I think the biggest blocker for me is Google doc apps are really quite terrible on iPad.
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iPad as a laptop replacement
- Thread starter Omar Comin' Yo
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i have a Mac Mini M1 and I use that most of the time.
The apps aren’t the best, but using it through the Chrome app has been a much better experience from my perspective. I prefer this way as opposed to the specific Google suite of ipados apps.
Hi iPad Gurus, I have nv own an iPad and seeking advice if I shld get an iPad Pro (2021) 11” over a M/S SP8
I am replacing my laptop but not sure if the new M1 IPP 11" can be a laptop replacement for my style of usage. My key usage are:
While I prefer the versatility of a tablet to facilitate content consumption and working on-the-go and around home, I also wanted a tablet that is powerful enough in the form of a laptop replacement. I identified the upcoming M/S SP8 and IPP 2021 11” as my only 2 choices. While the SP8 will potentially fit the bill, it is yet to be launched and is likely to be more exp than IPP Pro. I am waiting for next week WWDC to discover wat improvement will come to the M1 IPP esp on the iPadOS for screen extension and producvity. I would like to ask for your opinion as follow:
Accessories: Logitech Combo Touch Keyboard Case, Power Support Matte Film
Thank you!
I am replacing my laptop but not sure if the new M1 IPP 11" can be a laptop replacement for my style of usage. My key usage are:
- Content consumption: Web browsing, news, media, e-book
- Productivity: MS suite (.doc, .xls, .ppt), On-screen content snipping
- Communication: Emailing, VC, web messaging (Whatsapp/Wechat)
- Organisation: File management
While I prefer the versatility of a tablet to facilitate content consumption and working on-the-go and around home, I also wanted a tablet that is powerful enough in the form of a laptop replacement. I identified the upcoming M/S SP8 and IPP 2021 11” as my only 2 choices. While the SP8 will potentially fit the bill, it is yet to be launched and is likely to be more exp than IPP Pro. I am waiting for next week WWDC to discover wat improvement will come to the M1 IPP esp on the iPadOS for screen extension and producvity. I would like to ask for your opinion as follow:
- Is iPadOS user friendly for MS suite, I need a fully functional MS suite.
- Ease of file management like M/S File Explorer
- Do U think Cellular is unnecessary when we have wifi at home and can tether to our mobile outside home?
- Is Apple Pencil unnecessary for normal user like me or more of a fancy accessory for user who draw or make notes on their tablet?
- Is AppleCare+ necessary?
Accessories: Logitech Combo Touch Keyboard Case, Power Support Matte Film
Thank you!
- Is iPadOS user friendly for MS suite, I need a fully functional MS suite. - Nope, Office apps are limited on iPad.
- Ease of file management like M/S File Explorer - This one's pretty limited as well and occasionally buggy.
- Do U think Cellular is unnecessary when we have wifi at home and can tether to our mobile outside home? - Really depends on you. I like having built-in cellular for convenience.
- Is Apple Pencil unnecessary for normal user like me or more of a fancy accessory for user who draw or make notes on their tablet? - I find it quite convenient for notes and marking up documents. Pencil clones (with Logitech Crayon tech) can be had for $30 or less and works perfectly fine for nite taking.
- Is AppleCare+ necessary? - No. It's peace of mind for me though since I've got the 1TB model and repair/replacement cost is high.
You summed it up perfectly!
Just want to point something out. You @SevenSea mention monitor extension in your list of hardware criteria. Based on my understanding I would not say that iPP currently offers this capability. You can duplicate the screen (but with black bars as no ratio aspect is adapted) and for some apps you can sort of extend the monitor but you cannot have two apps one on the tablet and another one on the monitor which is what I call monitor extension.
We will see if this would change with WWDC but this is the current situation.
I think waiting on WWDC will help solve some of your productivity wishes, but as of now... iPadOS is limited. You could always determine what features of Office suite that you need and what it lacks on the iPad.
But if I were you.. I'll definitely go for the SP8, especially if your need is full Office suite. And on top of that... SP8 is looking like it could have a Surface Pro X type of redesign.
Coming from a Surface Pro LTE to 12.9 iPad as my only device, the SP will be a better fit over the iPad for your needs. Outside of what may be announce at WWDC, the SP is still a full fledged OS with full access to desktop grade applications compared to the limitations of iPadOS.
The iPad may not be a ‘laptop replacement’ for everyone as there’s some element of compromise and a need of change in workflow. This of course, is subjective based on my experience.
There is a reason why Apple make the iPad pros with nicer screens - they want you to buy both!
Problem is there is no date for a Surface pro 8, it might come no earlier than next year... So is it really an option?
Tbh, if that wasn’t an option… I would actually look at the 2nd generation Surface Pro X. I know that 3rd party support isn’t as big as I would have hoped. But knowing Microsoft…. Their Office suite should be supported to take advantage of ARM.
What I mean is this is like asking what's better between the M1 iPad pro and the iPad air 5.... when you have no idea when the iPad air 5 is going to be released. Would you really decide between something that might not be out for another year or more and something that is out now? Is waiting a year or more even an option? That's what I meant....
By second gen SPX I guess you mean the one with the SQ2, which is basically the same chip (very minor difference) but with a bigger battery and only available in the 16GB variant.
Yeah, but I’m just going by what @SevenSea asked. If they was unclear on which SP model to go with… then, I would have recommended the SPX. They asked SP8 or M1 iPP and giving those options… I advised going with SP8 (even though it hasn’t been released).
I’ve seen reviewers criticize the 1st generation on battery performance. That’s why I advised on the 2nd generation. And right now… through Microsoft they are offering discounts. Perhaps, due to the release of the newest iPP. I like the design of the SPX…. It’s a solid design, thin… portable, kick stand and cellular support.
Just to clarify, I was not criticizing your comment, I should have probably replied directly to the person that asked the question in the first place... I was just surprised that people talk of the SP8 like if it's something coming out next month, when nobody has a clue...
The SPX is indeed an interesting device, very easy to criticize since it has a version of Windows that is no better for touch than actual Windows and isn't compatible with many windows programs (e.g. Dropbox). So it can be seen as the worst of both worlds... But at the same time it has better tablet hardware then the pro and their clones, and by that I mean not just bezels, but it stays cooler, has decent speakers and the SQ2 version, while not very fast, has somewhat decent battery life...
But it's almost double the weight of an 11in iPad pro... so is it really a good tablet at that weight?
Also, the black version should be avoided, it gets dirty like a 3-year old... a nightmare to keep clean... silver is much better from that point of view...
Oh, no… no. I understood it wasn’t to criticize me. I apologize if I came across that way.
I never had any issues with touch support on SP models and Microsoft has done well offering tablet mode to handle WindowsUI… but the SPX problem is based off Microsoft poor execution on transiting developers to ARM.
This is a good point. But again.. the user in question asked about the SP8 and I think that the rumored device weight would be similar to the SP7 or SPX. Which both weigh 1.7lbs compared to 1lbs of the M1 11” iPP. It’s not a glaring difference.
Let me clarify what I meant by "Windows being criticized for not being good for touch"...
Many, especially in the Apple community, criticize Windows tablets as having a terrible touch experience. And the main reason they give is lack of touch optimized apps.
Personally I tend to disagree with this being a big issue, with one exception, the file explorer. Other than that, you don't need a lot of mobile apps on Windows because you have a full browser. And you have at least one decent touch app for each of the basic tasks, such as note taking (OneNote), pdf annotation (Drawboard), etc.
As for professional apps I am perfectly fine with using mouse and keyboards, given they simply don't exist or are watered down in mobile OSs.
If the iPad could dual boot into Windows I would use it much more with Windows than with iPadOS...
Where Windows tablets really lack, IMO, is not so much software but hardware...
iPads are much better suited for that (much cooler, much lighter, several sizes (all powerful), better speakers, better screens), mainly thanks to ARM chips but also to the great speakers and screens Apple uses...
Lol, I’d actually prefer that to MacOS dual boot/virtualization provided it gives me access to all the x86 software.
That’s why I meant by Microsoft providing a touch friendly interface for people that care to use it in tablet mode. Without that, criticizing Windows for having terrible tablet experience might be valid.
I’m not sure if you have a SP device or any touch based Windows laptop, but there is a tablet mode to help with WindowsUI. And I honestly, don’t have a problem with Windows tablets… it’s just that my preference rest with the iPad.
My sentiments exactly. That’s what I’m actually looking forward to with the M1 iPP… that Apple brings virtualization. I’ll be quick to pay for VMWare or Parallels whenever they come available to run Windows on.
I think the issue to my decision boils down to "UNCERTAINTY"
It is a struggle which device I should place my money with and looks like having the best of both world now will still remain a dream that is uncertain when or if it will come true. ????
- M1 IPP 11": Uncertainty over how much relevant improvement will be introduced to iPadOS by Apple until WWDC 2021 and this uncertainty will be the shortest wait which will be made know in a week's time. ?
- SP8: Uncertainty over the launch date, specs, UI/performance and price. Rumours has it that its launch is long dued and could happen this fall, so if true it gonna be a 6 months waiting period.
- SPX SQ1/2: Uncertainty over the App support and longevity for ARM chip. While the design and MS full suite OS is appealing, it will be a $2K gamble that will be proven right or wrong 2-3 years down if App developers will adopt and embrace the ARM chipset for their software development on this platform.
It is a struggle which device I should place my money with and looks like having the best of both world now will still remain a dream that is uncertain when or if it will come true. ????
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The fact that Microsoft made a Surface pro 7 plus, which is much better than the SP7 internally (with longer battery life, better chip, LTE option and removable SSD), which was rumored to the SP8, might be a sign that SP8 is not so close, so it's a total gamble to speculate on when it will come out or even if it will have an external redesign.... (which might kill the SPX which MS is trying to promote...)
My main laptop at home is a Surface Book 2 15in, for travels I also have a Surface pro clone from HP (I didn't upgrade my Surface pro 3 to a newer model and instead went with HP because of a much better keyboard and LTE option)
I don't use tablet mode, I prefer standard mode even when detached... I mainly detach my surface book to watch videos...
2k? Not sure where you getting that price from… Microsoft is offering it for 1200. I’m looking at the fact your list of requirements are MS full suite, which the SPX offers.. in a slim, portable package. Although, more 3rd party app support would be nice…. But as long as you have MS full suite, that seems like a winner!
I’ve always wanted to try that Surface Book, but I could never really get around to clicking the “buy” button. It was always some hesitation surrounding that device. Are you planning on buying Surface Book 3?
Same here, I had been eying it since it came out in 2017 but never bought it because of the high price... only pulled the trigger last year when I saw an exhibition model (I don't know if it's the right word, you know the unit on display in a store that is sold only when all the stock has been sold out) discounted for $1200, which is under half the original price.
At that price I didn't think it twice. And I have to say the device is just beautiful, amazing 4k screen, very good battery life, great keyboard and trackpad, silent operation, pretty good speakers, gaming GPU when needed, USB C, pen support and possibility to have a 3:2 15in tablet for either viewing PDFs, PPTs or watching videos.
No intention of buying the SB3, it's basically the same CPU power (if not worse based on reviews) and just a bit higher GPU power, basically everything else is the same.
Maybe if they make a SB4 with TB4 I might consider it at some point, but honestly why bother until my SB2 works well...
Mind you, if you plan on using it as an on the go device, I don't recommend it. It's too bulky for that (not just the 1.9kg but also the overall size due to the 3:2 ratio), and somewhat fragile to the the hinge and gap. But as home device it's as good as it gets...
I’ve tried many times to love my iPad Pro but it keeps going back in the drawer. My favourite mobile computer is the Surface Pro X. It now runs native Photoshop and Lightroom and i absolutely love the application Concepts for sketching. The SPX with keyboard is significantly lighter than the iPP12.9 with MKB too.
I also prefer the drawing experience on Surface products, it feels nicer than the Apple Pencil.
I also prefer the drawing experience on Surface products, it feels nicer than the Apple Pencil.
The Surface line is great but for me the main advantages of using an iPad as a Laptop replacement, and what I miss big time when using Windows, is handoff and continuity between devices…
For this reason I am sticking with the iPad as a Laptop replacement.. As a home user it’s probably much easier for me to accomplish this at the moment. Maybe WWDC will bring Pro apps and feature that make it possible for power users..