That's a good point - I "just" have an Air, which is much cheaper and being used in a less overlapping way with my laptop than a full Pro+keyboard setup, where the waters maybe get muddy with price and purpose vs a laptop.
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PSA: Don't Buy an iPad Right Now, New Models Coming in 2024
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The processors go largely wasted in recent iPads. You have the power of a laptop, but little software that can leverage it.
Well affinity , Da Vinci, Logic and Final Cut to name a few.
But the thing is, most people have wasted cpu power on the M2 MBA too.
I mean, i am not talking about real “Pro” users here, but consumers, and having some headroom is good for them too.
Consider the workflow of a consumer, he surf the web, edit his photos, may be some small video editing, banking, some documents, some mails and social media….
Do they need the MBA M2? Not really most of those stuff can be done with a 2015 MacBook.
What I am saying is that most of us have wasted cpu power anyway.
Now if you need a high end machine for your workflow it’s another story, but I am talking consumers.
There is plenty of software for the iPads, sure it’s missing some (Coding spp and VM for example) but do consumers really need those?
The thing is - it's not supposed to.
I own both an iPad Pro and a MBA and each of them does their own thing very well. For example, when I need to set exam papers or plan relief for absent staff (via google docs), I work on my laptop. When I am teaching in class, I typically default to my iPad unless there is a task which requires a laptop. When I am lounging on the sofa, it's my iPad that I reach for when I want to unwind with a game of slay the spire, or quickly review some lesson material.
Each of them has its place, I know when to use each, and I would be very sad if I had to end up choosing one over the other.
This feels more like a developer issue, since there aren't really any stock macOS apps that maximise the M1 chip anyways. Though maybe Apple does share some of the blame for devaluing iOS apps to the point where it seems harder and harder to create a sustainable business model for mobile apps without going IAPs or subscription-based.
Sure, there's now FCP for the iPad, but how many people are going to use it, much less use it in a serious capacity over a laptop or Mac Studio?
See the last point is exactly what I am saying, if you do work on some app (Final Cut) of course a computer is the better alternative, but i am talking consumers here.
For 90% of the time I can go with iPad only, there are very few specific cases when I need a “computer.”
For me, it's really google docs. For instance, when I am planning relief duties, I usually have 5-6 google sheets open at any one time, and it really only works when using chrome on my Mac or work-issued laptop. It's just less efficient using my iPad's browser, and flat out impossible using the google drive apps.
Then update the Buyer’s Guide to Don’t Buy for all of the iPads. New iPad Pros won’t come out till next Spring. That’s like 6 months. New iPads with an M3 and OLED displays will be a nice bump, but they will operate pretty much the same as the current models. iPadOS is going to work pretty much the same on the current models. Your post is over the top and makes it sound that the current models will be obsolete.
I bet I could do a blind test of an M1 iPad Pro 12.9 and an M2 iPad Pro 12.9 and 99 out of 100 wouldn’t be able to tell me which one was which.
I bet I could do a blind test of an M1 iPad Pro 12.9 and an M2 iPad Pro 12.9 and 99 out of 100 wouldn’t be able to tell me which one was which.
Well that make sense as I said there are some user specific scenario where a computer is the best choice.
It’s always a good time to buy an iPad because the software never changes
No doubt.
I really went all out in experimenting what how far I could push my iPad in terms of getting work done early on (in part inspired by the MacStories blog). I think it has helped me become more cognisant of what an Apple can and cannot do, and while I do agree that it's hard to get everything done from one, I also feel the iPad is a lot more useful and capable than many people here give it credit for.
And you don't even need an iPad Pro when the Air has the M1 chip and supports the same features and accessories.
But, unlike the iPhone, there aren’t new iPad Pro models every year, and the next refresh looks major, so your dichotomy is false.
Sure won’t regret it, while I enjoyed the iPad from now till the time a new one comes, I surely saved a lot.
Not everyone needs to always have the latest and greatest.
Besides, they will run the same OS, sure it will be better HW wise, but there’s nothing wrong with the current.
If you can live with not having the latest model you can save quite a bit.
It’s like saying people regret buying an iPad Air because there is a better iPad Pro…
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I want to buy a car this year to stop walking to work. I guess I can wait until next year because there are going to be better options.
It’s almost like writing articles and getting paid ads are two totally different things… 🙄
arent iPads mostly used as waste of time media consumption devices? I bought a fully loaded mini 6 for reading books mainly but have a hard time using it as a productivity device
I do a lot of media consumptions, but also a lot of productivity thing.
Affinity for me is the go to app, and with Da Vinci and Luma fusion i take care of my video needs.
For reading books I would pick a kindle over an iPad any day of the week.
Can’t beat Eink for reading.
Just bought a Magic Keyboard, and boy it’s a game changer for me, i can do typing stuff now as well when needed, and when i want to I can use it as a tablet.
The iPad can be both a media consumption and a creation tool.
Sure the mini would be on the small size for doing actual work, this is why I went Pro 11 and external monitor when needed.
I don't know--I've heard the OLED iPad Pros could be quite a bit more expensive than the current models.
Well, in the case of the iPad mini which was released in 2021, it might make sense.