Some people need to understand that everyone different needs when we talk about “laptop replacement” before start never ending arguing. My two cents.
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iPad Pro Who else uses their iPad truly as a tablet/no keyboard?
- Thread starter The Cockney Rebel
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What you fail to grasp about the iPP + MKB combo is that its just more fun, engaging and ‘snappier’ to use than a Macbook, it really is as simple as this I'm afraid (the glorious screen also helps).
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You’re speaking for yourself. “Never” for you.
BTW, I already have a MacBook Air. I use it when and how I want to use it, not how people on the internet tell me I should. Just like my iPhone 16 Pro and my iPad Air. My money, my usage case, my productivity, my….
I like using iPP 11" with MK. Interestingly, I prefer using on-screen keyboard on iPad mini rather than on iPad 11" or Air. Probably, my most favorable tablet experience is iPad mini.
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1. Are you referring to 12.9" iPP with MK? My experience is using 11". Compared to 13" MBA (not 12"), the MBA still required case as it's quite fragile - hence, it's thicker compared to iPad 11" + MK which has smaller footprint but thick and solid.
2. Once the Airpod connect to iPad it will stay connected. I don't need to open iPad while listening the music.
No. 3 is subjective. No. 4 is back to 1 & 2. In my experience, it's less hassle to charge using iPad than macbook (especially, macbook need sleeve or cover). Again, if you disagree with point 1 and 2, then point 4 is irrelevant.
I used to bring MBA everywhere for years, but with the more mature Apps in iPad, like Office 365, now I prefer iPad to MBA for short trip.
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The bigger the tablet the less people use it as a tablet. The Mini is the most pure tablet in that very few people try to turn it into a laptop.
Seriously? Compared to real keyboard shortcuts from a real desktop OS?
Can you ssh on a whim to one of your other machines too?
Whip up a text editor and run the code in a terminal?
Everyone has different needs...
Exactly - it depends on your needs as to whether an iPad is an appropriate tool for the job at hand.
An interesting example of the iPad accommodating needs: The Japanese author Saou Ichikawa has congenital myopathy, a severe muscular condition that requires her to use a wheelchair and a ventilator for breathing; the condition limits her physical mobility and dexterity, making it difficult to use pen and paper or a standard computer keyboard for extended periods - she uses an iPad to accommodate her needs. In her new semi-autobiographical novel, Hunchback, the protagonist, who has the same disability, spends her days writing and taking e-learning courses on her iPad.
Fascinating how much trolling one person feels the need to continue doing to disparage other people and their workflow choices.
1. Yes, there’s no difference for me, it’s just a different workflow.
2. Yes I can but don't find a use for it.
3. Irrelevant to my needs because I also don't run codes in a terminal on my Mac.
Can you hold your laptop or desktop in your hand while you lie on the couch to read something or answering a mail comfortably?
I always think I need the ability to run a command line and ssh like I can on my Mac. Then I realized I hadn’t really done those things in years for meaningful reasons.
I haven’t really missed moving to a Mac Mini and using only my 12.9” iPad Pro on the go….
Can you run code in the Terminal Emulators that are available for the iPad?
I haven’t used case for any of my MacBook or Windows laptops. When I am go about, I usually keep my 12” MacBook from 2016 and iPhone with me. I wish Apple revive 12” MacBook.
In my last trip to Vancouver, I took my M2 MacBook Air with me. It is on my backpack and my iPhone is on my pocket.
I don’t find iPad as mobile as it seems to. My iPhone 14 Pro Max is big enough for me to read, watch video or listen the music while I am on the go.
I get it. iPad could be used for short trip, especially you are not doing a lot on the iPad. But here is my through process:
1. I am going to bring two devices with me when I am on a trip.
2. iPad with keyboard and mouse isn’t much more portable or less weight than a MacBook Air
3. MacOS is still more versatile than iPadOS.
So naturally, I am bring MacBook Air and my iPhone 14 Pro Max with me.
I can hold my iPhone 14 Pro Max to read something or answering a mail, but I won’t do it, but it is doable. Could I hold my MacBook Air while lie on the couch to read something? Absolutely, I do it all the time. Typing mail is much slower while I am lying down, but it doable.
It is something with iPad, especially iPad Pro, it is still too heavy to hold above my head. I still have to position it the same way as MacBook. Typing on iPad while lying down isn’t any faster than typing on MacBooks.
I think:
1) Use base iPad as laptop replacement could work, especially you do light works. The base iPad with cheap keyboard case is cost effective, when compared to with new laptops.
2) Use iPad Pro as laptop replacement, doesn’t make sense from cost perspective or practical perspective.
3) If someone wants to spend $1000+ on a devices that is more limited, less features than macOS, then sure. It isn’t my money. But I certainly feel a Mac is better in terms of cost and performance.
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TBF, getting an iPad Pro over an iPad or iPad Air doesn't make sense from a cost or practical perspective in most cases. Most people getting one are getting it because they want the best, not because it makes sense. I'd bet it's the same for people buying a MacBook Pro over a MacBook Air. I've known several people who bought a $2500+ MBP when they only use it to watch videos, check email, and write some Word documents. Maybe that's changed now that there's a 15" MacBook Air.
There's a lot of context involved, it could be a perfect replacement for some and completely unacceptable for others, depending on their needs. There's no blanket answer whether an iPad is or is not suitable as a "laptop replacement".
I'm retired, I don't do a lot of writing, accounting/billing, or any such stuff on my iPad. I watch YT, Hulu, etc., listen to music, check emails and texts, do some web browsing and read/post on forums, play around with drawing using Procreate, and use various apps for various simple things. If I need to do anything more complex than that, I have an iMac on my desk at home. I don't even really need a keyboard - it would be a nice luxury to have, but not a necessity. So for me, in my current circumstances, an iPad can easily be a "laptop replacement".
When I was working, I did a lot of work using proprietary apps that weren't available on iPad, and my job involved a lot of documentation. Virtually everything I did generated some kind of report/document, and some of them involved somewhat extensive multi-tasking between apps. I also needed file management that was a lot more capable than what an iPad offers. Some of those things I could have worked around on an iPad, but it would have made things more complicated than they needed to be, and other things I just flat out wouldn't have been able to do. So for me, in those circumstances, an iPad would not have been at all suitable as a "laptop replacement".
Thats not really true though, the iPP has a touch screen, Apple pencil support, Tandem OLED display, Cellular 5G, Face ID which are not on the Mac and for 6 months had exclusivity with the M4 chip.
To be fair, the post you quoted said "more limited, less features than macOS" and you mentioned hardware features. I guess the issue here is that the iPad has more hardware features than Macs, but sofware wise many feel iPadOS is more limited than MacOS
Other than Tandem OLED display and M4 chips, regular iPad have all of above features. It just regular iPad and iPad Air have touchID instead of FacecID and I don’t feel FaceID is more superior than TouchID.
Hardware wise, iPad Pro have some advantages over Mac. But none of these advantageous hardwares were put in use with limited iPadOS.
M4 chips is powerful for iPad, yes. But I am definitely not doing my work with iPadOS. It is nightmare to managing 50+ different PDFs, filling out forms, submitting forms, running Excel macros etc. Sometimes, I need to do some video editing projects, and I will flipping between video editor, Finders, browsers etc. I have external monitor hooked up with my Mac and flipping between different virtual desktop. Can all of these done with iPadOS, I guess it can. But it will be pain in the ass to do.
The tandem OLED, nano texture, 5G, and ability to detach a screen and handwrite notes at meetings, plus HDR content support for photo editing and viewing entertainment when I’m not using it for work. And the 11” is the most powerful tiny device I can lug around the city and get all **my** work done. The OLED iPads also seem to have better battery longevity than the LCD ones. The OS is thoroughly full fledged for my work needs. And it’s an excellent ebook reader for me as well; my kindle doesn’t get used except for poolside reads now.
50% of my use case is opening YouTube or some video or music streaming somewhere around the house.
10% note taking using the wireless pen
20% social media
5% reading and editing pdfs.
15% replying to emails and messages. Only here do I need the external keyboard which I just connect my wireless Bluetooth keyboard to.
10% note taking using the wireless pen
20% social media
5% reading and editing pdfs.
15% replying to emails and messages. Only here do I need the external keyboard which I just connect my wireless Bluetooth keyboard to.
I did a test to figure out my different typing speeds. The results are the median from groups of 3 tests per category.
Keyboard: 52 wpm, 99% accuracy
On-screen keyboard iPad wide Apple Pencil case: 50 wpm, 99% accuracy
On-screen without case: 49 wpm, 99% accuracy.
iPhone 15 pro: 45.5 wpm, 100% accuracy
So my claim is false, but I’m rather close to the same speed. Note that I don’t use spell check, and got high accuracy by going back and correcting as I would during normal typing.
Indeed, but i don’t understand how the awful, ad-riddled Amazon fire has anything to do with this. MacOS is undeniably a better option for your workflow. It isn’t going to be possible for iPad or any tablet to match that kind of PDF viewing.
No, this was just a one off. I imported to the SSD because I needed to sort through them and knew I would have time while I'm on the go with the iPad, so it was most convenient. I own a Mac Mini, and I use multiple thumb drives and SD cards with it all the time. In the storage regard, yes, MacOS wins again.
Considering it comes out to be about the same size as 2 iphone screens side by side, and I zoom in as needed, it isn't too bad. It does cause fatigue after a while, although I get the same fatigue on my Mac with a 27" screen. Most of my stuff can be done alright from my iPad, and my mac can do it more efficiently and faster generally. The difference is portability. If Apple made a 12" MacBook, Air or Pro, again, then I'd be trading my iPad and Mac Mini M4 for it and would just use pen and paper again for notes. Especially if they added a cellular modem to it. It would be a day one buy for me. I prefer MacOS, but it doesn't belong on an iPad and the iPad shouldn't try to overstep its bounds. I'm just saying that iPads, and iPadOS, regardless of model size, are still incredibly useful machines.
I think my ipad pro 12.9 is about 60/40 tablet only / semi-laptop, and my ipad mini as 100 tablet only.
If File were robust enough my usage of ipad pro as a semi-laptop would go higher.
If File were robust enough my usage of ipad pro as a semi-laptop would go higher.