I replaced my MacBook with an iPad. Here’s what happened.
When my MacBook finally broke, I replaced it with an iPad Pro. Over the past 18 months, I've been putting it through its paces as my main portable device for productivity and creative tasks.
But can an iPad ever truly replace your laptop?
#tech #iPad #apple
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The secret to enjoy the beauty of an iPad Pro is not to think of it as a macbook replacement.
Well said
Exactly....2 are different devices and even cost different so comparing them is stupid imo .
Great point !!!
This is so much true. I always think ipad as a “middle device” that can u use as “casual productivity”
totally agree, I tried and it was doable….with so many buts and that made the iPad Pro a let down, which it didn’t have to be because I did have my Mac. So if you also own a Macbook, just use your iPad as a tablet seriously!
Honestly, it depends on the user case. I got a laptop from my company for work, so the ipad is enough for all my private endeavors and is actually nicer than using a laptop
Definitely
I've spent 3 years going iPad Pro Only. Last month I gave up on waiting iPadOS to get more "pro" and bought a MacBook Air M2. Couldn't be happier
Nice. Yeah, I think a lot of people are in a similar boat.
I literally did the same exact thing yesterday!
I'm hesitating to ever try to buy an air because it doesn't have any fan and might get hot easily because of that
@@kiwi.kiwi. never had any issues. Photoshop, 4k vídeo editing and numerous tabs open on browser
@@caioobessa maybe I'll buy one then!
I find that using an iPad over a desktop laptop its just fun. The iPad is just more portable, functional, and powerful. Using an iPad over a laptop also means you can take advantage of the cellular versions of the iPad which allows you to use the iPad anywhere and everywhere. Granted you can get away with the wifi only versions of the iPad or Laptops, just for me I won’t be going back. I also find that the iPad file system utilizes cloud storage more conveniently.
Great points
yes, I like the benefits of cellular version too, always want to use ipad pro 11" over my MBA, also start to learn Davinci on iPad too instead of Mac :)
How does the phone work?
Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Thanks for watching!
As a high school student, my iPad has made my workflow when it comes to school so much easier but I can completely understand when it comes to professionals and why it doesn’t work the greatest for them. But when it comes to kids in high school or some parts of university I think the iPads perfect but I definitely understand why people need a MacBook
people in HS do little to no actual productive work especially on a time crunch so we will take your opinion with tons of salt
Thank you for this ! I had one of the early iPads and now I am going to get a new one! Nice job.
You’re welcome. Hope it serves you well!
iPad is my all time favorite tech device. Lately, I have been using with an external monitor, Magic Keyboard, and Apple Pencil.
What a thoughtful and realistic, yet positive review. Thank you! 😊 And enjoy the journey of parenthood! Nothing in life is better! ❤
Thanks! And yeah, I love it 🙂
For the price of 1 new latest ipad pro have got a mac mini (M2) and an ipad air (2022). Seems to be a wise move so far.
My "journey" was similar to yours. I knew my Macbook Pro 2012 was nearing the end of it's life. I wanted to get a Mac Mini as my office computer with an iPad as a mobile device (aka laptop replacement). I bought an iPad Pro first and then about 5 months later my Macbook Pro got zapped by lightening! Being in Belize it took about 6 weeks to get a Mac Mini delivered, so for that time I only had my iPad Pro. I used it in my office with an external keyboard, mouse and monitor, and for the most part it got the job done. I'd say about 90%. Just not as quickly or easily as I was used to with my Macbook Pro. Now that I have a Mac Mini, that is my daily driver and I use the iPad as a companion with universal control. It's really the best of both worlds. When I need to be away from the office, I take my iPad and I don't really miss a Macbook, most of the time. Plus I enjoy the peace of mind of travelling with a $800 iPad vs. a $2,000 Macbook Pro.
😅 bloody hell, getting struck by lightning is a bit extreme. Glad the iPad Pro has worked out well for you though. Thanks for sharing!
@@IntentionalTech lightening strikes affecting the power grid are common here. I had my MacBook on a surge protector but stupidly not the modem. The MacBook was connected by Ethernet cable. Not a total loss but a few things no longer work.
How many years did your 2012 MacBook Pro end up lasting for? I have a 2015 high end MacBook Pro that I am hope to get another 3/4 years out off.
@@melindagallegan5093 I used it for 9 years (bought in 2013). Up until the lightening strike I was editing on FCP and using it as my primary office computer. It’s still functional, but without being able to connect an external monitor I wouldn’t use it as an office computer anymore.
I plan to go iPad only, because it’s more versatile and convenient for my needs. It can be a notebook when I need it to be and it can be a laptop to complete assignments when I need it to be. Not only that, but it’s a more portable device for content consumption and gaming
Nice 🙂
I use my iPad with a wireless printer through my Wi-Fi. I use my IPad with external video and audio when needed.I don’t need to type much and I just can’t stand going back to a mouse or track pad after being used to a fully functioning touch screen.
iPad could never be a full on replacement for my Windows desktop due to work requirements and the fact I have a huge Steam library of games I like to play. But as a device that I can use in my bed, on the couch, out in a cafe, or as an alarm clock. There's no better device for that imo.
Yeah, this worked really well for me too until starting a family and I had to basically work on this channel while my son was napping 😅
Depends on personal use,,,I consider my iPad with Magic Keyboard its own device and my MacBook its own device, I don't feel either truly could replace the other for me at least.
Last fall, my MacBook Pro 2015 died, I had no iPad at the time either. I ended up buying the iPad Air 5th gen 256gb 8gb ram. I use it for all of my pc needs. I have a work laptop for my job.
Awesome. Sounds like a good decision.
Yeah, the unfortunate thing is one still needs the Mac Mini to go along with the iPad Pro since the iPad Pro is still not a laptop replacement. It could be easily but Apple chooses otherwise.
I could use my iPad for about 95% of my work. The last 5% are simply app gaps, I am a software engineer and there are not IDE’s for iPadOS for example. However what holds the iPad back the most for me, is the UI/UX; Apple is actively holding the interface back. Most of your software issues are more to do with Apples design language, how difficult multi tasking is, is not Google holding their product back but rather Apple. As far as Teams being slow to optimize for Apple Silicon, that would be a macOS thing not iPadOS. iPads have been running Apple Silicon this entire time. Teams is a bit CPU intensive on desktop platforms but I have not had issues with it on iPadOS beyond Apples UI/UX design language. The iPad could be a lot more, but Apple must allow the UI/UX to evolve more.
can you use any Virtual Machine for Ipad? I have been thiking in getting an Ipad. I mostly use the Office suite (sharepoint, etc) but there is some software like IDE's for python, even software for PLC programming that are WIN native apps, so I hestitate a lot. However, carrying two laptops (one personal, one for work) it is just painful
@@Fr4nkSanchezyou can though the experience via utm is not great, you have to sideload it and enable JIT if you want a passable experience
Using google sheets on ipad isnt so bad. Got used to it really quickly. Having a trackpad helps a lot since using a mouse still feels a lil weird.
The trackpad is defo a lot nicer. I use a lot of pivot tables and charts which is just a lot easier for me on a laptop. Glad it works for you though.
No luv for 🐭 mice !!! 😂
Hi, great video! What are the language apps you refer to, please - specifically French - relative to the iPad Pro. Many thanks.
Thanks! Pimsleur is good for confidence in conversation, then italki when you feel ready to talk to an actual French speaker. Duolingo is always a good place to learn the basics and there’s a great free podcast called ‘learn French by podcast’. Otherwise I basically scan pages from textbooks and work through them in Notability, as well as building out vocabulary flash cards with Anki (you can find loads of ready made packs on the likes of Reddit). Netflix is great too. Loads of great French shows and films. There really is no single killer app, it’s just about exposing yourself to the language as much as possible really.
The iPad is so powerful! Finding the right use case is key
It’s brilliant for digital art and note taking but it’s a bit of a shame that all that power still struggles with some of the basics. iPad OS17 looks like a step in the right direction though.
If i didnt have a work MacBook and a desktop PC, i would probably want one of those in either form, but between those and an iPad mini, that takes care of all my current computing needs.
The iPad mini is great. My son has basically taken mine off me by now but in so many cases it’s my preference over the pro.
The limited office suite functionality is the biggest drawback using the ipad.
That is what I thought as well. Then I took a look at apps and decided that yes, there are office suites out there that do everything I need to do. It all boils down to ones needs. My first iPad was an original iPad and even back then, it was a great laptop replacement.
@@robertmaxey5406 So true. I need pivot tables, copy - “paste as picture”, and ctrl+y (repeat last action). Also, the inability to export objects as image from ppt is a bigger deal for me than I would have thought. Currently, as my laptop is in repair, I am using my iPad as a replacement, but unfortunately I do still need my Windows laptop, although I hate every minute of using it.
Just got the Deal of the Decade on a M2 512 gig 12.9” iPad Pro + Apple Pencil 2, Plus Apple Folio Case, Plus Magic Keyboard Case for $700. Can’t wait push this Beast to its limits.
Nice!
i have a Macbook air M2 and an ipad pro 2022. I realize how i use my ipad way more than my macbook air, but there are some things that my macbook can do better than an ipad ever can. Also quick question, i realized that when i use my ipad for 3-4 hours that it would get really hot in the middle of the screen. i would stop to take a break and let it cool down but then as soon as i start using it again it would get hot again five minutes later. It only ever happens when i’m taking notes for hours at a time. Why do you think that happens?
If you think there’s an issue maybe take it to the Genius bar but I’ve noticed the same when using graphics intensive apps, mainly when I’ve been drawing in Procreate for a long period or using a lot of layers. I think it just runs a bit hot when it’s being pushed like any other computer but because it’s so thin you notice it more easily.
Based on all the comments it shared, why the heck won’t Apple just make a convertible touchscreen MacBook Air? Seems to me like there is a market for it.
Cool video. What apps are you using to learn French? I did A level French but it was years ago and want something to get back into the groove…
Thanks. Pimsleur is a great app to build confidence and practice speaking. It’s a paid subscription but they always have big sales so don’t get it at full price. Duolingo is worth using too, and I also just scan pages from text books into Notability. Anki is a good flash card app, and italki is great for finding a tutor or tandem partner. Would also check out a podcast called ‘learn French by podcast’ - that’s really good for comprehension
do you have video, how to set up by printing using ipad os to epson printer without using airprint.?
Sorry, I have the worst luck with printers! Had an HP one most recently and it used to break or not connect to WiFi all of the time. Hope you figure this one out though.
iPad is fully capable of consuming content. But as an actual computer, you have to jump through so many hoops to get it to do the most basic tasks. If your laptop needs are "playing music, looking at memes, watching movies and youtube vids, reading news articles" and other such things, it's great. If you need Excel, want to torrent stuff, do multitasking, and do old fashioned computer stuff, the iPad just doesn't cut it. The other thing is that the iPad Pro is explicitly meant to be an artist tablet. It's a competitor to Wacom, not to a Macbook Air. It's kind of a waste of money to even own one if you're not an artist, unless you're well off enough to afford luxury devices.
Agree with this. I do think the amount of people who literally just do the basics on a computer is larger than people actively interested in tech would expect. But those people will be much better off with a standard iPad or an iPad Air to be honest.
Hi, I'd like to know what the model of your ipad pro is and how many RAM is with it? I don't know if 8g of ram would be enough for an artist to do drawing and a bit of motion graphic work.
Hey. It’s an M1 iPad with 8gb and 256gb capacity. The only time I’ve seen it slow down is when I made a procreate artwork with about 50 layers.
You can turn off the cursor snapping to things in settings.
Just browsed all the comments to se If someone already mentioned this! This changed a LOT for me couple months ago!
Thanks for highlighting this. Good to know!
I pad mini 7 when it comes out 👍 Not as a replacement for anything but as a portable tablet. Of all the iPads, the pro makes the least sense. You may as well spend less money on an M2 MacBook Air or get a MacBook Pro.
You can turn off the snapping of the cursor. Discovered yesterday, i hated it.
Thanks for sharing!
Just trying to decipher your accent. It's not quite Liverpool but I feel there is a bit woolly back in there. Are you from around the Runcorn/Widnes/Warrington area?
😂 I’m from Formby. My accent used to be a bit more scouse but I moved to Germany after uni and then lived in London for a few years so it’s kind of messed up now.
I'm curious, now that Final Cut Pro is out for the iPad, how did that affect your use of the iPad, if at all? As for me, I will always have two machines. The current set up consists of a Mac Mini and an 11-inch iPad Pro. It used to be a MacBook Pro and some version of an iPad. Either way, I always have a Mac and an iPad together. They are complementary devices for me and they always will be. The main reason I gave up the MBP is I use Windows for work and I didn't want to carry two laptops when on the road.
I’ve mainly been using the Final Cut iPad app to put together little family videos and other than that my MacBook Pro is the main driver of this channel. There are just some specific ‘desktop’ features I need to finish my edits and I’m so much quicker on a traditional computer. For most other stuff I still use my iPad. It’s a lot easier to relax with and I like watching films on it / using the Pencil. I feel your pain of having to carry two laptops around when commuting though!
Quite funny as watching this after Final Cut has come out on the iPad (though sadly not a standalone purchase)
😅 Apple love putting my videos out of date. I really like the new Final Cut Pro app but it’s not quite got enough advanced features to replace my laptop when video editing unfortunately
@@IntentionalTech Fair enough. One of the big reasons I’ve moved over to my iPad Pro for on the go is the crazy cost of apple care on a MacBook versus iPad Pro if you are paying for it yourself. Mind I have just bought a M1 Pro 14 off a guy who smashed his screen. To replace the screen is £780 if you don’t have apple care because of the mini led! I paid £450 for it to be fair so it is a good cheap Mac mini Pro. Two years apple care on iPad 11 Pro is £129 or 12.9 is £150 and that covers the accessories like Magic Keyboard if bought together too or £249 or £349 on the MacBook Pro 14 or 16 for 3 years but still.
@@richarddcrossley it is really costly these days. You can get decent deals on MacBook Airs at John Lewis whenever they have a sale. Repairing.a broken laptop sounds like a great idea too. I still use my iPad most of the time really, my MacBook Pro is mainly there for video editing and to hopefully learn motion graphics when I get a chance. While computers are used in most workplaces, I want to make sure I’m keeping up with the relevant programs on those systems.
@@IntentionalTech yep same. My MacBook Pro 14 is my move round the house work machine and iPad Pro is the on the go productivity and media consumption as is the 5G model. Cheers for the replies and enjoying the content.
When you start to realize the iPad is just a larger iPhone and the only thing making it more useful is the Apple Pencil for drawing or writing notes.. I use my m2 iPad Pro for notes and watching movies on the plane.. other than that, all my productivity is on my MacBook and all my communication is on my iPhone.. I still haven’t been able to justify the purchase for myself
Still thinking about switching to ipad for coding (data analysis). Just got an iPad Pro M1 256g. Will try to see if with the app « carnet sci » i can do it without an headache with the limitation of iPadOS.
Please share your feedback
You can change the cursor to not snap - just FYI.
Thanks for sharing. Someone else pointed this out too. I wish you could set certain apps to adopt certain cursor settings, for example something more precise in a spreadsheet but the snapping when navigating your apps library.
What about MS 360? Mind you I don’t really have to do group work with MS. I do have 360, and I take some notes with that etc. Or download files into MS ppt. It seems to work for me, but it’s not a heavy duty career, just student needs. I prefer iPad pros though!!
I don’t have to use MS 360 for work so can’t comment too much but there was a good video from 9to5Mac on it last week. That said, the main issue on iPads is spreadsheets in my opinion. I think if you only ever need excel for basic tasks then office should work well. I’ve found Microsoft Teams to be quite buggy on M1 Macs but it works well enough on the iPad.
What's that lovely iPad stand you are using?
The one in this video is from Magfit
What language learning programs do you use?
Pimsleur when starting out to learn basic phrases and build confidence, Duo Lingo depending on the language, Anki for flash cards, iTalki to practice with native speakers, Notability to scan textbook and work through them on the iPad
I’ve tried, I’ve even changed my mind and said it’s not a computer, for me u need four things: 1. A better file manager. 2. A real mouse pointer 3. A desktop class browser (Edge is almost there) 4. Full Microsoft suite, office it’s not good on iPad. At least for me.
You’ll definitely never be able to use it in a standard office job until it has those features, especially pivot tables in excel
Would u think different now with the app for FCP?
It’s decent if you’re mainly editing short videos for social media but there are quite a few key features missing in comparison to the Mac version. It could be a good place to start but if you’re at all used to editing on a Mac, Final Cut for iPad will feel slow and limiting.
Unfortunately I can’t decide as a uni student which one is useful for me ?! Ipad pro 11 or mcbook air ?!!!
It depends what you’re studying and how much you value taking written notes really. I think most people will be better off with a MacBook though to be honest, especially if there ends up being some niche software required for your course
Well i think your title for the feed is somewhat miss leading, because you did not replace you MacBook. ignoring my comment for a moment i did appreciate your information, even if the information felt like it was coming of a conveyor belt in overdrive. it seems reviews are not reviews but rather the motivation, comes from personal preference. i do acknowledge your passion. thank you for the feed.
If I was able to access my school's portal on my iPad, I'd go 100% iPad
I know what you mean. There’s often one or two essential apps that just stop you from making the switch
I’m interested in buying an ipad specifically for school. What portal do you use that doesn’t work on ipad?
I’ll be honest I use my iPad Pro (2018 model going strong) 95 percent of the time and have only used my suped up MacBook Pro 2020 model like 5 percent of the time. I’ve realized for what I do in a day to day situation the iPad is my go to.
I think a lot of people are in this camp
Same here with exactly the same devices
What kind of language learning apps do you use?
Pimsleur for building conversational skills, as well as a bit of Duolingo and Anki flash cards for vocabulary. Then italki or zoom to learn properly with a tutor. But I also screenshot textbooks in Notability and work through them there. I was thinking about making a video about it soon if that would be interesting?
@@IntentionalTech That's really useful to hear how you use apps/web for language learning.
I take you cant do swift dev work on it either right?
There’s an app called Swift Playgrounds that allows you to code in Swift and move projects back and forth between it and XCode on your computer. I’m not a developer though so don’t know how well it works. I’d imagine it’s not as professional an experience as XCode.
I wouldn't do that. There is no protection for the iPad for virus and such. I used my iPad to do eBay postings and got hacked. They got in to my bank account, were using my camera to watch me and watched everything I was doing on the iPad. They put up a fuzzy pic of me using the iPad and told me to "slow down". Maybe if you can get virus protection, but never again for me. I barely use it now after that since it's not protected.
Ah that’s awful. Hope everything is sorted now.
I bought a screwdriver, I was amazed it didn’t work like my saw
I replaced my Lambo with a Mini Cooper. 😂
I'm in decision hell atm I want to get something for my 12 year old daughter. I'm thinking an iPad may be better than a laptop since she will be able to do work in Office/Google docs, plus use it for entertainment. She's also arty and I was hoping to get her something where she can draw (maybe Procreate with pencil) But there are so many options and a slippery slope in terms of pricing Any advice? Should I stick to a laptop?
Without knowing you or your daughter I would be wary of making a definitive recommendation but my brother in law asked me the same question regarding his son and based on my advice he ended up getting a refurbished iPad Air. His son is delighted with it. If your daughter won’t need any business / pro level apps to do her homework, and you don’t see her learning to code anytime soon, the iPad is probably the best bet. It’s a cheaper option which is a bonus and especially great as you say she’d get a lot out of the pencil. It’s arguably easier to set parental controls on an iPad too ie limiting the kind of apps or content she has access too so that’s also worth remembering.
Good video, do i detect a wirralothian twang?
Thanks. Haha almost. I’m from Formby.
To use the iPad Pro you need to be a Pro on iPad 😂
Im doing the opposite my Ipad pro broke down so I’m buying a macbook air m2
Oh man. It’s not meant to substitute, but as an extra. You should have gotten a MacBook Air or Pro.
so, at the end, it is a toy? gaming, watching movies, most of the times will be better on other devices, consoles, PC's (even Macs!) and TV's. edit: and almost everyone already own those other devices.
Good video brother but please consider going to a barber soon. A fresh cut and beard fade would look way better.
😂 managed to get one last week luckily. That’s parenthood for you!
@@IntentionalTech my man 😂💪
macOS is still leaps ahead of iOS. Too many limitations.
It's Apple that limits google on ipados not the other way around 😊
If you want a device to be your main computer, just buy a Microsoft surface. Bought one after trying to have an iPad only, and now I couldn’t be happier !
I’m really not the best on Windows but if it works for you then I’m sure it’s an awesome option
If you use iPad instead of MacBook, you are not doing anything Pro, just for fun. MacBook is for professionals. and No tablet can replace any PC.
So basically it is an overpriced media consumption device... it's a shame they are not utilizing the power of Apple silicone
you have like 3 computers so this is kind of pointless
iPad is not computer. iPad is just time waster. If you need excel, outlook and other business use. If you are video editor , or student. This is okay.
First world problems
f you do nothing, so it can be
Is that a Scottish accent?
It's a very watered down Liverpool accent :D
No way is an iPad on the same league as a MacBook, I have booth and iPad is a waste, but then I’m in finance and not in art
So would you say iPad is a waste of money if you work in finance, and having a MacBook is enough?
Exactly I have had ipads for a long time and I always go back to taMac easier to use say excel, powerpoint, and so on, maybe oneday apple will wake up and have a touchscreen on their Macs, but becase they are greedy and want to sell you an overpriced iPad and mac and iwatch and all the cables...