How the iPad Pro totally replaced my Macbook Pro

The debate over iPads as a laptop replacement dates back to their introduction. It wasn't possible for me until the Files App came out in iOS 11. But what about the other differences?

Despite Window's many advances - and some Apple screwups - I continue to prefer the reliability of Apple hardware and the ease of use of iOS and macOS. So I've watched the iPad-as-notebook-replacement debate with serious interest over the last couple of weeks.

As a writer and analyst, I am an information junkie, and I still wasn't sure the iPad would cut it. Have I been surprised! The 10.5" iPad Pro (2017) is my new favorite Apple device; my older MacBook Pro is gathering dust.

THE GOOD

I've been using the 10.5" iPad Pro for a couple of days, and after a few learning curve issues, I've completely stopped using my Mid-2010 13" Macbook Pro. So what are the 'goods' that made the decision easy?

Firstly, performance: Wow, it's fast! Benchmarks claim that the iPad Pro is just as fast as the 13" Retina Macbook Pro, which costs more than twice as much. Apple claims that the iPad Pro is as fast as most laptops, and they're right!

Keyboard: I honestly prefer using the on-screen keyboard compared to the more annoying, sticky Macbook keyboard. Simply found it much more comfortable to use. Maybe getting the Smart Keyboard can help me type more quicker and efficiently.

Size: The iPad Pro is much lighter than my Macbook, so the portability factor is brilliant. I always told myself that if I were to get a new laptop / notebook, it would have to be one that I could take constantly on the go without having to worry about the weight and size.

Battery: My older Macbook's battery has recently become faulty after the countless times I've charged it. At a full battery, the Macbook takes about an hour of light usage until it dies. Whereas, my new iPad Pro's battery can last all-day even whilst doing heavy-duty stuff such as gaming, watching videos and editing photos. The only little downfall to the battery is the 12W charger that came in the box. According to other reviewers, they claim that the battery takes 5 hours to fully recharge which is annoying, but thankfully there's an alternate way to reduce charging time, buy a 29W Apple Adapter and it takes the charging time from 5 hours to 2 hours.

THE NOT-SO GOOD

File handling: File handling is very clunky on iOS. The split screen option is OK, but I prefer a window with multiple tabs that I can leave open behind the current app and then foreground as needed. iOS 12?

I/O Ports: Probably the biggest issue I was most concerned with since I use external hard drives to do my photo/video editing, but thankfully there's a few alternate methods I can use. When it comes to creating and exporting documents, I now simply upload them to my Google Drive which I can then use to download and view my documents on my iPhone SE and my Desktop PC. I primarily use my desktop to edit videos and photos now, whereas my iPad Pro is primarily used for entertainment, basic editing work and blogging.

VERDICT

Couple of months ago, I couldn't conceive of dropping my MacBook for an iPad. It felt like there would be too many trade offs.

But despite the annoyances I've noted, I find the total iPad Pro experience to be markedly preferable to a MacBook. The iPad Pro 10.5" is smaller, lighter, cheaper, easier to use, and just as fast!

I do keep a desktop PC for heavy lifting such as Photoshop, and as a hub for my 2TB of storage, and the iPad Pro won't replace that. But as a mobile computer, I've found it superb!