Those who have replaced their laptops with iPads... are you thinking of getting an iMac?

[33coe]

So I've barely used my laptop since I've gotten my iPads Pro, like a lot of others have already discussed.

However, I still do need MacOS occasionally, but day to day use, my iPad Pro with iOS 11 is perfect. The main reason I've been using laptops for the last 15+ years is because I've wanted something functional yet portable.

With this new iPad Pro though, I've found that I'll be okay with just leaving MacOS at home and bringing around my iPad Pro. I would still keep my 2012 MBP Retina around, since that's still as powerful as new 13" base models if I do need MacOS + portability.

With all this said, I've been thinking about getting an iMac lately, something I'd never considered. Also, you get a much better bang for your buck with an iMac compared to MBPs. A $1500 iMac has better specs than a $1500 MBP.

So since my iPad is fine for all my portable needs (and sometimes it's even better than a MBP if I need to take notes or write), I'll be in the market for an iMac for my next computer. Does anyone else feel the same way?

 

[off_piste]

Nope. Already have an iMac.

But yes, I have no personal need for a laptop with the iMac/iPad duo. Rarely ever need the iMac either.

 

[bcaslis]

Yes, this is what I’m planning. An iPad could never completely replace the Mac for me. But it can replace a portable Mac for the most part. So iMac at home, iPad Pro and iPhone for mobile use.

 

[Eric5273]

I've been thinking of maybe getting a Mac mini for this purpose. It's less expensive than the iMac and can be hooked up to my television. Plus I can use an app like Jump Desktop to remote into it from the iPad if I need to.

 

[The Game 161]

Not me

new ipad pro 12.9 does all I need for a computer.

 

[yep-sure]

No. This makes no sense to me.

I chose an iPad Pro to consolodate my iPad Air 2 and MacBook Pro into one device that does at all, to simplify my set up.

To add an iMac into the mix would just be completely counter-intuitive and completely unnecessary.

 

[bcaslis]

Wait until you need to restore the OS on that iPad. Then a one device setup isn’t going to work so well.

 

[prospervic]

So since my iPad is fine for all my portable needs (and sometimes it's even better than a MBP if I need to take notes or write), I'll be in the market for an iMac for my next computer. Does anyone else feel the same way?

Totally. Two months after I purchased my 12.9" last year, I sold my 15" MBP and bought an (Apple certified refurb) iMac 5k. This combo has mostly worked beautifully for the reasons you mentioned. Now that I have the new 2017 12.9", I'm anticipating iOS 11 will make the IPP even more of a mobile Mac replacement.

 

[33coe]

No. This makes no sense to me.

I chose an iPad Pro to consolodate my iPad Air 2 and MacBook Pro into one device that does at all, to simplify my set up.

To add an iMac into the mix would just be completely counter-intuitive and completely unnecessary.

Why does that not make sense? I still need to use MacOS, but I don't need it in a portable format anymore with an iPad Pro, which is something I needed before. Now that I don't need something portable but still need MacOS, an iMac would be the perfect fit.

If you don't need to use MacOS for any reason, then you wouldn't need an iMac. Just because you don't need a particular set up doesn't mean that it's unreasonable and or that it doesn't make sense.
[doublepost=1499054761][/doublepost]Another reason for an iMac is to have a device with a large storage capacity to hold all my iCloud files, since it seems like we still need somewhere to hold these files locally. Hopefully that will change eventually though.

 

[yep-sure]

Why does that not make sense? I still need to use MacOS, but I don't need it in a portable format anymore with an iPad Pro, which is something I needed before. Now that I don't need something portable but still need MacOS, an iMac would be the perfect fit.

If you don't need to use MacOS for any reason, then you wouldn't need an iMac. Just because you don't need a particular set up doesn't mean that it's unreasonable and or that it doesn't make sense.
[doublepost=1499054761][/doublepost]Another reason for an iMac is to have a device with a large storage capacity to hold all my iCloud files, since it seems like we still need somewhere to hold these files locally. Hopefully that will change eventually though.

That's why I said "to me", and then explained my current use case and why I switched to an iPad Pro.

Either way though, I don't understand why someone who needs both OSX and a portable device would switch from one device that does everything to a device that is only portable but doesn't run OSX, which means a secondary purchase of an iMac is necessary. Isn't that just complicating your setup? Were you using an older MacBook?

RE: the local storage. Again, wouldn't a USB drive plugged into the now replaced MacBook address this?

 

[off_piste]

That's why I said "to me", and then explained my current use case and why I switched to an iPad Pro.

Either way though, I don't understand why someone who needs both OSX and a portable device would switch from one device that does everything to a device that is only portable but doesn't run OSX, which means a secondary purchase of an iMac is necessary. Isn't that just complicating your setup? Were you using an older MacBook?

RE: the local storage. Again, wouldn't a USB drive plugged into the now replaced MacBook address this?

Personally I hate using laptops since they're so cramped and I find docks annoying and cluttering. Laptops seem to go obsolete faster too. My 2011 iMac is still purring right along, especially after I bumped the ram to 32 gb (overkill, I know) and added 500gb SSD drive for the operating system and programs.

 

[czerney]

this is a really interesting post around my own thoughts. I have a top end imac 2015 and a macbook 12".
I really like having the macbook formfactor but have been seriously considering selling the macbook for a 10.5 or potentially a 12.9 ipad pro. All the benefits of mac os when I'm at home and all the benefits of the ipad when I'm mobile.
I just haven't pulled the trigger yet -

 

[33coe]

this is a really interesting post around my own thoughts. I have a top end imac 2015 and a macbook 12".
I really like having the macbook formfactor but have been seriously considering selling the macbook for a 10.5 or potentially a 12.9 ipad pro. All the benefits of mac os when I'm at home and all the benefits of the ipad when I'm mobile.
I just haven't pulled the trigger yet -

I'd get an iPad first to see if it could fill all your portability needs. If so, then sell the Macbook, if not, just return the iPad. That way, you'll get to try it out and give you incentive to pull the trigger!

The Macbook 12" is pretty portable anyway, but iPads are easier to use walking and on the go, without a desk or anywhere to sit.
[doublepost=1499062688][/doublepost]

That's why I said "to me", and then explained my current use case and why I switched to an iPad Pro.

Either way though, I don't understand why someone who needs both OSX and a portable device would switch from one device that does everything to a device that is only portable but doesn't run OSX, which means a secondary purchase of an iMac is necessary. Isn't that just complicating your setup? Were you using an older MacBook?

RE: the local storage. Again, wouldn't a USB drive plugged into the now replaced MacBook address this?

That's because I don't need MacOS ALL the time, only occasionally, so why would I want to carry around a Macbook as my portable device? I'd rather have an iPad since I can do 95% of my daily needs on it. It doesn't complicate my set up at all since I've found I use my MBP only at home.

I do have an older 15" MBP, but it's still more powerful than the new 13" base models, and I'm talking about the next time I get a computer since I'm probably due for an upgrade soon. In the past, I would have just gotten another MBP, but this time, because of the iPad, I'm seriously considering an iMac for the first time.

 

[c14nhl]

I've had most iterations of the iPad starting from iPad 2. Only basic computing needs and therefore it completely replaced my home 17" MacBook Pro. (I have a work provided Windows 7 machine also)

I'll be replacing my current iPad Pro 9.7" with the new 12.9" over the coming weeks. As it is my primary device, I'm really looking forward to the extra real estate.

I've never came across a scenario where I need MacOS up to this point, but if for any reason I do, I'll go Mac Mini attached to cheap peripherals and use the 12.9" to remote into it. No need for the more expensive iMac.

 

[throAU]

Yes very much so.

Now that Apple supports external GPU I'm tempted to replace my MacBook with an iPad and my desktop pc with an iMac.

 

[MacRazySwe]

Interesting topic.

After I finished my University studies I sold my 13" MBP. Kept my iMac 27" for home use, iPad and iPhone for everything else.

I found that I preferred using the big screen iMac for proper work, and iPad for everything consumption related. The MBP was getting unused.

One year later and my experience has mostly been great. 90 percent of the time, this is all I need. However there have been times when I have missed having a laptop.

I can see myself replacing the iMac with a 2017 MBP and an external display. This would cover all bases.

 

[throAU]

Interesting topic.

After I finished my University studies I sold my 13" MBP. Kept my iMac 27" for home use, iPad and iPhone for everything else.

I found that I preferred using the big screen iMac for proper work, and iPad for everything consumption related. The MBP was getting unused.

One year later and my experience has mostly been great. 90 percent of the time, this is all I need. However there have been times when I have missed having a laptop.

I can see myself replacing the iMac with a 2017 MBP and an external display. This would cover all bases.

A couple of reasons I'm in this boat:

1. The ipad pro can do most of the stuff i need to do whilst mobile just fine.
2. Apple's macbook Pro pricing is a joke right now. Inexplicably, i'd need to pay about $500 AU more than i paid in 2015 to get equivalent spec. Yes, part of it is the touch bar, but even if i buy the same spec machine in the 2015 model that you can still buy (last i checked, maybe its finally gone with the 2017 release), i'm still paying more than i paid for my 2015 for the same machine!

Given 1 and 2 above, and the fact that i can maybe get rid of my gaming PC now Apple will let me actually attach a decent GPU via thunderbolt 3 in a supported manner, the Macbook is in this sort of awkward in-between situation where it isn't powerful enough to be my only machine, and isn't as portable as the iPad.

Sure, there are some things the Macbook can do better than the iPad whilst i'm on the move, but the ipad does to a lot of things better, and it's about half the price for a 256 GB 10.5" iPad Pro.

I just wish Apple put memory slots on the 21" 4k iMac, and I'd be sold.

 

[yep-sure]

I'd get an iPad first to see if it could fill all your portability needs. If so, then sell the Macbook, if not, just return the iPad. That way, you'll get to try it out and give you incentive to pull the trigger!

The Macbook 12" is pretty portable anyway, but iPads are easier to use walking and on the go, without a desk or anywhere to sit.
[doublepost=1499062688][/doublepost]

That's because I don't need MacOS ALL the time, only occasionally, so why would I want to carry around a Macbook as my portable device? I'd rather have an iPad since I can do 95% of my daily needs on it. It doesn't complicate my set up at all since I've found I use my MBP only at home.

I do have an older 15" MBP, but it's still more powerful than the new 13" base models, and I'm talking about the next time I get a computer since I'm probably due for an upgrade soon. In the past, I would have just gotten another MBP, but this time, because of the iPad, I'm seriously considering an iMac for the first time.

That makes sense.

I haven't sold my MBP yet (waiting until uni starts again and for iOS11 just to make sure it does do all I hope it does!), and I suppose that when I do, and I'm using only the iPad Pro as my main device...if I ever felt the desire/had the need to buy a computer again, it wouldn't be a MacBook, it would be an iMac. They are great computers, and I miss the 21" 2011 iMac I used to own (I sold it when I moved from a house to a small apartment).

 

[spiderman0616]

Nope. I will use whatever Mac my job gives me (currently an Air) and don't need to own my own personal Mac at all. And the only reason I use the work issued Mac is because I don't like using my personal hardware for my job. Other than one specific application I use that requires Flash, I could do my day job from an iPad if I had to.

 

[skaertus]

Every time I tried to replace a laptop with an iPad, it was a very frustrating experience. I currently have a 9.7" iPad Pro, and it does not come clear to replace the laptop form factor for me. I use mainly Microsoft Office applications, and it is so much better to use those on a proper laptop, also because the iPad version lacks lots of features.

I am planning to buy a MacBook Pro to be my main computer. I just have not yet decided if I will go with the portability of the 13" or the power and the screen size of the 15".

As much as I do like the iMac, I simply cannot get rid of the laptop. So I am buying a laptop and perhaps I can use it with an external screen when I am at home.

So, your planned setup does not work for me. The iPad is good to read on the go, or even to surf the web. But if I have to actually do something, then the laptop is a must-have.

 

[Karnicopia]

To me it's really the desktop that was replaced. I don't edit video so I really don't need massive RAM storage or anything like that a MBP covers all of my computing needs. Then the MBP killed my usage of the 12.9" because it's really comfortable on my lap as well the form factor is pretty similar or close enough and I can do anything I need with it. So I'm pretty much going without a desktop and using my laptop as a primary machine and the 10.5" as the portable consumption device and as a way I can edit pictures, keep work notes and handle most mobile computing. So to me it's really the desktop that was replaced.

 

[Dave245]

it all depends what you mean by "replaced" because a lot of people are now using an iPad instead of buying a cheap Windows laptop or netbook, that doesn't mean that the iPad Pro replaces the need for a Mac, personally i own an iPad Pro 12.9" first gen that i will be updating to the 2nd gen soon as well as a MacBook Pro 2011 that i had back when i was a university student in 2011 and i also have an iMac late 2012 when they announced the new thin design which i use at home.

I have found that all serve a purpose, my iMac i use daily as the bigger screen is a joy to use for things like multitasking, photo editing, video editing and so on. The MacBook Pro is great for writing up documents, browsing the web and editing video's/podcasts, my iPad Pro is brilliant for drawing (with Apple Pencil) marking up documents, watching Netflix and Youtube Videos it's also great for games and even for photo editing on the go within apps like Affinity Photo that i brought last week.

 

[sracer]

So I've barely used my laptop since I've gotten my iPads Pro, like a lot of others have already discussed.

However, I still do need MacOS occasionally, but day to day use, my iPad Pro with iOS 11 is perfect. The main reason I've been using laptops for the last 15+ years is because I've wanted something functional yet portable.

With this new iPad Pro though, I've found that I'll be okay with just leaving MacOS at home and bringing around my iPad Pro. I would still keep my 2012 MBP Retina around, since that's still as powerful as new 13" base models if I do need MacOS + portability.

With all this said, I've been thinking about getting an iMac lately, something I'd never considered. Also, you get a much better bang for your buck with an iMac compared to MBPs. A $1500 iMac has better specs than a $1500 MBP.

So since my iPad is fine for all my portable needs (and sometimes it's even better than a MBP if I need to take notes or write), I'll be in the market for an iMac for my next computer. Does anyone else feel the same way?

I am finding that my 12.9 Pro + iMac is making a pretty good combination. When I'm away and need to do macOS-y type things, I can use Jump Desktop + Citrix X1 mouse on my 12.9 Pro and for all intents and purposes, the 12.9 Pro acts as a Macbook Pro.

 

[czerney]

I'd get an iPad first to see if it could fill all your portability needs. If so, then sell the Macbook, if not, just return the iPad. That way, you'll get to try it out and give you incentive to pull the trigger!

The Macbook 12" is pretty portable anyway, but iPads are easier to use walking and on the go, without a desk or anywhere to sit.
[doublepost=1499062688][/doublepost]

Yeah definitely an option to try before I buy... good tip.

 

[losjax]

Oh I'm definitely going the iMac route with my next computer. My late 2013 Macbook Pro stays docked with two monitors 90% of the time, and I use my 12.9 iPad Pro as my portable computer. I'm using an older Mac Mini as a file sever, and an iMac could replace both my Macbook Pro and my Mac Mini. Though it will be a little while. I think I can squeeze another year out of my current setup.