The M4 iPad Pro was released in May. With a lot of anticipation for iPadOS 18, we quickly realized that this upcoming software update doesn’t change the fundamentals of iPadOS. However, since I was missing a newer iPad, I was convinced that I should finally upgrade my 2nd generation iPad Pro to the new 13-inch M4 iPad Pro.
Combined with the Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro, I needed a little nudge to step away from my Mac setup to see if I could get my work done with Apple’s most expensive tablet. That’s why when I went on a business trip over the past few weeks, I knew to take a chance and bring the iPad instead of my MacBook Pro.
Although I knew the MacBook Pro would probably be a better option, I was intrigued by the possibility of using the M4 iPad Pro as my main computer and seeing if I could get the job done with it. Here’s how it went.
Making sure the M4 iPad Pro doesn’t let me down
Before the trip, I made sure that all the apps I needed for my work as a tech news reporter were working properly, especially on iPadOS 18 Beta 1. In my case, Slack, my email app, Microsoft Edge or Safari, and Pixelmator all needed to work smoothly.
The week before my business trip, I used the M4 iPad Pro to write a few articles here and there. It certainly could have gone more smoothly, but I was confident I could get the job done. When I got home, I can say it was better than bad. However, the good and bad sides of the iPad became more apparent.
I took the iPad for fun, but there was still work to be done
The main reason I took the M4 iPad Pro was because I wanted to be able to comfortably watch my TV shows and movies during the long hours of flying. While I could have taken both devices, I knew that would be too much – and I also wanted to see if the iPad Pro could replace my Mac on business trips.
Overall, the experience was good, but I had two major issues that I think could have been avoided with a MacBook: RAM management and Grammarly incompatibility.
The first issue will resonate with more users. On at least one occasion I lost about 200 words while working because Safari refreshed the page before WordPress could autosave it. Even with 8GB of RAM, the iPad Pro often wanted to refresh Safari pages when switching between apps. Unfortunately, the same thing would have happened even if I had 16GB of RAM. The bottom line is that the iPad has poor RAM management and some apps like Final Cut Pro get wiped from RAM as soon as I minimize them. Crazy.
The other problem was the language barrier. Not being a native English speaker, I often have to check my spelling using Grammarly. While it works pretty reliably on the Mac, I had many, many problems with it on the iPad, for example:
- Grammarly doesn’t work with Apple’s Magic Keyboard
- When I asked for Grammarly suggestions, it didn’t offer me any options for rephrasing a sentence
- I had to type paragraph by paragraph to get Grammarly insights (while simultaneously removing the iPad from the Magic Keyboard)
- The recommendations were not so precise
In short, Grammarly (the app and the extension) was not working as expected. I had these problems even before installing the beta version and of course they did not go away with iPadOS 18. In this case, I think it is both an Apple and developer problem and that could be the biggest downside for those who want to replace their laptop with an iPad.
There is something charming about the iPad workflow
Despite these issues, I still enjoyed using the iPad Pro on my travels. Not only is it a beautiful piece of hardware, but it’s also as fast as an iOS device.
It was also my first time seeing Stage Manager in action. While it has its limitations, I think it’s the best screen sharing solution yet. It’s been great to split multiple windows in a natural workspace. It’s also especially great to have different stages for applications, like Mail + Slack, Safari tabs only, Pixelmator, etc.
Of course, this is only possible thanks to the Magic Keyboard, which enhances the iPad experience. Otherwise, the iPad’s keyboard would take up half the screen and I wouldn’t be able to work as quickly as I need to.
While I still feel more comfortable with a Mac, I know the iPad can do the job. After all, I covered a WWDC 2019 in person with an iPhone XR, a 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and a dream. Phew.
Can the M4 iPad Pro replace a laptop?
It all depends on your needs. For me, the Mac offers the most reliable work experience. However, it’s not a problem if you want a more entertaining experience. The iPad Pro has been great for me as a journalist and I’m sure it will work well for designers and many other professionals too.
I’ll consider taking the iPad with me on my next business trip. At some point I might sell the MacBook Pro and keep my Mac Studio for working at home and the iPad Pro for working outside.
