iPad Pro The iPad Pro vs. Laptop discussion comes down to this: Am I more of a designer / artist or not

[MacManTexas56]

Happened with the the relaunched MBA 2019, wasn't up to any task. Got an old office MBP 2017 which works like a charm in comparison.

So what you prefer about daily task on the iPad? Isn't it cumbersome sometimes trying to position the tablet? I mean with the laptop that's a no-brainer.

You use an attached keyboard mainly or on-screen keyboard?

sorry for the slow reply! when at home, i mainly just write emails, browse the web, view shows, look at photos and rarely do i use microsoft word etc. There is nothing intense that i do that i absolutely have to have an laptop or a desktop. Now that we can save files to the iPad and to an external drive from the iPad, that's a game changer. There really is no need for me to own a desktop or a laptop at all...as again i'm a light user at home. Now at work, that's a totally different story.

What's great about the new magic keyboard is i can take it on and off quickly. A lot of the time i'm just browsing and not really typing at all...so the keyboard isn't necessary. If I want to type a lot like i would with a laptop, then i'll just throw on the magic keyboard. I like that it's so versatile.

 

[kazmac]

In using both a 2019 iPad and an 11” iPad Pro, I prefer the 2019 iPad in every way as an art tool. The extra ram is not very beneficial in Procreate and there are more lags and freezes on the iPad Pro than on the 2019 iPad. Sorry I bought the iPP (cannot return it to Verizon), as it doesn’t work with my work apps (why I bought it) and Files is quite buggy (I deleted it from both iPads). Ultimately, it’s not a viable tool for anything except art and media consumption (and a back up at that). I am in the minority, but this has nipped my iPP desire pretty hard (though the 2nd gen pencil is great).

Unless I start using more intensive art programs, I will probably trade it in toward the next iPad, if the weight is the same as the 2019.

For me, I’d go laptop and 2019 iPad. I know there are folks who use the iPP for many great things, but my needs are very simple.

 

[secretk]

In using both a 2019 iPad and an 11” iPad Pro, I prefer the 2019 iPad in every way as an art tool. The extra ram is not very beneficial in Procreate and there are more lags and freezes on the iPad Pro than on the 2019 iPad. Sorry I bought the iPP (cannot return it to Verizon), as it doesn’t work with my work apps (why I bought it) and Files is quite buggy (I deleted it from both iPads). Ultimately, it’s not a viable tool for anything except art and media consumption (and a back up at that). I am in the minority, but this has nipped my iPP desire pretty hard (though the 2nd gen pencil is great).

Unless I start using more intensive art programs, I will probably trade it in toward the next iPad, if the weight is the same as the 2019.

For me, I’d go laptop and 2019 iPad. I know there are folks who use the iPP for many great things, but my needs are very simple.

Interesting that your iPP freezes more than your 2019 iPad. What are the work apps that you wanted to use and you cannot?

I agree about Files. It is buggy. To be honest I can use it from work but on like exceptional cases. Say I am in vacation and I am outside in a coffee shop and I am getting asked via chat or email about something work related. I can consult. I also have access to OneNote and I use OneNote to organize the team so I can still add there stuff that the team would see. I can also do basic Powerpoint stuff. Like I would not do the slides themselves with the elements, effects and all that but I can do the outline (basically adding all slides and put in notes the purpose of each slide). I can also do final touches of a PPT that has been mostly done. Also sometimes I have to explain processes to people and using the pencil in Notability to sketch out the process is quite helpful actually. Sometimes I also use MindNode to do mindmaps that I can share with the team when it comes to problem solving or brainstorming.

I would not use the iPad to test our application though or to see test results or to check code though.

And I do not think that I need the pro version for those kind of activities. I more need the display size. Like I have eye issues (myopia and astigmatism) and 9.7 inch screen is not enough sometimes. But I get your point that for basic stuff you don't need the Pro.

 

[zhenya]

In using both a 2019 iPad and an 11” iPad Pro, I prefer the 2019 iPad in every way as an art tool. The extra ram is not very beneficial in Procreate and there are more lags and freezes on the iPad Pro than on the 2019 iPad. Sorry I bought the iPP (cannot return it to Verizon), as it doesn’t work with my work apps (why I bought it) and Files is quite buggy (I deleted it from both iPads). Ultimately, it’s not a viable tool for anything except art and media consumption (and a back up at that). I am in the minority, but this has nipped my iPP desire pretty hard (though the 2nd gen pencil is great).

Unless I start using more intensive art programs, I will probably trade it in toward the next iPad, if the weight is the same as the 2019.

For me, I’d go laptop and 2019 iPad. I know there are folks who use the iPP for many great things, but my needs are very simple.

I’m not quite sure I follow you, but if your iPad Pro is lagging and freezing, you should return it for warranty exchange. My 2018 iPad Pro is absolutely rock solid even drawing in Procreate for hours. I have owned close to 10 iPads over the years - only experienced what you described - and I returned it for a replacement that was fine. You most likely have a hardware issue.

 

[kamikazeeMC]

End of day 2 with my 11” and really liking it, still waiting on the Pencil to deliver but getting through my daily tasks just fine. I have setup a nice folder system on my external drive and cloud so transferring things over is pretty smooth, guess I’ll find out how unstable it is when I get round to buying a mirrorless camera and move big files. I can even type pretty well on the glass so will be skipping on a folio/external keyboard.

Might be a bit early but offered my desktop to someone, so going to commit hard to using this as a replacement.

I love the silence of this.

 

[Suspenders]

Switching to an iPad Pro only has been something I've been contemplating. I recently purchased a 12.9" iPad Pro and I love it. There are some things to get used to, but I think it just requires a different mindset. I'll be using my iPad Pro mainly for photography and some video editing.

I think for my day job, it might be a bit more difficult to use my iPad Pro, but not completely impossible, but that's because I'm an end user of certain data and don't have to program or analyze very large files. Then again, I could always use my iPad Pro to log into Citrix and do some more complex tasks if/when required.

The only downfall that I've seen so far (personal use wise of an iPad Pro only approach) is my iTunes music management. I have a very large catalog of music that I've bought over the years, which I don't think I could manage on an iPad. I sync that same catalog to 3 other iPhones and I don't believe it's something I could do with my iPad.

I currently have a MBP and if I do decide to sell it, I'll likely pick up a Mac Mini for the few one off tasks that can't be accomplished via my iPad Pro.

 

[cupcakes2000]

Switching to an iPad Pro only has been something I've been contemplating. I recently purchased a 12.9" iPad Pro and I love it. There are some things to get used to, but I think it just requires a different mindset. I'll be using my iPad Pro mainly for photography and some video editing.

I think for my day job, it might be a bit more difficult to use my iPad Pro, but not completely impossible, but that's because I'm an end user of certain data and don't have to program or analyze very large files. Then again, I could always use my iPad Pro to log into Citrix and do some more complex tasks if/when required.

The only downfall that I've seen so far (personal use wise of an iPad Pro only approach) is my iTunes music management. I have a very large catalog of music that I've bought over the years, which I don't think I could manage on an iPad. I sync that same catalog to 3 other iPhones and I don't believe it's something I could do with my iPad.

I currently have a MBP and if I do decide to sell it, I'll likely pick up a Mac Mini for the few one off tasks that can't be accomplished via my iPad Pro.

Exactly what I did, sold my top spec iMac I now have an essentially headless Mac mini which i use to manage lightroom and other small tasks better suited to a mac. I use my ipad to control it, and its a little like having a macOS app. It’s very very cool. I use a Logitech mouse and keyboard which has an on-the-fly Bluetooth switcher.

 

[kamikazeeMC]

my iTunes music management. I have a very large catalog of music

I’m guessing my library is a fraction compared to yours, I ended up making Spotify playlists for all the tracks I’ve collected over the years. Couldn’t add everything (region availability) but got most of it.

 

[Madhatter32]

This is no longer a hardware problem. It’s all software. If Apple chooses to enable ipados to support everything needed to bring full feature parity from Mac apps to ipados, there will soon be no functional difference between working on a Mac or an iPad. One device will simply have a more flexible form factor.

Unless I can get with an iPad with a 16 inch screen, I cannot work on it. Also, the software does not seem to be fully functional on an iPad, at least on what I have tried. Maybe someday.

 

[Nikhil72]

I think this truly has to come down to your specific lines of work. Yes, I use my iPad for consumption: ebooks, magazines, video content, casual browsing. I also use it full time for work; I’m a physician and have been iPad Pro only since the 2018 models came out since my EMR is a mobile-first iPad based app which allows for quick documentation and notetaking as well as billing. Outside of documentation time, I use it for reading medical journals (academic PDFs are ~the size of the 12.9) and medical textbooks while handwriting notes when I need to keep up or brush up on something. I can also use it to watch medical lectures in PIP while documenting.

Now in COVID times, we’re doing some telemedicine at around 8-10 patients in a half day’s virtual clinic; the interface is purely Safari-based, and when I’m ready to document or send prescriptions, I just tab over to their chart (the only downside? I disappear in this moment since iPadOS turns off camera access when the active app is backgrounded except for FaceTime, but this isn’t a big deal to me or my patients since we’ve already had a focused conversation and I can continue to hear them if they need to chime in). Finally, responding to patient messages—>Safari; faxing prior authorizations for insurance coverage for medicatinos—>iPP+Apple Pencil to fill out forms or if filled out on paper, using the iPP to scan the document and then using a physician-focused app with built in digital faxing.

Outside of those uses, I use Lightroom and Darkroom (iOS only in that case) on my iPad to edit photos which always feels tremendously more natural than using a laptop for me (not to mention speedier feeling); iCloud Photos organizes all my pictures seamlessly, and I have every original downloaded to my 1TB IPP (~150GB). The Files app is perfectly adequate for my purposes (the hardest I push it is when I occasionally use Apple’s Privacy site to download backup copies of my iCloud photo library, which comes out to ~7-8 25GB ZIP files which I transfer to an external APFS-formatted SSD).

So, a 3lb laptop-like device when using the magic keyboard which undocks to a 1.4lb casual tablet when my above workflows don’t demand text input. An extremely iOS-friendly (arguably preferred) workflow based on my needs, consistent and reliable 10hr battery life, no overheating or fans whirring, no weird slowdowns or jittering when there’s a sudden background process errant on MacOS...and don’t get me wrong, I grew up on MacOS and used it thoroughly until ~2 years ago, but can someone explain to me exactly how my (non-artist, non-designer) needs are better met by a ”true laptop”?

 

[secretk]

I think this truly has to come down to your specific lines of work. Yes, I use my iPad for consumption: ebooks, magazines, video content, casual browsing. I also use it full time for work; I’m a physician and have been iPad Pro only since the 2018 models came out since my EMR is a mobile-first iPad based app which allows for quick documentation and notetaking as well as billing. Outside of documentation time, I use it for reading medical journals (academic PDFs are ~the size of the 12.9) and medical textbooks while handwriting notes when I need to keep up or brush up on something. I can also use it to watch medical lectures in PIP while documenting.

Now in COVID times, we’re doing some telemedicine at around 8-10 patients in a half day’s virtual clinic; the interface is purely Safari-based, and when I’m ready to document or send prescriptions, I just tab over to their chart (the only downside? I disappear in this moment since iPadOS turns off camera access when the active app is backgrounded except for FaceTime, but this isn’t a big deal to me or my patients since we’ve already had a focused conversation and I can continue to hear them if they need to chime in). Finally, responding to patient messages—>Safari; faxing prior authorizations for insurance coverage for medicatinos—>iPP+Apple Pencil to fill out forms or if filled out on paper, using the iPP to scan the document and then using a physician-focused app with built in digital faxing.

Outside of those uses, I use Lightroom and Darkroom (iOS only in that case) on my iPad to edit photos which always feels tremendously more natural than using a laptop for me (not to mention speedier feeling); iCloud Photos organizes all my pictures seamlessly, and I have every original downloaded to my 1TB IPP (~150GB). The Files app is perfectly adequate for my purposes (the hardest I push it is when I occasionally use Apple’s Privacy site to download backup copies of my iCloud photo library, which comes out to ~7-8 25GB ZIP files which I transfer to an external APFS-formatted SSD).

So, a 3lb laptop-like device when using the magic keyboard which undocks to a 1.4lb casual tablet when my above workflows don’t demand text input. An extremely iOS-friendly (arguably preferred) workflow based on my needs, consistent and reliable 10hr battery life, no overheating or fans whirring, no weird slowdowns or jittering when there’s a sudden background process errant on MacOS...and don’t get me wrong, I grew up on MacOS and used it thoroughly until ~2 years ago, but can someone explain to me exactly how my (non-artist, non-designer) needs are better met by a ”true laptop”?

You are right. Based on your usage (in terms of apps themselves) iOS suits your needs perfectly. The only concern would be RAM management. Sometimes iOS behaves weirdly and it might cause some issues with apps/tabs reload and you might lose the data you have entered in Safari. Considering the way you see things I assume this had not happened to you or it happens rarely to you.

That being I said will I tell you why I would choose laptop over iPad for the video calls. Front camera placement for iPad is not useful when you use the iPad in landscape mode. Your face is not really in focus. On laptop this is better. Also I would prefer during video calls to share my screen. And in this case to actually Share the Safari stuff. This is easier done with a laptop. In general for work video calls I choose laptops for the camera placement and the option to share my screen with what I type which is really important for me. Or even if you don't need to share it you can always put on one screen the video call itself, on the other monitor the Safari windows and edit it during the call even without the sharing.

 

[kazmac]

I’m not quite sure I follow you, but if your iPad Pro is lagging and freezing, you should return it for warranty exchange. My 2018 iPad Pro is absolutely rock solid even drawing in Procreate for hours. I have owned close to 10 iPads over the years - only experienced what you described - and I returned it for a replacement that was fine. You most likely have a hardware issue.

Verizon will not allow the exchange saying I have to take it to Apple - I obviously cannot do that now. Nor do I want a refurb replacement. I have had nothing but trouble with every iPad I’ve owned since 2017, yet I love drawing on them and keep trying.

Anyway, not sure why my iPads freak under Procreate use whether it’s minutes or over an hour, but they do, no matter the model.

Glad yours works just fine.

@secretk Citrix. Cannot remote into my work desktop and honestly it’s not worth it anyway, I need a much bigger screen.

At any rate, glad people enjoy their iPads and iPad Pros, I am good with the cheapest iPad. Wish I would have stayed with that, but it is what it is.

As far as a laptop replacement, it all depends on the user. Definitely not me.

 

[secretk]

Verizon will not allow the exchange saying I have to take it to Apple - I obviously cannot do that now. Nor do I want a refurb replacement. I have had nothing but trouble with every iPad I’ve owned since 2017, yet I love drawing on them and keep trying.

This sucks.

Anyway, not sure why my iPads seems to freak under Procreate use whether it’s minutes or over an hour, but they do, no matter the model.

Glad yours works just fine.

Interesting. I do use Procreate but I usually don't have a lot of time so I do not use it for more than 30 minutes/hour at once. Maybe this is why I do not experience such issues.

@secretk Citrix. Cannot remote into my work desktop and honestly it’s not worth it anyway, I need a much bigger screen.

At any rate, glad people enjoy their iPads and iPad Pros, I am good with the cheapest iPad. Wish I would have stayed with that, but it is what it is.

As far as a laptop replacement, it all depends on the user. Definitely not me.

I feel the same way. iPads are not laptop replacement for me. I do choose laptops. I mean now I am in bed typing on my 15.6 inch laptop while a movie is running. I just find it so much more enjoyable to use my laptop on my lap in bed. Typing experience - awesome. Less errors and man what a speed. No need to hold the device at all, my lap is doing all of the work.

 

[Nikhil72]

You are right. Based on your usage (in terms of apps themselves) iOS suits your needs perfectly. The only concern would be RAM management. Sometimes iOS behaves weirdly and it might cause some issues with apps/tabs reload and you might lose the data you have entered in Safari. Considering the way you see things I assume this had not happened to you or it happens rarely to you.

That being I said will I tell you why I would choose laptop over iPad for the video calls. Front camera placement for iPad is not useful when you use the iPad in landscape mode. Your face is not really in focus. On laptop this is better. Also I would prefer during video calls to share my screen. And in this case to actually Share the Safari stuff. This is easier done with a laptop. In general for work video calls I choose laptops for the camera placement and the option to share my screen with what I type which is really important for me. Or even if you don't need to share it you can always put on one screen the video call itself, on the other monitor the Safari windows and edit it during the call even without the sharing.

Definitely no major issues with RAM refreshes; once in a while, an old tab will reload if I haven’t interacted with it in days (I’m a tab hoarder), but no major issues with day to day use (mind you, I’m on a 2020 IPP with 6GB RAM, but didn’t notice major issues on my 2018 either).

As for webcam location, agreed, it would be better on the horizontal, but not a critical dealbreaker for me either since I’m mainly on video to observe and examine someone on the other end; absolutely no need to share my screen at any point either, and while laptops have better webcam locations, the webcam video quality on iPads and iPhones is just SO much better that to me, it’s worth the tradeoff (and this is just physical; there is room for a physically larger module in a thicker iPad than a thin laptop LCD)

 

[secretk]

Definitely no major issues with RAM refreshes; once in a while, an old tab will reload if I haven’t interacted with it in days (I’m a tab hoarder), but no major issues with day to day use (mind you, I’m on a 2020 IPP with 6GB RAM, but didn’t notice major issues on my 2018 either).

This is good. I unfortunately have issues with this. Quite often I experience tabs and apps reloads. I exchange PMs in a specific forum and I have lost few messages (that have taken me like 40 minutes to write) because of this reloading. I so was not happy. I ended up copying the message I am responding to in Notes, typing the answer in Notes and then posting it once I am finished.

As for webcam location, agreed, it would be better on the horizontal, but not a critical dealbreaker for me either since I’m mainly on video to observe and examine someone on the other end; absolutely no need to share my screen at any point either, and while laptops have better webcam locations, the webcam video quality on iPads and iPhones is just SO much better that to me, it’s worth the tradeoff (and this is just physical; there is room for a physically larger module in a thicker iPad than a thin laptop LCD)

While I do agree that it is not critical for you in terms of what you need, I can tell you that it might be important for the person on the other side. If I have video chat with camera on I do want to see the person on the other side properly.

True that not every laptop has good webcam quality but honestly the iPad is not that good either. Not better compared to the laptops I have actually. It is not DSLR quality but works for calls as long as you are in focus and people can see you.

That being said you decide. I told you why I would still use laptop for this specific use case and would like it over using the iPad. For me video calls always comes with the need of second screen as I usually do need to check stuff during the calls. But this is me, not you.

 

[Suspenders]

Exactly what I did, sold my top spec iMac I now have an essentially headless Mac mini which i use to manage lightroom and other small tasks better suited to a mac. I use my ipad to control it, and its a little like having a macOS app. It’s very very cool. I use a Logitech mouse and keyboard which has an on-the-fly Bluetooth switcher.

That's pretty cool indeed. And knowing I could connect to my mac mini virtually from my iPad makes it all the better.

 

[rui no onna]

I feel the same way. iPads are not laptop replacement for me. I do choose laptops. I mean now I am in bed typing on my 15.6 inch laptop while a movie is running. I just find it so much more enjoyable to use my laptop on my lap in bed. Typing experience - awesome. Less errors and man what a speed. No need to hold the device at all, my lap is doing all of the work.

Meanwhile, I hate using laptops in bed or couch. For me, that's always been a sure fire recipe for neck pain because I'm always looking down on the laptop.

My iPad has a cover that doubles as stand and I can easily elevate it using pillows, etc. without risk of overheating. I could even rotate the iPad if I'm lying down on my side. It's always propped on something so I don't have to carry its full weight.

iPads are not laptop (or desktop) replacements for me simply because they can't run certain software I require and I doubt Apple would ever allow iOS to do so. That said, iPads work well enough for most of what I do and I greatly prefer the tablet/slate form factor (no physical keyboard for me unless I'm on a desk). The iPad is the device I most enjoy using and the one I reach for majority of the time, RAM management issues and all.

 

[The Game 161]

Never ending debate this it seems...

 

[petvas]

Of course it is. Different people will have different opinions and needs. It all comes down to this: Which platform and/or device makes you feel more comfortable when working with it, while at the same time allows you to achieve whatever task you set to do?
For me the iPad Pro is still not a replacement for my Macs but I am also not looking for one. I am happy with the way macOS works, so I use iOS less. That doesn't mean that the iPad is a bad choice. It is a great device, that I personally use more as a tablet and for light productivity tasks. For everything else macOS has me covered.

 

[UBS28]

The fact that people ask this question over 4 years shows that the iPad Pro is nothing more than a big iPhone with pencil support.

Nobody asks if the MacBook Pro is a laptop, because it is a laptop.

 

[aZZaneko]

I'm the designer / artist (among other things) you mention and I can definitely see a modern iPad being able to replace a laptop for me.

Neither can replace a proper desktop though.

I've been having laptops as my primary machines since 2003 at least. I'm used to this form factor, I feel at home there and it's the only kind of computer I could use for years, being on the go as often as I used to be. But I have to dock my laptop if I want to get any work done nowadays. I need performance, screen estate, ergonomics to survive long working hours, a good keyboard, a precise mouse, quality audio, graphic tablet, extra storage etc. I can keep a laptop plugged to achieve some of that but it essentially becomes a poor man's version of a desktop then, an overpriced version at that. So personally, I have accepted that some work will only be done with a stationary setup.

The choice between an iPad and a laptop looks very different then. Surely, a laptop is familiar, runs a less restricted OS and is easier to navigate with precision. But while a laptop is just a portable, compromised version of my desktop, an iPad actually brings new experiences, interaction methods and access to the wealth of applications not available on my main computer. And yes, it can't do some of the things I need to do, but most of those things won't be done on a laptop either. Both machines will do just fine with the things I'll be trying to do on the go.

I'm facing this choice between an iPP and a MBP right now and I'm leaning towards an iPad, to be honest.

 

[Nikhil72]

The fact that people ask this question over 4 years shows that the iPad Pro is nothing more than a big iPhone with pencil support.

Nobody asks if the MacBook Pro is a laptop, because it is a laptop.

Seems you have a pretty limited binary viewpoint when it comes to looking at all the tools available to consumers of all levels, professions, and needs today. The sheer nature of a device that’s increasingly becoming a hybrid is that it will always blur the lines between categories. Doesn’t seem problematic as long as each category continues to be an option for consumers to choose from.

 

[SurferJoes]

The new MK is a joke, no volume etc keys, no brightness keys, would never buy a keyboard without those. Trackpad has no haptic. Then when you take the iPad off you still need a case to protect it.
And then $589AUD lol.
My new 2020 Air was near $1k cheaper than what i would of spent on a 12.9 iPad and MK.
I have a 27" iMac too.

Except for the pencil and now mouse support iPad doesn't do anything different now than when it first came out. And i have had them all up until a few weeks ago.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

It can be a chore to simply download a file from a website on the iPad.

...What?

 

[Nikhil72]

...What?

just someone unwilling to realize things have changed tremendously in the last year. Preconceived notions and inflexibility.