What the Tech: What’s better, an iPad or laptop? (2023)

FAQs

Can an iPad take the place of a laptop? ›

The new Apple iPad Pro 2021 is a solid alternative to a laptop, but you might still want to hold on to your bigger machine. The Apple iPad has been the best tablet on the market for a while now. And Apple has carried that legacy with the 11-inch iPad Pro for 2021.

Run Proprietary or Desktop Software

The iPad can't run Windows or Mac software, which means no access to software that requires Windows or macOS, which includes many of the most popular games. Beyond gaming, many people bring their work home with them, and work often involves proprietary software.

An iPad offers better portability than a laptop, and their big screens make them better for streaming video, reading websites, and getting work done than a phone. The iPad is also a great e-book reader.

High cost:

The cost of iPad devices is expensive than that of android tablets. You also have to buy apps to use on your device. The accessories of the iPad are also expensive. For example, the external keyboard, touchpad, Apple pencil, card reader are expensive devices.

Use AirPrint to print wirelessly to an AirPrint-enabled printer from apps such as Mail, Photos, and Safari. Many apps available on the App Store also support AirPrint. iPad and the printer must be on the same Wi-Fi network.

Over the past few years, laptops have become the de facto computer of choice for nearly everyone. Indeed, 166 million laptops were sold globally in 2019, whereas only 88 million desktops were sold in the same period, and the gap is expected to continue widening until at least 2024.

In general, you'll want to choose a laptop vs. a tablet if you need to do more than check email and social networks or watch videos and play games. Laptops are best for real work, even if that work only includes creating Office documents. Most laptops are more powerful than tablets and have larger internal storage.

Download Microsoft Word now and get the best way to create, share and edit documents from your iPhone or iPad. To create or edit documents, sign in with a free Microsoft account on devices with a screen size smaller than 10.1 inches.

How Many Years Should an iPad Last? Apple usually supports a new iPad with iPadOS updates for at least five years and often several years longer. Most iPad models hold up well in performance, features, and storage over this timeframe which means that five years is a standard lifespan for any iPad.

iPads are relatively resistant to viruses. That's because of the operating system that your iPad runs. The iOS is a compartmentalized operating system, which means that apps are isolated from each other, making it almost impossible for a computer virus to infect the iOS system and spread within it.

Which is best to buy iPad or tablet? ›

Compared to competing tablets, the iPad is more stable, easier to use, and works more smoothly. In terms of overall user experience for a non-technical user, Apple's iOS has a distinct advantage over Google's Android OS. It's a robust, user-friendly operating system with a simple UI.

The iPad is actually quite secure when compared to a PC. It's almost impossible for a virus to infect an iPad because viruses work by jumping from one app to the next. The architecture of iPadOS puts a wall around each app, which prevents one piece of software from overwriting a portion of another.

The USB-C port on your iPad allows connections to a variety of devices. * For example, you can connect a digital camera or the Apple USB-C to SD Card Reader to import photos. Other USB devices that you can connect to your iPad include these: External storage devices.

The Microsoft Office apps are free to download from the App Store ( Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook) to any iPhone or iPad user running iOS 12 or later.

The iPad can print to any AirPrint-compatible wireless printer. Many printers include AirPrint, making this an easy option.

Screen Size

Typically laptops tend to have larger screens which are ideal when it comes to multitasking and gaming. If you're looking for the best display technology, tablets tend to win. Tablets tend to have a higher pixel density meaning the images you see on the screen will have greater clarity.

There are plenty of variables, but you can expect a well-maintained laptop to last for three to five years. The laptop lifespan is shorter than a desktop PC due to its compact stature.

Most experts estimate a laptop's lifespan to be three to five years. It may survive longer than that, but its utility will be limited as the components become less capable of running advanced applications.

If a tablet runs Windows, it can theoretically run the same software as a laptop, but it will likely be slower. There are some exceptions to this rule, such as the Microsoft Surface Pro, a tablet you can deploy as a primary laptop with the same software used in a work environment.

An iPad with the latest operating system allows users to do almost everything they need to do on a computer, here are several reasons you might choose an iPad over a laptop. It's lighter, thinner, has a touch screen, and can use apps.

Can you print from a tablet? ›

Android tablets often support mobile printing with no need for third-party apps. Android can detect Wi-Fi-enabled printers, so you can send documents to any printer that is on the same Wi-Fi network as your device.

Open the document, tap the document's name in the toolbar, then tap Print. If no printer is selected, tap Select Printer, then choose one. Your device automatically searches for any nearby AirPrint printers. Choose print options (page range, number of copies and so on).

Q: How much does Office for iPad cost? A: You can visit www.appstore.com/microsoftoffice to download the Office apps for free and read, review and present documents, spreadsheets and presentations. To get the full editing and creation experience, you need an Office 365 subscription.

You can connect Magic Mouse, another Bluetooth mouse, or a USB mouse to your iPad. Note: Mouse devices are sold separately. Not all mouse devices are fully compatible with all models of iPad.

For free recycling of your old iPad, a prepaid shipping label, and instructions, see the Apple Trade In website. The symbol above means that according to local laws and regulations your product and/or its battery shall be disposed of separately from household waste.

An iPad with 64GB storage or less is suitable if you want to browse the internet, check your email, Facetime, or watch series. It's enough storage capacity to download apps and play some games.

Do you need antivirus for iPad? As with iPhones, viruses aren't a major threat to iPads. But no device or operating system is completely secure by default. Just like with any other device, there are other security threats than virus on iPad.

Just because it's difficult for malware to get on your iPad doesn't mean your iPad is completely safe from all intrusion. Hackers are great at finding ways to either disrupt devices or to find their way inside of devices.

Leaving your device in direct sunlight for an extended period of time. Using certain features in hot conditions or direct sunlight for an extended period of time, such as GPS tracking or navigation in a car, playing a graphics-intensive game, or using augmented-reality apps.

Is it worth buying iPad now? ›

It's still totally fine to buy the 2021 11-inch iPad Pro and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, but try not to spend more than $600 and $950, respectively. The same goes for the 2020 11-inch iPad Pro and the 2020 12.9 incher, but just try not to spend more than $500 and $700. Anything more and you may as well buy the latest.

iPad is so versatile, it's more than up to any task. Whether you're working on a project, expressing your creativity or playing an immersive game, iPad is a fun and powerful way to get it done. Here are just a few of the countless things you can do with iPad.

We asked the same question about the iPad Air 2022. Though I thought that tablet was a halfway decent laptop replacement when paired with the Magic Keyboard, it still wasn't as capable as the best Windows laptops or best MacBooks. Put another way, the iPad Air 2022 is amazing but it can't replace your laptop.

Although Apple brought true multitasking to the iPad, it's not the same experience you'll get on a MacBook. iPadOS will only let you view up to three apps at once, and even then, it can become a cluttered mess where it's hard to keep track of what's going on.

Apple's latest iPad Pro(2021) and MacBook Air (2020) share some of the same specifications: Apple's impressive M1 chip, up to 16GB of RAM, and 2TB of storage space, so you'll get roughly the same performance out of both devices. Both are also lightweight, portable, and priced very similarly.

Apple's iPad Pro can work well as an alternative to a MacBook, but demanding workloads still require a more capable platform.

You can use it as a way to get all manner of work done, make the most out of its gorgeous touch display, and have it be your portable companion. But when it comes to using a device to get your work or daily tasks done efficiently, it still can't match the tried-and-tested dynamic of a MacBook.