I think in general its less about which iPad model, and instead can a tablet, specifically an iPad, replace a laptop. As I've said before, for some people yes, it can, but for others, no its not possible.
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Stop with the iPad vs Laptop debate
- Thread starter Jedimindtrick
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Of course an iPad can replace a laptop. It has for me and it's been a great change. I don't think I will ever have to go back to macOS and I am very happy about that. People tend to forget that there are use cases for a computer out there besides video editing and coding.
Why is it so hard to believe that for the tasks people perform on their computer, a tablet would be much better? For me I can’t but to say it’s the same for everyone is a bit obtuse.
Well, can you save files from USB drive? Can you code on iPad? Can you torrent on iPad? Can you run multiple application at time? No... There are lots of things iPad can't do.
But iPad is iPad... It does iPad things well, it never meant to be laptop replacement nor it should be compared with laptop.
You might want to try reading any one of the tons of threads here that do exactly that (with an open mind ...). As has been said many times... for some, an iPad is indeed much better than a laptop... for others, it's not.
You are not contradicting yourself. In one hand you slide iPad is much better than laptop, in other hand, for some people it not.
Yes.. I have read tons of thread here regarding this. It is requires lots of other accessories that not otherwise needed. Take examples of transferring files to external hard drives, you can take lightning based flash drive or upload to cloud storage or upload to your NAS drive. It is much more complicated than just grab a USB drive and plug into USB port on my computer.
Two things I am pretty sure is that you cannot do complicated coding with your iPad where I can do with my 300 dollar laptop and you cannot torrent with your iPad where I can do with my laptop. People here say that you can use teamviewr or other piece of software, so that you can access your PC/Mac on your iPad. But that this the point? You still need PC/Mac for doing stuff. This does not prove how iPad better than PC. (Apple is flat out banning all torrent applications on App Store)
iPad should not be compared with PC nor it should act like a PC. When Steve Jobs announced the iPad, it is intended to be middle devices between PC and your phone.
Yes. If you can do stuffs with iPad if you are OK whole bunch of accessories, cloud storges, remote control applications. To me, I rather want use my PC than buying all these accessories, relying on cloud storage or remote control application.
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I don’t think this argument stands. As you said, video editing and coding are the things that laptop or desktop computer shines. To me, if one thing that iPad cannot do but laptop can do, then iPad is not replacement of laptop nor PC.
The idea of iPad replacing laptop is very silly. Some takes are better with iPad and some tasks are better with PC.
Your idea of the word replace is way too cabined. If I no longer need a laptop because it does everything I used to use a laptop for, then it has replaced my laptop. And it was the laptop that needed an accessory (Wacom tablet) that my IPP does not. The other things you list I have no need for.
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Sure it does. Not everyone needs or wants to code or edit videos. I use my iPad for work and personal and I am very happy with it. I don't need to handle any operational tasks. It may be silly to you since it doesn't work for you, but it's much better than any PC I have ever had. Your last statement I agree with 100% though, choose the device that works best for you. For me, it's easily an iPad.
No it does not. You still don’t get what i said.
When you compare two things, let’s say A and B. If you claim A can replace B, then A need to do whatever B can or you have alternivate means to achieve whatever B can. If not, then A cannot replace B.
In science, if you have a theory, in order this theory to be stand, it need be tested. If one thing makes this theory fail, then this theory fails. If you are making an argument claiming one item can replace other, you will need to make sure one can truely replace other, if one thing that one cannot achieve, it cannot replace other.
There is no lack of understanding here. There is disagreement about what the word replace means. If I say I replaced my truck with a compact car, no one thinks I am saying the car can haul large items. They think I have bought anew car that gets me around town, because that’s all I need and I like the gas mileage and it’s better for my life.
For you maybe. But the general argument that iPad can replace laptop fails. This thread is talk about that. One cannot make general argument stating iPad CAN replace laptop while there are use cases shows otherwise.
iPad cannot replace laptop in board usage case. But if one just browsing the web, then iPad maybe the laptop replacement for he/she. But it does not mean iPad can replace laptop in general term.
I get what you are saying, but not everyone needs a computer to do the same thing. For me, my iPad has replaced my computer and I can do everything I need on it. This isn't a blanket statement, everyone is different. An iPad is just another choice of computer. If it doesn't work for you, you get something different.
Well, I teach formal logic, and I’ll tell you that the way you are using the word can is incorrect in that sense. The word can means that even .0000000001% of the time it is possible. There is literally no one here arguing that an ipad can replace a laptop 100% of the time.
That is good. To me, i still need rely on my Windows laptop, I am filling out lots of pdf forms that requires Windows or Mac version of Adobe reader.
And seems lots of Canadian government forms are gonna work with iPad or Android. As i am filling out my wife’s immigrantion application, 90% of immigration forms are not displayed correctly with iPad.
My work requires me to fill outs of customer forms, excel sheets that use Macro. None of these forms will work with iOS.
But otherwise, i am using my iPad as drawing tools, watching videos, browsing internet and do some research.
To me, there is clear line between iPad and laptop. Some tasks are better accomplished using PC while some other tasks are better accomplished using iPad. I do not and will never consider iPad is laptop replacement.
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That is good. To me, i still need rely on my Windows laptop, I am filling out lots of pdf forms that requires Windows or Mac version of Adobe reader.
And seems lots of Canadian government forms are gonna work with iPad or Android. As i am filling out my wife’s immigrantion application, 90% of immigration forms are not displayed correctly with iPad.
My work requires me to fill outs of customer forms, excel sheets that use Macro. None of these forms will work with iOS.
But otherwise, i am using my iPad as drawing tools, watching videos, browsing internet and do some research.
To me, there is clear line between iPad and laptop. Some tasks are better accomplished using PC while some other tasks are better accomplished using iPad. I do not and will never consider iPad is laptop replacement.
Understandable. I don't expect it to work for everyone. That's why it's great we have choices.
I think it’s a relatively simple argument; an iPad can do a lot of basic computing tasks well enough or in some cases better than a traditional computer that yes for some people it is a suitable alternative. For other people and workflows it’s specific sets of limitations make it a nonstarter or a less attractive proposition.
Matt Gemmel wrote a piece on "Laptop Replacement" that has been argued here in its own thread.
This is an accurate argument. Everyone has tasks to do. Some tasks may be able to be done on an iPad. Some may not. The ones that can't be done may not be crucial. When a person makes up their list of what they need to do, as they check off what tasks can be done on what device, that factors which device is ideal.
For me, my problem is I straddle two lines that in totality neither the iPad or MacBook meet all of. I like to write and draw, which is ideal on the iPad, especially when I travel. If all I did was write and draw, I could go iPad only 100%. The problem is, I also do IS Security work. That cannot be done on an iPad at all. I'm either bringing 6lbs of computer gear with me when I need to both draw and do security when not at home, or end up needing a device I don't have. My default answer right now is "just bring the iPad and not the MacBook," but I regret that.
This is an accurate argument. Everyone has tasks to do. Some tasks may be able to be done on an iPad. Some may not. The ones that can't be done may not be crucial. When a person makes up their list of what they need to do, as they check off what tasks can be done on what device, that factors which device is ideal.
For me, my problem is I straddle two lines that in totality neither the iPad or MacBook meet all of. I like to write and draw, which is ideal on the iPad, especially when I travel. If all I did was write and draw, I could go iPad only 100%. The problem is, I also do IS Security work. That cannot be done on an iPad at all. I'm either bringing 6lbs of computer gear with me when I need to both draw and do security when not at home, or end up needing a device I don't have. My default answer right now is "just bring the iPad and not the MacBook," but I regret that.
PCs and iPads are both general-purpose computing devices. Each has specific hardware and software capabilities, strengths and weaknesses. I think you'll find, if you analyze individual use cases as people describe them here, that PCs are simply not necessary for a fair number of users who previously had no choice other than to use a PC. Arguably, a PC was overkill for their needs - perhaps the OS was more complex than necessary, with more day-to-day management tasks than necessary. Perhaps the relatively simple apps available in iOS are well suited to their tastes and needs - not everyone needs industrial-strength tools. Perhaps a touch-based OS is more suited to the way they do things - far more link/button clicking and slider dragging than text/numeric input, for example. iPad addresses their needs, and therefore for them, a smaller, cheaper iPad has replaced a portable PC (and sometimes, even a desktop) that turned out to be a sub-optimal tool for their needs.
[I'm speaking in the third person here, but iPad replaced a laptop in my computing toolkit in 2010 - soon after I purchased my first-gen iPad. I still use desktops extensively, but for my portable computing needs a slimmer, lighter, easier to handle iPad (plus a physical keyboard) is all I've needed in the field.]
However, IF the question is, "Can an iPad match a PC feature-for-feature?" the answer is going to be no. They are two different classes of device, with a significant amount of feature/capability overlap, but with other capabilities that are unique to the device class.
Maybe people should read the titles of these threads more closely, and actually respond to the title and premise of the thread, rather than try to change them into something else. It's NOT about whether a tablet can match a PC feature-for-feature, it's about whether a tablet is capable of replacing a PC in those cases that it can.
I'm old enough to remember there was once a distinction between a minicomputer (from the likes of DEC, Sun, and SGI, running Unix or Unix-like OSes, generally used as engineering workstations in networked business settings) and a microcomputer (generally MOS/Zilog/Intel/Motorola-based PCs running the likes of CP/M, MS-DOS, Windows, Apple DOS and Macintosh System Software - more likely in free-standing use than networked). Eventually, microcomputers and their OSes expanded in capability to the point they consumed the entire minicomputer category. While I'm not going to claim the same will happen with tablet vs. PC, it's been clear that the growth in capability on the tablet side has made serious inroads into the market for both laptop and desktop PCs. Concurrently, just as PCs expanded the market for computing devices from the enterprise to the individual, the tablet has expanded the market for personal computing devices into new areas/users for individuals and enterprise.
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Now, back to the OP for a moment. Should a $329 iPad be compared to a $1,200 PC? I agree, seems silly. However, I disagree that there is a line to be drawn between $329 iPad and a $649/$799 iPad Pro. If you're comparing the price/performance of an iPad to a MacBook Air or MacBook, then it makes sense to compare the price/performance of an iPad Pro to a MacBook Pro. In the case of any kind of Apple "Pro," the user pays a premium for capabilities the average user doesn't really need - better processors, better displays and graphics chips, better I/O, faster storage, more RAM, etc. Sometimes those extra capabilities are luxuries, other times they are essential productivity/capability tools. It's up to each user to determine whether they can either a) afford the luxury, or b) afford to forego the productivity/capability.
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I think it's way too common for people who hang out in forums of this sort to believe that they know much better than anyone else just exactly what the other person needs. Sometimes, that's undoubtedly true - there are people who don't know enough to make a wise buying decision. Other times, it's purely a matter of misplaced ego - the kind of behavior routinely lampooned in The Big Bang Theory. On the assumption that we're nearly all grown-ups here, it'd be refreshing if we would give the other person credit for knowing his/her needs.
So because it doesn't have a trackpad, that means it's not a proper replacement for a laptop? Just trying to follow the logic here.
If it was a laptop replacement it would be another type of laptop. e.g A Dell laptop could replace a MacBook laptop because they are both laptops. An iPad can replace many laptop tasks but not a laptop. imo.
I mean, I get what you are saying, but it's just another way of saying the same thing. I had a MacBook in early 2017, I sold it when the iPad Pro came out. I replaced my MacBook with an iPad Pro for the same tasks.
Why does a laptop (or desktop) have a pointing device? In large part because it doesn't have a touch screen. Mice and trackpads are metaphors for fingers. Certainly, anyone adept with trackpad or mouse will also point to the extra precision that may be possible with a trackpad or mouse (but in my experience, rarely necessary). But if you can touch-and-drag, or tap a link instead of click... you're simply doing the same thing with a different tool.
I've had a fair amount of experience with people who got their first touchpad-equipped laptop after many years of mousing about on a desktop and have a really hard time adapting. I also remember what it took to teach mousing back in the transition days from character-based UIs to GUIs (Oh, the hours of Solitaire necessary to become really fast with a mouse!). Sure, they get there eventually, but building the muscle memory and eye-hand skills for mouse/trackpad takes time and may be frustrating. The same people may end up preferring touchscreen to trackpad because it's simply more direct - they learned direct touch as infants.
Now, when you get into more complex multi-touch/multi-finger actions, things begin to even out. However, without a doubt, to a first-time user a touchscreen is easier to "drive" than a touchpad or mouse.