I’ve just completed 3 weeks with the 2022 iPad Air (256gb), and wanted to comment on its strength in practical use, apart from its obvious abilities in videos/graphics/sound etc. I got a Magic Keyboard along with the device, which I picked up together at an Apple Store on April 25.
Will it replace my i5 HP Pavilion PC? Almost, and if I apply another couple of weeks to my learning curve, probably yes. Would it be a PC replacement for most other people besides myself? Probably not, because I think my computing needs are not as complicated as many others, especially “power users” and gamers. I am retired and don’t need integration into work networks, too.
Here’s where I’ve found the Air to be strong:
Will it replace my i5 HP Pavilion PC? Almost, and if I apply another couple of weeks to my learning curve, probably yes. Would it be a PC replacement for most other people besides myself? Probably not, because I think my computing needs are not as complicated as many others, especially “power users” and gamers. I am retired and don’t need integration into work networks, too.
Here’s where I’ve found the Air to be strong:
- Spreadsheets. Utilizing Google Sheets with the Google Drive as the cloud server, I have been able to write and use several personal spreadsheets, including a Check Register, a weight-loss tracker, a semi-complicated workbook to track Blood Pressure and other health-related issues, etc. I have 7 or 8 active spreadsheets in use. The primary reason I chose Google products is because of the amount of free memory in the cloud (15gb) as opposed to the 5gb available on iCloud. I imagine that using Apple’s Numbers app in conjunction with the iCloud would be just as effective. The iPad handles spreadsheets with ease, no lagging, no problems and with a very intuitive UI.
- Word Processing. I am able to maintain my personal diary, sermon notes from the Church I attend, and other personal documents with ease using the Google Docs app again in concert with Google Drive. My learning curve here is in translating keystrokes from a Windows PC into “MacLanguage”: for example, copy on a PC is [ctrl]-C; paste is [ctrl]-V — and on the Magic Keyboard [ctrl] is replaced with [cmd]. Over the next few weeks my learning curve will extend to other types of documents besides Word format and Text (PDFs, etc.) so I can keep more personal information and documents on the device.
- Research, Documentation and Website Maintenance. I spend a lot of time studying and documenting the histories and architecture of late-1800s and early 1900s Southwestern USA buildings, especially in El Paso, TX. It’s really just a personal hobby. I utilize several sources for research, including University digital libraries (like https://texashistory.unt.edu/), the Library of Congress, and (my favorite) newspapers dot com. I travel to photograph extant buildings, then write articles detailing their history. My research is posted primarily in two places: my website, the El Paso Sketch Club (linked to below in my signature) and at the Trost Society’s Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/TrostSociety) where I have a little over 10,000 followers. I’ve discovered the iPad to be very capable in my studies and documentation. One of the nicest aspects is that Google Chrome displays as a full PC version rather than a watered-down “mobile” app. This helps immensely, because maintenance of the websites on the Air is identical to how it is done on the PC.
- Games. I would not classify myself as a “gamer” by any stretch, but I do play a lot of Roblox and Minecraft, especially with grandchildren (of which I have 6 now!). The iPad Air with the M1 even outperforms my A15 iPhone 13 on these games, and (frankly) blows the PC to pieces.
