Nice! Sounds similar to my experience except I've been doing this for 2 1/2 years. M1 iPP 11 for all mobile needs, and an M2 Pro Mac Mini for any other needs.
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iPad as a laptop replacement
- Thread starter Omar Comin' Yo
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I use Affinity Photo, Designer, and Publisher. 👍🏻. I also use a few other apps occasionally for certain aspects, like Linearity Curve (formerly Vectornator). But the vast majority of my design work is on Affinity apps. 👍🏻.
Awesome! Yeah, I think this combination is perfect for my use case! My iPad is the 11” M1 as well. 👍🏻. Eventually I’m hoping to upgrade to the M4 model for the OLED, higher base storage, Apple Pencil Pro, and the aluminum Magic Keyboard Case! For now though, I’ve been really happy with my M1, and I really like how portable it is in the 11” form factor. I’ve considered moving to a 13” because people recommend the 13” as a laptop replacer, but I’m not sure that I would need to, and I’d be worried I’d end up regretting doing that due to the larger footprint. 👍🏻. The 11” has been plenty large enough for my workflow. I recently enabled the More Space scaling on it, and I’ve actually found that it doesn’t impact my use of it as a tablet at all, but definitely provides me with some more workspace in some apps. 👍🏻. With the Mac Mini, I have an M1 as well, because I also wanted to get a monitor, and wanted to keep the budget lower on it, since it’s only a secondary computer for my use case. I’ve heard the M2 Pro chip configuration performs really well though! 👍🏻
This app seems like a nice attempt to at least ‘try’ to have a real file system on the iPad. That said, it still feels like what it is….a third party “work around” for something Apple should just address themselves. Still cannot fathom why Apple has such a cludgy complicated, illogical way of organizing files. Separate containers for each app. Linux, Windows, Mac OS, they all do it more or less the same way. Still frustrated, and I say this as a long time iPad user (since the first one came out), who really wants this platform to work. However, Apple seems to be reluctant to make a clean break from its historical pedigree - essentially a phone OS.
It is what it is and I strongly doubt Apple will make a significant change to its data model on the iPad. Given that, I find this app to be a useful tool for working within that model. A nice addition would be allowing for default apps to be mapped to file types but I also doubt that will happen as for it to be useful, it would have to allow apps to open and save files within the storage space of other apps.
Awesome! Yeah, I think this combination is perfect for my use case! My iPad is the 11” M1 as well.. Eventually I’m hoping to upgrade to the M4 model for the OLED, higher base storage, Apple Pencil Pro, and the aluminum Magic Keyboard Case! For now though, I’ve been really happy with my M1, and I really like how portable it is in the 11” form factor. I’ve considered moving to a 13” because people recommend the 13” as a laptop replacer, but I’m not sure that I would need to, and I’d be worried I’d end up regretting doing that due to the larger footprint.
. Eventually I’m hoping to upgrade to the M4 model for the OLED, higher base storage, Apple Pencil Pro, and the aluminum Magic Keyboard Case! For now though, I’ve been really happy with my M1, and I really like how portable it is in the 11” form factor. I’ve considered moving to a 13” because people recommend the 13” as a laptop replacer, but I’m not sure that I would need to, and I’d be worried I’d end up regretting doing that due to the larger footprint. I like the 11” for the portability. Being able to use it with my Apple Studio gets me the larger screen if I need it. I look at this like the ol 12 inch MacBook years ago. If it were more powerful, that would had been my long term solution. The iPad has that power, I’m finding it very capable. I’m looking forward to editing my first video on Final Cut Pro this week. If it goes how I expect, this may make it a true primary device.
I loved my 12 inch MacBook until my kid drown the keyboard with a cup of coffee!
But moving on I went with several iPads since then. I'm currently using an M4 13" iPad Pro (with Magic Keyboard when I need it). I do love the M4 but rigged out with the Magic Keyboard I have to admit it is heavy weight wise.Which brings me to this. I could have saved a lot of money by going with an MacBook Air. But no built-in cellular service and a screen that pales next to the M4 kept me on the iPad path for now. If I wasn't retired and I'd certainly need a MacBook to speed up my work.
To be honest iOS slows me down and makes me feel that I'm running with my shoe laces untied!
The touch screen is handy while surfing the web on the couch. I guess Apple is never going to give us the best of both iPad/Macbook worlds in one device.
I cosign the move to the 13" iPad... since you use the iPad as your primary device.
No shade to those who have the 11" iPad, but the extra space allows for a better workflow (imo)... but if you value the portability of the 11". Then I certainly understand staying on that size, and you can always pair it with an external monitor whenever you want a larger experience.
Wait a min, so... you have a Mac Mini or you don't?
Yes, I have an M1 Mac Mini I use as a secondary device, I rarely ever use it because all of my main workflow is on my iPad. So the main thing I end up using it for is saving local backups of my iPad. 🙂
Thanks for the recommendations on size. 👍🏻 I’m wanting to interact with some display models for the M4 iPad Pros. I’ve heard several people who used to only go with the 11” move to the 13” due to the weight savings. So I’m interesting in trying some display models and reevaluating and seeing which I like better. 👍🏻
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So, you don't take advantage of Universal Control with the Mac and iPad? I admit when it first announced, I was stubborn lol... didn't see the point in it. But I like being at the desk... the Mac on a large monitor while going between the two (iPad and Mac). Because sometimes I want to do a task that's much easier with an Apple Pencil.
And it's not as if I'm discouraging the use of an iPad as a laptop replacement... but more so taking advantage of all that Apple offers. Because I do use the iPad with an external display, but a portable monitor (when away from the desk) ... I personally like this setup.
I’ve used Universal Control, but I haven’t really used it that often yet. It is a really cool feature though. I mostly work away from my desk, so I don’t really have both nearby very often. 👍🏻. But when I do, I like to use both side by side. I also prefer the iPad versions of the Affinity apps, so if I want to use those on a bigger screen, sometimes I’ll just use Stage Manager for that. 👍🏻
That makes a lot of sense with a portable monitor! I’ve considered using a portable monitor with my iPad before. 👍🏻
Personally I just can't do it. I have purchased a pre-owned iPad (Mini 6 and Air) a couple of times over the past few years to keep giving it a try. I keep thinking if I want to do some quick bits I can use the iPad but I feel it is just a half-hearted approach and keep reaching for my MacBook Air.
I mean the iPad, plus keyboard, plus pen etc is a bit of a faff sometimes. With the MacBook Air I just simply put it on my lap, do whatever I need to do and then put it away. Simple.
And that brings me onto my second point, when I did use the iPad mini it was to consume content such as loafing on the sofa or in bed. However I still found it cumbersome and annoying. With a folio display it kept wobbling about everywhere and didn't sit still level on any surface other than a table, and then It doesn't have a Smart Keyboard so the folio cover is useless trying to keep the iPad stable when it is on any surface other than a flat table etc.
I have just ended up reverting to my MacBook Air and when I quickly want to do something I end up using my iPhone 15 Plus which has a pretty decent screen.
I mean the iPad, plus keyboard, plus pen etc is a bit of a faff sometimes. With the MacBook Air I just simply put it on my lap, do whatever I need to do and then put it away. Simple.
And that brings me onto my second point, when I did use the iPad mini it was to consume content such as loafing on the sofa or in bed. However I still found it cumbersome and annoying. With a folio display it kept wobbling about everywhere and didn't sit still level on any surface other than a table, and then It doesn't have a Smart Keyboard so the folio cover is useless trying to keep the iPad stable when it is on any surface other than a flat table etc.
I have just ended up reverting to my MacBook Air and when I quickly want to do something I end up using my iPhone 15 Plus which has a pretty decent screen.
Well, if you work away from the desk... perhaps having a portable monitor is best for you!
Yeah that makes sense. 👍🏻 Out of curiosity, what portable monitor do you use? I’d like to match the display quality of my iPad’s display, or at least come close to that. I’ve heard Espresso Display is great, but they’re also pretty expensive. 👍🏻
Yeah, I heard about the Espresso Display and I like the design of it... but couldn't get past the resolution.
And plus, I wanted a portable monitor that was VESA mount compatible... because I think it allows for a cleaner setup (and during that time I had planned on attaching it to an arm). So, I went with the portable monitor below (owned it for over a year) ... purchased it when they had on sale.
Cool, thanks for the link! 👍🏻. That looks nice, and the price isn’t too bad either! 👍🏻
No problem at all! It goes on sale often... I purchased it at $168, and I only use it for the iPad.
You don't need to power it up... only one cable needed, but you can't have the brightness over 70% (you'll need to plug it to an outlet if brightness is higher). I normally keep my brightness at 50-60% on the monitor.
I do the same—Mac Mini M2 Pro with Studio Display and 12.9” iPP M1, using Universal Control when I want. I much prefer having MacOS on the bigger screen, iPad OS on the smaller, and just move seemlessly between the two screens.
Here is another good portable monitor. I have this one and like it very much. Also one cable connection. I've dealt with this company before(I have one of their Ryzen 9 mini pc's for our entertainment center.
Minisforum MSSA156 Portable Monitor
No disagreement with you there... I'm just thrilled that iPad users actually have the option for full external display support.
Not bad... touch support too! I have a Mini-PC too... use it for server purposes though.
Thanks! I appreciate the recommendation! 👍🏻Here is another good portable monitor. I have this one and like it very much. Also one cable connection. I've dealt with this company before(I have one of their Ryzen 9 mini pc's for our entertainment center.
Minisforum MSSA156 Portable Monitor
store.minisforum.com
Struggle number 1, which should be WAAAY more intuitive for a Pro device. The simple act of downloading a shipping label, opening as a PDF, crop and position it within the page to print the top half for my shipping label.
I use PDF Expert on all my devices. I tried every option that app has, tried looking it up, and there are options they describe in their instructions that don’t exist in the app.
Tried opening it in Notes, couldn’t do it there, Acrobat wants me to subscribe and then pay for the simple ability to crop. Tried in Word, and ultimately booted up the MacBook, took me 5 seconds, printed the label, and shut it down.
Any good app suggestions to make what should be a very simple task doable?
I use PDF Expert on all my devices. I tried every option that app has, tried looking it up, and there are options they describe in their instructions that don’t exist in the app.
Tried opening it in Notes, couldn’t do it there, Acrobat wants me to subscribe and then pay for the simple ability to crop. Tried in Word, and ultimately booted up the MacBook, took me 5 seconds, printed the label, and shut it down.
Any good app suggestions to make what should be a very simple task doable?
I’m not sure if I’m fully understanding the issue you’re running into, but I personally use Apple’s Pages app for my word processing needs. It either has the full desktop functionality or very close to it. I hope that might be helpful for you.
So, if I’m following you correctly… there’s a PDF and you want to crop it.. right? Then print it. I’d suggest giving GoodReader a try. It does allow for me to crop a PDF and gave the option to print it afterwards.
GoodReader PDF Editor & Viewer
First released in 2009, GoodReader® is truly a veteran of the App Store. In the modern app business, it's not easy to stay relevant that long. We're proud to say that after 13 years and counting, we've been delivering wonderful updates with extraordinary new features. And we're going to keep...
apps.apple.com
I would be curious to know how many 11" and 13" upgraders would still have upgraded without purchasing the MKB. And if some did, do you still find yourself using the iPad more than your MB or MBP?