The iPad is one of the Apple devices that has evolved the most as a concept since its birth, this evolution has been marked by the needs of users and Apple’s interest in making a tablet, also, a laptop. However, this is one of the biggest debates revolving around the iPad, can it really be considered a laptop? We will tell you everything in this post.
Is the iPad a computer?
The answer is clear, no. The iPad is not a computer, however, in many cases it can fulfill the functions that, until now, many laptops or fixed computers had fulfilled. But it is that Apple does not want the iPad to become only a computer since one of the advantages that this device has is its versatility of uses given its characteristics, operating system and the number of accessories that can be connected to it.
One of the mistakes that many users make when making the iPad their personal computer is wanting to do certain actions in the same way as they were traditionally performed on their computer. As we mentioned previously, the iPad is not a computer, but it can do many actions that traditional computers also carry out and therefore, it can replace it in a large number of cases. However, the process of carrying out certain actions will vary, since the concept of device is not exactly the same, as its operating system marks, what is another key, it is true that between iPadOS and macOS there are every time fewer differences, but there is still a great distance between the two operating systems, because, we go back to it, Apple does not want, at least for now,
What do you need to transform your iPad into a computer?
If you buy an iPad, and only the iPad, the limitations when using it for certain actions are really great. However, there are a host of accessories that surround the iPad that elevate the potential of a truly fantastic device in terms of power, display, design, and performance. Therefore, a good choice of accessories will be key to making the most of the Apple tablet.
Keyboard Covers
When choosing a keyboard or keyboard cover, you have to be very clear about a fundamental point, which will also mark the way you use the iPad, and that is whether or not the keyboard incorporates a trackpad, in this way the need will arise or not to also accompany the iPad with a mouse. This has been one of the last factors that Apple has developed to further increase the potential of a device that enjoys the possibility of being used in many different ways.
In the market you can find different options, if you want to opt for a keyboard cover that already includes the trackpad, to transform your iPad into a laptop, at least aesthetically speaking, Apple itself offers the Magic Keyboard that its users are liking so much . In this regard, Logitech, a manufacturer more than reputed in the field of technology, also offers its Logitech Como Touch, which, although aesthetically not as groundbreaking as Apple’s, functionally offers practically the same.
If, on the other hand, you want to opt for a more traditional keyboard, without a trackpad, you once again have fantastic options in the two brands mentioned above, Apple itself with its already traditional Smart Keyboard and also, again, Logitech, with the Slim Folio, that it is undoubtedly one of the most complete keyboards that you can find for your iPad. It is worth mentioning the manufacturer Brydge, that if we were talking about aesthetics before, without a doubt the option offered by this brand will make people who see you using your iPad with this keyboard doubt whether what you are using is an iPad or a computer.
Mice
As we mentioned before, the choice of a type of keyboard or not, will mark if you have the need to also acquire a mouse to use the pointer that is available in iPadOS and thus bring the experience of using an iPad closer to the experience of using a computer. As for mice, the best experience is given by the Apple Magic Mouse, for one main reason, the number of touch gestures that you can carry out on the mouse itself, although in that case you can also opt for the Apple Magic Trackpad.
We must also highlight the options that Logitech offers with its M350 PEBBLE, a really minimalist mouse, with a very careful design and that offers great comfort when using it with the iPad. The same happens with the Satechi mouse, the wireless M1 has a design, different from Logitech, but maintaining minimalism and a design that is much closer to the Apple line, in fact, you have it available in different colors, the same ones in which you can buy the iPad.
USB-C hub
We continue talking about accessories to connect to the iPad, although in this case, we talk about the accessory that will allow you to connect more accessories to your iPad. Before continuing, it should be mentioned that in this section the possibilities multiply if your iPad has the USB-C port, if not, there are other but more limited options to connect different accessories to the iPad.
As we told you, without any doubt, acquiring a USB-C hub for your iPad will considerably increase the amount of actions that you can carry out with your iPad. It is key to make a good choice of ports, since they will mark the number and types of devices that you can connect. We recommend that you do a reflection exercise on which are the devices that you use the most in your day to day so that the choice of the type and number of ports is the most appropriate possible.
Applications that can not be missing
It would be useless to have a great keyboard, a perfect mouse and a large number of accessories if the software does not give you the possibilities you need to carry out the tasks you want to do. Actually, until very recently, this was the main problem of the iPad, since it had hardware with very high performance, but limited by the software that they mounted. With the arrival of iPadOS that barrier has been gradually eliminated, however, not completely, at least for now. Not so much because of the operating system, if not because of the existence or not of different programs or applications that have not yet been seen in iPadOS and that for many users are essential.
However, this does not occur in all users or in all professional sectors, in fact, for the common use of people, the iPad does have enough variety and quantity of applications to meet the existing needs of users of this device.
Files, essential
Without a doubt, one of the applications that you will have to use whether you want to or not, practically, is the Apple Files app. This application was another of the points that marked a before and after in terms of the ability of the iPad to be able to replace the traditional computer since, until that moment, it did not have a file manager, which is just what the application is File Manager on the iPad, similar to Finder on macOS. Files is very important not only to manage the files that you may have stored on the iPad itself or in the different clouds, but also to be able to access and work with the files located on external drives that you connect to the device.
Apple or Microsoft?
There are different programs and applications that cannot be missing from a person’s computer, which are essential. We are talking about a text editor, a presentation editor, a spreadsheet editor … in short, a work package. In this case, as in macOS, Apple gives you the possibility to work for free with its suite of office applications. However, a large number of users are already used to working with the Microsoft package, and for this, the American company also offers its version of this package for iPad, so the user only has to choose which of the two options they prefer to work on your device.
Advantages of an iPad over a Mac
As we mentioned earlier, the iPad is not a computer nor does it pretend to be. However, if you do, many actions that you usually perform with the computer, you can do them on the iPad, but also, having other advantages that the laptop does not give you.
Touch screen
The fact of having a touch screen is really one of the clear advantages of the iPad over the traditional computer. In this way, you have the option of being able to interact in two different ways with your device, through a pointer controlled with a trackpad or mouse, or with your finger. Depending on the need and the action to be taken, you can choose one option or another, which will facilitate many of the actions that you are going to perform with this device.
Apple Pencil
Perhaps not for all users, but the potential that the Apple Pencil brings to the iPad is tremendous, and for a large number of users it can make a difference when opting for a computer or an iPad as their usual work device. In the end, for many daily actions, the possibility of having a touch pen with that precision capacity is a real advantage, especially with respect to traditional computers, which although the operation can be imitated thanks to a graphic tablet, on the iPad it is much more intuitive and, mind you, cheaper.
Versatility of use
Perhaps the greatest advantage of the iPad over a computer is that, with the same device, you can cover two different needs. On the one hand, surrounded by the appropriate accessories, the iPad can perfectly replace the traditional computer on many occasions and on the other, it is still a tablet that is a much more suitable and comfortable device when it comes to performing different actions or enjoying your moments. of leisure. Therefore, the versatility when using the iPad is another point to take into account if you are hesitating between acquiring an iPad or a computer.
Disadvantages of the iPad compared to a computer
Of course, if the iPad will surpass the computer in everything, or the Mac, specifically, the latter would already be out of the market. However, there are uses and above all, users who need to use a computer to carry out their day-to-day tasks.
iPadOS
The first reason many users cannot use the iPad as their primary device is its operating system. It is true that iPadOS made a tremendous leap when it came to giving the iPad functions that the vast majority of users requested in order to make the iPad a much more usable device in the professional field. However, it is still far from the options offered by macOS and that is why many users can not even consider the iPad as the only device or main work device.
Programs and / or applications
The biggest reason why many users cannot use the iPad for work is the absence of the necessary software for it. For example, Final Cut is still not available on iPadOS, and this means that perhaps many users who today are dedicated to video editing and who have been using this program for years cannot make the leap to the iPad and abandon the Mac .
Connection with external monitors
It is increasingly common to see workstations with two or three screens connected to the laptop or work computer, and this is another of the differences between the use of a computer and the iPad. If it is true that the possibility of connecting the iPad to an external monitor exists, however, it has a number of limitations. In the first place, you can only duplicate the screen of your iPad, that is, you continue working with a screen only that now you can see it in a larger size. Second, the screen ratio of the iPad doesn’t match the screen ratio of the monitor, so in the end you won’t really take advantage of the screen you connect the iPad to. Third, you can only connect a screen to the iPad, logical, after all, what it does is duplicate the screen, which cuts the possibilities of working with an external monitor.
Adaptation of use
Finally, another reason why many users continue to prefer the use of the computer is because of the routines and the way of working that they have already acquired with this device. The iPad is capable of doing practically any task that a computer can perform, however, some of them are done in a different way so it requires learning and the investment of time that some users do not have, or others have but they don’t want to invest.