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I love my iPad. Anyone who knows me also knows this. There are a lot of iPad users, but they usually belong to one of two camps. Users like me who like the iPad for what it is, a swift, fun, and capable tablet. On the other hand, you’ve got those who want a touchscreen Mac. Both sides have lists of pros and cons, but ultimately, “it is an iPad.”
As Steve Jobs introduced it, the iPad is supposed to be “the third category of device.” Something that is “better than a laptop or smartphone for certain tasks.” That is more than relevant today, which makes the iPad the best computer for most people.
How is the iPad the best computer?
It all depends on what you do on devices outside of your phone.
Watching content is most likely the most popular use for a tablet. Offering a larger screen than our phones while still being more portable than laptops, the iPad is the best way to watch movies on your flight. That is a huge reason why people love their iPads. Since the iPad runs essentially the same OS as your phone, apps like Youtube and Netflix will let you download videos to watch offline, which is something that most laptops can’t do…legally.
Browsing the web is more enjoyable on the iPad too. When I am just reading the news or browsing the web, I use the iPad as a standalone device, making it light and easy to carry, but when writing emails or trying to get any “work done,” I like to use the Magic Keyboard.
What is the “Magic Keyboard”?
The Magic Keyboard in action running the iPadOS 17 beta.
The Magic Keyboard is a keyboard and trackpad designed to magnetically attach to your iPad and make it look like it is floating over your keyboard. Right away, though, you do NOT need this accessory, but if you want to replace your laptop, this takes you 95% closer to that.
I can get a better keyboard and trackpad with the Magic Keyboard than most Windows laptops. The trackpad offers an entirely new way to use your iPad, which gets very close to imitating macOS at some points.
Sadly, outside of when I am traveling, the primary use of my magic keyboard is as an accessible dock for my iPad. The Magic Keyboard has an additional USB-C port, giving you two functioning USB-C ports.
That extra port is handy when I work from home, as the magic keyboard is always plugged in on the left side of my desk. And Since it’s always plugged in, I leave my iPad “floating,” where it’s always charged and ready for me. I recommend buying this if you specifically want a Magic Keyboard because otherwise, a standard Bluetooth keyboard and mouse can get you more than halfway there.
The star accessory for the iPad is the Apple Pencil.
My favorite thing about the iPad is note-taking, and it is because of the Pencil. With the Pencil, the iPad is the best way to take notes.
Some old Calculus
Using an app like GoodNotes, I can search through my notes using its handwriting recognition and search feature. This feature is a game-changer. Before, organizing my notes required a system to be maintained, while now things are effortless. And, GoodNotes lets me organize my notebooks into folders, which makes it super easy to archive and organize old notebooks.
While the iPad doesn’t offer a proper file system, apps like GoodNotes offer syncing across iCloud, which helps bridge the gap. There is a files app, but it’s really just a cloud files management app, but that is enough for most people.
90% of what I do with gadgets revolves around those three things — browsing the web, watching content, and taking notes. The iPad offers a superior experience for all of those, which is why I love my iPad. So, what iPad should you buy?
So, Which iPad Should You Buy?
The difference between various iPads comes down to the screen.
The larger 12.9-inch iPad Pro has the best screen, offering a mini-LED screen only rivaled by the new Macbook Pros, but its size makes it less portable.
I believe the default iPad size should be 11 inches. The three versions of the iPad that offer an 11-inch screen are the iPad Pro, iPad Air, and the standard iPad (10th gen).
Within those offerings, the iPad Pro is for those who want to stretch the limits of an iPad and want all the fancy features of an iPad. I find the iPad Pro to be the best, as it offers a 120Hz screen, making everything appear silky smooth. Unless you have used a 120Hz screen, you won’t likely miss anything, but you’ll never go back once you do.
The iPad Air is the iPad to get for most people.
Compared to the Pro, the Air has a regular 60Hz screen, but it keeps the body of the Pro and offers a laminated display. A laminated display makes it feel like you’re touching the actual screen of the tablet compared to having a layer between the touch screen and the actual screen. A laminated display helps when using the iPad with the Pencil, as it offers a close-to-paper experience when using accessories like the Apple Pencil, since the screen and the Pencil are actually touching.
The 10th-gen iPad is the newest, but you should try to find the iPad Air with the M1 chip on sale before considering this. The 9th-gen iPad is the only one with a home button, but it is still a great entry point if you want to take a shallower plunge into the iPad world.
The iPad Mini is the only iPad I have yet to mention. The Mini is an excellent notebook-size iPad, offering a spec sheet similar to the iPad Air but in a smaller form. The iPad Mini is a great iPad, but it is a more use-case-driven device. While the Mini can still be a multi-use tablet, most buyers get it for one specific reason, such as a Moleskin or Kindle replacement.
Whatever iPad you buy, if you’re anything like me, you’ll love your iPad. Now if only Apple would make an iPad Mini with a 120Hz screen…
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