Can iPad Pro replace a laptop?

[pika2000]

In short, real pro will use tools (be it iPad or laptop) that works for them.

The rest will denounce anything that cannot download torrent.

 

[AttilaTheHun]

this isn't far off.

some people may think you're joking, but unless you need a usable screen away from a desk, wireless display, charging, and input peripherals will make this a reality.

i'd still have an ipad though because whilst the phone would be fine at a desk with a larger display, work is moving away from being desk bound, so you need the larger ipad display or maybe some AR glasses.

and surprise surprise, apple are working on that; using ios with both ipad and iphone for AR.

the head gear is coming make no mistake. the traditional "do computer stuff at a desk" workflow is going to be phased out eventually.

the only real reason most people are desk bound is for data entry grunt work and the machines can do that better automatically (user just looks at whatever and the AR software sucks the data in for you) if we can get good enough sensors and software on them.

Well said I was not joking Just responded to the person

 

[Awlover]

Not for me

 

[macgeek18]

I wish. I tried but I still need a laptop for rescuing other computers on the go. (Creating bootable USBs, etc.)

 

[AttilaTheHun]

I like them all but so far got MacBook pro 15", Ipade , iPhone and if I had more money I would buy a mac desktop too

 

[Mainsail]

Base 2017 iPad: Simple Content Creation & Routine Computing Tasks....about 90% of what I do:

• Emails & messaging
• Calendar, Reminders and Time Management Apps
• Small document creation (Pages & Keynote) and Large document editing
• Simple spreadsheet creation (Numbers) and Complex spreadsheet editing
• PDF review and markups
• Note taking
• Document Scanning
• File Management (iCloud Drive & File App)
• eBooks
• Personal Finance, Banking and Investment Tracking
• Photo & Video organization and simple photo editing
• Media consumption, research & web browsing

Anything more complicated, which is rare for me, I use a Mac Mini.

BTW: I should point out that I never really need to do complicated content creation away from my desktop. If I regularly had that need whilst on-the-go, I would probably use a MacBook.

 

[TroyBoy30]

for content consuption - yes
for content creation - no

 

[Mainsail]

for content consuption - yes
for content creation - no

A little too much of a generalization from my point of view. So, allow me to be more specific:

In my experience, for light content creation and productivity - the iPad works just fine:
Email, messaging, calendar, reminder, time management, notes, PDF markup, Pages (short one page reports etc.), Numbers ( simple spreadsheets), Keynote ( a few slides), scanning documents, basic photo editing, short iMovie, etc.......I have done all of this stuff on my iPad without difficulty. Also, I don't touch type, so the virtual keyboard doesn't really slow me down much. I am also a horrible speller, so I really appreciate predictive text.

For heavier content creation, I prefer a desktop or laptop. As I mentioned, I just have a desktop because I don't really need to create significant content away from my home office. If I did have to create a lot of content on-the-go, I would own a laptop.

 

[jlseattle]

I wanted the iPad pro to be more than it is (an iPad). The touch interface dependency works to consume content at on a casual basis. But "working" in it is tough. I used the keyboard (so that helped) and had the stylist. But to replace the mouse with your finger or a stylus to interface to the device isn't the easiest solution. Being locked to a full screen view also sucks. Being that you can't see activity going on in other apps (like mail) unless you go to the app or "touch" the screen in some way. I think there is lots of work to be done to refine the experience. I think iOS11 will help.

I'm going to keep my iPad pro but just for the iPad.

 

[dulaney22]

Uh . . . yeah it can

 

[macgeek18]

I think the performance is there we just are waiting on the software. And get used to changing our workflows. This is my MBA VS. Ipad Pro First Gen.

 

[Abazigal]

Again, I would go back to this model.

And for enough people, and I dare say that a fair amount of work falls in the middle.

 

[Cheffy Dave]

Interesting. You know MOST people? Have you polled most people or is there a poll published that gathered that information?



It is a matter of scope. There were two new things introduced with the iPad Pro... a notebook-sized screen and a keyboard cover that is tightly integrated to the iPP. You can ignore that and dismiss those things as "no big deal" but they DO have an impact for some people.



Repeating an opinion doesn't turn it into a fact.

[doublepost=1500079126][/doublepost]SRacer, I understand the point you are making, That said, I am so excited for iOS11 on the iPad, please speculate, (no harm, no foul) on where YOU see the iPad going AFTER iOS 11, say iOS 12 or 13. IMHO, I think we will see a Tablet, that WILL be as useful as a Laptop, because I THINK, APPLE WILL make it as useful, despite that they have said they never would. Thought's my friend??
[doublepost=1500079320][/doublepost]

Finally, Scrivener for iOS is out on Wednesday! That will settle my personal debate. Even if it's only half as good as what's promised, it will mean the iPad will replace my need for a laptop.

Thanks for the info LOVE SCRIVNER!

 

[jlseattle]

I wonder what the "pro" features are of the iPad Pro beyond a processor (that we really don't see any huge speed boosts versus the regular iPad) or the stylus (Apple Pencil)?

I really think for 95% of iPad users the regular iPad will function just as well as the 10" (minus not having a stylus). Otherwise I don't see the point. I got the pro because I love Apple and wanted it. But I didn't need it nor if you stuck an regular iPad in my hands probably notice immediately (if case/color are the same).

So the real question I have is for users looking for a laptop replacement wouldn't either the regular iPad or the pro model get you to the same point? Or is there something that the pro model does that the regular one doesn't? I might be missing the elephant in the room and want to learn about it so I can take advantage.

 

[sracer]

[doublepost=1500079126][/doublepost]SRacer, I understand the point you are making, That said, I am so excited for iOS11 on the iPad, please speculate, (no harm, no foul) on where YOU see the iPad going AFTER iOS 11, say iOS 12 or 13. IMHO, I think we will see a Tablet, that WILL be as useful as a Laptop, because I THINK, APPLE WILL make it as useful, despite that they have said they never would. Thought's my friend??

Those are good thoughts!

My HOPE is that Apple will materialize the full potential of the platform they've developed, but my EXPECTATION is that Apple will drag this thing out for years. They'll offer incremental updates that will keep most people in the Apple fold but will frustrate those who want that end goal.

IMO, Apple is in a great position to realize the vision set forth by Microsoft's Surface, but they understandably have a higher priority on profits. The longer they drag it out, the more money they make.

 

[Cheffy Dave]

Those are good thoughts!

My HOPE is that Apple will materialize the full potential of the platform they've developed, but my EXPECTATION is that Apple will drag this thing out for years. They'll offer incremental updates that will keep most people in the Apple fold but will frustrate those who want that end goal.

IMO, Apple is in a great position to realize the vision set forth by Microsoft's Surface, but they understandably have a higher priority on profits. The longer they drag it out, the more money they make.

Thanks for the reply, guess I'm due to be frustrated

 

[sracer]

Thanks for the reply, guess I'm due to be frustrated

I hope that I'm thoroughly wrong.

 

[SDColorado]

I wanted the iPad pro to be more than it is (an iPad). The touch interface dependency works to consume content at on a casual basis. But "working" in it is tough. I used the keyboard (so that helped) and had the stylist. But to replace the mouse with your finger or a stylus to interface to the device isn't the easiest solution. Being locked to a full screen view also sucks. Being that you can't see activity going on in other apps (like mail) unless you go to the app or "touch" the screen in some way. I think there is lots of work to be done to refine the experience. I think iOS11 will help.

I'm going to keep my iPad pro but just for the iPad.

I feel much the same, though I didn't keep mine. I returned it at the end of the 14 days. I already have a 9.7" iPad Pro. I thought I might find the new 12.9" more useful as a computing device, bigger screen, full size keyboard. But in the end I felt it was just a larger and brighter version of what I already have. As an iPad, the 9.7" version I already have does just fine. I kept it for the full 14 days, trying my best to reach a different conclusion and trying to justify keeping it, but ultimately I just couldn't justify it.

Maybe I will try again in the next iteration

 

[robbietop]

Some people have responded in a way I have, but I wanted to give my reticent history with the iPad.

BTW, HUGE APPLE guy. Company could do no wrong, but has made bad products or not fleshed them out/rushed them (MOBILE ME )

In 2010, I was wary of the iPad. I bought a launch 3G model and it was my life for seven months. I bought the Logitech keyboard, I got a cool protective screen cover. I then left college and entered into the workplace and the thing sat. It then was moved to the top of the toilet bowl for Business Reading . It then got put in a drawer when the iPhone 6 came out with the larger screen. It now sits at my work, where I use it to SSH sometimes into a terminal and I don't want a bulky laptop. I tossed the Keyboard and got out the original slip cover.

So, I was skeptical of there being a new 10.5". I heard all the rumors.
Then the Files app leaked the morning of WWDC. And I became intrigued.
I feel as if the Macbook Air paved the way for the new 12" MacBook. It was an unfinished product.

I felt the same way about iPad. It was an unfinished product. It is the replacement to the laptop. But Apple was focused on the phone.
WWDC and iOS 11 changes all of that. Within 30 seconds of Federighi showing drag and drop, the Dock, Files, new Control Center (Expose RETURNSSSS!!! YESSS!), I gave in. I pre-ordered within a day. It arrived in a week. My MacBook has barely budged. I use it for Word Processing and Spreadsheets (I am Documentation/Librarian/IKB manager at work), but that's about it. And I have begun to try and use the iPad to do those things.
And I am getting used to it quicker that I thought.

It's weird. It's almost like I've wanted to interact with data like this on a laptop but was always repressing it.
If this keeps up, I may actually leave the laptop for only those huge projects that require mass data entry.
I have not gotten the ASK, yet. That may change everything altogether.
And the kicker is I can swap it with the normal cover when I don't need a keyboard !!! HUGE SELLING POINT.

The iPad can now be considered a laptop replacement. iOS 11 beta could ship tomorrow. It is absolutely wondrous to type on. The new keyboard shortcuts are a God SEND and MUST be brought to the iPhone.
Files is perfection.
Expose Center is what OS X was designed for. If anything, Bertand and Avie and others must have been preparing for this, but it's taken way too damn long!

My MacBook is at home with a dead battery most likely. I don't know. I haven't used it in five days.
I've used my iPad as my computer exclusively.
I can text, watch YouTube, compose documents, VPN to my work and then SSH into our servers and switches, read and reply to email (work as well), message my friends and family on Faceblog, check the news, edit a photo, video chat with my grandma, AirPlay into my stereo and play Spotify or Apple Music and catch a flick on NetFlix when I go to bed.
All from my iPad. And Multitasking is so incredible, my mom is wondering if she should get one.

 

[sam2428]

Just my 2 cents....I'm in the market right now for an iPP as a replacement to my 2012 MacBook Pro, but only because I also own an iMac which does most of my heavy lifting. My MacBook pro has honestly been neglected for years since I bought it because for all my hobbyist photo and video editing I prefer to use the iMac. For casual browsing etc and use I use my iPhone.

I think the iPad will be the perfect companion device that will likely take over the majority of my computing needs. Am excited to use iOS 11 and plan to use the device for web browsing, music, YouTube, light gaming, note taking, and hopefully some photo editing as well. Planning for it to be my take with me everywhere device.

But at the end of the day I think there are certain things that you just can't do with the iPad and I would not be taking this road if I did not have other means to compute.