iPad vs MacBook: Can the iPad Truly Replace Your Laptop? (2023)

38 Comments

1. I have given many shots to the iPad Pro with the Magic Keyboard. Unfortunately, it just doesn't cut it. I love my 16-inch MacBook Pro too much! It's a beast that can get anything done and no monitor is needed.

2. The short answer is: Yes! The long answer is: no.

3. no it definitely cant and you kind of cheated by using an external monitor. The ipad cant have neated folders how could you possibly atay organiEd. Its really not possible and also very time consuming if you are actualky doing work.

4. I think iPad OS needs a MAJOR overhaul and they should start making move toward letting real computer software being run on iPads and allow you to easily drag and drop files from an external physical source – I get that it's a tablet and not a computer but at the same time they're marketing it as a "Pro" device and are hamstringing it with half-baked software. It's amazing for a tablet but I feel like it's ultimately held back by the operating system for truly pro performance.

5. I like the bigger screen of the Macbook, but I prefer the simplicity of iPad. The smaller size and weight makes iPad easier to carry around.

6. The tech is there, but adaption and software, apps lack so far behind, essentially making it an expensive doodle board…

7. 06:15… I disagree. The “Final Cut Pro” released is not even the same application and is subscription based. Luckily, LumaFusion exists and is way better.

8. I survived senior year of college with an iPad mini gen 2, so an iPad can definitely replace a laptop if you’re a student. However now that I’m further in my working life, an iPad can replace most of what I need from an laptop but definitely not everything

9. Good review, but I would the comments be the same without an external monitor. I can actually do coding and documentation work on my MacBook Pro. This is not as easy with my MBP M1 even with the keyboard and it’s trackpad.

10. What does minimise mean?

11. I traded in my 2018 MacBook Pro for the 2021 11" iPad Pro, and although I've adapted to it quite well, thanks in large part to the ORlbox stylus, it doesn't provide me with the sense of fulfillment I was hoping for. Despite the option to connect a keyboard and a mouse, it still falls short in comparison to the freedom I experience with a Windows laptop or a MacBook. The process of attaching and detaching the keyboard can be quite frustrating, and the keyboard integration feels unnatural. It's like there's a missing piece, roughly about 25% of what I need, and I often feel restricted, almost like being in a cage. I'm eagerly looking forward to replacing it with a laptop

12. He will obviously say the iPad can replace the Mac. This is a paper like Chanel , if they say no then they will sell less paper like covers since the Mac doesn’t not use that only the iPad.

13. I use my iPad Pro everywhere I can instead of a corporate-issued laptop. The software is the limitation, not the device. When someone sends me a link to a Salesforce dashboard, it won’t open, because SF does not allow using a mobile browser and the iPad app does not accept the URL and SSO necessary to follow a link. Smartsheet is the same. The list goes on and on.

14. Can it run any desktop software yet? If yes, then it can replace it. If no, then it cannot replace anything.

    Answer is still NO, and its still an oversized iPhone only 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️

15. I’ve wanted to make the iPad my computer for years. Not to judge but does anyone do their books, quick books or other? I won’t move my finances to the cloud. Also there is no Time Machine, how do you backup? More cloud? Until there is a solid backup function and the ability to run software then it’s just complimentary ….which is by design of course.

16. 7:56 not supporting an external storage is a no no for me. Thank you for the video.

17. I use my iPad 4 for my main computer. I had a laptop but i got it a bit too big since i use it for school and take it around a lot. So i use my laptop more when I need to do serious work but i mostly use my iPad for school work. In school we used chromebooks anyway so using a iPad with a keyboard didn’t feel like i was missing out on anything. So i mainly choose my iPad 4 as my laptop replacement because better portability. It didn’t have a loud fan and didn’t have to update as constantly and started up faster than my laptop. Can use it in more settings like when im outside aswell. As a highschool student it was perfect for me. (It can’t do everything but i would say about 90% of what i need.) i also carry a portable charger with works fine.

    I plan on upgrading because i really want stage manager. But I don’t think i will be upgrading right away as it doesn’t feel as necessary right now. Ill probably keep it for a couple more years. Maybe when i get to college as what i may be doing might get more demanding.

18. Sadly, you can’t. Reason is you can’t do a lot of programming stuff here. So if Apple would allow iPadOS to be more open and port at least Xcode, it would truly be a replacement.

19. Let’s wait 5 years from now and see.

20. The iPad is not a good replacement for a laptop. It is only good at the following in my experience, content consumption, live note taking (think school lectures), and drawing. For database work, coding, even Remote Desktop is severely restricted if not using a physical keyboard. That said, my 12.9 m1 iPad is one slick toy.

    Edit: It’s also good for music production as I’m finding out.

21. Já que o rapaz é brasileiro vou me dar ao luxo de poder escrever em português. Estou usando meu iPad Air 5 como meu computador faz quase um mês. Com ele eu faço documentos do Office, programo e outras coisas de multimídia. A única coisa que eu não consegui fazer nesses dias e precisei fazer foi formatar um pendrive.

    Existe a promessa de um app de máquina virtual em breve para iPad M1 e isso com certeza vai resolver qualquer problema que você tenha usando iPad.

22. dont compare it to the way a content creator like you would use a laptop but an ordinary person would. lmao.

23. like a digital creator like you no, but everyone else yes, even Ipad 10th can replace a laptop.

24. Yeah. Love my iKea wood ipad stand too. But i love the iKea keychain iphone stand much more. I plan on grabbing a bunch when i go back to iKea to have it all over house and as backup

25. I had an ipad air 2 for the longest time but during quarantine I noticed how bad the battery had gotten, so I traded it in for an iPad Air 4 and it has bean my main computer for high school. with the luxury of hine-site I should have waited for iPad Air 5 for that M1 chip, but I actually like how difficult it is to multi task. I put Canvas on the left next to Word with Zoom or notes in the background, or just use OneNote to make it a little whiteboard for math. I never realized how helpfull not having distractions was until I tried to write an essay on my computer, it was way to easy to "take a break" or put something on in the background so I end up hardly getting any work done. My computer is basically just for leisure now (except for fusion360) and I use my ipad for everything work and school related. 10/10

26. computer in 2025 will be throwing away it stucks

27. Always funny to read the reactions of professionals or would be professionals about the Ipad.
    I only use my Ipad professionally for music on stage, and it works perfect, for years now.
    For the most people, like 95% of the people that are not using office programs photo editing programs etc. like a pro and for me the Ipad works perfect, since my first brand new Ipad (3) I have hardly looked back to my computers so you can say it has replaced my computer for years now.
    And probably for a lot of other people too, and not just the Ipad, some Android tablets are good too.

    Actually, for a lot of young people their phone has even almost replaced the computer.

28. I just realized this channel is paperlike

29. ok,in my work routine I use iPad instead of Macbook BUT iPad can’t be laptop replacement for any serious work.
    Here is some, for me, important things that iPad CAN’T handle:
    – format external drives
    – open browser developer tools
    – browser add-ons/plugins/extensions
    – impossible to change/modify host file (no Terminal app)

    … ONE MORE THING
    Apple CAN make that iPad CAN replace laptop completely, just need to put MacOS to iPad… if they do that, that will be the end of the laptops

30. My iPad 10 replaced my laptop and desktop. I use a keyboard case and stylus. To me, my iPad and case combo is no different than a laptop. Just better battery life and less weight. Great video

31. Nope. Doesn't replace it, no matter how many screens, keyboards, and other plug-ins you want to add. MacBook and iPad are both very useful to me, but for very different things.

    The file management interface is set up completely different on the MacBook (or windows). In MacOS, I have a series of folders (all of which back up automatically to the service of my choice, whether GoogleDrive or MS OneDrive or whatever), and the current versions of my documents are there–excel, word, pages, numbers, whatever. I click on the document and the correct app opens up and I edit the document as needed. Click the Save button and it's automatically backed up to the online service, and to all of my other devices set to sync.

    iPadOS doesn't do this at all. Watching it over the last few years, doesn't look like it's making any move to doing it. This makes it a complete non-starter. I'd love to use only my iPad (more storage space, lighter, if nothing else) for everything.

    But most of my work-related activities cannot be done on an iPad, and Apple doesn't look like they want to make it possible. So every day, I carry both my MBP and my iPad to work.

32. Any plans on releasing the iPad folio for the iPad mini?

33. That keyboard looks fantastic – which one is it?

34. That sounds great and I would love to use just an iPad, but I have the most problems with Office or Numbers/Pages/… it’s hard to find things there and on the Mac you have more options

35. I'm travelling for a couple of months but have to take both iPad Pro M2 and MacBook Air as the Insta360 Studio is not available for iPad (only iPhone app). I also find Word is more difficult to use on the iPad. For general stuff iPad with a keyboard is good but video/photo editing is still not as good.

36. Hi, thanks for the video, nice job👍
    Would be good if you can do an update video once iPadOS 17 is out. Thanks again 👌

37. My computer needs are rather mundane: email, texting, internet, note taking, etc. So I end up using my iPad and Magic Keyboard 90 % of the time. But, not having room for a full desktop arrangement, when I simply want a larger screen and keyboard and the greater flexibility of a Mac, I also own a 13” MacAir. I suppose I could have simply gotten the larger iPad, but the 11” is much more portable, which is what IPad is all about.

38. Is…..the iPad supposed to replace a laptop? I thought it was supposed to be a third category of device between a laptop and phone.