The importance of laptops and iPads have significantly increased in a remote culture. From web surfing to editing documents, these devices can be used for any purpose.
However, laptops are preferred for multi-tasking over iPad because the latest Mac or Windows laptops have powerful processors which allow you to work faster. Whereas iPads are suitable for those, who want portability.
Laptops and iPads offer different benefits to users. Therefore, you must acknowledge when to use these devices to serve your needs. You can use both a laptop and an iPad when working on multiple apps.
However, iPads might generate screen freezing issues when multiple tabs are open. Besides, if you have to use power-intensive apps, choose a laptop over an iPad.
Now, let’s see iPad vs laptop, which one is best for you.
iPad vs Laptop — What are Basic Differences?
Laptops and iPads let you do almost the same thing. You can access Microsoft apps or play intensive games using these devices. However, these two electronic gadgets still have some major differences. The size, performance, storage space, and battery longevity of an iPad and laptop are different.
Moreover, an iPad costs less than a MacBook or a Windows laptop. Thus, if you are running on a tight budget, buy an iPad over a laptop. However, you may need a laptop to perform important business operations. You can’t also play multiplayer role-action playing games on an iPad.
Gamers or other professionals might value outright computing power the most. Whereas, students might value a lightweight gadget to perform their necessary work.
Here are the key differences between a laptop:
Weight
The most notable difference between a laptop and an iPad is their weight. A laptop weighs an average of 5-6 pounds. However, the average weight of an iPad is 2-3 pounds. The light weight makes iPads more portable than a laptop.
You can carry an iPad everywhere, which will fit in a small backpack. Though, you can do that with some laptops, not all. If you are going for an ultra-portable 13-inch MacBook Air, the weight is much closer to an iPad. However, you will be deprived of the benefits a large-screen laptop offers.
A 15-inch Windows or Mac laptop provides more processing power. Besides, 13-inch laptops come with decent GPUs. For better performance, a 15-inch laptop is the better choice. However, if you don’t need a high-end GPU, CPU or RAM capacity, buy an iPad over a laptop.
Price
Price is a major factor which you must consider before buying an iPad or a laptop. Depending on the brands, the price of an iPad and a laptop might vary. Needless to say, laptops are more expensive than iPads.
The latest iPad can cost you anywhere from $300-$1000. However, business or gaming laptops range from $400-$4000. Thus, if you are looking for a cost-effective option, consider getting an iPad.
Design
iPads feature a touchscreen interface design which can be difficult to use if you type a lot. A touchscreen interface works best for those who use the device for video streaming or web surfing. Because a keyboard is not necessary to perform these functions.
An iPad offers an on-screen keyboard for a seamless typing experience. However, it is not close to what you will get on a built-in laptop keyboard. Besides, you can’t adjust the on-screen iPad keyboard screen.
Using a small-sized keyboard might be difficult when working on apps like Google Docs. Thus, if you are a content writer or editor, investing in a laptop will be the best decision.
Battery
An iPad and laptop contain different types of batteries. Manufacturers integrate an internal lithium-ion rechargeable battery on iPads. Whereas, nearly all laptops use a Li-ion battery to offer maximum efficiency.
Moreover, an iPad lacks internal components like a motherboard or cooling fan. Its battery takes up most of the space. However, you can use an iPad for approximately 8-10 hours on a single charge. A laptop, on the other side, offers 10-12 hours of longevity.
Not all laptops have the same battery longevity. Macbooks can last up to 15-16 hours. However, an HP or Dell laptop lasts only 4-5 hours on a single charge. Thus, you must consider the battery life of the device before purchasing it.
Storage
In the iPad vs laptop debate, storage is another factor that you must consider. iPads involve low-cost design and have significantly smaller storage space. This touchscreen tablet uses solid-state storage memory to store data. You will get an average of 16-128GB of storage space in an iPad,
Laptops use either hard disk drives or solid-state drives to offer more storage space. Depending on the design and budget, laptops offer 500GB to 1TB of storage capacity. However, iPads and laptops allow you to expand the storage space. So, if you need more storage on these devices, upgrade the storage mediums.
Performance
iPads are ideal for performing basic tasks like streaming music or movies. Laptops are designed for more demanding tasks like video/file editing or gaming. However, both of these devices can run the same software. For instance, you can run a Windows app on an iPad. Windows laptops can also run iPad apps.
The functionality of the software on each device might sometimes vary. Due to smaller storage capacity, Windows apps might run slowly on iPads. However, Windows laptop users can work on iOS/ipadOS apps without glitches. Thus, laptops deliver better performance than the iPad Pro or iPad Mini.
Connectivity Options
You can connect an external mouse, keyboard and monitor to a laptop. However, you can’t do that when using an iPad. Thus, when it comes to ease of use, laptops are preferred over iPads. Though iPads cost less than laptops, the complex controls make them difficult to use.
Security
Apple integrated effective security features on iPads which makes them less prone to malware attacks. It also ensures no apps are overwritten even after a cyber-attack. You can use a biometric lock or fingerprint scanner to prevent unauthorised users from accessing the device.
Biometric security can also be found on some laptops, but all of them have this feature. Thus, iPads offer more security than Mac or Windows laptops.
iPad vs Laptop – Which Device is Better?
iPads come with an Apple Pencil, which is useful for note-taking or drawing doodles. However, this functionality is not there even on a high-end laptop. Thus, laptops can’t match iPads’ user-friendliness. iPads are easier to operate than a laptop, regardless of their OS.
Lastly, we would say that there is no clear winner in the battle of iPad vs laptop. Which one you should get depends on your needs and convenience. For routine use, digital art or web browsing, an iPad works the best. However, if you need a device to run Microsoft Office or Outlook, nothing can beat laptops.