iPad Pro iPad Pro vs MacBook Pro (M1)

[rowi1de]

Hi Guys,
have been a Mac user for a long time (MacBook from 2009), iPhone, Watch ... so completely in the ecosystem (exception: I don't want iCloud photos.)

Situation:
- MBP from 2009 is no longer fun
- Always supplied with up-to-date MacBooks through work (private use possible, annoying when changing jobs)

Consideration:
- Buy private M1 MBP or Air
- Get private iPad Pro m1

My private use is now almost exclusively about creative (photos, image editing etc. only hobby) - so I think an iPad could be the better option. For everything else, I switch to the work laptop.

Questions:
- Photos from iPhone (12 pro) to iPad easily via AirDrop or USB-C?
- iPad Pro is probably overpowered ... but it should last a while
- current photos media library has 260 GB => move onto the iPad?

What do you think?

 

[secretk]

Hi Guys,
have been a Mac user for a long time (MacBook from 2009), iPhone, Watch ... so completely in the ecosystem (exception: I don't want iCloud photos.)

Situation:
- MBP from 2009 is no longer fun
- Always supplied with up-to-date MacBooks through work (private use possible, annoying when changing jobs)

Consideration:
- Buy private M1 MBP or Air
- Get private iPad Pro m1

My private use is now almost exclusively about creative (photos, image editing etc. only hobby) - so I think an iPad could be the better option. For everything else, I switch to the work laptop.

Questions:
- Photos from iPhone (12 pro) to iPad easily via AirDrop or USB-C?
- iPad Pro is probably overpowered ... but it should last a while
- current photos media library has 260 GB => move onto the iPad?

What do you think?

Transferring photos from iPhone to iPad through AirDrop would not be an issue. Through USB-c is more of a hassle. You will need dongles or some storage drive in the middle. One thing to note here - iPhone 12 Pro can record HDR video. AirDrop would convert the videos so that the receiving device can play them properly. Conversion is omitted when you transfer though USB-C. This has both pros and cons. If you want to create HDR video content, you want the source to remain in HDR and you will lose this if you use AirDrop. If you want to play the videos properly on your iPad then you need to convert it. Not sure if the M1 iPads can play HDR videos or not. I did not go into details for that. If they can, then this is moot point and would not affect you in any way.

I am not super knowledgable but I see two ways to transferring your media library (260 GB) to the iPP:

1. Through USB-C - not recommended. It would be slow (even with M1, 260 GB is a lot) and you can't do anything else with the iPad while photos are transferring. You will also not see any sort of progress bar on the time needed. Maybe if you use Files for Business (external app) this would help.
2. Through iTunes from Mac (assuming your photos library is on your Mac) - I guess it would be the same speed, but maybe you will have better indication on the progress. Either way there would be waiting As 260 GB is a lot.

 

[rowi1de]

Either way there would be waiting As 260 GB is a lot.

Waiting is not a problem. The question is also if I need 260 GB on the iPad.
I want to get rid of the old MBP which holds this amount of Fotos.
I could also think to just export it to some HDD I could plug in on demand

 

[secretk]

Waiting is not a problem. The question is also if I need 260 GB on the iPad.
I want to get rid of the old MBP which holds this amount of Fotos.
I could also think to just export it to some HDD I could plug in on demand

If you want to store the photos on the iPad you do need 260 GB storage at least. Indeed the other option is to keep them on external HDD but do have in mind that the Files app does not play nice with external drives. It usually corrupts the drive and then you need a laptop to scan and fix the drive.

 

[ericwn]

I store my photos on iCloud right away using iCloud Photo Library. While external hard drives are sometimes an option I don’t like having them attached to a tablet.

If you plan to store all images on the device make sure you back up regularly.

 

[Slartibart]

Questions:
- Photos from iPhone (12 pro) to iPad easily via AirDrop or USB-C?
- iPad Pro is probably overpowered ... but it should last a while
- current photos media library has 260 GB => move onto the iPad?

What do you think?

you don’t want to airdrop 260Gb… okay, if time doesn’t matter or there is no other option. additionally there is the iCloud option, but I personally would do the following:

independent wether you go MacBook or iPad Pro - get a usb-c hub like this. Get a lightning-2-usb-c cable which allows data transfer besides charging - Apple’s does) and an SSD like Samsung’s T5 or T7. Copy all photos from the iPhone to the SSD and then to the iPad Pro. Get FileBrowser Professional(or Go) to copy reliable from and to your iOS/iPadOS devices.

or replace the iPad Pro in the scenario with a MacBook. You still should get the hub, SSD and Filebrowser. the difference is that all copy operations from the SSD to the Macbook are probably way faster (at least compared to a iPad Pro 2020 they are).

Your described usage scenario is something you can do on the iPP and you can be happy with it ?, but the M1 Macbook offers much more flexibility.
Then again I do all photo processing when travelling on an iPP 2020.
The pencil and apps like RAWPower, Pixelmator Photo, Affinity Photo, and Apple’s ShortCuts have you probably covered. ?

 

[AutomaticApple]

I could also think to just export it to some HDD I could plug in on demand

The HDD might be corrupted in the process.

 

[maflynn]

My private use is now almost exclusively about creative (photos, image editing etc. only hobby) - so I think an iPad could be the better option. For everything else, I switch to the work laptop.

If it was me, I'd opt for a computer of an iPad for such tasks. i think laptop (or desktop) is better suited, but that's just my preference.

 

[secretk]

If it was me, I'd opt for a computer of an iPad for such tasks. i think laptop (or desktop) is better suited, but that's just my preference.

Yes, this is one thing I forgot to mention in my original post (sorry about that). So I do like to edit photos from time to time (RAW photos from Sony mirrorless camera). iPad is great if I want to do some specific edit for one or two photos with the pencil. However if we talk about batch processing, I so prefer my laptop. It is easier to be done there. So yeah if we are talking about mass photo edits, go for laptop.

 

[Slartibart]

The HDD might be corrupted in the process.

while there can be inconsistencies depending on the file system you copy to, the big issue is that using Apple’s Files as of iOS/iPadOS 14.5.2 might damage your files.

With Filebrowser this won’t happen. Additionally you have some usable interface for the copy process/transfer - as well as various other advantages compared to Apple’s Files.

EDIT: and don’t even bother using an external HD with an iPad. It is slow. SSD is the way to go.

 

[teohyc]

My private use is now almost exclusively about creative (photos, image editing etc. only hobby) - so I think an iPad could be the better option. For everything else, I switch to the work laptop.

If you're not using Apple Pencil, I don't see why it's advantageous to get iPad Pro over the MBP where you can do anything.

You also have to think of how you're going to backup those photos, which on iPad Pro will be through iCloud monthly subscription.