the end user won't NEED full-blown OSX, but it would open up a lot of possibilities... Like MS Office for Mac, which will be familiar and a better solution for us than the software or web-based alternatives. Storing the entirety of one's music library and being able to physically share large files are also pluses for the MBP in our case. Not everyone cares about that, and that's cool.
As far as portability, the iPad might have the edge there, but I'm really not put out by having to "lug" my 13" MBP around. I hop into bed, open the lid, and I'm on. In my case, the only time a tablet would be a better choice ergonomically is when I/we had to hand it to someone to show them something on the screen.
Yes, the iPad has a lower initial cost, but it also isn't upgradeable like an MBP would be. You can extend the lifespan of the MBP significantly, while in 3 years, the 1st-gen iPad might be struggling with or missing out on features in iOS 6. If you buy 2+ iPads for every MBP, perhaps it is a wash financially.
Personally, I am still on the fence, and couldn't decide until the next iPad comes out anyway - but unless you are looking strictly at base-model initial cost, comparing an iPad to an MBP isn't "stupid" for everybody. YMMV, and that is the whole point.
Portability? Not even close.
A quick story. I was in bed with my lover the other night and feeling bored. Usually I would just go through the motions and eventually go to sleep unsatisfied. But not this time. I had my trusty iPad with me, and so I stealthily looked up some saucy, sensual tips--and WHAMMY! What a night!
Get the iPad. You will be satisfied.
A quick story. I was in bed with my lover the other night and feeling bored. Usually I would just go through the motions and eventually go to sleep unsatisfied. But not this time. I had my trusty iPad with me, and so I stealthily looked up some saucy, sensual tips--and WHAMMY! What a night!
Get the iPad. You will be satisfied.
If you work outside your home for a living, carrying that iMac to a client site for productivity is gonna be a bear. And the iPad just won't cut it as a replacement computer for anything beyond light lifting tasks.
Everyone has different needs.