iPad Pro iPad Pro dilemma: Let it be or keep dreaming?

[TheWraith]

The salt in the wound of all of this is that price for an iPad Pro 12.9” in many cases exceeds a Macbook. Sometimes I shake my head and wonder why I spent $1300 on a device that doesn’t even allow me to manage my music library, doesn’t allow me to rename files while downloading from internet, and many other irritating nits that $300 2010 Macbook Air can do easily.

I mean, I know it is heresy on this sub forum, but maybe just get a new MacBook Air?

or even one of the budget Walmart m1s for so little?

I used to try and make my ipad do everything, and have to admit I have given up. it is now my least used apple device, and I have two of them (mini and air, one was a gift) and I really may just use them into the ground. It is hard to imagine upgrading at how little they get used.

 

[FeliApple]

I mean, I know it is heresy on this sub forum, but maybe just get a new MacBook Air?

or even one of the budget Walmart m1s for so little?

I used to try and make my ipad do everything, and have to admit I have given up. it is now my least used apple device, and I have two of them (mini and air, one was a gift) and I really may just use them into the ground. It is hard to imagine upgrading at how little they get used.

This. You buy the 12.9-inch iPad Pro because you prefer and like the screen size.

If you want it to replace a Mac, buy a Mac and sell the iPad.

 

[The Game 161]

This is the thing I have a mac and an iPad Pro and the iPad Pro for my non work tasks can be my only device easily. I think it all depends on what you’re doing. If all you’re doing is web browsing, media and saving spreadsheets for things like logging what you spend and for pdfs an iPad with s keyboard would be fine.

we all have different needs but for. Media device for app selection the iPad Pro is great at what it does. Those who need more are the ones who are disappointed

 

[MacProFCP]

As we anxiously wait for the new iPad Pro to be announced, I am once again pondering the dilemma of the iPad Pro. Do I let it be what it is; which is the best tablet ever made, or do I continue to push and complain to make it I know it can be; the one and only device I need.

As a tablet, the iPad has always been the most amazing device to use for media consumption and light productivity work in bed, on the couch, on the go, and at a table. It has only gotten more capable over time and with the addition of keyboards, pencil, and pointer input, it has grown to be capable of performing 80% of my work and personal workflow. 70% it does easily, 10% it does clumsily compared to a Mac, and 20% it just can’t do. The things it just can’t do are a combination of iPadOS limitations and iPad productivity apps not having feature parity with the Mac equivalent.

Apple never said the iPad could replace your Mac (though for many it can) so I had no reason to complain. Apple just kept making iPadOS incrementally better and kept working to make it work better with a Mac. Stage Manager, Handoff, Sidecar, Universal Control are amazing and magical features and really do reduce the friction between Mac and iPad.

The problem started when Mac transitioned from Intel to ARM processors in 2020. Suddenly, the chip architecture between the iPad and Mac was the same and with that came expectations. While the 2018 and 2020 iPad Pro still ran an A12 processor the expectations were manageable since Mac were on the M1 chip. Nevermind that the A12 could easily run MacOS, the names were different so expectations were managed. In 2021 Apple announced that the iPad Pro would now run the same M1 chip as Macs and the expectations went through the roof that somehow iPads could or would run MacOS or at least Mac applications. Even RAM was published for the first time ever on iPad and it was possible to get 16GB of RAM with a storage upgrade to 1TB. The expectations came crashing down at WWDC in 2021 when iPadOS 15 was announced bringing very little in terms of new features.

I got swept up in the tornado of expectations and the thought of my M1 iPad Pro suddenly satisfying 100% of my workflow, was a dream come true. No more “do I chance only bringing my iPad Pro for that weekend trip and praying that work doesn’t come up with something that is a roadblock on iPadOS” dilemma. Ditching my heavy 16” Macbook Pro for the weekend was a worthy goal. After the rage subsided, I began to understand why Apple would never let iPad run MacOS even though it could. To do so would entail requiring a keyboard and external mouse, and then some sort of dual boot capability. On top of that it would mean disabling the touch screen when running MacOS. Requiring extra hardware, dual booting, and disabling hardware features is just not the type of user experience Apple wants. I don’t like it but I get it.

More irritating to me is Apple’s insistence on blocking other ways I could get that last 10% of workflow and go “iPad Pro only”. Hypervisor support was removed in iPadOS 16 meaning that ability to someday run a MacOS virtual machine was taken away. Apple’s strict control over which apps get allowed in the App store is also heavy handed and limiting.

The salt in the wound of all of this is that price for an iPad Pro 12.9” in many cases exceeds a Macbook. Sometimes I shake my head and wonder why I spent $1300 on a device that doesn’t even allow me to manage my music library, doesn’t allow me to rename files while downloading from internet, and many other irritating nits that $300 2010 Macbook Air can do easily.

In spite of this, I know that this week or next week I am going to do what I know I shouldn’t do. I am going to spend $2000+ or more on a new iPad Pro with 16GB of RAM and Magic Keyboard; hoping, wishing for a miracle from Apple that will make it the only device I need. It won’t happen but at least I know I’ll have the best tablet ever made.

Years ago, after trying out the iPad Mini as a laptop replacement, I gave up. I own a standard iPad Pro but use it for what it is: a great, single application device. I use it to control hardware at events, to view PDFs and documents while on site visits and for ForeFlight.

While my 2019 is my main computer, my favorite machine is my MBA. It’s small, lightweight, and can do almost everything I need. When on the road and need more, I bring the MBP.

Debated ad nauseam, it is my opinion that the iPad is nothing more than an iPod touch with a larger screen. A good device for certain uses but not a replacement for either the iPhone or a good laptop.

 

[Ludatyk]

It’s the generalizing that annoys me “hey, only use the iPad for this.”

We have pigenhole the iPad… to a certain extent, and it seems as though whatever improvements Apple makes along the way it will never be enough. I’ve done coding with the iPad, typed up letters and papers, created spreadsheets, video and photo editing with the iPad... So, I’m optimistic when it comes to “not limiting“ yourself with it.

There’s plethora of apps that folks use to get work done on the iPad, but most seem to dismiss it and act as if they don’t exist. I’m aware that some tasks are impossible to do given that specific software (or features) might not be available on the iPad, but that shouldn’t diminish the productivity aspect of it.

 

[Greenmeenie]

I guess it depends on the person, because my 2018 iPad Pro replaced my laptop years ago. It does EVERYTHING better than my laptop ever did in a much slimmer & lighter design. I’m a professional artist & my iPad Pro is my main computer now. Not only is it a much better digital sketchbook with the Apple pencil, but I edit all my photos & videos on it as well. It’s also far superior to a laptop for media consumption & web surfing. I do all my writing on my ipad pro as well. Sometimes with the apple pencil, and other times using the virtual keyboard. I never bothered to buy the smart keyboard cover for it. Why? Typing on the screen is so easy & i don’t have to add extra weight with the external keyboard cover. If the iPad Pros get the ability to run MacOs someday, that’d be cool. But I have fully adapted to an iOS only workflow just fine. It may not be for everyone, but for me it totally is. I may finally upgrade when the new OLED iPad Pros come out, but my 2018 iPad Pro is still awesome.