iPad Air Use iPad as almost main work device?

[nph]

I just started a new job and it is great. Except they have stopped providing Macs and only choice left was Lenovo laptop.
It works ok but just using my iPhone works so much smoother that I am planning to try an Air to do as much as possible and spare me the Lenovo use as much as possible.
This means Office apps, Edge, VPN, using multiple apps concurrently etc etc. No video production but attach a keyboard with trackpad etc.
Given my planned usage would you recommend Air 4 or 5?
I imagine the 5 with M1 and even more so the extra 8 Gig memory would make a big difference, or?

Anyone using their iPad as a true work device and what is your take?

 

[Sheepish-Lord]

Far too many exceptions need to be made when using iPad as your only computer especially for a semi-pro workflow. Don't let the iPad loyalist fool you, you'll spend more time and money trying to mess with it all when you could buy a MacBook Air for the same price when you combine a Air+MK.

 

[hg.wells]

I guess the other question is does your company’s IT department allow and support the use of company data on iPads?

If they do I would expect them to require you to install appropriate provisioning and management profiles.

 

[rui no onna]

This means Office apps, Edge, VPN, using multiple apps concurrently etc etc. No video production but attach a keyboard with trackpad etc.
Given my planned usage would you recommend Air 4 or 5?
I imagine the 5 with M1 and even more so the extra 8 Gig memory would make a big difference, or?

Anyone using their iPad as a true work device and what is your take?

For the described usage, you're better off getting an M1 MacBook Air. I love my iPads for home use but I can't use them for the multi-monitor, multi-window multitasking I'm accustomed to for work.

Personally, I'm comfortable with Windows so I'd have no issues using the work-supplied Lenovo laptop. My primary work PC is an office-supplied Dell OptiPlex desktop.

 

[nph]

iPads are supported fully by IT if I provide an iPad but I can not use a Mac unless it is provided by the company, which is not happening. Hence I want to use an iPad as much as possible.

 

[NastyMatt]

Forget the naysayers.. it is possible to work full time on an iPad - obviously depends on what your requirements are. I have (and do) work solely on my IPP pro. You just have to learn to work slightly differently, apps are full screen and that means you can focus easier. Have to get used to switching between apps and use slide over, or even split screen. Once you learn the gestures fully it is easy.

I don't believe there is a huge difference to working on a 13" laptop (solely), the real estate is nearly same.

For me, I like to have additional screens and that is where a MBA|P is far better as it extends and not mirrors. But I am replying based on using only one device.

 

[Isamilis]

I guess the other question is does your company’s IT department allow and support the use of company data on iPads?

If they do I would expect them to require you to install appropriate provisioning and management profiles.

For this very reason I forgot the idea using iPad or other personal MacBook for work. The furthest I can use is to run Ms Teams (as it drains battery much less compared to Office’a windows laptop). I can download and access the Ms OneDrive for document review but not much use on that due to its pencil functionality is not as smooth as in GoodNotes / Notability / Apple Note.

 

[nph]

I am not looking at replacing it but be able to do 75-90% of the work on my iPad.
Question for my use case(s) is it worth getting the M1 iPad Air with 8 gig ram?
right now i can get the small Air 4 with 64Gig SSD for 469 or the 256 version for 599.
But my assumption s that 8 gig of Ram and M1 is to prefer over the air 4 with 256 SSD.

Thoughts?

 

[rui no onna]

I am not looking at replacing it but be able to do 75-90% of the work on my iPad.
Question for my use case(s) is it worth getting the M1 iPad Air with 8 gig ram?
right now i can get the small Air 4 with 64Gig SSD for 469 or the 256 version for 599.
But my assumption s that 8 gig of Ram and M1 is to prefer over the air 4 with 256 SSD.

Thoughts?

Get the M1/8GB if you want to minimize usage of the Lenovo laptop. I've seen discounts on the Air 5 so they're only $80-100 more than the Air 4 at similar storage capacities.

I have the Air 4 and mini 6 and they reload a lot. If I used them for multitasking between Excel, GoodReader and Safari, I'd lose progress quite frequently.

Meanwhile, the Pro 11 & 12.9 M1/16GB barely reloads for me.

 

[tommyparadise]

I'm awaiting the arrival of my 12.9 2TB cellular w/ Magic Keyboard and pencil, as part of a new workflow for my business. I work in marketing/content so the ability to do things like mark up documents, basic edits of visual content, brainstorm strategy, write copy from anywhere, record tutorials and podcasts - all from one reasonably portable device is exciting to me. I will have a Mac Studio and M1 Air as desktop and laptop respectively, but have done a bunch of research and Pros/Cons to justify working an iPad into the workflow. Will see how it goes. I actually enjoy iPadOS and the simplicity of it more than MacOS for a number of tasks, whilst acknowledging the OS still has a huge way to go to being an outright replacement. I'm hopeful for iPadOS16 but haven't made my decision based on what may or may not happen at WWDC.

 

[sparksd]

I'm awaiting the arrival of my 12.9 2TB cellular w/ Magic Keyboard and pencil, as part of a new workflow for my business. I work in marketing/content so the ability to do things like mark up documents, basic edits of visual content, brainstorm strategy, write copy from anywhere, record tutorials and podcasts - all from one reasonably portable device is exciting to me. I will have a Mac Studio and M1 Air as desktop and laptop respectively, but have done a bunch of research and Pros/Cons to justify working an iPad into the workflow. Will see how it goes. I actually enjoy iPadOS and the simplicity of it more than MacOS for a number of tasks, whilst acknowledging the OS still has a huge way to go to being an outright replacement. I'm hopeful for iPadOS16 but haven't made my decision based on what may or may not happen at WWDC.

Good post. Follow up with your experience, it would be interesting to hear your take on how well your overall setup works for you.

 

[tommyparadise]

Good post. Follow up with your experience, it would be interesting to hear your take on how well your overall setup works for you.

Will make sure I do that. The iPad format for work appeals to me in theory and I've found multiple moments where it would elevate what I do specifically, so I'm going to find out one way or the other if that was a sound judgement or not. The thing that gives me the most concern is some anecdotes around the poor management of bulk files. I chose 2TB because I'll be loading video and images from a camera. Time will tell!

 

[Digitalguy]

Get the M1/8GB if you want to minimize usage of the Lenovo laptop. I've seen discounts on the Air 5 so they're only $80-100 more than the Air 4 at similar storage capacities.

I have the Air 4 and mini 6 and they reload a lot. If I used them for multitasking between Excel, GoodReader and Safari, I'd lose progress quite frequently.

Meanwhile, the Pro 11 & 12.9 M1/16GB barely reloads for me.

Agreed I can confirm that 8GB is great in terms of lack of reloads. 4GB devices reload a lot, 6GB reload less but still reload, while my 8GB M1 hasn't reloaded at all yet in the last couple of days.
In a way it should not be surprising, as iPadOS itself probably takes 1.5GB if not more, so a 4GB devices has basically 2GB free for apps, a 6GB one has double that and an 8GB device has 3 times more. So using a 8GB iPad is a bit like spreading the open app over 3 4GB iPads....