Switching to iPad Pro from MacBook pro

Good question.

As a simple answer, yes, you "could" use an iPad for those basic purposes. But you will still need a keyboard & mouse or trackpad and maybe certain adapters to connect external devices. You still need a pc or Mac to format external drive(s) to use with the iPad. There is also a question re: what app(s) are you using for photo management and are they available in iOS.

The bigger question is ... would you be satisfied & happy using it in the long run? Go to an Apple Store and try out an iPad, compare using it vs. a MacBook Pro.

A 13" iPad Pro with 16GB RAM, 1TB storage, 1 USB port and keyboard comes in at $1899

A 14" MacBook Pro with 16GB RAM, 1TB storage, 3 TB/USB ports is $1799, that is, $100 less. Keyboard & trackpad included.

I would vote for the MBPro.

I have looked into iPads also as an alternative to a full laptop. I like the idea of having a lighter & thinner device to carry around. But by the time you add a keyboard & mouse (or touchpad) you're getting up there in bulk; and the iPad is not a laptop in design or functionality. For the money, the MBPro is a much more capable device and will probably have a longer life.

Further thought ... have you considered a MacBook Air? A 13" MBAir with 16GB RAM, 1TB storage, 2 TB/USB ports comes in at only $1399! Lightness comparable to an iPad Pro but the functionality of a real laptop.

MartinR wrote:

The bigger question is ... would you be satisfied & happy using it in the long run? Go to an Apple Store and try out an iPad, compare using it vs. a MacBook Pro.

A 13" iPad Pro with 16GB RAM, 1TB storage, 1 USB port and keyboard comes in at $1899

A 14" MacBook Pro with 16GB RAM, 1TB storage, 3 TB/USB ports is $1799, that is, $100 less. Keyboard & trackpad included.

I would vote for the MBPro.

The iPad Pro with the Magic Keyboard folio is also surprisingly heavy. It seemed heavier than the MacBook Air I used to have.

Moeq8 wrote:

Thank you for the advice. I couldn’t find a MacBook Air of 1TB at the Apple Store!

however my needs are quite simple and my only concern is backing up to external drives.

You have to special order it.

Although it would be wrong to dismiss an iPad as a toy that could do no serious work, my preference for those tasks would be a Mac with a large monitor (at least, when docked), mouse, and keyboard.

You can custom-order M4 MacBook Airs from Apple with up to 32 GB of RAM and up to 2 TB of internal SSD storage. Neither upgradable later … although you can add external storage later.