iPad Pro iPad has become quite useless and I regret purchasing it

[tonywalker23]

fulltime youth/asst pastor and full time graduate student:
27" imac in my office.
entry m1 air in my backpack
new iPad mini for reading

11" ipad pro that never gets used. want to use it, just no real reason why.

 

[kc9hzn]

Unless your workflow needs touch input or rear camera, the iPad Pro will end up as a glorified $1,099 media consumption device.

If your job is creating on-site reports, like insurance or compliance, the iPad Pro will work well.

In our organization, most iPad Pro users reverted back to using a detachable PC like ThinkPad X12 and Surface Pro 8. Even though iPad Pro was snappier and had much better battery life, users weren't able to continue their workflow seamlessly like on a detachable PC.

Basically, if your job requires a iPad Pro, you'll definitely know it. It's not really something you try out to learn that it's a better tool for your job.

I got a great deal of use out of a first gen iPad Pro with the Smart Keyboard cover as a computer for school. It was just so much more portable than a laptop, and it had a physical keyboard, but I could take handwritten notes without a bulky convertible tablet PC and could use it one handed in portrait mode when standing or when I didn’t have sufficient desk space to use it with the keyboard (without that weird arm hook technique people use to cradle open laptops).

But why are people expecting to find a use case for both an iPad Pro and a MacBook Pro? That’s like buying two MacBook Pros (a 13” and a 16”) and trying to find separate use cases for both. The iPad Pro is a laptop replacement (and probably works as much for many people, as long as their workflows can be reliably replicated or improved upon), so you shouldn’t expect to find a use for it other than as a laptop with convertible features. Buying both and deciding you’d prefer the even larger screen and more beefy hardware of a MacBook Pro (which has the advantage of being directly compatible with your old workflow if you’re not coming from an iPad already) isn’t really a failure of the iPad Pro as much as it is a failure of your mental model as to what the iPad Pro is.

 

[GuruZac]

This is so usage based. I have the 2021 12.9, and with the Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil, it’s a do-it-all device for me. I’ve used iPad Pros since I was an undergrad student and as a medical student, I simply can’t imagine not having this setup. It a giant canvas for note taking and and split view usage. It doubles as a laptop with the Magic Keyboard. It does everything I want of it quite honestly.

 

[Piplodocus]

For me, this has been the most regretful purchase I have ever made in my life. I am thinking about selling it but I don't know if it will fetch any good value where I live. I wished I had purchased a Mac mini or the Air instead of the iPad. Another Mac could have actually helped me in web development or other hobbies that I like exploring from time to time.

I don't *badly* regret buying it, but agree with pretty much everything else you said. I regret not buying a smaller Air for half the price and I could have not bothered with getting lots of storage because it's useless for many of the original plans I had for it, so just don't need the storage. It's got 185GB full of 1 TB after well over a year. 🤦🏻‍♂️

I do really like the pencil though, but didn't need the Pro and a lot of storage for that. I could have just got the Air or basic model.

So should have spent half or less of the money on iPad Air or basic iPad, or for this much $$$ got a low spec MacBook Air while I was waiting for my 16" MBP to come out.

Even if I plug this thing in my TV with a pair of XBox controllers for a bit of fun gaming it doesn't do the aspect ratio change like my MacBooks and just mirrors exactly so I get black bars down the sides of the screen. "Pro" my arse. Certainly not remotely "Pro" compared to my new MacBook for anything other than drawing with the pencil.

 

[GerritV]

I frequently use mine to draw, sketch, sometimes do CAD

Can I ask, which app you’re using for CAD?

 

[sparksd]

As soon as I read “use case,” I disregard all words that follow.

The word is “use.” Everyone please stop pretending to be engineers.

Those of us who are engineers - can we still be allowed to use it?

 

[Mackilroy]

Can I ask, which app you’re using for CAD?

You’re probably already using it/aware of it, just Shapr3D. For personal use I don’t need much, and if I do, I have several programs on my desktop.

Those of us who are engineers - can we still be allowed to use it?

It is verboten!

 

[kc9hzn]

Those of us who are engineers - can we still be allowed to use it?

I’d rather use “use case” then “user story”, like we use in Agile development!

 

[nastysailboat]

Now, this will depend on the individual use case but I want to share my experience.

I bought iPad Pro 12.9 M1 6 months ago, I had the Air 2 previously. Initially I used to use it as a multimedia/Youtube device and was so impressed by the display and speakers. But as I bought the MacBook Pro 16, the use case of iPad Pro has completely diminished for me.

I mostly use my laptop and don't even pick up my iPad Pro anymore. I knew beforehand that iPad was severely limited in software. I don't know why this even exists anymore. Even the baseline MacBook Air has good value and could do heck more than the iPad.

Most of my gripes are with the software, it just cannot do much. It doesn't even have a good video player where I can watch local dolby vision content, the ones on the App Store are unnecessarily expensive. On my MacBook I can use Subler to convert an mkv DV file with 4-5 clicks and watch it on the QuickTime player. Everything is unnecessarily complicated on the iPad.

The files app is a hot mess as well on iPadOS 14. I haven't upgraded to the 15 as I have read posts about the battery life gone down to the *******. There isn't even the progress bar for copying/pasting files to and from the iPad and It sometimes fails when doing that. Every time I use the files app, I fold my hand and pray for it to go smoothly. The widgets on the iPadOS 15 has messed up the spacing on the home screen as well. Instead of adding some features the update has been an annoyance for the users. ymmv.

I am not an artist or a gamer. I did thought about picking up the Apple Pencil for the heck of it but I read forum posts about how it doesn't jive well with screen protectors so I just gave up on that idea.

Then I thought I could use it to read books but this damn thing is not that easy to hold or read on without getting fatigued eyes and hands.

It's a shame that such a good hardware is just completely hampered by the bad software experience.

For me, this has been the most regretful purchase I have ever made in my life. I am thinking about selling it but I don't know if it will fetch any good value where I live. I wished I had purchased a Mac mini or the Air instead of the iPad. Another Mac could have actually helped me in web development or other hobbies that I like exploring from time to time.

I gotta say I’m on the other side of this. I have both the new iPad mini and a 2018 big iPad Pro. I’ve got a screen protector on mine and I got it for drawing with the Apple Pencil I’ve got no complaints. I use it quite a lot for drawing. On the other side I use my iPad mini for taking notes and other things (mostly notes) I really love the files app it’s like another folder I use it when transferring drawings from my iPad Pro to my Mac. Works great for me. I will say I agree with you on the eye fatigue when reading. I do have a kindle for that, although I’m a bit of a comic book nerd and I do love reading comic books on my iPad Pro. I take my iPad out of the smart folio if I’m just reading comics on the couch it’s so light it’s not to difficult to hold imo

 

[ericwn]

Folk complain it's not a full blown laptop then complain about silly things like this. I have PCalc and Carrot Weather on my Mac and iPad. Solved.


Exactly. We all have different needs. The iPad is not for everyone.


For you, not for others. I use it when we go on vacation whenever I need to VPN in a fix issues at work, or review and approve GitHub requests. I also use it for meetings, and graphic design as required.



If that's your use of it then yes. Unsure why you think that's how everyone uses their iPad.

I'm constantly on my iPad because the Magic Keyboard has changed everything for me.

If basic apps are missing that’s valid criticism in my opinion. Sure there are third party solutions in place that fill some gaps, but missing basic apps like the mentioned ones is just pure laziness on Apple’s side. Plus of course the need to tie the Watch app to an iPhone purchase, for that extra revenue.

 

[ericwn]

I use my iPad almost as much as my Mac but I do get frustrated how it feels like an afterthought a lot of the time. It's madness that the iPhone has a nice, new weather app and the iPad no app and a widget that takes you to weather.com.

Yup, well said. They had the time for the native app on iPhone, have a native widget but cannot bring the full app to iPad, just lazy.

 

[sparksd]

I’d rather use “use case” then “user story”, like we use in Agile development!

It's not clear to me that engineering language has evolved well since I started back in '71.

 

[kc9hzn]

If basic apps are missing that’s valid criticism in my opinion. Sure there are third party solutions in place that fill some gaps, but missing basic apps like the mentioned ones is just pure laziness on Apple’s side. Plus of course the need to tie the Watch app to an iPhone purchase, for that extra revenue.

I wouldn’t call weather and calculator as basic apps or missing. I almost never use the stock weather or calculator apps on my iPhone because they’re too basic for anything beyond the simplest of needs. The macOS calculator at least has an RPN mode, while the iOS calculator doesn’t. And I strongly prefer RPN mode calculators*, non-RPN calculators usually result in me making several calculating mistakes before remembering how to use them.

* The need is less important for those multi-line calculators that can be used to enter actual expressions in a WYSIWYG fashion, sure. It’s the simple one line calculators (like the iOS calculator) that are painful to use in infix notation. With RPN, order of operations concerns just disappear. But PCalc does so much more than just adding RPN to the basic calculator, you can add constants, formulas, conversions, change the button layout, basically anything you could do with a calculator short of BASIC programs or graphing. So swapping the system calculator for PCalc is a no-brainer for me!

 

[GerritV]

You’re probably already using it/aware of it, just Shapr3D. For personal use I don’t need much, and if I do, I have several programs on my desktop.

I know Shapr3D indeed, bit don’t use it (subscription…).
ATM I’m using Vectornator for a personal project (bathroom renovation), and trying my best to do all on my iPad Pro 10.5. So far, so good. As for the 3D perspective views, I’m drawing them by hand - nothing beats good old pencil and paper ;-)

 

[Lukomaldini]

I'm going to have to politely disagree. I have both the iPad 12.9 Pro with mini led and a 14' Pro. Sometimes i feel guilty about not using one over the other, but I think the uses are different which allow me to enjoy both. For example if i want to lie in bed and read a book, make notes on said book, the iPad is perfect! I hate reading PDFs etc on a mac just doesnt feel right. If i want to consume media or watch HDR movies i do that on the mac (bigger screen) and if i need to do some programming or other work related things the mac is there. Facetime, for me is a lot better on the iPad, so for the weekly facetime calls i do with the family, i jump on the iPad. The good think about both is that the display tech are both top of the range. I dont have a reduction in display quality, for me, jumping from a mini led 120hz ipad to the same display on a mac allows me to incorporate both a lot more (i think the display is very important on a device in case you haven't noticed haha)

 

[dockgaze]

Triumvirate operater here . . . I want all worlds (and not too too spendy either!). Mothership is M1 Mini, where I can sit at a desk with wonderful comfort chair, quality speakers, and big screen desktop - - actually get a sense of grandeur when I sit and awaken the screen. Next up I want portability + maximum engagement, like when I’m distance traveling, airport layovers etc. For me that’s the iPad Air4 with MKB, iCloud and Jump Desktop connected to all my stuff - along with Beats Fit Pro for great sound along the way. Super custom fit Brenthaven bag, sling it over my shoulder and I’m good to go (with spare battery pack so I don’t have to think about juice). Finale is of course an iPhone X (still does all I want) for pocket access and availability. I’ve been using this setup more or less for years, only the hardware/software just keeps improving. From the original Mini to iBook & iPod to now . . . . I’m continually astonished at what has become possible and exists!!

 

[kc9hzn]

Triumvirate operater here . . . I want all worlds (and not too too spendy either!). Mothership is M1 Mini, where I can sit at a desk with wonderful comfort chair, quality speakers, and big screen desktop - - actually get a sense of grandeur when I sit and awaken the screen. Next up I want portability + maximum engagement, like when I’m distance traveling, airport layovers etc. For me that’s the iPad Air4 with MKB, iCloud and Jump Desktop connected to all my stuff - along with Beats Fit Pro for great sound along the way. Super custom fit Brenthaven bag, sling it over my shoulder and I’m good to go (with spare battery pack so I don’t have to think about juice). Finale is of course an iPhone X (still does all I want) for pocket access and availability. I’ve been using this setup more or less for years, only the hardware/software just keeps improving. From the original Mini to iBook & iPod to now . . . . I’m continually astonished at what has become possible and exists!!

Ah, but that’s the key. People who use an iPad and a desktop Mac seem to like using both (count me in that number), while people who try using an iPad and a laptop Mac can’t seem to make it work.

 

[GuruZac]

I'm going to have to politely disagree. I have both the iPad 12.9 Pro with mini led and a 14' Pro. Sometimes i feel guilty about not using one over the other, but I think the uses are different which allow me to enjoy both. For example if i want to lie in bed and read a book, make notes on said book, the iPad is perfect! I hate reading PDFs etc on a mac just doesnt feel right. If i want to consume media or watch HDR movies i do that on the mac (bigger screen) and if i need to do some programming or other work related things the mac is there. Facetime, for me is a lot better on the iPad, so for the weekly facetime calls i do with the family, i jump on the iPad. The good think about both is that the display tech are both top of the range. I dont have a reduction in display quality, for me, jumping from a mini led 120hz ipad to the same display on a mac allows me to incorporate both a lot more (i think the display is very important on a device in case you haven't noticed haha)

Yeah I have an M1 MacBook Air, and I love it, but it’s honestly just not nearly as flexible as my 2021 iPad Pro setup. Sure I don’t need the power of the Pro model, but I want the bigger nicer display, and the Magic Keyboard has completely changed how I use my iPad. I remember using a Logitech keyboard on my 2017 10.5 iPad Pro and it never felt right without mouse/cursor support, but the Magic Keyboard is a game changer for the iPad Pro/Air.

 

[FranApple]

Ah, but that’s the key. People who use an iPad and a desktop Mac seem to like using both (count me in that number), while people who try using an iPad and a laptop Mac can’t seem to make it work.

That's not entirely true. Just depends on what you use the iPad for. For reading books, watching movies and that sort of consumption activity, an iPad works much better than most laptops.

 

[CalMin]

I use my iPad Pro daily. It's mostly a digital notebook for note taking (Notability). I also use it to produce my Podcast using Ferrite (which is the best software tool for Podcasting on any platform). I also use it occasionally for coffee shop computing but when I need to do real work I grab my laptop.

iPadOS is stuck though. With the M1, iPads should be as capable as the MacBook Air and it's frustrating that they are not. It's a useful sidekick to a Mac but no replacement.

 

[spiderman0616]

I use the mini 6 like a 21st century version of a field notebook or journal. Yes, I do have a 13 Pro Max, but I don't look at the two as the same kind of gadget at all, and use them very differently, ESPECIALLY now that there's Apple Pencil support baked in on the mini models. The screen size and ratio is nowhere close between the two devices, in my opinion. I did not think that pre-home button removal, but I do now for sure.

 

[FlyingTexan]

I’ve never been a iPad user really but I have two for work and they’ve revolutionized the aviation industry. I have most the worlds charts, can get weather radar, file flight plans, pickup clearances, do aircraft weight and balances. It’s made my life and what I do SO much better. But now that they’ve gotten strong enough I don’t have any reason to upgrade. Anything moving forward will just be base models.

As for playing Dolby Atmos… that’s all in your head you’re not seeing any difference out of those puny speaks or headphones.

 

[igauravarora]

I'm going to have to politely disagree. I have both the iPad 12.9 Pro with mini led and a 14' Pro. Sometimes i feel guilty about not using one over the other, but I think the uses are different which allow me to enjoy both. For example if i want to lie in bed and read a book, make notes on said book, the iPad is perfect! I hate reading PDFs etc on a mac just doesnt feel right. If i want to consume media or watch HDR movies i do that on the mac (bigger screen) and if i need to do some programming or other work related things the mac is there. Facetime, for me is a lot better on the iPad, so for the weekly facetime calls i do with the family, i jump on the iPad. The good think about both is that the display tech are both top of the range. I dont have a reduction in display quality, for me, jumping from a mini led 120hz ipad to the same display on a mac allows me to incorporate both a lot more (i think the display is very important on a device in case you haven't noticed haha)

Well, first of all thank you for disagreeing politely. Generally speaking, when someone just gets offended and defends apple by any means like personal insults etc, it just doesn't achieve anything and I tend to ignore those comments as much as I can. It doesn't mean that people have stooped to insults in this thread but quite the contrary they have been mostly nice in sharing their point of view. Having said that, I enjoyed reading your experience. I mostly agree with you. The only motive or thought I had in my mind before posting this thread was to just share my experience, many agree as well as disagree with me which is how I imagined it would be.

Display is a major advantage on the 12.9" pro and was one of the main reasons I picked it up in the first place, the speakers are equally good. I think my 16" MacBook is such a good value that it overshadows what the iPad is good at i.e multimedia consumption among other things. Both the speakers and the display on my MacBook trumps the iPad. I find iPad hard to hold to be honest even in the night while watching movies in the bed, this could be due to the folio cover I have and the size of the device but I have to hold the damn thing with my hand the whole time I use it. Setting up on my stomach or to the side is annoying for me as there is no adjustability to it, I could have opted for the keyboard cover but at point it would have become a wannabe MacBook imo. Clearly, the use of iPad in my life has become irrelevant. I can just list out so many things that I find it to be bad at but that won't achieve anything for anyone.

The last but not the least thing is that I am glad that you enjoy using your iPad and all the people here in this thread as well. If people can utilise the iPad the way they intend it to be then all my power to you.

 

[DeepSix]

I have several use cases specifically for the mini for business (where the other models are too big) and why I got one but the average person does not have use cases for an ipad other than taking beauty shots for Instagram all day.

 

[sparksd]

I have several use cases specifically for the mini for business (where the other models are too big) and why I got one but the average person does not have use cases for an ipad other than taking beauty shots for Instagram all day.

Huh? What are you basing that on? I don't believe that one bit. And it's pretty condescending.