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iPad Help choose between ipad pro m1 2021, and a macbook 14 m1

H

Helpmechoose

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 7, 2021
2
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Hello,

To begin, i am not a pro, i dont do any type of « pro » work, i just want a device to browse internet, watch moovies, travel with, do some light Microsoft office work , i dont know what to choose between the ipad pro 12.9 m1 and the macbook pro 14 m1, the ipad seems too big , and the 11 version doesn’t have the mini LED screen, and there is Ipados, on the other hand there is the macbook with the perfect screen , the nice finish, the good batterie life everything is perfect abt it, BUT the price, i can afford it but , buying that type of machine for 2000$ just to do day to day activities ?? Is it justifiable ? Is there people here that doesn’t have any Pro activity that own a macbook ?
 
Helpmechoose said:
Hello,

To begin, i am not a pro, i dont do any type of « pro » work, i just want a device to browse internet, watch moovies, travel with, do some light Microsoft office work , i dont know what to choose between the ipad pro 12.9 m1 and the macbook pro 14 m1, the ipad seems too big , and the 11 version doesn’t have the mini LED screen, and there is Ipados, on the other hand there is the macbook with the perfect screen , the nice finish, the good batterie life everything is perfect abt it, BUT the price, i can afford it but , buying that type of machine for 2000$ just to do day to day activities ?? Is it justifiable ? Is there people here that doesn’t have any Pro activity that own a macbook ?
Click to expand...

For your needs, I don’t see why an iPad wouldn’t work. So long as you have another computer in the house somewhere, you should be fine.
 
To me, it all depends on your tie to Microsoft Office.

The iPad weaknesses are still lack of parity between Office Mac and iOS, weaker file system and features lacking in Safari.

This is coming from someone that runs a consulting business for database solutions on my iPad Pro 12.9 M1. I have a Mac Mini M1 “just in case” but hardly ever use it. The iPad is just so much easier for day-to-day stuff for me.

The one MAJOR complaint I have is with iOS 15. They added a feature to refresh a Safari browsing window by dragging and releasing. It’s great until you are filling out a form or in the middle of web-based programming and accidentally drag the screen so it refreshes - you lose all the work done on that screen to that point - YIKES - could you PLEASE let us toggle that on/off?

So, if you can get past a few “gotchcha’s”, I think you will love the iPad Pro as much as I do. Does that mean I won’t be buying a MB Pro? I’m not sure I really need it. I will be retiring full time in April-June. When I do, I’ll be spending time on my favorite hobby - photography. I’ll see how the iPad / MB Pro weigh out at that time.
 
Helpmechoose said:
Is there people here that doesn’t have any Pro activity that own a macbook ?
Click to expand...
I would fall in that camp. I am blessed with a job that affords me luxuries like that. I also have a 12” iPad Pro, which was my daily driver for personal tasks, and occasional work from the couch.

The iPad did most of what I needed, but there were some occasional problems, and I was getting a little frustrated with limited software options (I can’t say I’m a huge fan of the AppStore ecosystem/trend of apps jumping on the IAP bandwagon), so I chose to reinvest in a Mac notebook to provide some additional flexibility, and the MBP 14” specifically to take advantage of the nicer screen and performance.

I will note, however, that before it, my daily driver was a 2013 MBA 11” and that served me well for years. So akin to other comments, why is the mini LED screen in particular so important to you?
 
Don't forget, an iPad doesn't come with a keyboard, so there is that expense too. Task wise, an iPad would surfice (and have nice extras, like a pencil and a touch screen, plus cellular if you need it), but there are limitations to iPadOS. You never know what the future will require of you, and a Macbook would be more flexible.
 
I've got both the 12.9 and the 14. They're both great, but the 14 seems like overkill for casual surfing and the odd Word doc. And the 12.9 with magic keyboard is a lot of money.

Mini LED is nice, but unless you're watching a movie formatted for XDR content, not sure you'd notice the difference.

The Air or even the 9th gen iPad with keyboard would seem more than enough, no?
 
robertfrancis70 said:
I've got both the 12.9 and the 14. They're both great, but the 14 seems like overkill for casual surfing and the odd Word doc. And the 12.9 with magic keyboard is a lot of money.

Mini LED is nice, but unless you're watching a movie formatted for XDR content, not sure you'd notice the difference.

The Air or even the 9th gen iPad with keyboard would seem more than enough, no?
Click to expand...

Will have to agree to disagree there. For those who really care about screen quality, these new Mini LED screens are a game changer. I don’t fault OP for narrowing his choices to only mini LED models.

I do agree that the MBP 14 is way overkill. For his uses, a 12.9 iPad Pro would work totally fine.
 
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Get the 14" MBP because it is better for movie viewing. The aspect ratio is much better.

However if you are serious about movie watching outside, than the 16" MBP is even better.
 
Here's my 2 cents.

I would probably suggest neither. For what you want to do, an M1 MacBook Air or iPad Air would both do rather well (though iPad OS Office is really not a great experience). You are paying anywhere from $500 (iPad Air vs 12.9" iPad Pro) to $1000 (MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro) for a screen, that while nice, still has its flaws and may not be noticeably different in many environments. On top of it, neither the 12.9" iPad Pro or MacBook Pro are the best travel companions. I saw a 14" MacBook Pro this weekend for the first time. It is a chunky machine. Both weigh considerably more than an iPad Air or MacBook Air and are just larger and less nimble overall. To me it feels like you are overspending for a single feature and will not make use of the other features that make the cost difference more palatable.

Go to an Apple Store. Look at the iPad Pros side by side and see how noticeable the difference is. I can tell you for myself, I did not notice any real difference in that environment. In a normally lit room it certainly does not jump out at you that the mini LED is a huge leap (at least in my opinion). This coming from a person that still uses physical media whenever possible because I can see the difference in streaming media.

Now, if you have the money to spend and it does not matter to you, go for it! In that case, figure out how important Office is. If you need to really use it often and will need multiple windows for research or reference while doing it, go laptop. If it is occasional and the usage is singular (only Office, no other app), then the iPad would be a good choice.

**EDIT** Just to add, the pro machines are really pro machines now. We had several years where the Pro moniker was synonymous with enthusiast. That really is not the case anymore. Those Pro machines are now directly targeted at people who use them for income and they are designed and priced as such. That makes them less of a good choice for many normal users. You are paying more money and making compromises (weight, portability, etc) for features you really do not need.
 
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