iPad Pro or no iPad Pro

[yeahtyeaht]

Hello, I‘m thinking about buying an iPad Pro 12.9 2018 OR a MacBook Pro 13 2018 but I‘m not sure whiche one to buy. Im a student and I want to use it for taking notes, light video and photo editing, reading scripts and typing with Keyboard. If it‘s necessary I also have a Windows PC at home which is pretty good.

Which one should buy?

 

[1rottenapple]

What’s you budget?

 

[yeahtyeaht]

What’s you budget?

My budget is flexible but not unlimited lol. I could buy one if the two devices. Let‘s set my budget is ~2100€. What concerns me about the MacBook Pro is the butterfly keyboard because it still doesn‘t seems to be reliable and there is not enough feedback for me (I‘m using a mechanical Keyboard for my PC)

 

[secretk]

When you mention taking notes do you plan to purchase the pencil or you will use the keyboard to type the notes?

For me iPad is a great tablet device, but if you will use it mostly with keyboard than 13 inch laptop might be the better option. Basically with the same feel you can get Dell XPS 13 (touch screen, keyboard, small bezels, 13.3 inch display). There are only two gripes with that laptop - the price and the placement of the camera.

As a student what kind of software you might need? For example are you expected when in college to be able to run something? If that's the case and the iPad cannot do it you still will have to carry a laptop.

 

[1rottenapple]

What kind of programs do you plan to run? If I was in your situation and I am not running graphics intensive program because of my social science major I would just buy a cheap MacBook like a 2012 retina pro for heavy lifting. Then an iPad Pro as my main device. The iPad would be the main device I’d take to campus but the laptop would be for instances when I need to type and format a big report or presentation. I can see for myself where the iPad would be great for school (I’m out of grad school for yrs now). Like pdf and presentations professors provide. I would have love this device.

Check out this YouTube named Luka Miani. He buys old MacBook and gives advice.

 

[yeahtyeaht]

When you mention taking notes do you plan to purchase the pencil or you will use the keyboard to type the notes?

For me iPad is a great tablet device, but if you will use it mostly with keyboard than 13 inch laptop might be the better option. Basically with the same feel you can get Dell XPS 13 (touch screen, keyboard, small bezels, 13.3 inch display). There are only two gripes with that laptop - the price and the placement of the camera.

As a student what kind of software you might need? For example are you expected when in college to be able to run something? If that's the case and the iPad cannot do it you still will have to carry a laptop.

Yes I want to purchase the Pencil too and also a Keyboard but I still dont know which Keyboard. Planing to use both.

I already had a XPS 13 but didn‘t like the device, the coil whine is awful. There is no alternative for me when it comes to a Laptop. I really like Windows on PC but I hate it on Laptops, the scaling is bad and there is no MacBook-like Laptop when it comes to quality (expect the Keyboard for me)

I‘m using Word and I have Adobe CC. I‘m using Premiere Pro, Lightroom and Illustrator on my Desktop but like I said, I‘m not a heavy video or photo editor. I cut some GoPro recordings and photos, that‘s it. Don‘t needing a special software for the university.

 

[secretk]

Yes I want to purchase the Pencil too and also a Keyboard but I still dont know which Keyboard. Planing to use both.

I see. I have to tell you I don't like the keyboard experience on an iPad. Maybe because it does not have trackpad. I can't say but I don't enjoy it.

I already had a XPS 13 but didn‘t like the device, the coil whine is awful. There is no alternative for me when it comes to a Laptop. I really like Windows in PC but I hate it on Laptops, the scaling is bad and there is no MacBook-like Laptop when it comes to quality (expect the Keyboard for me)

Interesting. I have Asus 15.6 inch laptop that runs Windows and it's my main computer. I am quite happy with it. I did pay what is your budget for it, but I have in it both SSD and HDD and I can even put up to 32 GB. Now granted I don't use Photoshop. I am Software Developer though so I run Eclipse, Tomcat servers and do Python stuff on it. I also do photos processing but I use DxO because it can do batch processing and then I edit the photos in other editing tools. So far I have had no issues. I have been also eyeing the 2 in 1 Asus smaller laptops, but I bought my other laptop just last year so for now I will stick with this. My next purchase though most probably will be something like that.

I‘m using Word and I have Adobe CC. I‘m using Premiere Pro, Lightroom and Illustrator on my Desktop but like I said, I‘m not a heavy video or photo editor. I cut some GoPro recordings and photos, that‘s it. Don‘t needing a special software for the university.

World in general is more useful on Windows laptop than on iOS. The iOS versions of the Microsoft apps do not include the full set of features. For example I had to do some presentation for work and I was in meetings the whole day and the iPad (regular, 2018 model) was the only device I had with me. So I started doing it there, but I add a lot of smart graphics to my presentations as I try to avoid too much text. And this is where I could not do it properly on iPad.

Honestly if you plan to use mostly your desktop for such stuff and then use the iPad for taking notes (with the pencil) in university I would go for the regular 2018 model. That's my setup. I use the pencil for taking notes during meetings, but for any heavy stuff I just use my laptop.

 

[Rck1984]

With your use case, i think i’d go iPad Pro as it perfectly checks your boxes.

• It’s plenty powerful for all your uses.
• It’s very portable, more so than a MacBook Pro (size/weight).
• Taking notes is a breeze on the iPad, both with keyboard and pencil.
• Light photo/video editing is smooth, fast and intuitive on the iPad, more so than on the MBP i believe.
• Reading is so much nicer on a tablet compared to a laptop.
• Typing is totally fine also on either a keyboard folio or any Bluetooth keyboard (magic keyboard).

You could debate going for a regular iPad. But typing and photo/video editing is probably going to be much more enjoyable on the Pro one.

My 2 cents at least.

 

[AutomaticApple]

Hello, I‘m thinking about buying an iPad Pro 12.9 2018 OR a MacBook Pro 13 2018 but I‘m not sure whiche one to buy. Im a student and I want to use it for taking notes, light video and photo editing, reading scripts and typing with Keyboard. If it‘s necessary I also have a Windows PC at home which is pretty good.

Which one should buy?

Get the iPad Pro.

 

[DNichter]

Go with the new iPad Pro. It’s really an awesome computer and I think it would be perfect for what you want to use it for. You’ll likely need to learn new workflows a bit, but once you do, the benefits will outweigh any negatives. Plus, you’re taking on a platform with a really bright future. Good to get in now.

 

[yeahtyeaht]

Thank you for your responses guys. I think I`ll buy the iPad Pro