MacBook versus iPad Pro

[jgbr]

i have a new top of the range MacBook Pro. Due to its cost I use it mostly as a desktop but move around so needed a portable machine.

My interim travel device is my iPad Pro.

I find myself struggling with the iPad Pro in certain apps such as word, endnote etc which seem to sit right on the threshold of the old way of things aka laptop versus the new way of thinking as iOS as a laptop replacement. I do however enjoy the iPad Pro.

I am considering getting a basic MacBook and considering in the U.K. the price of the Smart Keyboard is 159, that’s money that could be put aside towards a MacBook.

Has anyone else found themselves in this kind kind of theshold areas of loving iPad but missing OSX even after the latest iOS?

Of note on the MacBook front is it worth holding on slightly due to potential upgrades in the next few months if I went that way.

Persevere with iPad Pro or i think having a MBP, MB, IPP, As over kill?

 

[bill-p]

I have (access) to all of the devices you mentioned: a work-provided rMBP 15" 2016, a personal MB 12" 2017, and an iPad Pro 9.7".

I love the iPad for light media consumption, music, reading a book or two, sketching/doodling or taking some light notes but it honestly can't replace the MB 12" for me. And the MB 12" is the one constant that goes with me everywhere. iPad can't beat the speed and reliability of the MB 12" when it comes to working/producing contents.

Also they happen to be in almost the same size and weight class when the iPad has a case, so the iPad doesn't even hold an advantage in portability.

But still, I have all 3 because each one is good in its own way: MB 12" is the best compromise for portability, rMBP 15" is a very powerful and fairly portable workstation solution, and iPad Pro still can't be beat when it comes to light media consumption. Plus having an iPad Pro on hand lures the kids away from my MB 12" whenever I need it for that use case.

 

[jgbr]

It's making me also lean towards the base model being enough as I am talking about:

word, email, iMessage, endnote, pdf viewer, Skype, iCloud etc. Nothing heavy.

 

[Banjo&kazooie98]

It's making me also lean towards the base model being enough as I am talking about:

word, email, iMessage, endnote, pdf viewer, Skype, iCloud etc. Nothing heavy.

Hey jgbr,

It looks like the base model will be more than enough for your day to day usage. I have an iPad 9.7 2017 and a MacBook 12” 2017 I find I use the MacBook for pretty much the same things you mentioned and also my primary go to machine for work (financial analysis). I use my iPad more for media and also storing my e-textbooks on as I find it more intuitive to read off of the iPad, even my iPhone 8+ than I do reading off my MacBook.

Hope this helps. Let us know what you decide on doing I’d be interested in the outcome.

Cheers.

 

[Fthree]

a couple years ago i bought the 12.9 pro because it was protected by apple care plus. (that was the only reason as i was carrying a $3000 15 inch pro and worried constantly about its safety) Now that apple care is covering basically anything on the new MacBooks (the guy at the store said i could run over it and get a new one) i don't see a point in not taking a MacBook over an iPad.

 

[Ledgem]

It's making me also lean towards the base model being enough as I am talking about:

word, email, iMessage, endnote, pdf viewer, Skype, iCloud etc. Nothing heavy.

As usual, it depends on your usage and preference.

I have an iPad Pro and a 2015 MacBook that I often carry around with me at work. Originally it was just the iPad, but I used Citrix to virtualize my workplace's software often enough that - even though the iPad could do it, too - the MacBook made sense. However, I'm quite mobile, and while the MacBook is incredibly thin and light, I still feel like I'm anchoring down when I set it up. My comparison, the iPad is almost like a notepad of sorts. I use it as a full paper replacement, and also reference information from it. Between the two, the iPad gets much more screen time.

If I engaged in the activities you mentioned, I'd probably still prefer the iPad. It's more portable and flexible overall. I've also become accustomed to the limitations of iOS, as well as the tricks to get around some of them, so iOS doesn't feel as limiting as it once did. But there's no getting around the fact that the iPad can't replace a computer for a good number of tasks; certainly, your MacBook can handle all of your tasks (and a lot more), and there's no learning curve to it. You just give up a bit of portability for that.

 

[t.portis]

I really enjoy using the 12.9" iPad Pro and also have a 2016 MacBook Pro. For me, it just depends on what kind of day I am going to have. If I am in meetings or classes with light note taking and reading supporting documents, the iPad Pro goes in my bag in the morning. It's perfect for that. If I am at my desk most of the day developing presentations, producing documents, etc. then it's the MacBook Pro.

 

[DNAppleGold]

I had a similar dilemma a year ago. I went with the MacBook. (16g ram other than that basic). It is just as light, compact, and otherwise portable as the iPad with a keyboard. And to use the MS suite, Sharepoint, dropbox, Citrix Remote Desktop, and other similar types of business uses, the MacBook is just better. Too many compromises and workarounds on the iPad. I still have my old iPad which I use for reading or watching movies at home and there are times I miss it a work, for example when I want to read and mark up a long article. But for my type of work, the MacBook pluses far outweighed the minuses. And the MacBook is what I have with me for work purposes all the time.

 

[adamfozzy]

I used iPad and iPhone for main devices for 3 years because I delivered iPad Training to teachers. Now I have put all my training online through videos so I swapped iPad for MacBook because the MacBook was simply better for web editing and video editing plus, as others have said, very close portability wise to iPad.