All iPads iPad vs Mac. What's a computer?

[VaruLV]

Aside from touch screen, MAC is "bigger" computer than iPad.
However I love/loved my 10.5 Pro, using it as my only personal device(PC tower at work, gf's Surface Book 13.5 for movies) there are still some things that it fails to do flawlessly when it comes to things like files browsing, external devices, external storage, subpar mouse scrolling, as well as lack of some fully fledged apps than could be run with Rosetta at worst.
If they release this years iPP with 8GB of RAM and support for macOS apps and improve exteral device support as well as implement generic mouse support improvements, then we can talk about which is better.
Sure, usage scenarios are different for each one of us, at least to some extent, however, paying prices of current M1 Air/M1 Pro for iPad only because it has touchscreen is even harder to justify now.

My 0.02$

 

[mystery hill]

This is not and either/or proposition.

Yes, it's only an either/or for this thread/poll.

You can have as many iPhones, iPads, and Macs as you want @ApfelKuchen.

 

[secretk]

well, at least on this point your perception is simply wrong. On a Mac you can install or compile basically whatever you fancy. For the moment there are some hiccups there for Apple Silicone machines - mainly related to run Windows - but for the last two decades Macs running MacOS(X), Unix and Linux, as well as Windows programs. If you want seamlessly on one desktop.

This is true if you care about MacOS or Linux programs. I don't. I care about Windows stuff and for this it is still easy to install them on Windows machine than on MacOS machine. It can be done you are right but at this point I do not have a lot of compelling reasons to learn this new software and get around this new machine.

 

[mystery hill]

iPad Pro 2018 512 GB Space gray / iPad 2018 (6th generation) 128 GB Space gray

What do you do with two 2018 iPads? @secretk

 

[Slartibart]

This is true if you care about MacOS or Linux programs. I don't. I care about Windows stuff and for this it is still easy to install them on Windows machine than on MacOS machine. It can be done you are right but at this point I do not have a lot of compelling reasons to learn this new software and get around this new machine.

Still the Mac is no closed system or at least exactly as closed as your Windows system. Following your line of argument it is easier to install whatever on whatever original system it is designed for. Of course it is. Obviously.
Besides that: if your usage restricts you to software running on Windows, well indeed the fastest low end CPU currently available from Apple is not an option. And why should it?

 

[secretk]

What do you do with two 2018 iPads? @secretk

I plan to give the 6th gen to my mother . Long story short - I bought my first iPad (the 6th gen) 2 and half years ago. I wanted a tablet with pencil support for digital note taking. The thing is I started using the iPad for more than that and the 2 GB RAM were limiting me. I encountered way too many tabs and apps reloading and this would annoy me. I also had issues with the 1st gen pencil - the glossy finish would affect my grip and it lead to serious wrist pain.

So I waited for the introduction of the 2020 iPad Pros that lead to serious discount on the 2018 iPad Pro and ordered it. The thing is iOS is not translated into my native language (Bulgarian) and my mother does not know English. She also has no experience with iOS/iPadOS. Her phone is Android. As a person who tried her first iOS device 2 years ago, iOS is not that intuitive. I am not saying it is not for others, but for our background it is not. Add to this that she cannot understand a thing on that tablet because of language restrictions and well it won't be easy for her to use it. So I need to find ways to setup per her usage and make it as intuitive as possible before giving it to her. I have been busy at work currently so I did not have time to do it. So to be honest currently it is not that used.

Still the Mac is no closed system or at least exactly as closed as your Windows system. Following your line of argument it is easier to install whatever on whatever original system it is designed for. Of course it is. Obviously.
Besides that: if your usage restricts you to software running on Windows, well indeed the fastest low end CPU currently available from Apple is not an option. And why should it?

This is a matter of preference and I guess also expectations. I have no experience with MacOS. I have with iOS and iPadOs and from what I have seen Apple tends to close off things. Now MacOS is for sure far more open than iPadOS or iOS but for me it is still a lot of hoops to go through for the simple things. Basically for me learning the new OS is a factor in a way as I have to invest time and efforts to learn it.

And up to M1 there was nothing hardware wise that would want me to buy a Mac. I am not saying that things won't change as I don't know what Apple plans to do with M1 machines. Battery life now is definitely a compelling argument. The thing is I am not sure it if will be enough for me to compensate for other stuff (like RAM and SSD restrictions).

Basically for me it does not make sense to buy a Mac machine just to use it for Windows apps and nothing else. You don't take advantage of the machine, you just pay the higher price. It is not really worth it for me. I know that there are a lot of people that do take advantage of MacOS and for them it totally makes sense.

As to why I initially understood the poll wrong. As it was worded I was explaining why I do not own Mac and if the questions is strictly Mac vs iPad, it would be an iPad as I do not own Mac. Once it was clarified that the poll was traditional computer (desktop, laptop) vs iPad I provided a different answer.

 

[Digitalguy]

This is not and either/or proposition.

I have both. iPad is my portable solution, Mac on my desktop. It's been that way for nearly 11 years.

If I could have only one or the other I'd choose Mac, but only because I'd still have my iPhone for mobile use.

It's the same reason I have more than one screwdriver in my tool box. One tool does not fit all.

I am not a laptop fan (whether the laptop has a fan, or not). I just don't like the form factor or ergonomics. So I would not trade my 27" iMac for a laptop, even if I had a 27" or larger display to supplement it.

For the limited amount of traveling I do these days I would not own both a desktop Mac and a laptop - a waste of money.

I was traveling very regularly when I retired my old G4 PowerBook in favor of my first-gen iPad. When I was away from the office I was carrying either a shoulder bag or day pack for 8+ hours daily. The iPad weight advantage was a no-brainer. I'll grant that today's 13" MBA is around half the weight and thickness of that 12" PB G4, but iPad still is the hands-down winner for weight.

So in the end it comes down to, "What do I want for portable use that's bigger than an iPhone?" iPad, iPad, iPad.

And as to, "What's a computer?" They all are.

it really depends, the 12.9in with magic keyboard is heavier than the Macbook air, so it doesn't really make sense in terms of portability. Even the 11in with MK barely makes sense at over 1kg. It's lighter than the current Macbooks but if you have a 12in Macbook or if you are on Windows, you can easily have good 13in laptops under 1kg, even with LTE
I use a iPad too on the go, but only with smart keyboards or some other keyboard that keeps it well under 1KG otherwise for me there is no point in terms of portability....(again, since I have laptops under 1KG already...)

 

[jeremiah256]

I think what Apple, and probably Google and Microsoft, believe is that powerful, cheap, thin clients, is the near (5 years) future.

My use case with my computers has changed drastically over the last 20 years. I don't worry nearly as much about my data. The 3-2-1 rule (store three copies of your data, two using a different media, one offsite) is pretty much automated with services like iCloud, Google Drive, and OneDrive.

Before, I'd worry about keeping all my music, videos, photos, my reference materials, all my apps, on my computer all the time. Even on the go, with cellular speeds and WiFi everywhere, today I use a Just-In-Time model whenit comes to the capabilities or resources that are present on my computer at any time.

I used to worry that I needed as much power as I could afford in any given upgrade. Now, cloud computing is so cheap I can buy a base model MacBook Air for $1000, and the extra $1000 I might have spent on a higher model can now be spent when, and only when or if, I actually need that extra computing power. The user experience is still too complicated for Joe Sixpack, but it's only a matter of time before this area of cloud computing is fully accessible to everyone.

And in five years, will I really need to worry about whether an app is available on my OS, or if my OS is in a protected, close garden if everything I want is available via a browser, especially when I have a 5G capable device?

It took me a longer than it probably should have to make the choice to embrace the streaming model. In my use case, I'm saving money from buying every song, movie, or TV series I previously would have prior to streaming.

Many today will go through the same choice when it comes to whether they should offload their more complicated computing needs to the cloud.

 

[JuicelessMango]

Which would you pick? Cast your vote above ?

Bought an iPad Pro with the folio keyboard and tried to go just iPad for my daily computing needs when I didn't want to be at my desktop. used it for about a year before I got tired of it and went out and bought a brand new MacBook Air. The iPad is just now a streaming device for me or I use it as a 2nd monitor for my MBA

 

[cnnyy20p]

iPad is great for everyone who want a simplified computing. It's is simple to use for simple tasks but difficult for complex tasks. Originally it meant to be a consumption device. But it is a great companion to your full personal computer. Seriously sometime you don't have to listen to what Apple marketing ads. Ads is just something that make you want to buy that something (Not always). You'll feel the product true meaning and it's philosophy when you start to using them with open mind. I did bought an iPad with keyboard case, Apple Pencil, and a lot of professional apps. And try to use them as main computer but then few years later I realised that using the iPad as a tablet (no case, no mouse, no keyboard, simple productivity, reading web, note, media consumption, etc... ) is the best use-case for itself.

For me I still choose Mac. Because type of things I do.

 

[ericwn]

Yes, I can’t use an iPad only.

I would like to see Apple Pencil support come to the Mac.

Would I not need to be able to put the screen down flat in order to do anything resembling human handwriting? It would be interesting to see Apple approach this. One can but hope.

 

[ericwn]

most all Apple hardware is not suited for the corporate work environment.

Yet there are tons of corporate customers working exclusively with Macs and iOS devices as they are the second most common desktop/laptop OS and mobile systems.

 

[mystery hill]

Would I not need to be able to put the screen down flat in order to do anything resembling human handwriting?

The iMac and Pro Display XDR (or less expensive Apple display) could use a hinge design that allows it to be tilted to a flat position like the Microsoft Surface Studio 2.

macOS on an iPad-like device is another option.

 

[ericwn]

The iMac and Pro Display XDR (or less expensive Apple display) could use a hinge design that allows it to be tilted to a flat position like the Microsoft Surface Studio 2.

macOS on an iPad-like device is another option.

I’d be interested for sure, let’s hope Apple finds a way to make these in an affordable manner!

 

[ofarlig]

Returned my M1 Macbook Air and will keep using an iPad Pro instead, most likely will be going for 12.9” with the 2021 model.

For a mobile device I really do prefer iPad OS, using the M1 Macbook Air for a while really made that clear to me. It allows me to get notifications from apps that aren’t running, using messaging services with slideover is much more fluid, don’t have to use my phone to identify myself with my digital ID but use it running on the iPad itself.

Wife runs both for some reason but I like having fewer devices.

 

[mystery hill]

I also had issues with the 1st gen pencil - the glossy finish would affect my grip and it lead to serious wrist pain.

Better hope this rumor isn't true: New Apple Pencil Allegedly Leaks With Glossy Finish and Redesigned Tip

 

[secretk]

Better hope this rumor isn't true: New Apple Pencil Allegedly Leaks With Glossy Finish and Redesigned Tip

Yeah, I heard about this. I at least did not have the best experience with the glossy finish of the first gen pencil but maybe it is just me.

 

[pdoherty]

I voted iPad. I can do about 90% of the things I do on my iPad. I only need the PC/Mac for a few things at this point. And the convenience factor of the tablet makes the little I can’t do acceptable (I remote in to PC and Mac when I need to, or I get off my behind and physically go to them).

 

[Digitalguy]

I hear a lot of people in these forums saying I can do 90-95% on an iPad.... The thing I wonder is, how many of those that say they can do 90% or more with an iPad actually use the iPad to earn most/all of their money.... And how many actually use a laptop/desktop for their job and don't factor that in simply because it's provided by their employer.... Or, simply don't work (anymore) or do a job that does not require any type of computing device...(or requires one only sporadically).
My guess is that the vast majority of people still work with a laptop/desktop and therefore most of their tablet usage is for something else (or, to some extent, as a companion to a laptop/desktop)

 

[rui no onna]

I hear a lot of people in these forums saying I can do 90-95% on an iPad.... The thing I wonder is, how many of those that say they can do 90% or more with an iPad actually use the iPad to earn most/all of their money.... And how many actually use a laptop/desktop for their job and don't factor that in simply because it's provided by their employer.... Or, simply don't work (anymore) or do a job that does not require any type of computing device...(or requires one only sporadically).
My guess is that the vast majority of people still work with a laptop/desktop and therefore most of their tablet usage is for something else (or, to some extent, as a companion to a laptop/desktop)

That's why I specifically mention personal computing when I say 80-90%. My personal usage is primarily web browsing, reading, online shopping, online banking and video streaming and most of those things, an iPad handles just fine.

My job is 90-95% Windows PC (Excel, Access, proprietary software that requires Internet Explorer) and maybe 5-10% iPad (just for PDF annotations and sometimes checking emails).

 

[Digitalguy]

That's why I specifically mention personal computing when I say 80-90%. My personal usage is primarily web browsing, reading, online shopping, online banking and video streaming and most of those things, an iPad handles just fine.

My job is 90-95% Windows PC (Excel, Access, proprietary software that requires Internet Explorer) and maybe 5-10% iPad (just for PDF annotations and sometimes checking emails).

Yeah, very much like me...

 

[ian87w]

Easy. A proper laptop (Mac/windows) will be priority. More stuff you can do on an iPad can be done on a Mac as well than the other way around.

 

[loybond]

If you can only own and use either an iPad or Mac for a year (when there is no pandemic) which one would you pick?

If it has to be only one, it'd have to be a Mac. I have two iPad pros and thought maybe I could use them 90% of the time, but it's hard to. You have to find a workaround for so many things.

E.g. Someone sends you a zip file on slack, you'll need to open in a browser window, then actually open it in Safari and not the pop-up browser within slack, then choose where to download it. Then, larger zips may not unzip. So at that point, you have to use a computer.

Basically, multitasking, productivity, file system etc. have a long way to go, and really, at that point, iPadOS and MacOS would largely be the same thing.

Steve Jobs saw the iPad as an in-between device, not replacing your phone or your laptop. Tim Cook wanted to continue growing the business, so "let's make a pro iPad and charge more for it.". They've made this category, but I don't think they've really thought it through. The pro iPad don't really do much more than the cheapest iPads. Even the best software features, like the desktop browser now, the handwriting recognition etc. Are all on the cheapest models too.

I know that it works for some people, and that's awesome, because the iPads are actually my favourite tech devices to use, but they still can't completely replace computers for the mainstream, unless they really iPadOS a huge upgrade.

 

[Momof9]

I hear a lot of people in these forums saying I can do 90-95% on an iPad.... The thing I wonder is, how many of those that say they can do 90% or more with an iPad actually use the iPad to earn most/all of their money.... And how many actually use a laptop/desktop for their job and don't factor that in simply because it's provided by their employer.... Or, simply don't work (anymore) or do a job that does not require any type of computing device...(or requires one only sporadically).
My guess is that the vast majority of people still work with a laptop/desktop and therefore most of their tablet usage is for something else (or, to some extent, as a companion to a laptop/desktop)

I use my iPad for my work - graphic design. The pencil 2 outshines my previous Wacom tablet. I LOVE using my iPad Pro's. Now the only reason I do a bigger ratio (than before) on my Mac mini - is because I did not want to spend the money and only use it for access to external hard drives.... So I do my browsing in the day on it etc.

 

[m0nkeyb0y]

If only one, def a Mac. My workflow requires multiple simultaneous windows, and that's just not really possible or practical on an iPad. My home setup has 2x32" 4k monitors plus a portrait 24" 1080.