iPad, MacBook, or Both?
Discussion
Currently I have a 5 year old MacBook Air and a 7 year old iPad Air (1st Generation). Mostly used for general web browsing, online shopping and emails, not really heavy use by any stretch. Use the MacBook a lot more often than the iPad, mostly because the iPad is getting on a bit, only on iOS 12, lots of websites don't load properly or at all.
The iPad has been on the cards for replacement for a while, and I've decided I want the new 4th gen iPad Air. I was considering the Pro but after trying the two out back to back, the Air won me over (mostly because its pretty much half the price).
What intrigued me though was the new Magic Keyboard for the iPad which has a track pad. It made me think this could actually be a viable replacement for the MacBook altogether. But at £349 it would mean selling the MacBook to pay for that. I did however get a chance to try out the new MacBook Air, and it was lovely, but at £1000 it should be!
What would PH do? Sack the MacBook off and buy that expensive keyboard and iPad? Get the cheaper £329 iPad and a new MacBook? Or just the new MacBook and keep the old iPad?
The iPad has been on the cards for replacement for a while, and I've decided I want the new 4th gen iPad Air. I was considering the Pro but after trying the two out back to back, the Air won me over (mostly because its pretty much half the price).
What intrigued me though was the new Magic Keyboard for the iPad which has a track pad. It made me think this could actually be a viable replacement for the MacBook altogether. But at £349 it would mean selling the MacBook to pay for that. I did however get a chance to try out the new MacBook Air, and it was lovely, but at £1000 it should be!
What would PH do? Sack the MacBook off and buy that expensive keyboard and iPad? Get the cheaper £329 iPad and a new MacBook? Or just the new MacBook and keep the old iPad?
Personally, I would buy the base new MacBook Air, and keep the old iPad for as long as it lasts. I am a sucker for new tech, but an iPad is a reading device primarily, for me, so doesn't suffer much from low Hz or whatever is the latest iPad draw.
Ipad is still mainly for consumption over production despite recent advances imo
Ipad is still mainly for consumption over production despite recent advances imo
I have the iPad Pro with keyboard and also the new Air, my daughter does a lot of art work using procreate and it is very good. The screen is amazing
The Air is better for working from your lap as there is a gap between the iPad and keyboard as it falls over.
Both are decent, if it was me I would go for the Air. But I don’t get a look in as the kids keep nicking them
The Air is better for working from your lap as there is a gap between the iPad and keyboard as it falls over.
Both are decent, if it was me I would go for the Air. But I don’t get a look in as the kids keep nicking them
I have the M1 MacBook Pro 13.3" and a 12.9" iPad Pro from a couple of years ago.
When I am sitting on the sofa web browsing and shopping or want a quick check of Facebook I use the iPad as soon it turns more serious with spreadsheets / office work I use the Mac.
If you are going to use the iPad at home at a desk like a laptop you can use any bluetooth keyboard and mouse/trackpad so you don't need the magic keyboard case but I understand it makes life easier if you plan to use it on the move.
I would start by looking to see if there are any apps / programs you use that might not be available on one of the devices? I like a bit of Clash of Clans when I have 5 mins which is only on the iPad, I also use Good Notes when in meetings which is also best with iPad/pencil.
When I am sitting on the sofa web browsing and shopping or want a quick check of Facebook I use the iPad as soon it turns more serious with spreadsheets / office work I use the Mac.
If you are going to use the iPad at home at a desk like a laptop you can use any bluetooth keyboard and mouse/trackpad so you don't need the magic keyboard case but I understand it makes life easier if you plan to use it on the move.
I would start by looking to see if there are any apps / programs you use that might not be available on one of the devices? I like a bit of Clash of Clans when I have 5 mins which is only on the iPad, I also use Good Notes when in meetings which is also best with iPad/pencil.
I have a MacBook Pro and an iPad Pro.
Slightly depends what you’re doing and what your workflows are, but the iPad still isn’t great at multitasking, despite recent improvements. If what you use it for requires you to have several apps open at once, and switching between them a lot, it becomes a pain when compared to the Mac.
If everything you do is in browser, or you’re only really using a single app at once it’s a pretty competent laptop replacement these days I’d say, but iPad OS still doesn’t have, and probably never will have, the flexibility of a Mac.
Slightly depends what you’re doing and what your workflows are, but the iPad still isn’t great at multitasking, despite recent improvements. If what you use it for requires you to have several apps open at once, and switching between them a lot, it becomes a pain when compared to the Mac.
If everything you do is in browser, or you’re only really using a single app at once it’s a pretty competent laptop replacement these days I’d say, but iPad OS still doesn’t have, and probably never will have, the flexibility of a Mac.
We all know that benchmark indicators are one thing, but real performance is another. Of course, there is no software like Final Cut Pro X on the iPad Pro, so a direct comparison will not work. But the same export of a five-minute 4K video in the professional video editor Luma Fusion took only three minutes, which is much faster than the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. iPad Pro is more powerful than the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro (when it comes to basic models), but it doesn't matter when the iPad doesn't can do what some people need. When I brought my MacBook for repair to salvagedata.com , I was told that it would be harder to fix it if it were an iPad.
Edited by DyghJCi on Monday 25th April 18:55
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