Apple has long claimed that the iPad Pro is a replacement for your desktop or notebook computer. Many strongly disagree and have very good reasons for that, but with the new updates from Apple and iPadOS, can the iPad Pro or basic iPad become a definitive replacement for your computer or notebook?
In the past, I always looked down on portable products. I always thought I could never replace a computer. Without realizing it I noticed that it is more and more unusual for a family to have a computer at home.
Buy your Apple Product on Amazon
If you decide to purchase your iPad after reading this article, we recommend you do so through our Amazon links so you're rewarding me for writing the article.
In fact, if you want to buy anything on Amazon, clicking on the links in the window below is already helping. See a list of related products on Amazon Brazil:
Amazon Brazil Products are much cheaper than Apple's Official Store. You can buy a new generation iPad for less than 3000 reais, even in current dollar conditions.
It's also worth mentioning the new Macs with M1, my dreams for consumption, but unfortunately I still can't buy it in Brazil.
Disadvantages of using an iPad as a Notebook
What are the disadvantages of using an iPad to replace a notebook or desktop? Many start by talking about its absurd price, lack of mouse support, operating system and lack of compatibility. Fortunately Apple solved many of these problems with the iPadOS.
Nowadays the iPad is much easier to move and manage files, allowing to multitask in a practical and unique way. In the first version of iPadOS you get mouse support and a 50% faster and lighter software improvement.
iPad is a small product and can be considered more fragile than a notebook. Its accessories like keyboard and Apple Pencil are sold separately and cost the eye of the face. (Ps: We recommend the Logitech keyboard instead of Apple).
Another problem with the iPad is that its hardware is not flexible and is more difficult to repair than notebooks. Buying an iPad is accepting that you will be restricted to the Apple operating system, although it is very good, it has its flaws like any OS.
Unfortunately, if you are a gamer or need tools that iOS doesn't provide, the disadvantages end up being many. Although the iPad is packed with games with the new Apple Acarde, you have a lot to lose from the lack of a Windows and dedicated graphics card.
Even for those who work with video editing, the iPad does a great job. Of course, an iPad is not going to render a heavy project, just as a notebook is not very suitable for that either.
Really, the only real disadvantage that I believe is that you will not have a PC Gamer or a Windows that has a lot of compatibility. Fortunately, this is not an issue for most ordinary users today.
Before the iPad OS version, the system really had limitations like the lack of compatibility with external Pen Drivers and HDs, compatibility with mice, an impractical multitasking and other problems that Apple is correcting to make the iPad better than a Notebook .
Is the final price really a big problem?
Many are frightened by iPad for its price, so many resort to cheap notebooks or Android tablets that really have the same functions or even more compared to iOS. Many are distant from Apple for their price, but do not know the savings they make when buying these products.
A decent notebook costs almost the same price as an iPad Pro sold on the open market. I even paid less than 4,000 on my iPad Pro with Smartkeyboard when travel to japan.
Regarding its price, luckily the iPad is not so expensive if bought in the gray market or imported from abroad. In reality, the SurfacePro or SurfaceGO ends up costing more than the iPad Pro and has a lower performance in the benchmarks, even against the i7.
With less than 2,000 reais you can take an ordinary iPad of 9.7 inches or even 10.5 inches and have a performance and experience superior to that of a Notebook of 2,000 reais. Of course, everything within the limitations of iOS.
Abroad, the new entry-level iPads can be purchased for less than 1,000 reais. I remember that at the time of the iPad Air 2, I paid about 1300 reais in mine, at the Apple store in Japan.
Of course, if you want to have the best experience with an iPad pro and all its accessories, be prepared to shell out at least 5,000 reais in the gray market or 7,000 reais in official stores.
Why is the iPad a better option than Notebooks and PCs?
Of course, a tablet will not replace a desktop or notebook depending on what you do. But when it comes to the large mass, even smartphones are replacing computers in people's homes.
Nowadays many also prefer to play on consoles than to pay dearly on a PC Gamer. Designers and bloggers can easily adapt to the 12.9-inch iPad without missing a thing, not to mention that Apple Pencil is perfect for their work.
The main reason an iPAD is a better option for your notebook is the simple fact that it is more powerful than most notebooks that for some reason have risen so much in price. Nowadays, a decent notebook costs over R $ 4,000 and does not perform as well as Apple's optimized system.
Another big reason is their ease of transport, they can be smaller or have a screen the size of a notebook. It is very light, weighing less than 1kg and its keyboard can be detached, unlike an UltraBook or touchscreen notebook.
IPad batteries also usually consume less battery than a notebook. Productivity apps in the Apple Store can replace almost any basic function made on a notebook or desktop today.
All this without the fear of a common user of installing antivirus, losing your files that can be easily protected in iCloud, without crashes and random bugs, program errors not opening, constant need to format and etc.
Your Hardware can last for many years and receive thousands of updates and can be sold at the end for a high price, which fully values your investment.
iPad being used to work on the internet
With an iPad I can quickly write articles on my website anywhere, even without internet access. I also create images to be posted on Instagram and Facebook profiles, which are the key to marketing today.
Not even a notebook or computer can allow certain functions that social media applications allow. So I always stick to the iPad and have a Mac at home, without the frills of needing a notebook or macbook.
Sometimes even a cell phone can completely replace a computer for certain jobs. Those who work in sales on social networks just need a cell phone to be happy. I remember that this is one of the jargon of instagram sales courses.
The iPad offers several tools to dramatically increase your productivity, also increasing your profit and making your investment absolutely nothing.
Can an android tablet replace a notebook?
You may still imagine that Apple's system is a little closed, difficult or limited. Not to mention that it considers android tablets more powerful and cheaper. So can an Android Tablet replace a Notebook?
Unfortunately, while browsing the technology community, I came across several criticisms of Samsung's new Android tablet, which despite being beautiful and powerful, the Android system doesn't have applications optimized for larger screens, even with DeX.
First we have to remember that Samsung tablets that provide Dex mode are often even more expensive than an iPad. Second, we must remember that it is the developers' fault and that you will not perform as well as the iPad OS.
Unless you already have an S10 or another cell phone and tablet that allows you to perform the functions you want, an android tablet will not replace a notebook like an iPad does. Of course, everything depends on the user and what he wants with the product.
My Experience with Apple and the iPAD
I was a critic and hater of Apple, mainly for its absurd pricing policy. However, when migrating to the company, it turned out that my profits increased much more and my productivity on the computer too.
My first mac mini I bought and used for 2 years, then I sold it and with money I bought a new, more current one. Anyone who buys Apple products, unless you break or burn it, can only win and not lose.
When I had a windows desktop, I lost count of how many times I had to buy new parts and format. It turned out that I spent more on windows than on mac. I say the same thing for the Android and Windows Phone operating systems that I loved.
The only thing I see no advantage at Apple is the iPhones and Macbook which are absurd pieces right away. Although I feel obliged to have an iPhone to maintain all the integration, compatibility and synchronization that I have with my MacMini and iPad.
If you're a student, you don't use a computer a lot, but you need to do some tasks. Whether you are an online entrepreneur who needs to be always connected, a designer or a writer, the iPad can replace your Notebook.