I’m starting to miss using a MacBook and seeing a 14 inch MacBook Pro in person today,… Just wow woah!
I like the convenience n immediacy of the iPad so likely will be keeping mine, but will get a MBP M1 Pro in 60-90 days
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iPad as a laptop replacement
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I like the convenience n immediacy of the iPad so likely will be keeping mine, but will get a MBP M1 Pro in 60-90 days
Are you currently using your iPad as your main/only computer? I’m on the fence about doing that since I worry if had both the 12.9 and the macbook, the MacBook would mostly go unused. Sure it’d be great to have a full fledged laptop when I occasionally need it, but something about it sitting unused so much makes me feel like it’s wasted or unnecessary.
On the laptop, when you say "need it", do you really need it? If so, do you have a viable alternative if you got rid of it?
I have completely replaced my MBP and exclusively run my Real Estate businesses with my M1 iPP 11 and loving it. It is both enlightening and satisfying. You can read about it at the link in my signature.
You know, I keep reconsidering whether I truly "need" it. I actually do have a viable alternative as I recently got a Windows laptop back from someone who no longer needed it. The MacBook is much more enjoyable to use but the windows machine is a viable alternative.
Give it a trial - use the iPad as your primary or only device for a couple of weeks to see how it goes.
Every now and than, there are posts like this, where people are completley convinced they “need“ their laptop, yet, whenever I read them I always think they are unaware of the modern iPad capabilities and features.
So, can iPad really never replace the efficiency and the user comfort of the laptop, and if so in what way for you?
Because for me it does. And in fact - it far exceeds it.
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👍 I once had a work project go haywire while I was on vacation. I was able to mitigate the whole thing from my iPhone X.
I do know quite a few people that don't want to, or have no interest in taking the time to find out what the iPad can really do. Some are intimidated at the thought of using a new operating system, some are happy with what they have always used and just don't want to learn a new OS, and some are just perfectly fine with the iPad being their media consumption device. These are all ok, but it doesn't change the fact that the iPad is a very capable device that can and has replaced a laptop for a large minority of people. I myself am pretty excited, happy, and proud of the fact that at 61 years old, I learned a new OS on a device that has replaced my need for a traditional laptop.
Now, all that being said, it is true that not everyone can realistically replace their laptop with an iPad. My wife is an electronic engineer and at its level of evolution the iPad is in no way advanced enough to replace a full desktop OS for the work she does. It is reasonable to accept that the iPad cannot be everyone's primary computer, just as it is reasonable to accept that it can replace a traditional computer for many people. I am fortunate that my Real Estate and property management work are easy for the iPad to handle, and will only get better as the OS evolves. I do stuff like (create, fill, and sign contracts), create and edit documents, (create, edit, and annotate pdf's), hand written notes, file management, time management, emails, texts, client communication, sketching house dimensions, taking house pictures, and occasionally reading some news, playing a game, or watching YouTube while waiting for a client. Like @XIO[-]OIX the iPad easily replaces a laptop for me and even makes using a computer for work and personal life fun again. Unfortunately a lot of people will never bother to take the time to find this out, who potentially could.
Now, all that being said, it is true that not everyone can realistically replace their laptop with an iPad. My wife is an electronic engineer and at its level of evolution the iPad is in no way advanced enough to replace a full desktop OS for the work she does. It is reasonable to accept that the iPad cannot be everyone's primary computer, just as it is reasonable to accept that it can replace a traditional computer for many people. I am fortunate that my Real Estate and property management work are easy for the iPad to handle, and will only get better as the OS evolves. I do stuff like (create, fill, and sign contracts), create and edit documents, (create, edit, and annotate pdf's), hand written notes, file management, time management, emails, texts, client communication, sketching house dimensions, taking house pictures, and occasionally reading some news, playing a game, or watching YouTube while waiting for a client. Like @XIO[-]OIX the iPad easily replaces a laptop for me and even makes using a computer for work and personal life fun again. Unfortunately a lot of people will never bother to take the time to find this out, who potentially could.
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In the past I have been able to work fully from the first generation iPad Pro 12.9" and do my study on it as well. These days with the iPad Pro 11", magic keyboard and external screen it should be even easier. With an iPhone and external keyboard it would indeed be possible to do it on an iPhone as well. But it's not just a question of possibility, but also of efficiency, ergonomics and the quality of your work. A small screen like an iPhone has just doesn't give the same oversight.
Lately my work has changed drastically and I'm now schlepping around dozens/hundreds of files, juggling four or five emails at the same time to work them in one new reply, or working from 5-15 documents at the same time and compiling a new report. As they say, all things are permissible, but not all things are helpful.
So for me, at this moment, a MacBook Pro 14" with a good 27"5k screen gives me a much better efficiency. And my magnificent M1 iPP11" gets used a lot less.
Don't get me wrong, my use cases these days for iPads and Macs have really changed. Instead of doing everything on one or the other, I'm doing most of my more computer-y type work on macOS, and leaving tablet-oriented tasks on iPadOS. I don't think it benefits my workflow to try to make square pegs fit into round holes. Each device serves its purpose for the things it's best at.
At the same time, I don't begrudge anyone ditching the Mac and going all in on iPad. It's totally doable, especially with the iPad Pro, and especially if you're doing a lot of creative work with graphic design, art, etc.
I change my mind on stuff like this all the time, but right now my use cases are as follows:YMMV as they say
Just curious, but what is your mixed use case?
MacBook(s): My work Mac usually sits on my desk more or less permanently docked. My personal Mac I will use either docked or on the go depending on the situation. I work from home full time and have since about 2013, so I always have an office space set up somewhere in the house. I love my current setup, which is an LG UltraFine 4K acting as a hub for my personal and work Macs and my iPad. All peripherals (web cam, keyboard, mouse, CD/DVD drive) are running through the USB-C ports on the monitor and all connections to those devices are handled through a single Thunderbolt cable. I have messed around with Sidecar and Universal Control too but haven’t decided if they really fit into my use cases or not yet.
iPad: In the past, specifically from iPad 2 through the original iPad Air, I used the iPad as a note pad, e-reader, video watcher, etc. as well as a fill in for my Mac in situations where that was the best option. I am back to using them that way after a few years of using various iPad Pro models as both my laptop AND tablet. The mini 6 is exactly what I need in that regard. It has plenty of power to spare, no more ugly top and bottom bezels wasting space, and always has the Pencil stuck to the side. It’s the ultimate tablet form factor for me, and I often describe it as the 2022 version of a field book or something.
Apple Silicon and USB-C have really expanded what you can do with any given device in the ecosystem. For example, using my iPad mini 6 docked to my workstation doesn’t feel a ton different from using my 12.9” iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard a couple years ago. But using my iPad mini 6 DOES feel a lot different to me to use than the Plus/Pro Max iPhones I’ve had. The iPad is just a different experience than the iPhone or Mac, and when I don’t have it, I miss it.
Current plan isn’t changing any time soon. I love having the power house Mac always docked, the MacBook Air as the portable or docked workstation, and the iPad and iPhone as subsets of those. I can’t wait to get my paws on one of these new MacBook Airs if the schematics are anything close to what the rumors say.
Yes, maybe you are right about your preference! But maximum people are not that comfortable with the iPad no matter how latest it is! And obviously, both devices have their own customers otherwise the production got stopped!
but in general, people prefer using a laptop over an iPad!
Thought I'd contribute to this thread:
My Macbook Pro broke during early-covid so I thought I'd try an Ipad Air 4 with Pencil and Keyboard as a replacement. I'm an academic and my research is in speech acoustics. My main computer is an iMac but I need the portable computer to do the following:
-MS Word, Powerpoint
-Email, web browsing, uploading online teaching materials to Blackboard
-Marking student work in Blackboard
-Light manipulation of audio files using various programmes
-Note taking and drafting using Bear, Evernote and a few other programmes
-Reading/annotating research papers
-General entertainment like watching films
TL;DR - I was able to do 90% of my tasks but 10% were impossible. Of the 90% some tasks were better on the iPad, some were comparable and some were more of a pain. I have decided to return to a Laptop in the end.
Long version: Some tasks were actually better on the iPad. An obvious example is reading and annotating research papers. Being able to remove the keyboard and use the Pencil is brilliant. Some tasks are more or less the same - replying to emails, taking basic notes, web browsing. I used an 11" iPad though and did find it small. Some tasks were possible on the iPad but were far more cumbersome. For example, whenever I need to use 3 or more applications at once, I felt it was a pain. Also, using Blackboard on the iPad was ok but did present some problems with stability. This is, in fairness, Blackboard's fault not Apple's but there you go. When I started trying to do more demanding work like editing sound files and moving them between programmes, it frequently became a pain. Finally, a couple of key programmes I use are not available on the iPad at all.
So, I will return to using a Macbook when out and about and at conferences. I am tempted to keep the iPad as simply a 'tablet'. For reading/annotating it is brilliant. Weirdly, I also find it very nice to lay in bed and view videos on. However, this is an expensive device for those two functions so long-term I may actually opt for just an iPad mini plus pencil.
My Macbook Pro broke during early-covid so I thought I'd try an Ipad Air 4 with Pencil and Keyboard as a replacement. I'm an academic and my research is in speech acoustics. My main computer is an iMac but I need the portable computer to do the following:
-MS Word, Powerpoint
-Email, web browsing, uploading online teaching materials to Blackboard
-Marking student work in Blackboard
-Light manipulation of audio files using various programmes
-Note taking and drafting using Bear, Evernote and a few other programmes
-Reading/annotating research papers
-General entertainment like watching films
TL;DR - I was able to do 90% of my tasks but 10% were impossible. Of the 90% some tasks were better on the iPad, some were comparable and some were more of a pain. I have decided to return to a Laptop in the end.
Long version: Some tasks were actually better on the iPad. An obvious example is reading and annotating research papers. Being able to remove the keyboard and use the Pencil is brilliant. Some tasks are more or less the same - replying to emails, taking basic notes, web browsing. I used an 11" iPad though and did find it small. Some tasks were possible on the iPad but were far more cumbersome. For example, whenever I need to use 3 or more applications at once, I felt it was a pain. Also, using Blackboard on the iPad was ok but did present some problems with stability. This is, in fairness, Blackboard's fault not Apple's but there you go. When I started trying to do more demanding work like editing sound files and moving them between programmes, it frequently became a pain. Finally, a couple of key programmes I use are not available on the iPad at all.
So, I will return to using a Macbook when out and about and at conferences. I am tempted to keep the iPad as simply a 'tablet'. For reading/annotating it is brilliant. Weirdly, I also find it very nice to lay in bed and view videos on. However, this is an expensive device for those two functions so long-term I may actually opt for just an iPad mini plus pencil.
My work consists primarily of Excel (multiple spreadsheets at that). I don't even like using 13" laptops for work. I need at least 15" and a keyboard with built-in numpad (far from ideal but a lot less frustrating).
At the office, I have a multi-monitor + tower desktop setup.
With that said, I only use the laptop on rare occasions (e.g. working while in a hotel). If I need the PC, I prefer to use my desktop.
So many regular people are already using their tablet (doesn’t matter if iPad or android) as a replacement for a regular desktop or notebook. These people give a **** for forums, discussions and just make the best of the given platform. Deep tech related discussions are non sense here. Not the special dudes make the move, the mass will make it.
I'd have to say that most of the "regular" people I know that have tablets are primarily using them for consumption, email, net browsing, etc. and are still using laptops and/or desktops for activities like photo processing or other activities that require significant inputs, e.g., spreadsheets, documents. They aren't interested in getting a pricey keyboard case or connecting Bluetooth devices (other than earbuds, etc.) to the tablet.
And all of this doesn’t make it a good replacement? It’s in the users decision what to do with their device… sounds like that these people are very comfortable with their devices.
No, I didn't say or imply it doesn’t make it a good replacement. For some people it is, others it isn't, as this thread shows.
I suppose it’s not surprising that in a forum full of tech enthusiasts that we find people advocating the superiority of one device over another, but I believe, as others have said before, that in the real world people should (and I believe most people do) focus on what they want to accomplish and then pick the tool best-suited, rather than focus on the device and attempt to adapt their life to it. A device is only a means to an end, so any kind of allegiance to one over another makes zero sense.
Each type of device—iPads, Mac desktops, and Mac laptops—have their own set of unique significant strengths and weaknesses (some circumstantial, some inherent). And the world is full of billions of people and probably just as many different sets of needs and preferences. Because of these two facts, it would be pretty insane for anyone to say with certainty which device is better for people across the board. Probably/hopefully most people here are not making that statement, but all too often some people are. And on both sides. People who say that iPads cannot be a sole device for a lot of people, and people who say that Macs are only for those who are “stuck” or “antiquated”, are two sides to the same presumptuous, narrow-sighted coin. They both project onto others their limited view based on limited knowledge.
That said, the iPad is the newer device and still seems to be in its formative years, so its full capabilities aren’t currently as well-known by everyone (and it’s future capabilities aren’t known by anyone except probably a couple people at Apple). So it’s good to spread that information among the peoples. And it’s fine to make device suggestions, and fine to conjecture about any and everything, but these sweeping statements are at best silly, and at worst spread misinformation.
Each type of device—iPads, Mac desktops, and Mac laptops—have their own set of unique significant strengths and weaknesses (some circumstantial, some inherent). And the world is full of billions of people and probably just as many different sets of needs and preferences. Because of these two facts, it would be pretty insane for anyone to say with certainty which device is better for people across the board. Probably/hopefully most people here are not making that statement, but all too often some people are. And on both sides. People who say that iPads cannot be a sole device for a lot of people, and people who say that Macs are only for those who are “stuck” or “antiquated”, are two sides to the same presumptuous, narrow-sighted coin. They both project onto others their limited view based on limited knowledge.
That said, the iPad is the newer device and still seems to be in its formative years, so its full capabilities aren’t currently as well-known by everyone (and it’s future capabilities aren’t known by anyone except probably a couple people at Apple). So it’s good to spread that information among the peoples. And it’s fine to make device suggestions, and fine to conjecture about any and everything, but these sweeping statements are at best silly, and at worst spread misinformation.
So far in this 131 page thread, that is what I see people doing. I don't see anyone forcing their views on others, just sharing their personal experiences. Some have accomplished replacing their laptops, some have not, and some are just somewhere in-between. It has been a good thread that I have enjoyed being a part of, and learned a lot from. Being enthusiastic one way or another is not a bad thing. Getting excited about your accomplishments is a good thing, and sharing your experiences with others makes it even better. Sharing knowledge and experience is exactly what this forum is for. I think this is one of the threads that has accomplished that in an extraordinarily positive way. I mean...131 pages so far.
I agree that for the most part and very recently the discussion has been productive and respectful, which is great, but there have been quite a number of posts in this thread like what I described. I think it’s gotten a lot better over the years, but they still pop up. Just before my last post, I had gone back to catch up on some pages of this thread that I missed and found such posts, one as recent as only a couple pages ago. But I didn’t want to reply to all of them nor single out any one post, so I made a general post in case they’re still following. So I could see if my post seemed disconnected, my apologies!So far in this 131 page thread, that is what I see people doing. I don't see anyone forcing their views on others, just sharing their personal experiences. Some have accomplished replacing their laptops, some have not, and some are just somewhere in-between. It has been a good thread that I have enjoyed being a part of, and learned a lot from. Being enthusiastic one way or another is not a bad thing. Getting excited about your accomplishments is a good thing, and sharing your experiences with others makes it even better. Sharing knowledge and experience is exactly what this forum is for. I think this is one of the threads that has accomplished that in an extraordinarily positive way. I mean...131 pages so far.