Using an iPad Pro as your main computer
Discussion
I’ve always had a MacBook and an iPad, but since I bought the latest iPad Pro 11” with magic keyboard I’ve realised that I have barely used the M3 MacBook Air 13” since I bought it in October last year (11 battery cycles). I can only think of one occasion where I had to do a specific task on it (1000 page PDF which kept crashing on the iPad). The screen on the iPad is absolutely fantastic and whilst it’s always been a great media consumption device, with the magic keypad it makes it pretty much perfect (up until this point the 12” Macbook was my favourite device). As iOS and Mac OS continue to merge, especially with iOS 26 I’m thinking of selling the MacBook and going all in on the iPad.
Has anyone done the same and what has been your experience?
Has anyone done the same and what has been your experience?
Good question. I sell Apple and IT in general. I’m on holiday now and always take my iPad Pro with me. I don’t work when on holiday and I ban myself from all news sites. So it’s used to watch films, read PH, You Tube and so on. Back home it’s my main computer and I bought the Logitech keyboard cover which isn’t as good as the Apple one, but a quite a bit cheaper. Mine is the 13”, M1, 128Gb version and believe it or not a customer gave it to me. So will I replace it with a laptop when it’s end of life? You can get a good enough laptop for £400 so to spend say £1300 on an iPad is a bit nuts but as I don’t really like Windows on a tablet I think I would. So yes I think you can especially if you can log on remotely to your work pc perhaps.
I guess it would suffice for some/most users, but for my Adobe (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) and Microsoft Office workloads it's just not suitable, as despite both iPad and desktop Mac use M4 CPUs the software is nowhere near identical.
Plus I prefer to use my 27" 5k screen than the 13" iPad screen
Plus I prefer to use my 27" 5k screen than the 13" iPad screen
I really likey my iPad Pro which is supplied by work. For reading papers it's much better than the laptop but there are a few issues with it as a laptop replacement if I'm having to actually write something versus just reading etc.
For all the reasons above Im NOT going to request another iPad Pro from work for when the current one is called back by IT. A laptop is still more versatile, much better battery life when in full use, and folding phones offer massively better portability.
- Now the iPad is a couple of years old the battery life is quite poor when the screen is on highest brightness setting. When using it to make notes in a meeting I can chew through the battery in less than a couple of hours.
- iOS remains really artificially constrained, so hard to share files, only work intermittently with USB C docks etc etc.
- multi app/tab working on the iPad is still much harder than on a laptop, even my phone has better multi app/tab functionality than iOS.
- My folding phone is nearly as good as iPad for reading papers on the move, but unlike the phone the iPad doesn't fit in my pocket, so whilst it's lighter than my laptop still takes effort to carry versus phone.
For all the reasons above Im NOT going to request another iPad Pro from work for when the current one is called back by IT. A laptop is still more versatile, much better battery life when in full use, and folding phones offer massively better portability.
Shirley you can use anything from ZX Spectrum up, as your main computer, given we actually did, back in the day.
It'll depend on what your doing with it and where.
I find my phone does 90% of my digital life
But the other 10% the desktop is vital and without it, it'd be a right ball ache!
I think I'd be asking, what small things would be harder and work back, rather than what can I do.
It'll depend on what your doing with it and where.
I find my phone does 90% of my digital life
But the other 10% the desktop is vital and without it, it'd be a right ball ache!
I think I'd be asking, what small things would be harder and work back, rather than what can I do.
I’m self-employed - It’s a different use case scenario, or ‘horses for courses’ as we say in Yorkshire.
I have a 12.9” iPad Pro which I’m basically handcuffed to - my corporate dog lead - when I’m out and about - it goes everywhere with me and sits in my briefcase as I travel extensively with work.
In my home office I have a traditional Windows PC Desktop, running all the technology - even down to six monitors (don’t ask - seemed a good idea at the time) - and I view it as two very different tools for two very different jobs.
I can work whilst travelling using the iPad - drafting and/or answering emails, reading legislation, video-conferencing, research through surfing as examples. - It’s far, far better than using a laptop and I’d never go back to a laptop. Benefits of the iPad are it’s always on, booted-up and good to go, it’s always available, quick, efficient, portable and so brilliant to the point that I can make notes in meetings and they’re on my lodged and filed on my desktop before I’m even home.
That said, if I need to ‘work-work’ with respect to drafting documents, creating spreadsheets, analysing data then the desktop with the increased screen real-estate is also invaluable for more detailed jobs that never could be done on the iPad.
I have a 12.9” iPad Pro which I’m basically handcuffed to - my corporate dog lead - when I’m out and about - it goes everywhere with me and sits in my briefcase as I travel extensively with work.
In my home office I have a traditional Windows PC Desktop, running all the technology - even down to six monitors (don’t ask - seemed a good idea at the time) - and I view it as two very different tools for two very different jobs.
I can work whilst travelling using the iPad - drafting and/or answering emails, reading legislation, video-conferencing, research through surfing as examples. - It’s far, far better than using a laptop and I’d never go back to a laptop. Benefits of the iPad are it’s always on, booted-up and good to go, it’s always available, quick, efficient, portable and so brilliant to the point that I can make notes in meetings and they’re on my lodged and filed on my desktop before I’m even home.
That said, if I need to ‘work-work’ with respect to drafting documents, creating spreadsheets, analysing data then the desktop with the increased screen real-estate is also invaluable for more detailed jobs that never could be done on the iPad.
Edited by ADJimbo on Monday 11th August 09:21
I considered going iPad Pro 5 years ago but instead got a Surface Pro. Why? iPadOS is still limited (this might change some with iPadOS 26) and it is expensive.
Surface runs Windows runs everything.
If I go somewhere, MBA comes with (plus iPad). Why? Does most things like Windows but has never been charged in its life
So no, not yet, for iPad - but I find it essential nevertheless.
Surface runs Windows runs everything.
If I go somewhere, MBA comes with (plus iPad). Why? Does most things like Windows but has never been charged in its life
So no, not yet, for iPad - but I find it essential nevertheless.
eeLee said:
Why? iPadOS is still limited (this might change some with iPadOS 26) and it is expensive.
iPadOS 26 will probably make it a lot more useable, especially with a keyboard case. It's getting a menu bar (I think with a swipe down from the top of the screen) and another new window management (which they seem to change every year on iPadOS).
I'm going the other way. I'm finding fewer and fewer uses for a tablet. With laptops so fast and light these days it doesn't make sense. A tablet can't do anything my phone cant and it's far more comfortable to use than my laptop or desktop.
It's sole remaining job is to play movies on aetoplanes... And I didn't even use it for that last trip so it hasn't even been switched on in 6 months.
A tablet weighs ~500g, 1/4 of my 15" gaming laptop. Mine specifically weighs 465g has a 10" screen. My phone weighs 185g and has a 6.4" screen so I can comfortably use that with one hand for an extended period of time. If I need something smaller than my laptop my phone is the logical choice, if I need something bigger than my phone than the laptop or desktop is the device to go to as it's simply more comfortable.
When my tablet breaks or gets too old, I'm not going to bother replacing it, even though it's cheaper than my phone (which is not expensive itself) it never gets used.
It's sole remaining job is to play movies on aetoplanes... And I didn't even use it for that last trip so it hasn't even been switched on in 6 months.
A tablet weighs ~500g, 1/4 of my 15" gaming laptop. Mine specifically weighs 465g has a 10" screen. My phone weighs 185g and has a 6.4" screen so I can comfortably use that with one hand for an extended period of time. If I need something smaller than my laptop my phone is the logical choice, if I need something bigger than my phone than the laptop or desktop is the device to go to as it's simply more comfortable.
When my tablet breaks or gets too old, I'm not going to bother replacing it, even though it's cheaper than my phone (which is not expensive itself) it never gets used.
Edited by captain_cynic on Monday 11th August 10:57
eeLee said:
I considered going iPad Pro 5 years ago but instead got a Surface Pro. Why? iPadOS is still limited (this might change some with iPadOS 26) and it is expensive.
Surface runs Windows runs everything.
If I go somewhere, MBA comes with (plus iPad). Why? Does most things like Windows but has never been charged in its life
So no, not yet, for iPad - but I find it essential nevertheless.
The keyboard on the Surface is a bit rubbish IMO - it flexes as you're typing, plus the trackpad is rubbish as well (although it's easy to attach a bluetooth mouse)Surface runs Windows runs everything.
If I go somewhere, MBA comes with (plus iPad). Why? Does most things like Windows but has never been charged in its life
So no, not yet, for iPad - but I find it essential nevertheless.
Countdown said:
The keyboard on the Surface is a bit rubbish IMO - it flexes as you're typing, plus the trackpad is rubbish as well (although it's easy to attach a bluetooth mouse)
I use a Logitec K780. The keyboard is actually OK, form factor is brilliant, battery life will certainly lead me to a Snapdragon-based version in the coming 2-3 years There's potential, but not quite yet for me.
I've been using the Developer beta of iOS 26 and the window management is still a little clunky coming from a Mac / PC as it's still 'Competing' with the traditional full screen use - This may well just be a user familiarity complaint though.
The other big limitation is external monitor support - Same annoyance as Mac, with no Displayport MST on the USB-C, and no extra ports / display link / HDMI means you're stuck with only 1 external display, which doesn't suit me.
There is the walled garden aspect - No traditional MacOS Application support which is a nuisance but liveable.
All that being said, I think for the vast majority of people, including in business, It's opening up a very good way of working - Most people are familiar with phone style operating systems, and would benefit immensely from simply "not being given the opportunity to break it" - Just install the app they need, use it, delete it... Significant reduction in malware risk, far simpler control set for management by business / parents etc.
In that regard, I would now say to anyone who is looking for 'a computer' - Do you NEED a computer, or will you have a far easier time on an iPad, with more flexibility in use, more convenient input methods (Cameras front and back, Apple Pen, Keyboard & mouse, Touchscreen)
In summary,
iPad Pro:
+ Flexibility of inputs
+ Form factor (Keyboard folio or handheld)
+ 5G Native
+ Generally very good battery
+ Simplicity of use
- 1 USB-C for everything (1 ext monitor!)
- Application support
- Some Applications 'compromised' for tablet; May change given new desktop style push
(This is barring the long term repair and upgrade arguments for traditional laptops, but I'm framing this as the average buyer )
I've been using the Developer beta of iOS 26 and the window management is still a little clunky coming from a Mac / PC as it's still 'Competing' with the traditional full screen use - This may well just be a user familiarity complaint though.
The other big limitation is external monitor support - Same annoyance as Mac, with no Displayport MST on the USB-C, and no extra ports / display link / HDMI means you're stuck with only 1 external display, which doesn't suit me.
There is the walled garden aspect - No traditional MacOS Application support which is a nuisance but liveable.
All that being said, I think for the vast majority of people, including in business, It's opening up a very good way of working - Most people are familiar with phone style operating systems, and would benefit immensely from simply "not being given the opportunity to break it" - Just install the app they need, use it, delete it... Significant reduction in malware risk, far simpler control set for management by business / parents etc.
In that regard, I would now say to anyone who is looking for 'a computer' - Do you NEED a computer, or will you have a far easier time on an iPad, with more flexibility in use, more convenient input methods (Cameras front and back, Apple Pen, Keyboard & mouse, Touchscreen)
In summary,
iPad Pro:
+ Flexibility of inputs
+ Form factor (Keyboard folio or handheld)
+ 5G Native
+ Generally very good battery
+ Simplicity of use
- 1 USB-C for everything (1 ext monitor!)
- Application support
- Some Applications 'compromised' for tablet; May change given new desktop style push
(This is barring the long term repair and upgrade arguments for traditional laptops, but I'm framing this as the average buyer
)Still 2 very different use cases for me. I tend to carry my iPad with me to meetings for notes or quick presentations, it's fine for email and I use it a lot when I'm on holiday for videos etc and keeping in touch.
Anything more than this I can't face trying to use the iPad so it's the laptop. Working with attachments is a pain as we use Dropbox a lot and the integration is a bit pants.
I make sure I have a folder on my Mac desktop with everything I might need which is then sync'd over using iCloud to the iPad.
Ultimately, the Macbook has amazing battery life, comes alive with the lift of the lid and it just less hassle, can't imagine me ever being able to solely use an iPad.
Anything more than this I can't face trying to use the iPad so it's the laptop. Working with attachments is a pain as we use Dropbox a lot and the integration is a bit pants.
I make sure I have a folder on my Mac desktop with everything I might need which is then sync'd over using iCloud to the iPad.
Ultimately, the Macbook has amazing battery life, comes alive with the lift of the lid and it just less hassle, can't imagine me ever being able to solely use an iPad.
Tried it a number of times and always gone back to the MacBook. iPad OS just gets really annoying after a while when trying to do serious work. I eventually gave my iPad Pro, keyboard and pencil away to my ex. Amazing bit of kit though, and as a posh media browser they are superb. Great if you are an artist too. But as a machine to get stuff done? Not for me. But maybe iPadOS 26 might help improve things?
I did similar, moved from a Windows PC to an iPad Air exclusively a couple of years ago. I plug my Air into my monitor and keyboard/mouse and use it like a regular computer when I need to.
Most of the time im just a media consumer and web surfer these days so it does almost everything.
There are a few things I miss about a PC though. When in desktop mode the scroll bar via mouse is really, REALLY unintuitive. Not a problem if you are using the iPad screen, as you just finger scroll, but on a desktop with a mouse ball it’s crap.
The iPad won’t wait for a printer and doesn’t have enough customisation options. And printers are slow. And s
te. So if I want to print a 20 page document, I’ll maybe get one page before it gives up. I use my daughters computer to print which always works and takes seconds.
But everything else is largely great. I’ve subbed to iCloud and backup to hard disk every 6 months or so.
Wife and daughter all iPhone users so it all works seamlessly for us.
Most of the time im just a media consumer and web surfer these days so it does almost everything.
There are a few things I miss about a PC though. When in desktop mode the scroll bar via mouse is really, REALLY unintuitive. Not a problem if you are using the iPad screen, as you just finger scroll, but on a desktop with a mouse ball it’s crap.
The iPad won’t wait for a printer and doesn’t have enough customisation options. And printers are slow. And s
te. So if I want to print a 20 page document, I’ll maybe get one page before it gives up. I use my daughters computer to print which always works and takes seconds.But everything else is largely great. I’ve subbed to iCloud and backup to hard disk every 6 months or so.
Wife and daughter all iPhone users so it all works seamlessly for us.
Cloudy147 said:
I did similar, moved from a Windows PC to an iPad Air exclusively a couple of years ago. I plug my Air into my monitor and keyboard/mouse and use it like a regular computer when I need to.
Most of the time im just a media consumer and web surfer these days so it does almost everything.
There are a few things I miss about a PC though. When in desktop mode the scroll bar via mouse is really, REALLY unintuitive. Not a problem if you are using the iPad screen, as you just finger scroll, but on a desktop with a mouse ball it’s crap.
The iPad won’t wait for a printer and doesn’t have enough customisation options. And printers are slow. And ste. So if I want to print a 20 page document, I’ll maybe get one page before it gives up. I use my daughters computer to print which always works and takes seconds.
But everything else is largely great. I’ve subbed to iCloud and backup to hard disk every 6 months or so.
Wife and daughter all iPhone users so it all works seamlessly for us.
If I could ask a silly question please as I’m a Luddite - how do you connect your iPad to make it a full peripheral desktop - monitor, keyboard, mouse etc? Most of the time im just a media consumer and web surfer these days so it does almost everything.
There are a few things I miss about a PC though. When in desktop mode the scroll bar via mouse is really, REALLY unintuitive. Not a problem if you are using the iPad screen, as you just finger scroll, but on a desktop with a mouse ball it’s crap.
The iPad won’t wait for a printer and doesn’t have enough customisation options. And printers are slow. And s
te. So if I want to print a 20 page document, I’ll maybe get one page before it gives up. I use my daughters computer to print which always works and takes seconds.But everything else is largely great. I’ve subbed to iCloud and backup to hard disk every 6 months or so.
Wife and daughter all iPhone users so it all works seamlessly for us.
ADJimbo said:
Cloudy147 said:
I did similar, moved from a Windows PC to an iPad Air exclusively a couple of years ago. I plug my Air into my monitor and keyboard/mouse and use it like a regular computer when I need to.
Most of the time im just a media consumer and web surfer these days so it does almost everything.
There are a few things I miss about a PC though. When in desktop mode the scroll bar via mouse is really, REALLY unintuitive. Not a problem if you are using the iPad screen, as you just finger scroll, but on a desktop with a mouse ball it’s crap.
The iPad won’t wait for a printer and doesn’t have enough customisation options. And printers are slow. And ste. So if I want to print a 20 page document, I’ll maybe get one page before it gives up. I use my daughters computer to print which always works and takes seconds.
But everything else is largely great. I’ve subbed to iCloud and backup to hard disk every 6 months or so.
Wife and daughter all iPhone users so it all works seamlessly for us.
If I could ask a silly question please as I’m a Luddite - how do you connect your iPad to make it a full peripheral desktop - monitor, keyboard, mouse etc? Most of the time im just a media consumer and web surfer these days so it does almost everything.
There are a few things I miss about a PC though. When in desktop mode the scroll bar via mouse is really, REALLY unintuitive. Not a problem if you are using the iPad screen, as you just finger scroll, but on a desktop with a mouse ball it’s crap.
The iPad won’t wait for a printer and doesn’t have enough customisation options. And printers are slow. And s
te. So if I want to print a 20 page document, I’ll maybe get one page before it gives up. I use my daughters computer to print which always works and takes seconds.But everything else is largely great. I’ve subbed to iCloud and backup to hard disk every 6 months or so.
Wife and daughter all iPhone users so it all works seamlessly for us.
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