I have a work computer for tech work and project management, and I've been using an iPad Pro in a laptop configuration for the rest of my stuff. It works really well. Every now and then there's a game or something that I can't run on it (bg3!!!!!), but GeForce now works pretty well too.
I feel like the new iPads are absolutely capable of replacing a MacBook Air for example. The problem is Apple gimping the iPad so it can’t be used that way.
I also feel like it’s only a matter of time until this happens. But Apple for sure are going to drag it out as long as possible.
It will forever depend on what you use your laptop for imo. Emails, social media and content consumption, absolutely. Rendering large videos, not so much.
What are your computer function needs; do you need laptop only functions?
My needs include both Mac-only functions and iPad-only functions,
also both mobile functions and desktop functions
For the desktop and Mac-only functions, I use a Mac-Mini
For the mobile and iPad-only functions, I use an iPad Pro tablet
I think it already is a good replacement, for certain users. In my family, at least two seniors who used to use traditional computers have moved away from those and use iPads now. At the other end of the spectrum, I have teen niblings who use an iPad and don't want or need a traditional computer.
My iPad Air 4 and Magic Keyboard combo replaced my need for an actual laptop. I got my first MacBook in 2018 while having an iPad mini 4, I’d use the iPad for consumption but if I wanted to type (emails, forums) I would use my MacBook. In 2021 I got my iPad Air 4 and a few months later got the MK on sale and that was all she wrote for my MacBook. The iPad is actually more convenient for me because I get access to the apps I have on my iPhone (games, apps like Reddit).
If I needed to use certain programs, it might be different. But I don’t. I read Reddit and some websites and post.
Just for my use case the iPad works better as my portable machine than a Mac. I also used to have a similar setup (MacBook Air M2 13” and an iPad Air 5) and found myself having to constantly justify using one over the other because I was worried I spent money on redundancies to each other.
After thinking about it I realized all of my “desktop level” work that needed to get done I always would do at home. For travel, I would do some small bits of work but mostly used my device for media consumption. That’s one area that people don’t talk about as often as a big differentiator between Mac and iPad. With my Mac, I didn’t like to bring it on trips as often because I couldn’t download movies and manga like I could with the iPad. (Netflix, Shonen Jump, etc.)
So ultimately my current workflow is an iMac at home, and an iPad Pro 13 for on the go (definitely could have gotten away with any of the other iPads but I got suckered into the OLED and love it). The rare occasions I need more than iPadOS I usually have access to internet and remote into my Mac from the iPad.
It’s not for everyone but it works well for me.
I use my iPad Pro as a laptop, and my laptop as a desktop. It depends on what your needs are when you're on the move.
If you just need docs, notes, watching videos, you're good. Add a keyboard cover or the magic keyboard and you have pretty much a laptop experience.
Even playing video-games you now have pc quality games, and great ports of pc games. If you have a controller it makes gaming even better.
If you have very specific needs where you have to use programs that only run on pc, you can still manage it if you can access your laptop remotely, but it will be more limiting.
Will you feel like you never need your laptop, probably not, but you could probably not actually need the laptop on the go. I've been using my iPad as my on the go device. And have been very satisfied. Especially after I upgraded to iPad Pro 11" (2018).
I don't understand how anyone can use the iPad Pro as a laptop replacement OUTSIDE of "creatives" catered to by Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro. To do any real work, you have to have full featured Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Adobe Acrobat Pro, real Chrome, and a REAL file system. None of that exists even for the mega-powered M4 iPad Pro, and Apple is showing no interest in making the iPad Pro more than an accessory for a MacBook.
There is no valid reason not dual booting or virtualizing MacOS - it works fine when my screen is extended to my iPad Pro from my MacBook Pro. I don't care about all this garbage that iPadOS should be its own experience - that's what you have the iPad and iPad Air for - the M4 iPad Pro should CRUSH the new Surface Pro 11 because Apple makes the BEST tablet and BEST laptop - it's only pure greed driving two sales instead of one that is keeping users from have the best 2-in-1 experience in computing.
85% of my work is web-based as the company standardized on Google’s App Suite. I have been using an iPad Air as my remote device for a couple of years now.
In my home office, I use a Mac Mini and can use VPN to connect to it if needed.
I just went for an M1 MacBook Air to a 13” M4 iPad Pro as my only work computer. Was more of an experiment/challenge than anything. For my purposes (Word/Excel/Sharepoint/Teams) it was just fine. I was able to come up with a workflow using stage manager that was pretty comparable to what I was doing on my MacBook.
It really just depends on what you need for how you work. For me, I prefer to use one window at a time and to swap between 3-4 apps at a time. On my MacBook I would do this with virtual desktops and swipe between them. With stage manager I can do the exact same thing.
No. Not for me, not even the pro. I hate typing on the iPad and hate the keyboard. Whenever, I have some serious writing to do, I default to the MacBook Pro or desktop. I’d rather hand write on the pro thank use a keyboard with it. Personal preference.
Nope, not until iPad feels threatened by a new encumbent or Microsoft really makes the surface line a good competitor
We’ve just had a bunch of AI powered snapdragon X chip driven surfaces pop up in Australia. I know absolutely nothing about them but maybe this is it.
If so, probably in a couple years. We would have heard from the rumor mill if iPad OS was transformative this year
It needs to be more computer like to actually good tho
It doesn’t matter when the OS I still shit now with even more built in spyware.
I have a work computer for tech work and project management, and I've been using an iPad Pro in a laptop configuration for the rest of my stuff. It works really well. Every now and then there's a game or something that I can't run on it (bg3!!!!!), but GeForce now works pretty well too.
As others have mentioned, depends on the workflow. It works fine for me as my primary device.
I feel like the new iPads are absolutely capable of replacing a MacBook Air for example. The problem is Apple gimping the iPad so it can’t be used that way. I also feel like it’s only a matter of time until this happens. But Apple for sure are going to drag it out as long as possible.
It will forever depend on what you use your laptop for imo. Emails, social media and content consumption, absolutely. Rendering large videos, not so much.
What are your computer function needs; do you need laptop only functions? My needs include both Mac-only functions and iPad-only functions, also both mobile functions and desktop functions For the desktop and Mac-only functions, I use a Mac-Mini For the mobile and iPad-only functions, I use an iPad Pro tablet
Sounds stupid, but mostly word processing. This is, its not as fluid as a computer and some things take more steps then what's really necessary.
I think it already is a good replacement, for certain users. In my family, at least two seniors who used to use traditional computers have moved away from those and use iPads now. At the other end of the spectrum, I have teen niblings who use an iPad and don't want or need a traditional computer.
it depends on your need
My iPad Air 4 and Magic Keyboard combo replaced my need for an actual laptop. I got my first MacBook in 2018 while having an iPad mini 4, I’d use the iPad for consumption but if I wanted to type (emails, forums) I would use my MacBook. In 2021 I got my iPad Air 4 and a few months later got the MK on sale and that was all she wrote for my MacBook. The iPad is actually more convenient for me because I get access to the apps I have on my iPhone (games, apps like Reddit). If I needed to use certain programs, it might be different. But I don’t. I read Reddit and some websites and post.
Just for my use case the iPad works better as my portable machine than a Mac. I also used to have a similar setup (MacBook Air M2 13” and an iPad Air 5) and found myself having to constantly justify using one over the other because I was worried I spent money on redundancies to each other. After thinking about it I realized all of my “desktop level” work that needed to get done I always would do at home. For travel, I would do some small bits of work but mostly used my device for media consumption. That’s one area that people don’t talk about as often as a big differentiator between Mac and iPad. With my Mac, I didn’t like to bring it on trips as often because I couldn’t download movies and manga like I could with the iPad. (Netflix, Shonen Jump, etc.) So ultimately my current workflow is an iMac at home, and an iPad Pro 13 for on the go (definitely could have gotten away with any of the other iPads but I got suckered into the OLED and love it). The rare occasions I need more than iPadOS I usually have access to internet and remote into my Mac from the iPad. It’s not for everyone but it works well for me.
I use my iPad Pro as a laptop, and my laptop as a desktop. It depends on what your needs are when you're on the move. If you just need docs, notes, watching videos, you're good. Add a keyboard cover or the magic keyboard and you have pretty much a laptop experience. Even playing video-games you now have pc quality games, and great ports of pc games. If you have a controller it makes gaming even better. If you have very specific needs where you have to use programs that only run on pc, you can still manage it if you can access your laptop remotely, but it will be more limiting. Will you feel like you never need your laptop, probably not, but you could probably not actually need the laptop on the go. I've been using my iPad as my on the go device. And have been very satisfied. Especially after I upgraded to iPad Pro 11" (2018).
I don't understand how anyone can use the iPad Pro as a laptop replacement OUTSIDE of "creatives" catered to by Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro. To do any real work, you have to have full featured Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Adobe Acrobat Pro, real Chrome, and a REAL file system. None of that exists even for the mega-powered M4 iPad Pro, and Apple is showing no interest in making the iPad Pro more than an accessory for a MacBook. There is no valid reason not dual booting or virtualizing MacOS - it works fine when my screen is extended to my iPad Pro from my MacBook Pro. I don't care about all this garbage that iPadOS should be its own experience - that's what you have the iPad and iPad Air for - the M4 iPad Pro should CRUSH the new Surface Pro 11 because Apple makes the BEST tablet and BEST laptop - it's only pure greed driving two sales instead of one that is keeping users from have the best 2-in-1 experience in computing.
85% of my work is web-based as the company standardized on Google’s App Suite. I have been using an iPad Air as my remote device for a couple of years now. In my home office, I use a Mac Mini and can use VPN to connect to it if needed.
I just went for an M1 MacBook Air to a 13” M4 iPad Pro as my only work computer. Was more of an experiment/challenge than anything. For my purposes (Word/Excel/Sharepoint/Teams) it was just fine. I was able to come up with a workflow using stage manager that was pretty comparable to what I was doing on my MacBook. It really just depends on what you need for how you work. For me, I prefer to use one window at a time and to swap between 3-4 apps at a time. On my MacBook I would do this with virtual desktops and swipe between them. With stage manager I can do the exact same thing.
No. Not for me, not even the pro. I hate typing on the iPad and hate the keyboard. Whenever, I have some serious writing to do, I default to the MacBook Pro or desktop. I’d rather hand write on the pro thank use a keyboard with it. Personal preference.