iPad Pro Will you buy another iPad or go laptop?

[Abazigal]

For me, it's the last 2 points for laptops that make it so that I don't see an iPad ever fully replacing one for me. iPadOS is just too limited and sandboxed. If I want to do something as simple as attach a file to an email from my iPad, the file has to be on a cloud service or in an app that my preferred email app recognizes and works with. Sometimes I even have to do it the opposite way and open the file in its app and "export" it to my mail app. On a laptop, I can simply attach any file from anywhere on my computer. Bottom line is that as much as I love my iPad for numerous tasks, there are some things that are very straightforward on a laptop that require convoluted workarounds on an iPad.

I find that more often than not, an email app should support the files app, which would allow you to access the file you wish to attach. Worst-case scenario is you have the files app open in splitscreen mode and drag and drop the file over.

 

[rulymammoth]

iPads serve a different purpose for me than laptops. I don’t get any real work done on iPads. They’re content consumption machines, but that’s important. I love the big, bright, retina displays for reading books and watching movies. For book reading, especially, it’s important that I have a device that I can manipulate in various ways whether I’m at my desk, on my couch, on a flight, or in bed. My MBP could technically do almost everything I use my iPad for, but it’s not as light and doesn’t have a touch screen which renders it slightly less convenient for consumption activities.

Bottom line is it’s just a joy to use my iPad in a way that my MBP can’t match and that’s why I keep it around. But, my iPad would undoubtedly be the first device I’d give up if I had to give up one.

 

[thelookingglass]

I will probably get another iPad, but not an iPad Pro and likely not even an iPad Air.

I love my M1 11” iPP. It’s the most versatile and flexible computer I’ve ever owned. But I do most work on a Mac and the many subtle differences between how things work on a Mac vs how they work on an iPad add too much friction to use them together.

I still appreciate the iPad as a device for reading and watching stuff. And I can totally see how people use it as their main computing device. But it’s just not for me.

So desktop Mac plus laptop Mac will be my future and when my iPP falls apart, I will see if I get whatever is the base iPad then.

Out of curiosity, which Mac do you have?

 

[thecautioners]

I haven’t touched my M2 MBA in several months because I no longer have a WFH job and I’m always on my iPad. This flat rectangle checks all my boxes—internetting, email, Reddit, forums, streaming media, drawing, gaming, reading library books—everything I want to do is on my iPad. I like having a laptop available for use and don’t get me wrong I do love that machine, I just don’t have much reason to use it when everything I want is on my iPad. I don’t even use a keyboard with it, I have become quite comfortable typing on screen in landscape mode. I love going from recliner to bed and propping it on my stomach to doomscroll or read before sleep. It fits so well into my life and if I had to choose I’d pick the iPad.

 

[JustAnExpat]

When my iPad Pro dies, and I’m expecting that in a few months, I’ll get the coming 2024 iPad Air, to be used as a monitor for a Mac Mini. Luna Display allows you to control your Mac apps using the ipad screen. You don’t even need a hard connection at home, as it connects via your WiFi. At the local coffee shop, it’s a USBC cable. I can plug the Mini in there, or use my Rav Power battery, as it has a standard 3-prong outlet. Saw this on YT and the guy claimed 3-4 hours of run time.

I'm curious, why not use a small portable monitor and not an iPad Air?

 

[svish]

Will definitely replace my iPad with a newer iPad Pro when the current one no longer receives updates or when it is damaged. iPad complements my MacBook. Use both extensively

 

[leifp]

I'm curious, what advantage would a MBPro with cellular connectivity give that connecting the computer to an iPhone (or another cell phone) to the internet?

Personally, I’m a great hater of cellphones. The iPhone is a necessary evil that could be nipped in the bud with a cellular MBPro. Mind you, I’m also a great hater of laptops. Basically I’m a bit of a Luddite who ignores how the modern world actually works and dreams back to the (now impractical) desktops of his youth…

 

[xxFoxtail]

I replaced my 12.9" iPP with a M2 MacBook Air a few months ago. I like the laptop, but it's certainly overkill for my computing needs. Everything I need a computer for can be done with my iPhone (photo editing, spreadsheets, word processing, reading, web browsing, etc). If the iPhone ever gets external display and stage manager support, I'll never need a larger computer again. I rarely watch videos on these devices, and I don't play any video games with them.

The reasons I bought the Mac are no longer needed. But for now, I'm tossed between keeping my current set up (13" MBA and iPhone 14 Pro) and waiting to see if stage manager comes to an iPad mini or an iPhone first. I'd love to be able to use an iPhone Pro Max as my only device, but I'd also settle for an iPad mini that can be docked at my desk. I don't really want an iPad Air or Pro again. The smaller, the better for me.

 

[TechRunner]

My 7th gen fits a very specific niche as an ebook reader/content consumption device, and I value it greatly for that. I was getting ready to grab an iPad Air during the holiday sales madness when I saw the rumor concerning a bigger model possibly coming early next year. I'm holding off to see if that happens, how it's specced, etc. before deciding which model to upgrade to, but it will definitely be an iPad as no laptop could replace the iPad for me.

 

[kc9hzn]

Personally, I’m a great hater of cellphones. The iPhone is a necessary evil that could be nipped in the bud with a cellular MBPro. Mind you, I’m also a great hater of laptops. Basically I’m a bit of a Luddite who ignores how the modern world actually works and dreams back to the (now impractical) desktops of his youth…

The ironic thing is that Vision Pro is like a return to ye olde desktop, given its poor battery life and largely tethered nature. You’re not gonna be using it at Starbucks or on the subway (which might end up being what really prevents it from taking off, we’re too used to having computing everywhere and may not want to return to the days of fixed point computing).

 

[Richard8655]

Similarly to others, iPad 9 and Mac Mini M1 for desktop here. Aversion to laptops, likely from IT working years when issued one to lug around everywhere. For me, just too bulky and ungainly.

 

[ipaqrat]

Using Stage Manager requires an M1 or M2 chip (for some reason). I tried using Stage Manager on my MacBook Air, but it just doesn't work for me. I don't know if it's different for the iPad or not.

Stage Manager works on my 2019 Intel MPB (Sonoma). Tried it for a coupe weeks. Found it to be an irritating, degenerate form of multitasking - like that of an iPad, which might have been the goal. Stage Manager is especially ironic with multiple large monitors, which, because I'm old, means anything over a 13" Trinitron. I use the Laptop display plus two 32" diaplays, albeit only 1920X1080.

For me, the comparison is less about proving that a task can or can't be done on a laptop vs. iPad. Simply, I know what I'm in for with each tool set, and like horses, the reward is a good finish sooner. Then I die, go in a hole, and a new horse poops. Circle of IT.

 

[muzzy996]

For me, it's the last 2 points for laptops that make it so that I don't see an iPad ever fully replacing one for me. iPadOS is just too limited and sandboxed. If I want to do something as simple as attach a file to an email from my iPad, the file has to be on a cloud service or in an app that my preferred email app recognizes and works with. Sometimes I even have to do it the opposite way and open the file in its app and "export" it to my mail app. On a laptop, I can simply attach any file from anywhere on my computer. Bottom line is that as much as I love my iPad for numerous tasks, there are some things that are very straightforward on a laptop that require convoluted workarounds on an iPad.

Totally this.

Things can always be done differently - whether or not one wants to do them differently is a personal choice. One can often find a more straightforward and efficient way to do things which can make all the difference to someone if those things are done repetitively in large scale.

 

[joeblow7777]

What do you mean? On the iPad you can attach any file that is stored anywhere. Even if the file is stored on a Mac, you can attach it to your emails on the iPad.

And there is no work around, you just click add attachment in the mail app and navigate to your Mac where the file is and done. And this also works with files that are directly on the iPad (doesn’t need to be in an app), NAS drives and cloud services.

You're assuming I have a Mac. And I'm guessing that this Mac would have to be turned and connected to the internet? And this is just another way that the iPad acts as a supplement to a laptop, not a replacement, which is my point.

 

[hovscorpion12]

For me, sadly I have moved on from the iPad. As much as I did enjoy my 12.9", it had its limitations. While I did replace the iPad Pro with an MacBook Air 15 [same fan-less design], it runs full MacOS. I can full multitask, run full FCP and take advantage of the larger 15" screen real estate.

 

[Pakaku]

If my iPad needs replacing, I’m getting a new iPad. But I use it for specific reasons, mainly drawing, and it’s not my main laptop and never could be. Part of the reason is it can’t be my main laptop as long as Apple restricts the OS so much. If iPads are going to be laptop replacements, then I’m going to want something more like OS X or Linux, where I can tinker with the OS, but that will never happen.

 

[Zest28]

You're assuming I have a Mac. And I'm guessing that this Mac would have to be turned and connected to the internet? And this is just another way that the iPad acts as a supplement to a laptop, not a replacement, which is my point.

What are you even talking about? You don't need a Mac for this. This works on any file that is stored locally on your iPad, NAS drives or the Cloud.

And you don't need internet if the files are locally on your iPad. You have the exact limitation on Mac if you want to attach files that are on the Cloud. So I'm not even sure what point you are trying to make here about internet connection.

 

[scorpio vega]

I just got a MBP Max 3 and loving it and got the M2 pro late last year. I don't forsee me buying another laptop for at least another 7 years or so. My iPad was mainly a consumption device i really didnt need but i am looking forward to a new life with it now that I have my Mac.

 

[mlody]

We moved on from iPad's years ago and are not planning to return unless something radical happens to iPadOS. The exception is our younger daughter who still has iPad Air 3 with 256 GB storage. We did a battery service at Apple and the iPad still works great for her. We will plan to keep it till it dies or no longer is practical to keep around.

As far as the rest of the family goes, our older daughter has an older MBP 13 (early-2015), gaming PC and iPhone 12 Pro - that combo works for her. We have newer M1 and M2 MBAs and iPhones which at some point will start rotating and might give M1 to give to our older daughter to replace her soon to be 10-years old MBP.

 

[bondr006]

I have the M1 iPP 11. It replaced my 2019 16" MBP in November 2021 for taking care of my real estate and property management businesses. My wife needs to replace her original iPad Air, so I will give her the M1 iPad Pro 11, and get myself a new M3 iPad Pro 11 this coming year. I love my iPP. It is the most flexible computer I have ever had, and I just can't ever see myself going back to a traditional laptop, unless maybe Apple gives the MBP's touch. I would personally just like the ability to boot into macOS on my iPP when I am using a keyboard, trackpad, and monitor, and just use iPad OS when using as a tablet. To me, that would be the perfect mobile/hybrid device with the best of both worlds.

 

[joeblow7777]

What are you even talking about? You don't need a Mac for this. This works on any file that is stored locally on your iPad, NAS drives or the Cloud.

And you don't need internet if the files are locally on your iPad. You have the exact limitation on Mac if you want to attach files that are on the Cloud. So I'm not even sure what point you are trying to make here about internet connection.

You said something about being able to attach files from your Mac: "On the iPad you can attach any file that is stored anywhere. Even if the file is stored on a Mac, you can attach it to your emails on the iPad." I assume this requires you to have a Mac, that is also online. Maybe I've misunderstood what you were saying, but that's what I was referring to.

In any case, the example of email attachments was just to make the point that iPadOS doesn't allow the same flexibility as a full fledged computer OS like Windows or MacOS. Maybe that wasn't the best example after all, but I think that most would agree with my premise.

 

[culo77]

For me, sadly I have moved on from the iPad. As much as I did enjoy my 12.9", it had its limitations. While I did replace the iPad Pro with an MacBook Air 15 [same fan-less design], it runs full MacOS. I can full multitask, run full FCP and take advantage of the larger 15" screen real estate.

This is where I am going next. MBA 15 and a iPhone Plus. I am going to be selling my iPad mini and iPhone mini.

 

[subjonas]

iPad for me is supplemental, so I will continue upgrading my laptop, my 12.9” iPad, and my iPad Mini. All the devices are uniquely best-suited for different important functions. My laptop is for desktop software and workflows, my 12.9” iPP (with Pencil and keyboard) is for drawing and lighter workflows in a very portable package, my Mini is for super comfortable casual consumption.

 

[SpanishAppleNerd]

I have it all.
M3 iMac, M2 15" Air, and 4th gen iPad Air. I plan to keep having an iPad, but if the 12.9" Air comes to be a reality, that will be the one. My 4th generation Air will go to my Dad, as a substitute of his 9th gen iPad

 

[SpanishAppleNerd]

This is where I am going next. MBA 15 and a iPhone Plus. I am going to be selling my iPad mini and iPhone mini.

Very nice combo, totally recommended. In my case my iPhone is a 14 Pro Max