iPad Pro No, the iPad Pro is not more expensive than a MacBook

[iPadified]

teens are different that those in 20's, iPad is useless for uni

iPad would not be useless if students used it for note taking instead passively attending class. My daughter studies medicine and uses only a 2017 iPad Pro - no issues. Students at a technical university could not do with an iPad alone as a rule.

 

[ProbablyDylan]

I'll buck the trend and argue that the iPads are an incredible value for money.

For $349 you get a well designed and well made tablet with a good display, access to all kinds of Appstore apps, and more.

For $999, you get an incredible chipset, a display leagues better than what the MBA (and even MBP, I would argue), and it is super portable. Need more space and power? Spec it up to your heart's content, just like the laptops.

 

[Melbourne Park]

M4 iPad 13" with keyboard, 8/512 GB - $1,848
Macbook Air 15" 8/512 & iPad - $1,848
Microsoft 13.8" touch screen 16/256 Surface Laptop Copilot+ PC (ARM chip) + iPad = $1,348
Microsoft 13.8" touch screen 16/256 Surface Laptop Copilot+ PC (ARM chip) + iPad Air = $1,598
Microsoft 15" touch screen 16/256 Surface Laptop Copilot+ PC (ARM 12 Core chip) + iPad Air = $1,898

And these will get cheaper plus a lot of Snapdragon X notebooks are also on the way. Competition means better pricing.

What is most curious, is that it's even possible that Windows with Copilot will be an easier to use OS. That's the promise, which used to be what Apple was all about.

 

[prospervic]

I'll buck the trend and argue that the iPads are an incredible value for money.

For $349 you get a well designed and well made tablet with a good display, access to all kinds of Appstore apps, and more.

For $999, you get an incredible chipset, a display leagues better than what the MBA (and even MBP, I would argue), and it is super portable. Need more space and power? Spec it up to your heart's content, just like the laptops.

That’s an aspect that gets forgotten in these threads - you can get the same basic iPadOS experience with the $349 base iPad as with a $2300 iPad Pro, so it all depends on what hardware features and level of power you want. An iPad is only ”too expensive“ if you choose it to be.

 

[rui no onna]

That’s an aspect that gets forgotten in these threads - you can get the same basic iPadOS experience with the $349 base iPad as with a $2300 iPad Pro, so it all depends on what hardware features and level of power you want. An iPad is only ”too expensive“ if you choose it to be.

True. Still, going a bit higher does pay off in terms of useful life.

The $599 2020 iPad Air 4 features the same chipset and RAM as the now $349 2022 iPad 10th gen. I’m guessing support will be dropped for these around the same time. Therefore, someone who bought the Air 4 at launch will have received ~3.5 years more service than someone buying the $349 10th gen now (assuming Air 4 battery holds up until EOL).

 

[prospervic]

True. Still, going a bit higher does pay off in terms of useful life.

The $599 2020 iPad Air 4 features the same chipset and RAM as the now $349 2022 iPad 10th gen. I’m guessing support will be dropped for these around the same time. Therefore, someone who bought the Air 4 at launch will have received ~3.5 years more service than someone buying the $349 10th gen now (assuming Air 4 battery holds up until EOL).

Yes, but isn’t this usually the case with products? Paying for higher quality most often extends the useful life

Anyway, I’m now thinking this whole discussion I started is kind of pointless. If you know you want an iPad Pro because it has features that meet your particular needs, are you truly going to forgo those needs and settle for a MacBook because it costs a couple of hundred dollars less?

 

[rui no onna]

Yes, but isn’t this usually the case with products? Paying for higher quality most often extends the useful life

Sure, but the question is by how much? Double the price for just one year more of support likely won’t be worth it for most buyers.

Anyway, I’m now thinking this whole discussion I started is kind of pointless. If you know you want an iPad Pro because it has features that meet your particular needs, are you truly going to forgo those needs and settle for a MacBook because it costs a couple of hundred dollars less?

Personally, I wouldn’t. I’ve bought countless iPads (usually top of the line or near it) but have only ever bought one MacBook (2020 M1).

I buy iPads because they give me an experience/functionality I can’t get on my Windows laptops. The MacBook doesn’t and I’m too used to Windows to make the switch.

 

[prospervic]

I buy iPads because they give me an experience/functionality I can’t get on my Windows laptops.

…….or MacBooks. You’ve captured the essence of it.
Anyone who still says iPad is ”just a blown up iPhone“ hasn’t a clue about what iPad can do, and is unwilling to discover and learn.

 

[rui no onna]

…….or MacBooks. You’ve captured the essence of it.
Anyone who still says iPad is ”just a blown up iPhone“ hasn’t a clue about what iPad can do, and is unwilling to discover and learn.

Lol, 99% of the time, I use my iPad as “just a blown up iPhone” and I’m very happy with it.

The reality is for my personal/home usage, I just need a bigger screen than the iPhone’s most of the time. I don’t even need a hardware keyboard. Frankly, I find laptops a necessary evil but I greatly dislike the clamshell form factor.

 

[prospervic]

Lol, 99% of the time, I use my iPad as “just a blown up iPhone” and I’m very happy with it.

More power to you! But it’s that remaining 1% that makes the iPad awesome!