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

[secretk]

Probably true on how many, maybe most took it, and maybe I'm coming from some kind of privilege, but work provides a computer for working at home. That I use my own computer for work is an option that I have.

Yes, I am in this scenario. I do have a laptop provided by my company that I use for work.

Still for personal use if I have to choose between laptop and an iPad, I choose the laptop because of all of the reasons mentioned by

bingeciren.​

An iPad while awesome with the pencil is still restricted for my needs when it comes to browsing and media consumption. I need true multitasking - multiple processes run in the background. I need to be able to watch a movie and text a friend in the same time from the same device by using dual monitors setup. It is just the nature of how my brain works. I get easily bored by having just one app being at focus and working.

 

[Starfia]

Mac. Ten years after the first iPad (and I've never been without some model of one), I still spend most of the day in front of my iMac, for business and pleasure. When you don't use a Mac notebook, the iPad is a great complement, but it's truly peripheral.

 

[jeremiah256]

Yes, I am in this scenario. I do have a laptop provided by my company that I use for work.

Still for personal use if I have to choose between laptop and an iPad, I choose the laptop because of all of the reasons mentioned by

bingeciren.​

An iPad while awesome with the pencil is still restricted for my needs when it comes to browsing and media consumption. I need true multitasking - multiple processes run in the background. I need to be able to watch a movie and text a friend in the same time from the same device by using dual monitors setup. It is just the nature of how my brain works. I get easily bored by having just one app being at focus and working.

Understand completely. But your preference seems to geared to more of a desktop computing environment for your personal computing experience. And looking at the stats of the survey, you are in the majority.

 

[secretk]

Understand completely. But your preference seems to geared to more of a desktop computing environment for your personal computing experience. And looking at the stats of the survey, you are in the majority.

Yeah, when I am at home I do gravitate towards desktop or laptop to be honest. If I travel (now with COVID this does not happen often) I do prefer to bring just the iPad with me because my computing needs and demands are rather light. I spend most of my time sightseeing anyway. So yeah I do use my iPad and I don't hate it, it is just if I am forced to choose I would not choose it over my laptop.

 

[Mike Slayer]

I use a 2020 Mbp 13" so it's not crazy for me to carry it around if I have the need. I do run VM's on my Mbp so an Ipad Pro 12.9 would be handy to use as another screen among other things to free up resources on my Mbp. I could think of a few situation's a Ipad Pro 12.9" would be handier to have but it would never replace my 13" Mbp for me. I would say an iPad compliments a Mbp rather nicely. They make a efficient and powerful combo.

 

[iPadified]

It is context dependent.

For work: Mac
For home: iPad

Luckily there is no reason to chose.

 

[bingeciren]

It is context dependent.

For work: Mac
For home: iPad

Luckily there is no reason to chose.

Absolutely.
For commuting: My car
For fun: My motorcycle

 

[KittyKatta]

I made the mistake of buying iPad Air’s to replace our computers.

My kids were in need of newer gear for school so I figured ”Next Gen Computers for the Next Gen Users”. That didn’t really work out (due to price/multitasking/accessories/apps) and in the end then they ended up relying on the old 2010 MacBook White and 2012 MacBook Pro that I was trying to replace.

Anyway, I still use my iPad for everything but for students then my observation is that even a fully accessorized ipad they can completely replace a computer (yet).

 

[tops2]

For personal use and if I had to pick between laptop (doesn't matter Windows or Mac) vs iPad, I'd have to pick laptop as long as I have a phone. There's just enough important usage cases for me that iPads can't do that I need a laptop.

For work use, its no question laptop.

If I have an aging laptop that's still functional (like me right now), I'd get an iPad.

That said, I'm fortunate I was finally allowed to get a company laptop and was able to choose a M1 Macbook. For my work workflow, it feels kinda like an iPad with the train wheels taken off...especially in multitasking and apps not closing in the "background"..and it has the benefits of the iPad's quick power on, battery life and runs cool. Its pretty much what my fruitless "hope" of what iPad could do in my past year's experimentation in using iPad for work. I did enjoy the journey to find ways to work on the iPad despite the occasional frustrating experiences..and some of that experience translated to using a Mac (since I've been a mostly Windows person).

Thinking about for my own personal use though, I still won't spend the money on a M1 (or any Macbook) yet until my Windows 10 laptop dies.

 

[nburwell]

It's a tough choice for me. I use my iPad Air a ton for streaming, especially more so now since I'm working from home. Though my MBP doesn't get as much use, it's my go-to when it comes to editing images. But if I had to choose one, I'd go with Mac.

 

[Bodhitree]

Personal use, it’s an iPad. At home I mostly do a little browsing, email and watching videos, for which the iPad is well suited. Even my taxes and online banking I can do on my iPad.

Work use, it’s a Mac. I do a variety of technical work, and there is often some coding required, so a large screen is a necessity.