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Decision on iPad Pro requested please.

D

davidinva

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 29, 2009
591
30
Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, USA
I have a MacBook Pro (late 2013)' an iPhone SE, and an iPad Mini 4. I seldom use the Mac anymore. I use the SE for photography (sold all camera stuff except for a couple of poim and shoots), and edit on the iPad. Best Buy is currently offering $466 in gift cards for the Mac and $146 for the iPad. Even with 5,000 photos on the iPad at any one time, I find 64GB to be adequate storage. I have some data in MS apps, but still have a 2008 MacBook with MS 2003 apps on it.

Should I go for this? 649 minus 632 for the 10.5 Pro is tempting. Allows for buying the pencil and a case. Am I foolish to give up the Mac? I will not have the money for the Pro for quiet a while otherwise.

Thanks for your thoughts.
 
It depends on what you will use it for. The iPad will not replace the Mac, unless you do only really basic stuff. What you use it for?

I would perhaps keep the Mac and use the gift card for the iPad only and buy the 10.5" iPad Pro. I simply don't think it is worth to exchange a Mac and an iPad Mini for a brand new iPad Pro.
 
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I think it seems you narrowed it it down that you no longer use your MacBook and the iPad seems to be more fitting for your situation, and you're adding the Apple Pencil or Smart Keyboard In the future. But also ask yourself, do you think you can compete most tasks on your iPad compared to your MacBook.

I think you will find out that the iPad Pro can mainly do everything your MacBook was potentially doing prior, and now you have a more efficient machine where it's more of an all in one device versus having separate devices you don't need.
 
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Relentless Power said:
I think it seems you narrowed it it down that you no longer use your MacBook and the iPad seems to be more fitting for your situation, and you're adding the Apple Pencil or Smart Keyboard In the future. But also ask yourself, do you think you can compete most tasks on your iPad compared to your MacBook.

I think you will find out that the iPad Pro can mainly do everything your MacBook was potentially doing prior, and now you have a more efficient machine where it's more of an all in one device versus having separate devices you don't need.
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The "mainly" is the thing that shall be carefully considered here. As you will get rid of the Mac and will no longer have a computer, you have to be sure that the iPad will handle 100% of the tasks you used your Mac for. Otherwise, you may end up having to buy a new laptop (maybe a cheap Windows machine) to take care of the tasks the iPad cannot handle.
 
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skaertus said:
The "mainly" is the thing that shall be carefully considered here. As you will get rid of the Mac and will no longer have a computer, you have to be sure that the iPad will handle 100% of the tasks you used your Mac for. Otherwise, you may end up having to buy a new laptop (maybe a cheap Windows machine) to take care of the tasks the iPad cannot handle.
Click to expand...

It depends. The OP never elaborated on specifically what the iPad would be used for over the MacBook. But it's clear they are indicating that they no longer use their MacBook and perhaps the iPad might be more of a device that might meet their expectations based on their needs, which leads me to believe they can survive without the MacBook.

It also seems clear that if the MacBook isn't being used as much as it was in the past, and they are considering an iPad, then completing a 100% tasks doesn't seem like it's necessarily a mainstream concern at this point. It seems more of a concern of regretting to sell the MacBook in general over actual use.

Either way, I wouldn't make a decision just based off gift cards, I would make a decision based off productivity with both devices.
 
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Relentless Power said:
It depends. The OP never elaborated on specifically what the iPad would be used for over the MacBook. But it's clear they are indicating that they no longer use their MacBook and perhaps the iPad might be more of a device that might meet their expectations based on their needs, which leads me to believe they can survive without the MacBook.

It also seems clear that if the MacBook isn't being used as much as it was in the past, and they are considering an iPad, then completing a 100% tasks doesn't seem like it's necessarily a mainstream concern at this point. It seems more of a concern of regretting to sell the MacBook in general over actual use.

Either way, I wouldn't make a decision just based off gift cards, I would make a decision based off productivity with both devices.
Click to expand...

^ The Bolded makes great sense.

OP, if you can wait until iOS 11 is released you may find the iPad Pro is all you need, but since you were not entirely specific about iPad vs. MacBook usage, it is hard to say.
 
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skaertus said:
It depends on what you will use it for. The iPad will not replace the Mac, unless you do only really basic stuff. What you use it for?

I would perhaps keep the Mac and use the gift card for the iPad only and buy the 10.5" iPad Pro. I simply don't think it is worth to exchange a Mac and an iPad Mini for a brand new iPad Pro.
Click to expand...

The OP did describe usage. He's already doing all his photography with iOS. He mentioned he has a bunch of MS documents. If his document editing needs are within the mainstream, he may find that he can do it all on iOS, with the possible addition of a Smart or Bluetooth keyboard.

Here's the way I read things: "I'm happy with using iOS, it already suits my needs, what I really want to do is upgrade my iOS capabilities." So, maybe you feel what the OP is doing is "basic stuff," or maybe you just don't know what can be accomplished today in iOS, if one takes the risk to throw away the crutch (MBP).

I think the OP's plan has merit. He wants to upgrade his iPad (bigger and much better screen, Pencil, and, though he didn't mention it, a better camera than the SE's). He has an MBP he barely uses. So why not turn that into cash, and get something that better meets his needs? Keeping something worth $466, "Just in case," isn't necessarily a good use of resources (if that's what it's worth to Best Buy, what might it fetch in a private sale?). He still has an older Mac, if he needs it. If he realizes later, "Gee, I could still use a reasonably up-to-date Mac," a used iMac or MBA may just fit the bill.

As I've said often, I stopped carrying a laptop by the middle of 2010, a few months after I got a first-gen iPad. I haven't stopped needing a desktop Mac, but for mobile needs (which includes professional travel writing and photography, uploaded for immediate publication), iPad has been all I need. Are there occasional, "If only I had a laptop" moments? Sure, but they're rare - not enough to justify carrying the extra weight and bulk of a laptop wherever I go. Those few, "If only's" have been addressed by iOS 11 (can't wait to load it onto my 12.9" iPP).

So no, I don't think the OP is foolish. I think this is a very reasonable choice, based on his description. It carries a bit of risk, but not very much, and it's hardly a "there's no going back" decision.
 
UPDATE. Using my iPad Mini as trade in (but not my MacBook Pro) my piggy bank, some cash from under a mattress, a can buried in the backyard, a credit card, and my wife’s permission, I finally got an iPad Pro. Got the 10.5 64GB at Best Buy (on sale for $549 this week). Set it up using my Mini’s backup and went from 10GB of memory left on the Mini to 15GB on the Pro. That includes 6,500 photos, so I think 64GB will be enough for me. And that saved $150. Will get the pencil later. Getting used to the larger form again. Already seeing the benefits for photo editing and better visibility when reading.
 
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I have an Air 2, minii 4, iPhone 6S Plus & a mid 2014 retina MacBook Pro.

Don't get rid of the MacBook..just don't. I use my iPads extensively but...there are still some tasks that call for a computer
 
skaertus said:
It depends on what you will use it for. The iPad will not replace the Mac, unless you do only really basic stuff. What you use it for?

I would perhaps keep the Mac and use the gift card for the iPad only and buy the 10.5" iPad Pro. I simply don't think it is worth to exchange a Mac and an iPad Mini for a brand new iPad Pro.
Click to expand...

i manage about 1000 super computer linux servers from my ipad thats not basic
 
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