iPad as a laptop replacement

[macdogpro]

Is your iPad the 12.9 inch? I wear glasses and have high astigmatism and medium (on the verge of high) myopia. Split screen is not something that would work for me even on 12.9 inch screen. It is just way too small screen estate to see things properly and to feel comfortable.

Indeed this is a good point. I think that given your choice I would have chosen the iPad. At least just by comparison of the devices and what they can do.

That being said as the iPad is not enough for me (both hardware and software are lacking for me) I actually make sure to have a laptop. Is it faster than the 2018 iPP I have based on benchmarks? No but honestly it is not the speed I need. I don't do things that are that taxing on my iPad. It is the RAM management that is better on my laptop. I need to be able to run multiple processes in the background and iPads do not offer such options. Now granted I am also a team lead of Software Development team so on my company laptop I do work with databases and reading code and stuff like that so yeah the iPads would not handle that part as well either. And there I do need both speed and RAM.

My iPad is 11”, yes can be claustrophobic some times when using split screen, but again, matters of availability and getting used to haha. But I never get used to using 12,9” iPad for normal tablet usage, once I tried. The 11” is more comfortable aside from desktop use. The right size for couchtop, bedtop, and handheld

Yes, no doubt for RAM management and software development, the iPad just won’t cut it.
I sometimes feels the amount of 6gb RAM on my iPad Pro is not being optimized in most usage cases.

 

[secretk]

My iPad is 11”, yes can be claustrophobic some times when using split screen, but again, matters of availability and getting used to haha. But I never get used to using 12,9” iPad for normal tablet usage, once I tried. The 11” is more comfortable aside from desktop use. The right size for couchtop, bedtop, and handheld

I get you . I also did not want 12.9 inch iPad for the same reasons. If it is 12.9 I won't use it as a tablet you know.

Yes, no doubt for RAM management and software development, the iPad just won’t cut it.
I sometimes feels the amount of 6gb RAM on my iPad Pro is not being optimized in most usage cases.

I hope that it will get better with the newer versions of iPadOs. RAM management really is a pain point for me.

 

[mdjasrie]

In today‘s Covid-19 situation, the iPad Pro (or just about any iPad) is perfect for Zooms, and other online conferencing apps. The second screen is great for attending meetings while doing work on your main computer. And you can carry the iPad to another part of your home if you need to attend to something else without going off screen.

 

[secretk]

In today‘s Covid-19 situation, the iPad Pro (or just about any iPad) is perfect for Zooms, and other online conferencing apps. The second screen is great for attending meetings while doing work on your main computer. And you can carry the iPad to another part of your home if you need to attend to something else without going off screen.

To be honest I can achieve that with a second screen hooked to my laptop though. I hear the point about the better camera on the iPad but I don't consider it as the placement sucks. If I would turn on my camera, I would expect people to see me properly. This currently does not work with the iPad.

That being said what I use my iPad however is for handwritten notes with the pencil during meetings (if needed). For that it works great.

 

[JD2015]

To be honest I can achieve that with a second screen hooked to my laptop though. I hear the point about the better camera on the iPad but I don't consider it as the placement sucks. If I would turn on my camera, I would expect people to see me properly. This currently does not work with the iPad.

That being said what I use my iPad however is for handwritten notes with the pencil during meetings (if needed). For that it works great.

I never use my iPad for video conferencing because of the really poor placement of the camera and its impact. I don't want to have to turn the iPad vertically, especially when it is hooked up to magic keyboard. If I want to zoom only I either use my iPhone or will use my MacBook Air hooked up to a mirrorless camera or iPhone.

 

[gautampw]

My iPad is 11”, yes can be claustrophobic some times when using split screen, but again, matters of availability and getting used to haha. But I never get used to using 12,9” iPad for normal tablet usage, once I tried. The 11” is more comfortable aside from desktop use. The right size for couchtop, bedtop, and handheld

Yes, no doubt for RAM management and software development, the iPad just won’t cut it.
I sometimes feels the amount of 6gb RAM on my iPad Pro is not being optimized in most usage cases.

I don't even remember using 11 inch iPad Pro in landscape orientation (except for full screen videos) since I got it. Using it in portrait just feels more natural to me whether its web browsing or reading a book. I doubt I would be able to use 12.9 inch screen the same way.

 

[IngerMan]

I have had my 11” iPP with MK for a few months and 100% usage attached to the MK. Given this I could see a benefit to me having the 12.9 instead. My plans are on the next worth while upgrade to the iPP I will get the 12.9 with MK and hand down to a family member my 2020 11“ with MK.

to add this 11” iPP with MK is a great 2020 MBA replacement for me. It has some work arounds with file management that I wish was more like MAC OS but it does have work arounds. I take the great with the mediocre and hope for improvement down the road.

 

[Shanghaichica]

There are some things the iPad is better for and I don’t mean the obvious things like entertainment. I was emailed some PDF forms to fill out. They are the type that don’t allow you to enter text. With a MacBook my option would have been to print them out, fill them in and scan them and return them. However with the iPad I was able to fill out the forms with my Apple Pencil and then return them. So it was a lot quicker and more straight forward.

 

[mk313]

There are some things the iPad is better for and I don’t mean the obvious things like entertainment. I was emailed some PDF forms to fill out. They are the type that don’t allow you to enter text. With a MacBook my option would have been to print them out, fill them in and scan them and return them. However with the iPad I was able to fill out the forms with my Apple Pencil and then return them. So it was a lot quicker and more straight forward.

On the Mac, you can create text boxes (in Preview App) on PDF’s & Enter any text you’d like. I do that all the time. You can also scan in your signature & post that to PDFs too.

 

[one more]

In today‘s Covid-19 situation, the iPad Pro (or just about any iPad) is perfect for Zooms, and other online conferencing apps. The second screen is great for attending meetings while doing work on your main computer. And you can carry the iPad to another part of your home if you need to attend to something else without going off screen.

We can do all of this with a MacBook too and do everything on one device - have a meeting running in a corner of the screen while working on something.

 

[one more]

I have had my 11” iPP with MK for a few months and 100% usage attached to the MK. Given this I could see a benefit to me having the 12.9 instead. My plans are on the next worth while upgrade to the iPP I will get the 12.9 with MK and hand down to a family member my 2020 11“ with MK.

to add this 11” iPP with MK is a great 2020 MBA replacement for me. It has some work arounds with file management that I wish was more like MAC OS but it does have work arounds. I take the great with the mediocre and hope for improvement down the road.

If you use your iPad with MK a 100%, what is the actual benefit for you of having an iPad vs MacBook? A Pencil, ProMotion? I am curious since MacBook Air starts at 999$ now - with more RAM, storage and a very mature macOS.

 

[one more]

iPad has replaced my desktop let alone laptop . The only things I use my 27 iMac for is big spreadsheets and complex emails . Everything else the 12.9 is amazing for .

The problem is that there is still that one thing we need a computer for. ? I have been using an iPad as my “main computer” for the last 7 years and it covers 95% of my needs just fine, yet I still need to boot up my Mac at least twice a week for certain tasks. So if I could only have one device, iPad or Mac(Book), it would be a tricky choice to make for me. For as long as this “one thing” exists and certain remaining limitations of iPadOS and third party apps, IMO, we cannot really consider an iPad as a true computer replacement.

 

[one more]

Saying that it is much worse somewhere else does not really get us anywhere better.

The point is there is a big thread here with an important subject, and it goes as far back as 2014 when a lot of the iPads capabilities were not where they are today with the recent updates (i.e iPadOS, iOS13/14, Magic Keyboard). Users need to really sort out and read through the whole thread to find something that may not apply today.

IMO, it can still be useful to scroll through the whole thing for a sense of perspective/evolution over the years. And we can always read it backwards, starting from the most recent post. ??

 

[one more]

The OP did say laptop. I might say my iPad could replace my laptop (my portable device) but not my desktop.

Yes, the situation gets more difficult if we need to decide between a single device running either iPadOS or macOS. For me, a very heavy iPad user, I still need to have macOS/computer for certain tasks, purely due to certain iPadOS limitations and some hardware challenges (uploading books to Kindle, editing complex PDF files and printing on an old wired printer, for example).

 

[one more]

I just bought an 11" iPad Pro 512GB Space Grey to replace a MacBook Pro 2017 256GB. It's nice to finally have my storage of all my photo library local again with lots of breathing space for it to grow. As well as a capable Files manager with 2TB iCloud space. I can also play Minecraft on it like I did on the Mac, and I've gotten used to the controls. 120HZ is buttery smooth! The battery, display and build quality is amazing and I'm looking forward to iPad OS 14 tonight.

My wishlist for iPad OS is more reliable file transfers from HDDs, proper external monitor support and the ability to set file extensions to open in specified apps.

I would be curios to hear from you again in about 3-6 months time, once your iPad “honeymoon” is over. ? I did something similar 7 years ago, moving as much as I could from MacBook to iPad Air. I have gone through all sorts of exotic IT acrobatics over these years to make an iPad my do-it-all device, but I still need to keep a MacBook nearby for certain tasks I could not find a workaround for.

 

[IngerMan]

If you use your iPad with MK a 100%, what is the actual benefit for you of having an iPad vs MacBook? A Pencil, ProMotion? I am curious since MacBook Air starts at 999$ now - with more RAM, storage and a very mature macOS.

I have had a iPad for many years, since iPad 3. I have had a Apple laptop even longer, since white MacBook, I sent back my 2020 MBA after upgrading my ipad to this 2020 11” iPP.

I found for me it does everything I needed that I was doing on the MBA. So for me eliminating a device is a plus.

 

[one more]

I have a had a iPad for many years, since iPad 3. I have had a Apple laptop even longer, since white MacBook, I sent back my 2020 MBA after upgrading my ipad to this 2020 11” iPP.

I found for me it does everything I needed that I was doing on the MBA. So for me eliminating a device is a plus.

I agree that iPad is super convenient and can actually feel snappier with its lighter iPadOS vs macOS, but for now I still need to keep a computer around for a few odd tasks. ?

 

[Zazoh]

Other than launching proprietary software, Xcode to develop iOS apps, for example. Can anyone elaborate on the tasks or workflow required on the Desktop / Laptop?

I suspect there are use cases for the Professional Photographer or Video Production professional, tho I've seen use cases for those who have switched to iPad as well.

Just curious.

 

[sparksd]

Other than launching proprietary software, Xcode to develop iOS apps, for example. Can anyone elaborate on the tasks or workflow required on the Desktop / Laptop?

I suspect there are use cases for the Professional Photographer or Video Production professional, tho I've seen use cases for those who have switched to iPad as well.

Just curious.

If you have any device that requires that its s/w, f/w or data be updated over a physical USB connection, then a laptop or desktop is required. I have tens of thousands of digital photos on mass storage that require a good DAM for management and an iPad is inadequate. I have Word and Excel files that have features (e.g., Table of Contents, macros) that are not supported in the iPad versions of Office 365. I have a particular requirement to burn discs, also unsupported in iOS. That's four just off the top of my head.

 

[subjonas]

Other than launching proprietary software, Xcode to develop iOS apps, for example. Can anyone elaborate on the tasks or workflow required on the Desktop / Laptop?

I suspect there are use cases for the Professional Photographer or Video Production professional, tho I've seen use cases for those who have switched to iPad as well.

Just curious.

Here’s a thread on that question if you want some more answers:

What do you still need your laptop for?

I'm into photography and music. I've been trying to go all iPad and I've run across a few things I can't get done on my iPad (Pro 12.9 128 GB) I thought, what if we throw out what is keeping us from going all iPad and maybe others can help? In photography, Lightroom does almost everything I...

forums.macrumors.com

But for me, besides my work software that can’t run on iPad, I mainly need a Mac for:
- hardcore multitasking with multiple monitors, flexible windows, and no refreshing
- local storage of all my files (larger storage)
- versioned backups and clones
- importing, managing, and sharing my libraries (iTunes, Photos, handbrake, calibre, exif renamer)
- the occasional desktop-only website or browser extension
- restoring/fixing iOS devices

 

[secretk]

Other than launching proprietary software, Xcode to develop iOS apps, for example. Can anyone elaborate on the tasks or workflow required on the Desktop / Laptop?

I suspect there are use cases for the Professional Photographer or Video Production professional, tho I've seen use cases for those who have switched to iPad as well.

Just curious.

I can name few things:

1. Proper external monitor support - extend displays, not mirroring
2. Photos processing in batches
3. True multitasking - ability to run multiple processes in the background
4. Superior RAM management (when it comes to reloading of pages or apps)
5. Files transfer between physical storage devices
6. Work with complex Excel files (talking about 20 + sheets, lots of formulas and data referencing from one sheet to another)
7. Integration between Outlook and OneNote - quite useful for writing meeting minutes
8. Indeed IDE for coding is one thing that I do need
9. Even the simple iOS devices backup through iTunes

 

[IngerMan]

I can name few things:

1. Proper external monitor support - extend displays, not mirroring
2. Photos processing in batches
3. True multitasking - ability to run multiple processes in the background
4. Superior RAM management (when it comes to reloading of pages or apps)
5. Files transfer between physical storage devices
6. Work with complex Excel files (talking about 20 + sheets, lots of formulas and data referencing from one sheet to another)
7. Integration between Outlook and OneNote - quite useful for writing meeting minutes
8. Indeed IDE for coding is one thing that I do need
9. Even the simple iOS devices backup through iTunes

I totally agree with your lists. I have a 2018 Mac Mini and by no means is the iPP a replacement for it. But I did find since I have the MM the iPP was able to replace my mobile laptop.

 

[one more]

Other than launching proprietary software, Xcode to develop iOS apps, for example. Can anyone elaborate on the tasks or workflow required on the Desktop / Laptop?

I suspect there are use cases for the Professional Photographer or Video Production professional, tho I've seen use cases for those who have switched to iPad as well.

Just curious.

Some random examples from my life include:

1) sending a book file to a Kindle;
2) restoring a stuck iOS/iPadOS device put in a DFU mode;
3) working on a pre-filled PDF file of 2 pages, filling the relevant sections, then needing to send a non-editable copy of it by email.

 

[secretk]

I totally agree with your lists. I have a 2018 Mac Mini and by no means is the iPP a replacement for it. But I did find since I have the MM the iPP was able to replace my mobile laptop.

Makes sense. I have no desktop machine so I use my mobile laptop as a desktop replacement. If you do have desktop machine, I can see how you can use iPP instead of mobile machine/laptop.

Btw just today I found another thing that I see as constraint. I am working on Pages document that should has text, tables and images. Well the layout is not working properly and I cannot add the image in the section I want, the way I want it (at the end after all the text). If I decide to move it at the bottom, it cannot deal also with the table placement and Pages ends up putting the image outside of the section I want it. I am visual person and for me following the outline and the structure of the document is really important to grasp the content. I do think that desktop Word would handle this layout specificities better.

 

[Sarbun96]

I would be curios to hear from you again in about 3-6 months time, once your iPad “honeymoon” is over. ? I did something similar 7 years ago, moving as much as I could from MacBook to iPad Air. I have gone through all sorts of exotic IT acrobatics over these years to make an iPad my do-it-all device, but I still need to keep a MacBook nearby for certain tasks I could not find a workaround for.

Well, I’ll give you an update. I‘ve had the iPad listed on eBay a few times now. Whilst it is an exceptional, beautiful device, with the best display I’ve ever owned and it ticks all the boxes, I’ve had a few hitches.

I have a Nextbase dash cam in the car with a microSD card and 32GB of footage that fills up fast. Each week I save it and review it. Well, I used a USB-C to A adapter, and a USB to SD Adapter and the drag and drop from Files to On My iPad glitched, froze and eventually partly moved some video clips across (they’re 30 second 1080p movie files). SOME are ‘protected files’ , when the car hits a bump it thinks there’s an accident so the dash cam ‘protects’ files to ensure they’re not over written. The iPad will let me copy these to it’s storage, but NOT move or do anything (even delete) them after. Big problem. I had to revert to my work PC with its SD card reader which can copy them in 10 minutes... Which I hate to admit.

Secondly, I play a lot of Minecraft and while the iPad has an on par version now, and I’m used to the controls, it’s just not as ergonomic for a multi hour session. Also, my converted Java to Bedrock edition worlds have some block mismatches which will take me weeks to sort!

But these things have work arounds. I’ll tell you what’s really annoying me....

Everything on iOS is very endless-subscription based. For example, I used to be an avid SketchUp user. Sure, I can view them free on the official app, but the few worthy alternatives on iPad OS are monthly or annual subscriptions - and they are PRO prices for guys who are professional and perhaps making a living off of this. I can’t afford that for a hobby.

As I mentioned, Minecraft is a great on par version on iPad OS... BUT , the servers, and other aspects are all ‘in game purchases’. Back in the day I’d find a server and play for hours for free and they had their ‘paid’ tiers, but they weren’t mandatory. I’m not so sure I like this either.

So don’t get me wrong. I love the device, the portability, the ease of use, and I de-list it from eBay sometimes the same day when it charms me! But it’s looking like if it sells, I’ll move on.

Question for me is ... to what?

Going back to the Mac puts me back where I was. And I’d like 512GB , but I don’t want to spend that on a MacBook Air, and we’re talking bigger money again on a Pro. For that money, I’d also need Apple Care - in case it breaks in a year or two. So I don’t like this option.

Going to Windows is tempting, on one hand, a 2-in-1 gives me a tablet and a full OS and laptop when I need it. HP and the likes have cheap care plans. I can get high spec Ryzen or good i5 models for around the price of my iPad and it’s sale value. BUT, then I lose out on the ecosystem, I love the Apple ecosystem so much and my most precious things like photos are now all Live Photo’s. Windows can’t deal with that at all and my iPhone, though it can sync to OneDrive I’m not sure it syncs full quality, and it certainly also can’t deal with Live Photo’s.

So I don’t know what to move on to, frankly?

But we’re coming into Winter and lockdown is back where I live ... so it’d be nice to have something to occupy my time in regards to Minecraft or something.

So tl;dr, honeymoon is over!