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iPad Pro I’ve come to a new conclusion regarding 11” vs 13” iPads

Bungaree.Chubbins said:
While we're playing the opinions game, I think that an iPad running macOS is absurd. A super awkward touchscreen device running an OS that's not touch optimised with interface elements that are too small and close to accurately hit, that is severely thermally limited, and will throttle whenever a slightly demanding task needs to be performed. I think that touchscreen laptops in general are an ergonomic mess that don't bring anything useful.

They're just opinions though. They're valid for me, but they're not universal rules.

The great thing about the iPad is its versatility. There isn't a wrong way to use it, and everyone adapts it to their use case. Mine iPad Air 2 is locked into landscape because that's the way it works best for me. One day when I have the money, I'll upgrade to a 13" iPad Air, because my eyes are crap, and I want a bigger screen.
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Yes but Apple would not release Mac OS as it is now, on any iPad Air/Pro with an M chip. They would release a Touch optimised version of Mac OS, probably locked down to the App Store (i.e. no sideloading of Mac Apps) like iPad OS. Any thermal throttling will be similar to the Macbook Air, as they are essentially the same hardware (fanless design).
 
snipr125 said:
Yes but Apple would not release Mac OS as it is now, on any iPad Air/Pro with an M chip. They would release a Touch optimised version of Mac OS, probably locked down to the App Store (i.e. no sideloading of Mac Apps) like iPad OS. Any thermal throttling will be similar to the Macbook Air, as they are essentially the same hardware (fanless design).
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But that's basically what iPadOS IS! They just need to keep adding features, getting a bit closer to parity, but continuing the touch optimised interface.

I think the MacBook Air has a higher thermal capacity as it has a larger heat spreader, it takes longer for the heat soak to trigger the throttling.
 
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sparksd said:
The weights and weight differences are small enough as to be irrelevant to me. The iPad has the advantage of being both a tablet and having a laptop-like configuration. And the display is superior. I haven't run into limitations significant enough to rule out its usage.
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The "limitations significant enough to rule out its usage" is the lame iPad OS versus the Mac OS. No comparison really.

Those users literally weaned with tablets as their baby sitters may prefer the iPad OS because it is now part of their psyche.
 
Allen_Wentz said:
The "limitations significant enough to rule out its usage" is the lame iPad OS versus the Mac OS. No comparison really.

Those users literally weaned with tablets as their baby sitters may prefer the iPad OS because it is now part of their psyche.
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Oh, I don’t know. I’m Gen-X and I prefer iPad OS. I definitely wasn’t weaned on tablets. 😜
 
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snipr125 said:
Any thermal throttling will be similar to the Macbook Air, as they are essentially the same hardware (fanless design).
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They are both fanless but the 13” iPad Pro has around 40% smaller volume to work with than the 13” MacBook Air base, but also you have to factor in that the iPad’s display blocks heat from escaping one entire side of the device, and generates more heat instead. So the thermal capacity of the 13” iPad Pro is likely significantly smaller than the 13” MacBook’s. And the battery also has 30% smaller capacity. (The 11” iPP would have even more disparity in thermal and battery capacity.) These are significant differences in hardware I think people aren’t taking into account.
 
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Going back to the original topic, the 11 is more portable and 10 years ago I would probably went for that. Due to my eyesight and the obstinacy to refuse wearing glasses I bought the bigger Pro.
Is it working as a laptop replacement? I think this depends on ones needs. For me particularly it does but only just.
As many before me already wrote, MacOS is not the solution for the iPad. Some tweaks related to the filesystem and a desktop class browser (even desktop Safari would do) should go a long way for many.
 
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Adelphos33 said:
From 2018 until a couple of years ago, the 13” IPad Pro was probably the best Apple device of that screen class you could buy. The screens and speakers were excellent, the machines were powerful, they could be outfitted with cameras and cellular, and multitasking was doable with split screens. Pricing was good as well.

What has changed has been the huge increase in quality and value of Apple’s laptops. Amazon is selling the 13” M4 MacBook Air for $849. In contrast, Amazon is selling the M4 IPad Air for $1,199. The base 14” MacBook Pro is also often heavily discounted.

When it comes to the iPad Pro, for that extra $250, you get a state of the art screen, and a back camera. It also runs iOS, which for many has more apps. But you have to buy a $300+ keyboard for your iPad to get full functionality.

I’ve been using an 11 inch M1 iPad Air as my primary iPad recently. It works great with the Magic Keyboard, and the extra flexibility of the smaller size gives it something unique.

To me, 13” iPad - particularly the pro - makes sense mainly if you use it as your only mobile device and need the screen size. Or if your are doing creative work where the iOS nature, touch screen, etc makes it useful. But as a secondary device, it gets too expensive relative to the MacBook options - both Air and Pro.

Smaller iPads work the same, can be configured the way you want, are a bit easier to handle (both in tablet mode and with the keyboard). And they are a unique size. To me, the 13-14” MacBooks are getting so good to the point that they are becoming too much competition for the iPad Pro.

The 13” iPad Air is also a good alternative for those that just want that screen size.
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Everyone keeps comparing the 13” iPad Pro to the 13” MacBook Air, but THIS IS A FAULTY COMPARISON! If we just start with the product names, it should be Air vs. Air and Pro vs.Pro, but it goes deeper than that.

Both the iPad Pro and the MacBook Pro have advanced technology displays (miniLED and OLED) offering deep blacks and vivid colors, along with Pro motion 120hz, 600 - 1,000 nits (in HDR) brightness as well as multi-speaker surround stereo. The MacBook Air has NONE of these features. However, even the base model MacBook Pro includes these, and it’s priced at $1599, which is only $50 less than the 13” iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard ($1649).

Someone choosing the MBA over the IPP does get the more robust macOS, but they also get stuck with a 60hz, 500 nits display and only 2 speakers that produce very so-so sound.
 
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Xand&Roby said:
If you use it with an external keyboard and a trackpad it is not a tablet. And most iPads are used like this, in fact you were all excited to have the camera on the wrong side of what you call a tablet but use to replace a Mac in an economical way, which then doesn't even do well, since it runs iPadOS and not macOS, and above all IT IS NOT CHEAP!
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So what? He said he DOES NOT WANT A MAC! End of story. In light of this, your arguments are pointless.
 
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Going to point to this epic thread that was split down the middle. What works for you doesn't work for a lot of other people.

Myself I've never regretted returning the 12.9" and after many years bought another 11".

forums.macrumors.com

11 or 12.9 Pro ?

I can't decide which one to get - can you help me make up my mind ? Thx :)
forums.macrumors.com forums.macrumors.com
 
MisterSavage said:
Going to point to this epic thread that was split down the middle. What works for you doesn't work for a lot of other people.

Myself I've never regretted returning the 12.9" and after many years bought another 11".

forums.macrumors.com

11 or 12.9 Pro ?

I can't decide which one to get - can you help me make up my mind ? Thx :)
forums.macrumors.com forums.macrumors.com
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And I am absolutely the opposite. Love my 12.9”.
 
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I couldn’t ever decide which size was perfect for me and ultimately ended up with a 13” glossy and an 11” nano texture and I use both heavily, just for different purposes (and it also depends on how big of a bag I’m toting for the day)
 
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I guess it all depends on what you want to use it for. I would prefer to have a MacBook Air at that size and have smaller iPads (11 inch, mini). My dad on the other hand decided do get a MacBook Air to replace his older iPad stating that it didn’t make sense to get an iPad when he could get a MacBook for the same price and it was the same as an ipa d He already has chromebooks and windows laptops and desktops. Now he doesn’t have a tablet at all.
 
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