Text based documents are doable, but anything that involves heavy Excel work requires a laptop, IMO. It’s also more efficient dealing with various corporate systems on a laptop
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iPad iPad Pro Going Back to MacBook Pro
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Text based documents are doable, but anything that involves heavy Excel work requires a laptop, IMO. It’s also more efficient dealing with various corporate systems on a laptop
I agree with you there, people should use the tool that’s best for them. For me, the iPad is the best tool for my workflow. I do have a Mac Mini, but every time I try to use it for my workflow, I inevitably run into friction for things I find are simpler and more efficient on iPadOS. Of course, that’s my opinion/preference, which isn’t universal. But that’s why I advocate for using the tool that best suits your needs. Some are going to prefer a Mac, others are going to prefer an iPad. For me, the iPad is indispensable. 👍🏻
Though I also think that it’s good to try new things, which is why I’m open to tinkering with a Mac occasionally. I do think that some people “try” the iPad and don’t give it quite a fair shake, mostly content creators I’ve seen who seem to not have even tried simple fixes to correct some of the things they’re talking about. Obviously not saying that’s everyone, but there are several content creators I’ve seen make the “iPad as my computer for a day” video or whatever, and it’s like they went in not wanting to like it, so came out with the same opinion they went in with.
I think there’s truth to both here. People should use the tool that works best for them. And people also shouldn’t be afraid to try new things with an open mind. And shouldn’t assume they’ll be able to just pick it up without a learning curve, and so accommodate for that, and make sure that some of the snags they’re running into aren’t user error. I know, because early on I encountered a lot that was simply user error and ignorance on my part when I first picked up the Mac from Windows. And some of that again when I switched from the Mac to the iPad. 🙂👍🏻
There’s going to be friction when switching to any OS… folks act as if the iPad should behave like the Mac when obviously its two different OS’s.
And as you stated… there’s going to be a learning curve, Apple is trying to bridge that gap with adding Mac features (menu bar & traffic lights) to the iPad. But for the most part it’s still iPadOS.
Well people change workflow when they do stuff on their iPhone as it is a different device and a different OS to a Mac, why would another catogory be different?
The iPad is a cross between the 2 worlds, desktop class app (some of them) and a mobile os, pretending to do things the same way it is quite silly.
Adapting a workflow does not mean re learn how to use a computer, it's just seeing what works and make it streamlined for the device.
Why? because one is a touch / pen first device, the other is a mouse and keyboard, try to do the iPad way on a Mac and it won't work from a HW stantpoint ...no touch.... why the os be any different?
The os was designed to use the strength of the device (in both case).
It's like saying a car and a motorcycle can both go on the road, the motorcycle should adapt to my driving style.
Jobs comments are meaningless in this regard even though some believe him to be some tech oracle. While I agree he had vision it didn’t stop him from conflating issues to adhere Apple’s marketing agenda.
This whole discussion is a useless exercise revolving solely on personal preference. What I want I cannot have in the Apple, Microsoft, or Linux worlds - an iPad 11" (or no more than 12") size device with removable keyboard, reliable touch and pen input, capable of running standard desktop applications without compromises (Office 365, ALL Adobe Suite Applications, desktop quality browser), and accessory compatibility (printers, scanners, monitors, docks, etc.).
APPLE - QUIT SCREWING AROUND and put MacOS on a special SKU of iPad Pro, upcharge for it, and stop this idiotic "similar but do it differently" series of gimmicks with iPadOS!
Those of you who refuse to use iPad Pro as laptop replacement, or abhor anything but pure iPad experience on an iPad Pro need not apply.
APPLE - QUIT SCREWING AROUND and put MacOS on a special SKU of iPad Pro, upcharge for it, and stop this idiotic "similar but do it differently" series of gimmicks with iPadOS!
Those of you who refuse to use iPad Pro as laptop replacement, or abhor anything but pure iPad experience on an iPad Pro need not apply.
I agree with the first part of your statement that this is based purely on personal preference. No individuals opinions or preferences are the only “correct ones” about this.
But I strongly disagree with the idea that Apple should shoehorn macOS onto an iPad, and that it’s supposedly “idiotic” to not do so. macOS isn’t designed for that hardware. A lot about macOS would need to be changed to make that work, and the battery life and thermal envelope would be dramatically reduced, likely leading to some other downsides in addition. If you’re going to have to make so many changes to macOS in order to make it work, why not just continue to improve iPadOS, which is what most people want when they buy an iPad in the first place?…
You may prefer macOS, and that’s perfectly fine, I respect your opinion, but I don’t believe it’s “idiotic” of Apple to provide a more modern software approach that’s actually optimized for the hardware… In my opinion, what Apple is doing with iPadOS is far better than if they were to shoehorn a legacy desktop OS onto a device it was never designed for, where users would lose simple access to basic surface-level functionality like uninstalling apps, where with macOS 26, the only way to “uninstall” an app is to hunt for it in Finder and delete it, and hope and pray that that actually cleanly uninstalls it and doesn’t leave little bits of the app in other parts of the file system… 🤦🏼♂️
But it is true most people buy an iPad Pro to watch YouTube unboxing videos and Netflix. There are some people who buy it make use of its full power, doing something such as video editing, but that percentage is very small.
I have a use case for an ipad and I would love a 13 in M5 Pro for it, but when I already have a 14 inch MacBook I can't justify the cost. Biggest appeal to me is the 13" M5 Pro without any keyboard is 1/3 the weight of a 14" Macbook pro. I would be willing to pay for that benefit but not at over $2000cad.
Yeah, at these prices you definitely want the device to get significant usage with high return on personal benefit/satisfaction. I get that from the 13" M5 Pro but I can readily appreciate that others would not.
Yeah, totally understand not wanting to drop that kind of money on a computer. I’m guessing in some months you’ll be able to get some pretty sweet aftermarket deals on it. And I can also recommend the M4 iPad Pro as a great alternative that’s cheaper. 👍🏻
I used an iPad Pro + Magic Keyboard as my primary computer from 2020 to 2025. As my needs and usage patterns changed it mostly kept up with me. I even upgraded to an M4 iPad Pro for the stunning display. Whenever I hit a limitation of the device, I would write it off. It's an iPad after all.
Until I met a website that just wouldn't work in Safari. Since all browsers on iPad are Safari under the hood, none of the "alternatives" I tried could load it either.
I borrowed my brother's MacBook Air and was able to do what I needed to do in Chrome with no issue. I had to admit to myself then and there that the iPad was not a real computer, nor would Apple ever let it be. I traded my Pro for his Mini and ordered a 14" M4 MBP then and there.
As an aside - the nano texture is great! Wish they'd bring it to iPhone.
I think this is largely a matter of personal preference, and I respect that you prefer the Mac and macOS. But the iPad isn’t a “real computer” because one random webpage whose dev has dropped the ball on supporting modern devices doesn’t load? I’m sorry, but that just isn’t true. The iPad is a real computer just as much as the Mac is, it’s just a different computer…
Again, I totally respect your opinion and preference, but saying the computers that others rely on for their workflows aren’t “real” doesn’t make much sense…
For me, the iPad is my primary computer, and mission critical to my workflow. It is very real and useful… 🤷🏼♂️
PS, also minor correction, not to be pedantic or anything, but technically all browsers on iPadOS aren’t Safari under the hood, but they do all use the WebKit rendering engine. I get what you were meaning, I just wanted to clarify that, because alternative browsers can and do provide other features than Safari does, it’s just that for web rendering, they do share WebKit in common. Also should be noted this may change in the near future, they may be able to work out a way to provide a more secure system for other web engines to work on iPadOS without opening major holes in the security of the platform. Web rendering engines make use of JIT, which can easily be abused to change apps after review and introduce malware into the app, completely bypassing the review process. So an app could pass the review process as clean of malware and compliant with Apple’s security and privacy standards, be installed on your device, and then, while running on your device, use JIT to change itself and either inject malware into your system, or collect private data. So access to JIT should be closely guarded and monitored. So it isn’t a super simple issue either from a privacy and security front, you don’t really want to be passing out JIT access to just any developer. At least not without safeguards in place to prevent them from abusing such access… 👍🏻
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I don’t know why most people buy an iPad Pro. I wanted to replace my aging iPad now going on 6 years in very good condition. It was showing its age as some websites were starting to load slowly.
So in first bought an iPad Air m3. And the jump in performance was noticeable. But I had buyers remorse and went ahead and returned the iPad Air and instead purchased an iPad Pro m5 11 inch. Glad I did.
Whether I use it exclusively to watch Netflix, the oled screen was quite a jump in quality. Even if I don’t edit one video I’m happy with the purchase.
It was death by a thousand cuts. The limited software ecosystem, the clunky workflows, the multitasking strangeness. Web browsing was a strong suit - until it wasn't. This was the straw that broke this camel's back.
On any other computer you can grab a different web browser for sites that act up. On iPad, it's as you said, all WebKit. A site that doesn't work in Safari isn't going to work in Firefox because they're the same under the hood.
I haven’t across websites that don’t work with safari. Do you have an example?
And as I said, I have nothing against your preference/experience. 👍🏻. I just take issue with the claim that the iPad isn’t a “real computer” or whatever. The iPad isn’t any less real of a computer than the Mac. 🤷🏼♂️
A computer is a device used to gather and produce information to the viewer, as well as being a conduit for reading books, watching videos, write, or any other things that benefit the end user in some manner. An iPad is no less a computer, than a Mac or an iPhone. Some users here use a computer differently than other users. As such, a Mac computer suits their preferences and needs better than an iPad or phone. The converse is just as apropos.
I do enjoy these iPad v Mac debates when they pop up. Even though they do repeat themselves.
I think this really comes down to friction….
The iPad is an amazing device, and for some workflows it’s genuinely great. But for me, the issue wasn’t power or learning how to use it … it was how often I hit little roadblocks that just don’t exist on a Mac.
On the iPad, things work really well as long as your workflow fits exactly how iPadOS wants you to work. The moment you step outside that … file management, multitasking, Microsoft excel, garage band external displays etc … it starts to feel like you’re fighting the OS instead of getting work done.
Going back to a MacBook didn’t feel like a step backwards. It felt like removing friction. I stopped thinking about how to do things and just did them.
I don’t think the iPad is bad or that people who love it are wrong. It’s just not a universal laptop replacement, and for my kind of work, the Mac is still the more practical tool.
I think this really comes down to friction….
The iPad is an amazing device, and for some workflows it’s genuinely great. But for me, the issue wasn’t power or learning how to use it … it was how often I hit little roadblocks that just don’t exist on a Mac.
On the iPad, things work really well as long as your workflow fits exactly how iPadOS wants you to work. The moment you step outside that … file management, multitasking, Microsoft excel, garage band external displays etc … it starts to feel like you’re fighting the OS instead of getting work done.
Going back to a MacBook didn’t feel like a step backwards. It felt like removing friction. I stopped thinking about how to do things and just did them.
I don’t think the iPad is bad or that people who love it are wrong. It’s just not a universal laptop replacement, and for my kind of work, the Mac is still the more practical tool.
I think you’re right, the iPad is more specific about which workflows work well on it. It is spectacular for some jobs, and there are others that are just not possible.
My dream is a Mac Studio, or at least a well specced Mac mini, and a 13” iPad. The desktop is needed for CAD work and thermal modelling, and the iPad would be an ancillary device for that, a lot of my general computing, and all my mobile computing needs. The way I’m set up would make that a super easy transition.
I’d give my MacBook Pro to my wife so she could watch things on a better screen than a Pixel 4a or a bargain basement HP laptop with the worst screen I’ve seen in 25 years.
Yeah, I totally agree that it’s a personal preference thing, some prefer the Mac, others prefer the iPad. 👍🏻. For me, the iPad works very well with my workflow, where the Mac isn’t as good of a fit. But totally understand the opposite as well. 👍🏻
To me, I don’t really see any notable differences between file management on iPadOS and macOS. They’re both nearly identical as far as I can tell. The only main difference I had heard about before was setting default apps for opening certain file types, but that’s added in iPadOS 26. And with multi-windowing, the system is basically identical, but also with Slide Over on iPadOS. But that’s my experience. 👍🏻
I fully respect your opinion and preference, and I’m glad that you figured out what worked best for you and your workflow. 👍🏻
i went back to 11 inch ipad pro and using it as a pure tablet and my macbook pro as my computer. works well for me from overall programming and typing experience really. love the mac keyboards