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Replacing MacBook Pro with iPad Pro

MICHAELSD

MICHAELSD

macrumors 603
Original poster
Jul 13, 2008
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Surprisingly enough my (2012) Retina MacBook Pro is very slightly starting to show its age compared to the 6s... the 6s is ever so smoother and more pleasant to use that it is starting to convince me that the touchscreen interface of iOS is the future.

Looking at my workflow, apps like Photoshop will be available (and potentially even better) so I don't see much that I would be missing moving from a MacBook Pro to an iPad Pro besides absolute freedom. I do have some concerns as I do web design and sales that I may run into some issues but as long as I am not working around limitations I'll be happy.

In order to replace a full-blown Mac with an iPad, a 128gb model would be the minimum for most users which starts at $949. The sheer expense of the iPad Pro compared to an iPad Air makes me almost want to wait for an iPad Air 3 with all the new Pro features, and hope for a 21.5" Retina iMac. Yet, I feel like at $949 the Pro is going to have amazing performance and some of the best interfaces/features are being developed for tablets.

Who's made a decision to replace a Mac with an iPad Pro?
 
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Seriously considering it. I have a 2011 MacBook Air, which is great and still does all I need it to do. I bought a 6 Plus last year as a phone+tablet solution, and it turns out, it's really not, it's just a phone that's awkward to use. So I upgraded to a 6S and iPad Air 2.

I'm thinking when the iPad Pro comes out, I may sell the Air 2 and get one. We will see, though. I love the new Split View, but if Apple doesn't update Pages/Numbers/Keynote to support it, I'm not sure a bigger screen will be a big advantage for me. Would be nice for web browsing + move watching....
 
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I am looking into getting an iPad pro. Feel like it could have everything I should use for most classes. I just want to find out if there are any apps out there for programming (Java, c++, Python) and whatnot. So until I can do more research I'm stuff.
Mainly just want it for the apple pencil to take notes and whatnot.

Now they announce the iPhone 6s and + with 3D Touch, why not include it with this iPad? Am I missing this somewhere of why not? Anybody else wondering?
 
The IPP is not running full Adobe CS/CC programs. If you are doing professional work in any of those programs I just can't see giving up a MBP or MP outright. I think the IPP/Pencil will be a nice complimentary tool, however.
 
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npolly0212 said:
I am looking into getting an iPad pro. Feel like it could have everything I should use for most classes. I just want to find out if there are any apps out there for programming (Java, c++, Python) and whatnot. So until I can do more research I'm stuff.
Mainly just want it for the apple pencil to take notes and whatnot.

Now they announce the iPhone 6s and + with 3D Touch, why not include it with this iPad? Am I missing this somewhere of why not? Anybody else wondering?
Click to expand...

3D Touch would take up a lot more surface area in the iPad to function across the entire display, so it was probably too much of a challenge.

--

Does the Apple Pen provide the force feedback info itself or is there some type of pressure sensor in the iPad Pro?
 
Bjm16 said:
The IPP is not running full Adobe CS/CC programs. If you are doing professional work in any of those programs I just can't see giving up a MBP or MP outright. I think the IPP/Pencil will be a nice complimentary tool, however.
Click to expand...

The Pencil IMO and the opinion of many others is vastly overpriced despite the electronics inside of it. Should be included as a selling point. The keyboard cover is also quite expensive so I'm not sure if iPad Pro will be cost effective enough to not just use a Mac.
 
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MICHAELSD said:
The Pencil IMO and the opinion of many others is vastly overpriced despite the electronics inside of it. Should be included as a selling point. The keyboard cover is also quite expensive so I'm not sure if iPad Pro will be cost effective enough to not just use a Mac.
Click to expand...

Completely agree. Kinda blue-sky thinking here when I say it would be nice as compliment.
 
MICHAELSD said:
If there's a sensor I found it odd it didn't include 3D Touch, or at least some form of it.
Click to expand...
If there is no sensor, then I don't understand why they would market it as Pencil for IPad Pro, and not simply pencil for iPad.
 
MICHAELSD said:
Surprisingly enough my (2012) Retina MacBook Pro is very slightly starting to show its age compared to the 6s... the 6s is ever so smoother and more pleasant to use
Click to expand...

This is super interesting! I have a 2012 Macbook Pro with Retina display, and I must say, it's as smooth as silk! As far as an iPad goes...I have a 6S Plus - it's wonderful! My iPad Air is super slow as a result of iOS 9. I'm getting rid of it. The 6S Plus is an extremely powerful tool. My Macbook offers the functionality and form that I need. This gives me a simpler, more efficient workflow.
 
I'm still keeping my 2011 Macbook Pro, but now that it's getting old i think it's about time to upgrade, i really like the look of the iPad Pro and so i will be getting one, i think it will mostly replace my ageing 2011 Macbook Pro. As a creative individual i'm really interested in the Apple Pencil and how well it works.
 
Given Apple's history with first generation products (especially first generation iPad products); I am going to wait and watch the trajectory iPad Pro 2 takes before I go change anything in my setup.
 
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Supermallet said:
Why do you think the iPad Air 3 will have "all the pro features"? I think it will be a higher spec iPad Air 2, it will have some unique feature, but it won't have all the pro features.
Click to expand...

The main differentiator between the Air and the Pro is of course display size, but beyond that it's the A9X chip and the pressure-sensitive display. Both of those should trickle down to the Air, and keyboard cases are already widely-available. I can't think of too many other features the Pro has over the Air beyond 4GB RAM and a magnetic connector.
 
MICHAELSD said:
The main differentiator between the Air and the Pro is of course display size, but beyond that it's the A9X chip and the pressure-sensitive display. Both of those should trickle down to the Air, and keyboard cases are already widely-available. I can't think of too many other features the Pro has over the Air beyond 4GB RAM and a magnetic connector.
Click to expand...

The Pro has a screen with a higher refresh rate, I think.
 
The iPad Pro is ideal for a second screen or as a remote desktop to your mac rather then a total replacement since it doesn't run on OS X. If the iPad Pro came with OS X El Capitan, then I would maybe possibly consider removing my Macbook pro from my life
 
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I'm not sure I could imagine replacing my Macbook Pro with any other kind of laptop, let alone a tablet. The raw power, reliability, and design are just phenomenal for photo editing, data manipulation, and playing the kinds of games I enjoy.

I do think the iPad Pro is going to drag me over from Android though. I'm tired of waiting for an OS update for my note pro 12.2, and the screen is meh at best. If I switch my tablet my phone is sure to follow once my contract is up. I never thought the day would come when I went full-on :apple:. :eek:
 
MICHAELSD said:
The main differentiator between the Air and the Pro is of course display size, but beyond that it's the A9X chip and the pressure-sensitive display. Both of those should trickle down to the Air, and keyboard cases are already widely-available. I can't think of too many other features the Pro has over the Air beyond 4GB RAM and a magnetic connector.
Click to expand...
The Pencil does the pressure sensing, not the display. But the iPad Pro's display (well, the capacitive digitizer) has a higher resolution and faster refresh rate to enable the Pencil's fine point. It's for this reason that it won't work on the iPad Air/Air 2.

It's anyone's guess if the iPad Air 3 will have Pencil support, but my guess -- with no insider information at all -- is no.
 
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Supermallet said:
Why do you think the iPad Air 3 will have "all the pro features"? I think it will be a higher spec iPad Air 2, it will have some unique feature, but it won't have all the pro features.
Click to expand...
I'm very confident that the Air 3 will have the current Pro's feature. It HAS to. The Pro is not going to sell in large enough quantities to encourage developers to exploit the current-Pro-exclusive features (specifically the Pencil). The only thing that may stay exclusive to the Pro is the keyboard connector.
 
Bjm16 said:
If there is no sensor, then I don't understand why they would market it as Pencil for IPad Pro, and not simply pencil for iPad.
Click to expand...

Did no one pay attention during the keynote. There are sensors to tell the IPP that the pencil is there, then to double the read rate for the touch screen. But, considering what the 3D Touch did to the iphones weight, it would add too much weight to something the size of the IPP.
 
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sracer said:
I'm very confident that the Air 3 will have the current Pro's feature. It HAS to. The Pro is not going to sell in large enough quantities to encourage developers to exploit the current-Pro-exclusive features (specifically the Pencil). The only thing that may stay exclusive to the Pro is the keyboard connector.
Click to expand...

I disagree, I think Apple is planning to position the iPad Pro as a unique device within iOS. I think it's very much not a given that the pro features will trickle down to the other iPads. If all those features trickled down, what makes the iPad Pro "Pro"? Just the size and the RAM? I don't think that's going to be it. I think some things will trickle down, like the variable refresh screen that saves power and the stereo speakers, but I think the Pencil will remain exclusive. I could be wrong of course.
 
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am considering buying a ipad pro and replacing my HP laptop the ipad pro is going too be a power house
 
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