M2 iPad Pro vs M2 MacBook Air Comparison

Vemuda Techno - Who are these Pro users Apple is so aggressively trying to interest in their iPads? Filmmakers? Writers? Photographers? Am I enough Pro to truly utilize everything the iPad Pro can give me?

The baseline M2 MacBook Air is only 1199, and it’s not Pro in any way. iPad Pro 12.9 with the Magic keyboard is 1399. This got me thinking – how pro you need to be to replace a mac with an iPad?

Source: 9to5Mac

I’ve used the iPad Pro as my main computer for an entire week, and I have tested every aspect of it. Stick around to find out whether the iPad can be a direct laptop replacement.

Let’s start with something basic a person could do – carry it around. No, no, we will not turn it on just yet. An iPad with the keyboard weighs a little over three pounds, which is heavier than a MacBook air.

The iPad keyboard combo also is thicker. However, I really like how the iPad is elevated and floats over the keyboard, giving it a more futuristic, more novel feeling.

Cold aluminum of the iPad is very pleasant to hold, and the soft, rubbery material of the magic keyboard feels really nice.

Aesthetically, an ipad and a keyboard look much more interesting than any MacBook, so if you want to stand out – it can be your call for the purchase.

Now let’s tackle the system real quick. Apple has made many improvements to the iPadOS over the years, polishing and refining it. Animations, interacting with files, apps – everything is top notch.

It needs some getting used-to time, but I would say that navigating through iPadOS feels just as nice as it is on the mac.

But can you really get some work done?

I do YouTube, that’s my craft and my passion, so I can assess this combo on different levels. Every video starts with the idea. That idea must be researched, finalized, and scripted.

This stage of production can’t be overlooked, and all the stuff we’ll do here is really similar to the stuff an average student will do. So, double win! Okay, subject research.

Usually, I use Youtube for this, and occasionally I browse the web. YouTube, as you may expect, works great. The image quality is amazing, the brightness level is simply mind blowing.

The screen on iPads are as good as they are on pro Macbooks. Crisp, ultra bright, P3 wide color gamut support, 120 Hertz. So much better than anything you can get on a macbook air, for example.

And the best part – I can easily detach the iPad from the keyboard and continue my research on the couch, in the kitchen, outdoors, on the white throne. iPad is just much more versatile, much less restraining. Using it feels fresh, unusually comfortable.

Now, as we are done with researching, let’s create a script. I’ll use Google Docs for that, but you can use Pages, Office 365, anything you like, basically.

Right off the bat – typing experience is just as great as on my 14 inch Macbook Pro. The keys are the right size, they travel just the right amount, and the backlight is a very nice thing to have.

Trackpad is basically identical to the one in macbooks, but much smaller. Gestures are still there, familiar to the ones on macs, but performing them is tricky.

My fingers are not very big, but cramping three or four fingers on this small trackpad doesn’t feel natural. At least as natural as it is on macs. And another thing that is not working is typing with an ipad on your lap.

Finding the balance to the iPad won’t fall is hard, because the point of balance is high up. Of course, that’s the limitation of this keyboard design that can’t be mitigated, but I really can’t call this keyboard combo a macbook replacement in every way.

In some ways – sure. But not in every way. If you always type with your laptop on your desk, then your experience will be just as great.

Oh, and one more thing – I wish there was a row of function keys, because reaching to the control center each time I need to adjust the brightness or volume isn’t all that convenient.

The cheaper 10th gen ipad has that, so Apple, maybe it’s time to update the Magic keyboard?

Okay, the keyboard is great, but how about the text-editing software?

Well, here’s the catch – if you use pages – you basically have the full functionality as on macs, but with google docs, you are limited.

Interface is simplified, not all editing functions are present, and you need to go through a couple of menus just to check the word count. Not great.

The same goes to google sheets and apple’s Numbers. Making small, occasional adjustments is doable, but forget about comfortably inserting huge formulas or managing five sheets at once.

Summing up – the experience a student or writer can get is passable. But if you need to do something bigger, more advanced, I would choose something more Macbook-ish. 7/9 replacement for students and basic people.

Maybe video calls will crash the iPad?

The iPad's front-facing camera has a 12 Mpix resolution and can shoot 4K 60, while macbooks are limited to heavily processed 1080p.

Yes, it is located rather weirdly on the side, but if you can cope with this minor inconvenience you’ll feel the power of a big sensor, center stage, and 4K videos. iPad for conferences and video calls is just as good if not better than a MacBook, 10/10.

Now let’s move on to something more challenging – cameras and peripherals. Videographers and content creators often need to transfer data from camera to a hard drive, can the iPad do that?

Since 2018 Pro iPads have been equipped with type-c ports, and I’ll connect the camera first. As soon as I plug in the cable it starts charging. To transfer files I must turn the camera on. After a few seconds the iPad finds the camera and shows it on the Import tab.

Here we see all the files stored on my camera. We can import them and delete them from the camera storage. Okay, the camera is working.

How about drones?

Again, plug in the cables, turn on the drone, and here we go again. Let’s import a few files to the iPad’s internal storage.

Okay, what next?

Now I’ll transfer these files to my external drive. Plug it in, wait for the files app to open, and export the files from the iPad. Boom, it only took a few minutes. As a media-transferring device – 10/10, definitely recommend.

There is one catch though – iPad has only one usb type-c that supports data transfer, so if you want to charge it and transfer data simultaneously, and use an HDMI port, you’ll need to buy a dongle.

Unlike macbook air or macbook pro which has a magsafe charger and two type-c ports, an iPad Pro needs a dongle, so maybe I should take one point back. 9/10 for media transfers, good but sometimes inconvenient.

Oh, one more thing – if you are using a Sony camera, like I am, you probably are using the Sony-made app for using your iPhone, iPad or Mac as an external monitor.

If you do that you know how bad that app is. It freezes, the controls are lagging, the connection is unstable, and the interface is a mess.

But, there is a better app, called “Monitor +”. This is not an ad, I didn’t get paid for it. I just want to share my findings and possibly help people.

Through this app you can access all the camera’s features, adjust focus, white balance, etc. It has zebras, guides, anamorphic de-stretch, and more. But the best part is the low latency.

The app from Sony is just horrible in terms of latency. Let me rephrase that – it is especially horrible in terms of latency. The delay is so big that you can fit an entire shooting day in the time between your command and seeing changes.

“Monitor +”, on the other hand, has a very low latency. It is always funny how enthusiasts can make big-brand products much better by adding the passion they have. So, iPad as an external monitor for cameras – 10/10. Okay, the script is done, the videos are shot and transferred.

Next – editing. It is no surprise that there currently is only one app that allows complex editing on an iPad – Luma Fusion. This app is nuts.

It is exclusive to iphones and iPads, you won’t find it anywhere else. Luma fusion is very well optimized, so editing complex 4K videos is a walk in the park for the iPad Pro.

The app library has countless effects, transitions, sound samples, etc. The app can work with multiple video and audio tracks, text layers, you can color grade your videos, add animations, tune every aspect of them, just like in pro apps on mac. It works with a green screen, supports LUTs, and more.

For simple YouTube videos LumaFusion is perfect. Plus, its optimization makes it faster than some macbooks when exporting the same project. It is not cheap – the app costs 30 dollars, but it’s worth every cent. Plus, recently Apple has announced that DaVinci Resolve is coming to iPads.

This is massive for video editors, and if the functionality will be the same or at least almost the same, then the iPad will really be a laptop replacement. The screen is great for color grading, and M-chips give enough power even for complex 4K editing.

We of course will test DaVinci Resolve when it comes out, so if you want to see a video about it – hit the like button. iPad as a video editing station – 8/10.

Okay, the last thing left to do is create a thumbnail. For that I will use Procreate, since it is the closest thing we have to Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator.

Again, this app isn’t free and costs 9.99. For such a powerful app – that’s a steal! The app is extremely similar to mac apps in terms of functionality.

You can work with layers, cut things out, add blur, edit colors, etc. Function-wise, ProCreate is basically Illustrator.  Powerful, versatile, but much more user friendly. No wonder so many designers use it.

But here's a catch – on an iPad you can use the Apple Pencil for that. Drawing and editing photos with the Apple Pencil is a completely another level.

You instantly feel more creative, imagine yourself as some kind of a Picasso. Pencil on iPad opens so many new possibilities you couldn’t have gotten on mac by default.

It’s super responsive, can recognize tilting, pressure, etc. And it really makes thumbnail creation or photo editing easy. 10/10, definitely the best way to create thumbnails.

Editing photos also falls in the same category. Lightroom on iPad is probably the best app for photo editing. It’s fast, optimized, and has a lot of features.

Yes, it’s still limited, but if you know what you’re doing and have custom presets, the iPad will become your best friend during photoshoots. Took a few shots, transferred to the ipad, and edited on-the-go.

Plus, with the screen that’s better than on a macbook air, for example, all images will look ultra realistic, colorful, and in every way, perfect. I, of course, still want to see fully-fledged Lightroom and Photoshop on an iPad, so for now I'll give it a 7/10 for photo editing. Okay, it seems like the iPad itself can do all the things I need.

But can it work with windows?

Yes, yes it can!

In iPadOS 16 Apple has added Stage manager, which kinda turns your ipad into a mac. Let me explain. With the external monitor connected and stage manager turned on, the ipad keyboard monitor combo really feels like you are just using a conventional laptop.

You have windows, you can resize them and move them around, and they overlay one another but there is always a but. It doesn’t quite work like you’re used to.

Stage manager is a really cool feature but it requires some getting used to. Plus, it makes everything cramped. I am using the 12.9 inch iPad, and it already feels kinda crowded with only a couple of apps opened. I can surely switch off the “recent apps” and the Dock, and get a bit more space.

Generally, to a mac user this Stage Manager may seem confusing at first. Apps overlay differently, the system moves them around automatically, transfers to recents but if you really want to use your iPad as a mac, you can. With an external display you will get roughly the same experience. 7/10 window management.

What else can the iPad do?

Well, its back cameras and Lidar sensor can be used to scan objects. Those 3D models can later be edited in blender, for example.

I see architects benefitting from that the most. Scanning columns, arches, and other elements is something you can really take the advantage of.

For me, not a very useful feature, but I recognize the potential when I see it. 8/10 for 3D scanning.

Now you may ask – is there anything the iPad can’t do?

Yes, there is.

An iPad will be virtually useless if you are a programmer. The only coding app is Swift playground, but it’s meant for kids and doesn’t allow for complex workflows. No C-sharp, Java, Python, nothing.

If you are a programmer, the best way to use the iPad will be as a second screen. But why do that when you can have a much bigger screen? 1/10 for coders.

And if you wanna use Figma?

Forget about using an iPad for that. Figma on ipad doesn’t exist, and the web version is so janky and limited, that you  will wish to never open it again.

Even though the iPad seems like a great device for designers, it’s still limited in some areas.

So, am I pro enough for the iPad Pro?

Apparently Yes.

Can it replace your MacBook?

In a way. The iPad is just a great deal. For the price of a laptop you’re getting multiple devices at one. You’re getting a laptop, an extremely capable drawing board, an external display for your camera, and a full tablet.

A tablet that gives you stuff you don't have on macs, such as FaceID, or comfortably watching videos in bed, or reading books, or high-quality cameras.

If your workflow is relatively simple, you edit videos without too many effects, you don’t work with huge excel documents, then the iPad can replace your macbook.

I would even say that the iPad and a keyboard would be a perfect device for a budding YouTuber. You don’t even need a camera. You can shoot videos with an iPad, edit them, create thumbnails, and upload, all from one device.

I can even say that from many perspectives iPad is even better than a mac. I am sure if you spend time and optimize your work, you’ll be able to really make an iPad the macbook replacement.

What do you think?

Could you replace your mac with an iPad?

Type your thoughts in the comments below. See you in the next one!

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