Can an iPad replace a laptop?
Tablet versus laptop as the main device for students and work.
Axis: yes, the iPad is enough … get a laptop first
Answers by date: 22 records in 17 sources, newest first; the answers above are the current ones. shift and revise mean the advice changed; tension — speakers disagree.
| date | who | answer | source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-11-26 | Ali | Even with the new M1 MacBooks, Ali does not think the iPad has ever been able to fully replace a laptop for someone like him: it can do almost everything, just a little slower, which wastes his time. | iPad Air Review - Productivity Powerhouse 00:16:19 |
| 2020-11-20 | Ali | Ali still does not think an iPad, even a 12.9-inch iPad Pro, can feasibly replace what a laptop does for him. | My New Daily Driver - M1 Macbook Pro (2020) Review 00:02:34 |
| 2020-11-20 | Ali Abdaal (channel) | In a comment reply of October 2021, asked by a student and part-time business organiser whether to get a Mac Mini with a display and an iPad Pro, or a MacBook Pro with a display, for desk and remote work, the channel answers: the MacBook Pro. | My New Daily Driver - M1 Macbook Pro (2020) Review creator comment |
| 2020-09-21 | Ali | Asked whether to buy a MacBook or an iPad, Ali answers: buy a MacBook; you don't need an iPad. | Code with Me - My New Website Design 02:07:33 |
| 2020-05-12 | Ali | Ali returns his MacBook Air to Apple, having decided to use his 12.9-inch iPad Pro as his main device and his 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro for heavy lifting. | I Tried Making a Viral Video - Day in the Life VLOG 00:01:49 |
| 2020-04-23 | Ali | The Magic Keyboard's trackpad is as good as a MacBook's, Ali says, though much smaller and with a physical click, and he expects it to significantly increase his productivity on the iPad, especially for selecting text. | This is Incredible - iPad Pro Magic Keyboard Impressions 00:02:56 |
| 2020-04-23 | Ali Abdaal (channel) | Asked whether the Magic Keyboard changes the iPad Pro versus MacBook Air verdict, the channel says no: the iPad with it is not a good laptop replacement, and a student starting medical school should get a MacBook Air rather than a 12.9-inch iPad Pro with the Magic Keyboard. | This is Incredible - iPad Pro Magic Keyboard Impressions creator comment |
| 2020-04-20 | Ali | For people with very basic computing needs, like his housemate Molly Hunt, who watches Netflix and only occasionally types a Word document or makes a PowerPoint, Ali says the laptop's efficiency saving does not matter: get an iPad. | HEAD TO HEAD - iPad Pro vs MacBook Air (2020) 00:00:58 |
More answers (14)
| date | who | answer | source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-20 | Ali | An iPad can sort of replace a laptop, Ali says, but at a significant cost of efficiency: everything a MacBook Air does can be done on an iPad Pro, it just takes a little longer. | HEAD TO HEAD - iPad Pro vs MacBook Air (2020) 00:00:29 |
| 2020-04-11 | Ali | shift: Ali says the iPad Pro is good but not quite a laptop replacement just yet. | My New Favourite Laptop - MacBook Air 2020 Review 00:00:29 |
| 2020-03-28 | Ali Abdaal (channel) | To someone looking to buy a MacBook who sees the iPad Pro as a substitute, the channel says to get the MacBook. | iPad Pro 2020 Review - Overkill creator comment |
| 2019-10-14 | Ali | Ali will not fully replace his laptop because of efficiency and complexity, but uses his iPad more hours a day for light work (browsing, writing, planning videos, notes), keeping the laptop for heavy lifting. | Do students need an iPad or a MacBook? 00:04:09 |
| 2019-10-14 | Ali | A student who uses a computer like most students, not as a massive computer nerd, can completely replace a laptop with an iPad, which Ali calls a nicer experience overall. | Do students need an iPad or a MacBook? 00:03:47 |
| 2019-10-14 | Ali | shift: Ali now thinks that for most people, students or not, an iPad can probably replace a laptop, with caveats: it depends on how much they value efficiency and what work they do. | Do students need an iPad or a MacBook? 00:00:00 |
| 2019-08-23 | Ali | Ali says his iPad has pretty much replaced his laptop for everything except video editing and coding: he does everything on it. | The Best iPad Screen Protector - Paperlike V2 00:01:58 |
| 2019-06-05 | Ali | Ali says he has never quite switched to the iPad for everything because almost everything he does on an iPad is a bit less efficient than on a MacBook. | My 7 Favourite iPad OS Features - Apple WWDC 2019 00:02:42 |
| 2019-06-05 | Ali | Ali says iPadOS, an operating system made just for the iPad, brings it closer to being a genuine laptop replacement, and thinks that when it comes out in autumn 2019 the iPad will be able to replace a laptop for a lot of people. | Top 5 Highlights from Apple's WWDC 2019 Keynote 00:00:26 |
| 2019-04-23 | Ali | Ali recommends students get Apple's official keyboard for the iPad Air, which makes it more of a laptop replacement, if they can afford the extra £150. | Which iPad should you buy - Analysis of iPad Pro vs iPad Air vs iPad Mini vs iPad 00:15:55 |
| 2019-03-26 | Ali | Ali thinks a laptop is pretty much an essential purchase for students: you can just about get by with an iPad Pro, but with a lot of sacrifices. | Recommended Tech for Students 🎧📱 00:00:00 |
| 2019-02-18 | Ali | With the Smart Keyboard Folio, Ali says, the iPad Pro turns from a device for browsing, Netflix and the Apple Pencil into almost a laptop replacement. | iPad Pro Smart Keyboard Folio Review - My favourite typing experience of all time 00:04:20 |
| 2018-11-19 | Ali | The 2018 iPad Pro is still an iPad and will not replace a laptop, Ali says; nothing has really changed since his earlier video on the question. → refers to iPad vs Macbook for Students - Can a tablet replace your laptop? | iPad Pro 2018 Review - Should you buy it? 00:01:11 |
| 2018-10-10 | Ali | A student really choosing between an iPad and a laptop should definitely go for the laptop, Ali says. | iPad vs Macbook for Students - Can a tablet replace your laptop? 00:08:10 |