iPad Pro 11” iPad Pro + MacBook Air or 12.9” iPad Pro?

[Devyn89]

Howdy y’all

Presently I’m trying to decode what the best solution for my needs is and I’m curious to hear some of your opinions. I don’t need you to tell me what is best for me, but what your experience has been. First a little background.

Currently I have a 2018 11” iPad Pro, pencil and Magic Keyboard. I love this device, however I am looking for something with a larger screen for watching movies in bed and doing some writing (nothing for school or work, more so just for personal writing in my spare time). I’ve got a couple of options.

Option 1: Trade in 11” iPad Pro and buy 12.9” with magic keyboard.
I like this option because I know I love iPad, and my mom has the bigger 12.9” that i’ve played around with and love. It would also mean I’d get some trade in value for the 11” and then I would still just have two “main“ devices (iPhone and iPad). The downside is with this option, even with the trade in, is that it would cost me more money than option 2. The upsides of option 2 are also downsides for this option.

Option 2: Keep 11” and purchase M1 MacBook Air.
I like this option because it gets me a different kind of device, it doesn’t have the same limitations as iPad (has several app stores like steam, allows for browser extensions, can run windows if I ever felt like doing so [via Parallels] etc.). The downside is I am used to having touch first devices and enjoy that experience, there is no Apple Pencil support. I also want it to watch movies and HDR movies look better on iPad (especially the 2021 iPad pro) and the 120hz refresh is noticeable to me. That said I would still have the 11” for that if I wanted to use it for pencil and other touch first activities. I also might wait until the new MacBook Pro’s come out as they might have mini-LED displays which honestly would make this choice easier as long as they don’t raise prices too much.

Have any of you done either of these options and what are your thoughts?

 

[jimmy_uk]

Ipad 11" and Macbook Air. Then you have access to two operating systems = no limitations.

 

[perezr10]

As with most things in life, the more expensive solution may be better. Even if you keep the old iPad and don’t buy a new one, you’d have more invested in total.

I am all in on iPad Pro because I don’t want to spend an extra $2,000 for a machine that I hardly use any more. But if money was no object, heck yeah, get both.

 

[cupcakes2000]

If you know already you can fulfil most or all of your everyday needs on an iPad, then go iPad only.

If you feel you still need a mac, then that’s the choice!

I still need a mac, because I need lightroom classic, and well - because I want a mac. I use an iPad 12.9 plus a Mac mini, and I use jump desktop to remote into the mini.

I get the best of both worlds this way, and I don’t need a mac laptop as well as my awesome iPad plus keyboard. Perhaps you can swing that kind of thing in your budget.

 

[cupcakes2000]

If you know already you can fulfil most or all of your everyday needs on an iPad, then go iPad only.

If you feel you still need a mac, then that’s the choice!

I still need a mac, because I need lightroom classic, and well - because I want a mac. I use an iPad 12.9 plus a Mac mini, and I use jump desktop to remote into the mini. I don’t really even have a full time screen for the mac, it’s like a headless mac dock and macos as an app for the iPad.

I get the best of both worlds this way, and I don’t need a mac laptop as well as my awesome iPad plus keyboard. Perhaps you can swing that kind of thing in your budget.

 

[Pede]

I’m in the same dilemma. I already own a MBA M1, but have for long felt draft towards an iPad. So I just received the new IPad pro 12.9 yesterday. The initial plan was to go all in on the iPad with Magic keyboard, and sell my MBA. But now I have gotten second thoughts wether or not I should just return the 12.9 iPad and go for the 11 inch model, and then keep my MBA.

 

[LFC2020]

There is no right and wrong way about it, do what makes you happy ? I'm using a M1 MacBook Pro and M1 iPad 12.9" I switch between the 2 daily.

 

[PBG4 Dude]

can run windows if I ever felt like doing so [via Parallels] etc.).

Not on the M1 MacBook Air you can’t, unless you’re planning to run the beta version of Windows for ARM using your MS Insider ID (don’t know what level of MS Insider is required for access to the beta).

 

[rumz]

Option 2: Keep 11” and purchase M1 MacBook Air.
I like this option because it gets me a different kind of device, it doesn’t have the same limitations as iPad (has several app stores like steam, allows for browser extensions, can run windows if I ever felt like doing so [via Parallels] etc.). The downside is I am used to having touch first devices and enjoy that experience, there is no Apple Pencil support. I also want it to watch movies and HDR movies look better on iPad (especially the 2021 iPad pro) and the 120hz refresh is noticeable to me. That said I would still have the 11” for that if I wanted to use it for pencil and other touch first activities. I also might wait until the new MacBook Pro’s come out as they might have mini-LED displays which honestly would make this choice easier as long as they don’t raise prices too much.

I figured I'd throw this out there-- you probably know this and maybe it's not as convenient as you're looking for, but you do have the option of using Sidecar from the MacBook Air to your 11" iPad Pro for Apple Pencil input if there are particular apps that you want pencil input for. If you just want pencil input in general, then this isn't so helpful, I understand that.

 

[AutomaticApple]

Not on the M1 MacBook Air you can’t, unless you’re planning to run the beta version of Windows for ARM using your MS Insider ID (don’t know what level of MS Insider is required for access to the beta).

It's free.

 

[Devyn89]

I figured I'd throw this out there-- you probably know this and maybe it's not as convenient as you're looking for, but you do have the option of using Sidecar from the MacBook Air to your 11" iPad Pro for Apple Pencil input if there are particular apps that you want pencil input for. If you just want pencil input in general, then this isn't so helpful, I understand that.

Oh that’s right, I forgot about that.