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All iPads What can one do on an iPP that can’t be done on an iPad Air?
- Thread starter ssledoux
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Nope. But the there is nothing you can do on a MacBook pro that can’t be done in a MacBook Air either. It just depends on how fast you want it done, and how efficient you want to be.
It’s just a computer. The higher the specs, the better the experience give or take.
Wouldn’t that be a hardware ‘nice to have’ feature? I’m not sure l having that means you can’t do something, it just means it’s done better.
Not really. It depends on you. The Pro is just ”more” - faster, brighter, can be larger, with some extra cherries on the top like face ID and better cameras/AR features.
For me, the core difference is: can you do your work on an approx. 11” display as opposed to a 13” display? I find the Air fine for most things like reading, viewing stuff, but to do any sort of work, even simple tech drawings using the pencil, it’s just too small. Even the big Pro is a little too small.
I can’t store 500+GB worth of data locally on the Air.
Also, can’t use the Air as a flashlight in a pinch (e.g. when you’re already holding the iPad in hand and don’t want to rummage through the purse for the iPhone).
FaceID authentication makes using the iPP with keyboard and mouse a lot more convenient.
The better cameras are nicer for scanning.
Basically just quality of life improvements.
Also, can’t use the Air as a flashlight in a pinch (e.g. when you’re already holding the iPad in hand and don’t want to rummage through the purse for the iPhone).
FaceID authentication makes using the iPP with keyboard and mouse a lot more convenient.
The better cameras are nicer for scanning.
Basically just quality of life improvements.
The two reasons I went from an Air 4 to an M2 IPP were larger storage capacity and the thunderbolt port. I have a desk setup where everything plugs into a caldigit thunderbolt dock and I just swap cables to whatever device I want to use at a given time, and I wanted more storage because I was running into occasions where I’d be 80% or more full on the 256GB Air and I hate trying to decide what gets deleted.
I recognize these are pretty serious edge cases and not much of a good reason. 😜
I recognize these are pretty serious edge cases and not much of a good reason. 😜
I have the 2022 Air and a 2018 12.9” Pro.
The way I use them is almost entirely the same.
Multitasking with windows side by side is a lot more comfortable on the Pro, though, due to its size.
I often use them as notepads in front of my keyboard at my desk and in that case the Pro’a size can be a problem. My lower arm will lie right on the edge of the Pro which is uncomfortable. With the Air, thanks to its smaller size, this doesn’t happen.
The 12.9” Pro’s Magic Keyboard is a tiny bit more comfortable to type on because on the Air’s/11” the keys are a little more cramped.
Apart from that it really just comes down to whatever my preference is that day.
The way I use them is almost entirely the same.
Multitasking with windows side by side is a lot more comfortable on the Pro, though, due to its size.
I often use them as notepads in front of my keyboard at my desk and in that case the Pro’a size can be a problem. My lower arm will lie right on the edge of the Pro which is uncomfortable. With the Air, thanks to its smaller size, this doesn’t happen.
The 12.9” Pro’s Magic Keyboard is a tiny bit more comfortable to type on because on the Air’s/11” the keys are a little more cramped.
Apart from that it really just comes down to whatever my preference is that day.
i was wondering about pencil drawing. Since you can zoom pictures is it that big of an issue?
Drawing on a paper you are stuck with the size. But on the ipad you can zoom and drag to draw.
I had the ipad 3 and mini 2. liked the mini much more cos it was more ergonomic in pre pencil times for me.
now considering an used pro or mini 6.
the key differences are:
- using the iPad for colour referencing (12.9-inch Mini LED display)
- storage greater than 256GB
- ProMotion
- Pencil hover feature
- 4 speakers vs 2 speakers on the Air
- 35% faster graphics due to M2’s 10 core vs M1’s 8 core GPU.
It depends if any of the above matter to you.
- using the iPad for colour referencing (12.9-inch Mini LED display)
- storage greater than 256GB
- ProMotion
- Pencil hover feature
- 4 speakers vs 2 speakers on the Air
- 35% faster graphics due to M2’s 10 core vs M1’s 8 core GPU.
It depends if any of the above matter to you.
I know those differences. I just didn’t know about actually DOING anything.
Again. Why the ridiculous questions? Do you ask this of a regular computer? No. You don’t. No one does. They know that a better spec’d machine cost more and does better - but they also know that they all can essentially do the same thing.
Why on earth do you assume the iPad should be different? Do you think it should sprout wings and fly?
The pro is better becuase it’s more powerful. They all do the same thing though.
Like. Every. Other. Home. Computer.
Nothing about the question warranted that kind of response. Ignore it if you don't like it but don't snap at the questioner.
Wow - sorry my question rubbed you the wrong way. Maybe I didn’t word it correctly. I don’t mean can the pro do it faster or better. What I mean is can you do anything on the pro that CANNOT be done on the Air?
At one time only the pro had split screens. That’s the kind of thing I am asking. Are there things only the pro can do?
I have a pro, so clearly I’m not looking to make a lesser machine do more. I’m just wondering if I were to downsize from a 12.9 at some point, whether I’d lose any actual functionality (not spec stuff) if I chose an Air over a pro.
But thanks so much for your unnecessary blast.
14 vs. 14 pro: we will see how apple handles A15 vs. A16 in future regarding features and iOS support.
I understood your question very well. To be honest I would chose a pro over an air next time to be sure to get as much features possible in future iPad OS releases.
I really love the size of the iPad mini, but aren’t you worried about buying such an old model?
Yes you’re correct.
My apologies, sparksd is correct about my overly abusive reply to you.
However, and not you particularly, but I do get rubbed up the wrong way by these types of seemingly innocuous points or questions that in reality always point to a similar agenda; ‘the ipad is just a toy’ ‘just get a laptop’ ‘it’s just a big iphone’ or some other weirdly ‘offended by the iPad’ type stance.
Taken in that light, my point still stands. Nobody asks the same questions about the viability the various different powers or specifications on traditional computer offerings, certainly not in manner that seems to expect a higher powered version be able to do something that a lower powered version just cannot do.
Anyway, apologies again. I am dealing with other stuff in my life and chose to vent on you.
I appreciate that, and I understand.
I definitely enjoy my pro and appreciate that it has better specs and does things better/faster. I don’t really use this thing to do nearly what others do, but it IS my main computing device, so I wouldn’t want to put myself in a position where I couldn’t do the things I need to do IF I downsized.
If memory serves me correctly, which it certainly may not, I was thinking at one point you could only do split screen on a pro, which made me wonder if there were software-type things I wouldn’t be able to do if I went to an Air. Of course that’s the only example I could think of - lol. I love my gadgets, but admit I don’t really tap into their capabilities nearly as much as some.
I get how that could sound like “hey is this $500 machine as good as this $1200 machine,” but that really wasn’t my intention.
But all rambling aside, thank you again for the apology. Life is pretty frustrating on this end right now also, so I get it.
