2020 iPad Pro vs MacBook Air - Which Should You Buy? By MacRumors

The new 20/20, iPad Pro and MacBook Air were both released at the same time, and they are both at the same price point. Naturally, the question that I've been getting a lot lately is which one should I buy while I think that is a bit of a loaded question in this video I'm going to do my best to answer which one you should buy between the new iPad Pro and the new MacBook Air before we get started, be sure to subscribe and hit the bell to get notifications. Whenever we share a video for this video, we are comparing both the base model 12.9-inch, iPad Pro, which starts at $9.99, and the base model MacBook Air, which also starts at $9.99. Now it is important to know that I definitely think in order to really get the most out of your iPad. Pro you'll definitely need to get some sort of keyboard now. This can be achieved pretty easily.

In fact, if you have any Bluetooth keyboard lying around, that's totally fine, however, for this video we're going to price the iPad Pro with the smart folio keyboard accessory, which will add $200 to the price tag from a design standpoint. Obviously, these two devices are pretty different. The MacBook Air is a traditional laptop, while the iPad is a tablet that can be converted into a makeshift laptop with the help of a keyboard case, but at any given time you can just detach and use the iPad Pro as a traditional tablet, which highlights a unique advantage. In my opinion, there's a lot more functionality added to an iPad than a traditional laptop. If you don't think you'll use either of these devices as a way to consume media play games, read magazines or books, etc.

Then sure a traditional laptop might seem more appealing, but I am a firm believer that I'd rather have all of these options available to me, regardless of whether I decide to actually use those additional features. For example, there are cameras located on the back of the iPad Pro. Do I need them? No, not really is it nice to have them sure, especially with the new LIDAR scanner that really improves AR. The MacBook Air has one camera on the front of the machine, and it's horrible. So for those who do a lot of video calls and FaceTime a ton, this is not a great option, iPad Pro.

On the other hand, it has a pretty decent front facing camera. Here's a quick test of that, so I would love to know your thoughts on each camera. In the comments, this is a test of the audio quality and video quality on the iPad Pro's front facing camera, and here is the video and audio quality on the 20:28 MacBook Air. Both devices are pretty portable. They are lightweight and can fit in just about any bag or backpack around.

So really, that's not a problem. Working on the go is also extremely easy, with both devices, unless you are forced to work with one of them on your lap, then obviously the traditional laptop form factor will win here with the smart folio keyboard. Specifically, it's pretty uncomfortable to use on your lap. There might be other third-party cases out there that are better, but with this one specifically, it's not the best. This also kind of carries over to just overall typing I'm, not a huge fan of the way the keys feel on the iPad Pro's keyboard folio case the MacBook Air, on the other hand, has the new scissor switch keyboard.

That does feel really nice to type on. Of course, there is also a built-in trackpad, which is another advantage now. Yes, there is the official trackpad support that just came out for the iPad Pro and if you have a Magic, Trackpad 2 available, it's a great combination, any other Bluetooth trackpad or mouse. It's not quite as good. A lot of these thoughts will change when Apple releases its magic keyboard case for the iPad Pro in men, but as of right now, I'm working with what I've got the iPad Pro has only one USB-C port for charging, or attaching accessories like external hard drives, while the MacBook Air has two Thunderbolt 3 ports.

So that's also a clear win. Oh- and it also has a headphone jack for those who still use one, but for me, it's kind of a wash, don't really need it. You can also connect a monitor to each device, but do know that on the iPad Pro it won't actually take up the entire display of the external monitor, and it really only mirrors the screen of your iPad. It cannot be used as an external display to extend your iPad. The MacBook Air, on the other hand, can both mirror and extend your display to an external monitor of your choosing.

Also don't forget that you do get Thunderbolt.3 transfer speeds with those ports as well for most people who are considering purchasing an iPad Pro or a MacBook Air as their main machines, specs and extreme performance are probably not a huge priority for you now I could be wrong, but if you're rendering out 3d models coding, editing, videos, etc. You probably won't be looking at these two machines specifically, but that's not to say that each device isn't capable of performing those tasks. They just offer up a completely different experience. Personally, I have edited 4k videos recorded music, edited a lot of photos and much more on each machine and the iPad Pro just has a much more seamless and fluid experience, not to mention it's a lot quieter, since there aren't huge fans kicking on every time. You put a little of stress on your computer.

I've always tried to tell people about the crazy power and performance that you can get on an iPad Pro by simply showing that I can easily scrub through playback edit 4k video, with absolutely no loss in video quality and no skipped frames. This is not something that I can do on a lot of Mac's. If you want to play back your footage at full resolution, while editing you're going to hear the fans kick on instantly, or you're, going to have a lot of drop frames and stutters. So when you're looking at the specs of each device, it's almost pointless to look at GPU, CPU, Ram, etc. They can all run your standard office, suite apps emails, web apps, etc.

Storage is an important spec to look at, however, and the MacBook Air does offer double the storage for the same base price as the iPad Pro. So, if you value internal storage over external drives, then that's something to keep in mind for those who still insist on testing benchmarks, though Geek bench leans heavily in favor of the iPad Pro in terms of performance for both CPU and GPU, even with lesser specs, compared to the MacBook Air. One important spec that you should look at, however, is battery, and while both machines can offer around 10 to 11 hours of battery life, I really haven't noticed much difference. Standby time is much better on the MacBook Air, however, and if you have a cellular model of the iPad Pro I highly recommend turning data off when you're at home or connected to Wi-Fi or battery will certainly drain faster. On the flip side, I did just mention that the iPad Pro is capable of cellular data for working truly anywhere there's a connection, and that's not something you can do on a Mac at the moment in time.

Really, your choice will come down to operating system and just kind of what you're used to and your preference. Fundamentally, each operating system is very different, but I think there are more possibilities with iPadOS / macOS, which sounds crazy to me because as of a few years ago, that would not have been the case for me. Unfortunately, for me, I can't use an iPad Pro as my main mobile machine because of video, editing and I know what you're thinking you just said it does. It really well, well I'm a big fan of Final Cut Pro and that app does not exist yet on the iPad, but if and when it does, I'll definitely make the switch for every other app. The experience is a lot better on an iPad.

They look better, they run smoother, etc. So, assuming your main work, applications can be run on an iPad or access through Safari and those apps do exist for the iPad you'll have no issues whatsoever. Everything else the iPad can offer on top of. It is just a bonus. If you love taking notes, then throw in an Apple Pencil sure it'll cost you an extra hundred dollars, but now you have a full-blown productivity machine with more functionality than a traditional laptop.

This is especially good if you're, a student for security, you have face ID / touch ID, which, in this specific comparison I, would prefer a face. I'd over touch ID on a Mac I feel like it's only a matter of time. Until we get face ID on a Mac, but right now you can find it on the iPad Pro now. I'm sure I'm, forgetting a bunch of other things, but I think you get my point. Both are excellent machines and options for what you're probably going to use each one for, but the fact that after I'm done, working I can create consume media play games on my iPad Pro is just a huge advantage in my book, which is why I would probably recommend the iPad Pro over the MacBook Air I.

Think the release of the new magic keyboard in a few months will only reinforce my decision, but I would love to know your thoughts. Do you work with an iPad Pro every day? Is that your main machine, or do you prefer a Mac, would love to know your thoughts in the comments down below this has been down with Mac rumors thanks so much for watching, and I hope to see you around in the next video.

Source : MacRumors