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iPad is not a Mac Replacement

ruger141

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Anybody else sick of that question? It pops up everywhere, Reddit, YouTube, here on the forums. I've posted my reasoning in other threads so not going to type it all out again. But no, an iPad is not a replacement for a laptop. I love our MacBook Air we got a few months back for my wife's schooling. It's way more functional than my new iPad Pro 10.5 for getting real work done. I think the people that say it is for them,don't utilize more than 10% of the potential their computers offer.
 

Just_Me_D

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Anybody else sick of that question? It pops up everywhere, Reddit, YouTube, here on the forums. I've posted my reasoning in other threads so not going to type it all out again. But no, an iPad is not a replacement for a laptop. I love our MacBook Air we got a few months back for my wife's schooling. It's way more functional than my new iPad Pro 10.5 for getting real work done. I think the people that say it is for them,don't utilize more than 10% of the potential their computers offer.

On the contrary, “my” 9.7” iPad Pro is indeed a replacement for my early 2009 model MacBook.
 

anon(50597)

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Anybody else sick of that question? It pops up everywhere, Reddit, YouTube, here on the forums. I've posted my reasoning in other threads so not going to type it all out again. But no, an iPad is not a replacement for a laptop. I love our MacBook Air we got a few months back for my wife's schooling. It's way more functional than my new iPad Pro 10.5 for getting real work done. I think the people that say it is for them,don't utilize more than 10% of the potential their computers offer.

People have different computing needs. Plus, for many, portability trumps anything else. I don't see why it matters.
 

doogald

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There are a few things that I can only do well on a computer - money management apps are one thing; Safari on iOS is often crippled compared with macOS or Windows or Linux. However, I am using my iPad more and more and my MacBook less and less, and my iPad has become my travel computer. An iPad, even a Pro, isn't a computer replacement for me yet, but I could see it happening as time goes on.
 

Bazza1

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While iOS has become way more capable than Apple ever intended it to be (almost entirely because of the work of 3rd Party developers and service providers), it exists, for Apple, as simply a content delivery OS for iTunes and the App Store, where the real - and unlimited - money can be made.
The iPad is hampered by this - while its fine as a basic (if often frustrating) WP, as an internet viewer, or email and image manipulator, its local storage and connectivity limitations to non-WiFi networks and hardware make it nowhere near as capable as my 'old' 2011 11" Air with nearly the same (or now, smaller) footprint.

It depends on your needs, certainly - but if you've always needed a 'real' computer, an iPad isn't going to replace that.
And if all you really want / need is a highly portable internet viewer, email, Facebook and image viewer and to play a whack of games and view videos, save yourself over half the price and get an Android tablet - with expandable memory.
 

anony_mouse

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If you have a desktop, then the iPad can serve as a replacement for the laptop.

Perhaps. It depends on what you use the laptop for.

This thread can easily be summarised thus - an iPad might be a substitute for a laptop if your portable computing needs are very simple.
 

Ledsteplin

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Perhaps. It depends on what you use the laptop for.

This thread can easily be summarised thus - an iPad might be a substitute for a laptop if your portable computing needs are very simple.

But if you have a desktop, you can do your more complex computing there. No need for a laptop, unless your mobile with it for needs an iPad can't do. Everyone's needs are different. For many who have a desktop, an iPad is sufficient.
 

anony_mouse

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But if you have a desktop, you can do your more complex computing there. No need for a laptop, unless your mobile with it for needs an iPad can't do. Everyone's needs are different. For many who have a desktop, an iPad is sufficient.

None of that contradicts what I said, which was: an iPad might be a substitute for a laptop if your portable computing needs are very simple.
 

Quis89

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Well...an iPad/computer could also replace a television. That doesn't mean those products are one in the same. Just means that these products are multifaceted and can handle the tasks that other devices can handle. So if you don't need everything that a computer offers, you'd probably do fine on an iPad. That's what many are saying. Not that an iPad is equal to a laptop.
 

anon(50597)

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Well...an iPad/computer could also replace a television. That doesn't mean those products are one in the same. Just means that these products are multifaceted and can handle the tasks that other devices can handle. So if you don't need everything that a computer offers, you'd probably do fine on an iPad. That's what many are saying. Not that an iPad is equal to a laptop.

Correct. You're obviously not going to run a large business on an iPad. Yet many people can get by with one without a computer. It's all relative to your needs.
 

roystreet

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...
It depends on your needs, certainly - but if you've always needed a 'real' computer, an iPad isn't going to replace that.
And if all you really want / need is a highly portable internet viewer, email, Facebook and image viewer and to play a whack of games and view videos, save yourself over half the price and get an Android tablet - with expandable memory.

...Strangely enough, I do much more than that on my iPad. I use it mainly as a productivity device.

Whether it's taking notes (notes or especially OneNote), creating word docs, creating pdfs, graphic editing/design. In fact, if you have the Pencil, you can perform a lot of graphic designs tasks that are easier to do than my MacBook.

I will submit that it is lacking some in file management compared to my Mac. Yes, the Mac is more powerful than the iPad in some ways. ...although some things the iPad can be more efficient, useful, and fun.

Both devices have their place, but what I use more is the iPad.
 

TripleOne

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The iPad could replace a laptop, it comes down to a user's preference. I personally prefer using my rMBP to watch movies, download stuff, write essays, research, etc..

But I prefer taking down notes with the Apple Pencil and playing iOS games on my iPad.
 

jeraldjamescapao88

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I use my iPad Pro for some media consumption, gaming, and some sketching trials.

I use my MacBook for programming, with multiple Docker containers running, which I cannot do on an iPad.
 

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