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iPad as a laptop replacement

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Ludatyk

Ludatyk

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May 27, 2012
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ericwn said:
Not sure that’s a common use case but aside from that, would that fly through App Store regulations? Is there any true vitualisation out there for iOS?
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Well, plenty of people use it on the Mac when using Windows on Parallels... don't see how that would be any different on the iPad.

And as of now, there isn't really a "true" virtualization app on the App Store. But that's where WWDC come into the picture... I believe that's where Apple could potentially unlock it.
 
ericwn

ericwn

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Apr 24, 2016
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Ludatyk said:
Well, plenty of people use it on the Mac when using Windows on Parallels... don't see how that would be any different on the iPad.

And as of now, there isn't really a "true" virtualization app on the App Store. But that's where WWDC come into the picture... I believe that's where Apple could potentially unlock it.
Click to expand...

True it exists on MacOS so one can hope this makes it over. I’m just not sure “plenty” is a lot in the total amount of Mac or iPad users but nice to have the option regardless of which computer you pick.
 
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Ludatyk

Ludatyk

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AttilaTheHun said:
You can buy the new iMac with the M1 chip its run full OS and cost less
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Yes, that’s true.

But does the iMac support touch? Does it have cellular capabilities? And what about the portability aspect of it? But no shade to those who choose the iMac or the Mac in general, the Mac has it’s strengths as well.. a more established OS, better peripheral support, more screen real estate… but I prefer the iPad.
 
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subjonas

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Feb 10, 2014
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AttilaTheHun said:
You can buy the new iMac with the M1 chip its run full OS and cost less
Click to expand...
Haha strange to compare with a desktop which has a pretty different role. Better to compare with a laptop, much more similar role. An M1 MacBook Air 13” would cost less than an M1 iPad Pro 12.9” with magic keyboard (MK would be necessary for Mac software). It would also be thinner and lighter/more portable. And of course, it runs macOS as well as iPad apps.
Of course iPad has its own advantages or else it wouldn’t exist, the pencil being a big one for me.
 
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Mainsail

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subjonas said:
Haha strange to compare with a desktop which has a pretty different role. Better to compare with a laptop, much more similar role. An M1 MacBook Air 13” would cost less than an M1 iPad Pro 12.9” with magic keyboard (MK would be necessary for Mac software). It would also be thinner and lighter/more portable. And of course, it runs macOS as well as iPad apps.
Of course iPad has its own advantages or else it wouldn’t exist, the pencil being a big one for me.
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Agreed. Unless you really need a digital pencil for drawing, I think it is pretty difficult to beat the M1 MBA and it is significantly less expensive than an iPad Pro 12.9 with MKB.

My daughter is starting grad school soon. I just bought her a new M1 MBA for $899 with student discount. She prefers to take handwritten notes with a traditional paper notebook and pencil. So, the MBA was a better choice for her.
 
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UBS28

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Oct 2, 2012
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subjonas said:
Haha strange to compare with a desktop which has a pretty different role. Better to compare with a laptop, much more similar role. An M1 MacBook Air 13” would cost less than an M1 iPad Pro 12.9” with magic keyboard (MK would be necessary for Mac software). It would also be thinner and lighter/more portable. And of course, it runs macOS as well as iPad apps.
Of course iPad has its own advantages or else it wouldn’t exist, the pencil being a big one for me.
Click to expand...

The display in the iPad Pro comes from Apple their $6000 Pro display at 120hz, let’s not forget that.
 
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slplss

slplss

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UBS28 said:
The display in the iPad Pro comes from Apple their $6000 Pro display at 120hz, let’s not forget that.
Click to expand...
That would be really exciting, but we'll have to see about that. Just a few more days. I want to see iPP vs last gen, iPP vs XDR monitor. And iPP vs Galaxy Tab AMOLED, just because it would be interesting to compare techs.
 
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secretk

secretk

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UBS28 said:
The display in the iPad Pro comes from Apple their $6000 Pro display at 120hz, let’s not forget that.
Click to expand...
Yes, correct me if I am wrong but iPad Pro has better display and better front camera compared to the Macbook.

That being said I would not find this a strong differentiator because I can fix those issues by using external camera and external display. I cannot unfortunately fix iPadOS shortcomings (file management issues, no background processes, not a real multitasking) like that :D.

This is why for me as an end user I am still not willing to pay for iPad Pro more than I pay for my laptop or take iPad Pro as serious as my laptop. But this is me. For people where iPadOS makes sense and does not restrict them in any way or not enough to be frustrated, iPP is an awesome machine.
 
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secretk

secretk

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ofarlig said:
Still depends on for who, for me it can fully replace my MacBook because a Macbook is more or less useless for me when it comes to work.
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:D :D So you mean that the iPad can be useless as efficiently as your Macbook? (joking)

Indeed it does depend on the person and what their needs are. My mother for example can go by tablet. She has a laptop but man that thing is so slow. Interestingly it is not about RAM or CPU. Nah, it is the WIFI adapter that is painfully slow for her. So she prefers to connect her phone to WIFI and do the browsing. However now with age the phone is not the best idea for her. I could see her using a tablet. If only iPadOS was translatable to our native language though. Otherwise I don't know if she will be able to get the hang of stuff. I will have to test her. But back to my point - for a person like her an iPad can be her main device (excluding her phone). For a person like me - this is another story.
 
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ofarlig

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Jun 23, 2015
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secretk said:
:D :D So you mean that the iPad can be useless as efficiently as your Macbook? (joking)

Indeed it does depend on the person and what their needs are. My mother for example can go by tablet. She has a laptop but man that thing is so slow. Interestingly it is not about RAM or CPU. Nah, it is the WIFI adapter that is painfully slow for her. So she prefers to connect her phone to WIFI and do the browsing. However now with age the phone is not the best idea for her. I could see her using a tablet. If only iPadOS was translatable to our native language though. Otherwise I don't know if she will be able to get the hang of stuff. I will have to test her. But back to my point - for a person like her an iPad can be her main device (excluding her phone). For a person like me - this is another story.
Click to expand...

Exactly! :p

I will always need multiple units (on top of my phone), beefy Windows desktop for gaming, Windows desktop at work (that I can remote in to when working remotely) and some sort of mobile device for my personal computing stuff. For the last device the iPad Pro with a keyboard works just as well as the MacBook does, neither can be used for work for me.
 
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slplss

slplss

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ofarlig said:
Still depends on for who, for me it can fully replace my MacBook because a Macbook is more or less useless for me when it comes to work.
Click to expand...
This is like Monty Python's Argument Clinic, and we all work overtime and for free. ?

I am with you though, for us and many other people iPad doesn't need to become fully featured Macbook because it already has everything we would need.

All I need from it is to run web apps, mail, Office, Zoom, Teams, Chrome, read PDF, ePub, take notes, watch Netflix, YouTube, Twitch - not that much. I use Files and iCloud for syncing documents with my PC. This is already my current workflow with iPhone and PC.
Even if I wouldn't want work on it and take notes in meetings and school, it would stay a great entertainment device that will last ages.

My old 15" Macbook: Fat. Heavy. Loud. Hot. Slow. Not good for anything aside of being pretty to look at. My old iPads: still perfectly usable by my
family for reading and occasional browsing.

So for me it's only a question of form factor and value. There I'm still slightly on the edge, leaning to 12.9 iPad Pro as the value speaks for it. It will have better screen, speakers, cameras, pen support. I think the screen will be a deal breaker for me, we'll see about that soon.
 
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LeeW

LeeW

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Feb 5, 2017
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I have found that I can actually rely on an iPad as a laptop replacement. Everything I need a laptop for can be done on an iPad and I actually prefer it. Going to get a new one, well order one on Friday. Just not sure whether to get another 11" or go large to 12.9". I suspect 12.9" is going to feel a little on the big side. Got a couple of days to think it out :)
 
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Momof9

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Aug 22, 2018
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if you are happy with the 11" stick with it??? or are you thinking about the new screen??? Will you keep the 11"? then get the 12.9" and use both.

I got the 12.9" first (I actually did get the smaller one back in 2015, but returned it for the larger - I hated zooming in all the time on the smaller screen for art), then 1 year later the 11" - for the form factor. I was out and about for longer periods of time and the big one is hard to just sit and hold with one hand and draw with the other. With Covid - I would sit in my car and the steering wheel works great for helping to hold the 12.9".... I do use the different sizes for different scenarios.... now I have a mini - and it takes the place of some of the things I used the 11" for.... I have the mini because the iPhone Max Pro's don't support Apple Pencil yet.....
 
M

mrklaw

macrumors 68030
Jan 29, 2008
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I’ve been using my 2018 12.9 as my main ‘computer’ and it’s fine - especially once the magic keyboard and mouse support came along.

I do have a windows gaming PC if I have anything that needs a computer, and a small windows machine I use as a Plex server - I often remote into that from my iPad
 
AttilaTheHun

AttilaTheHun

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Feb 18, 2010
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Ludatyk said:
Sure... Apple won't. But now that an M1 chip runs on the iPad, that won't stop 3rd party devs to bring virtualization apps to the platform.
Click to expand...
not exactly the iMac running M1 has cooling fans it's mean the iPad pro M1 will be limited so no over heat will run
 
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