Can an iPad replace a laptop for writing text

This comes up quite a bit so worth checking the forums on here for other people's views.

As of writing, early august 2022, I'd say yes, with some issues.

Text editing isn't quite as good on the iPad as the Mac. The spell check is a bit more difficult to use though, when you get the hang of it, might be a preferred way of checking documents.

I believe there are still issues with focus, as in, you can be typing in one place and pop up in another, though I think this is getting better.

The other thing to consider is convenience. Having a laptop is good as it's all there all the time. Having a separate keyboard might end up being a pain with charging and transport.

Finally there is cost. By the time you've purchased, lets say, an iPad Air and the magic iPad keyboard, you're looking at the cost of an M1 Macbook air.

Saying all this, if you are not going to be writing a huge amount, don't require any of the other functionality of a MacBook, then it might well be that an iPad is an excellent choice for you. They are good for light users, good for media consumption and, I find, just a relaxing interface to use.

There are many on here, I know, who use iPads as their main device and I'm sure they'll have a better view than I but, as someone who has constantly played with the idea of moving the majority of my work over to an iPad, I know the feeling. Ultimately I decided to stick on the MacBook side as it fills 95% of my needs whereas the iPad was hovering around 70%. I'd always need a computer as well as an iPad so invested in a better MacBook in the end.

sorry if this confuses matters further. Remember, there are ways of trying such setups for a month, especially if you buy through amazon. I'd ordinarily not suggest such use of returns but, for us, there are so many other factors that we need to test before committing than our sighted peers.

If you are prepared to discover and use different tools, explore different ways of doing things, and, shed some muscle memory, an iPad can likely replace a laptop for many use cases.

The smaller form factor, touchscreen, and access to apps that you likely already use on an iPhone can help make for a positive experience.

However, text composition is where the iPad fails for VoiceOver users. There are simply too many issues involving navigating and selecting text. It's been this way since the iPad was launched, and Apple appears to have no interest in doing anything about it.

If you still have a laptop, it's likely that you would find your self reaching for it over the iPad when needing to do anything involving text.

If you go in to things knowing this, understand that there will be times when you will reach for the laptop and other times when you will reach for the iPad, and are prepared to accept the hassle and cost of having both a laptop and iPad, then go for it and enjoy what each has to offer.

When it comes to the pure typing experience, MacBooks still have the upper hand for a couple reasons.

First off, everything on a MacBook is spacious and more comfortable. The keyboard layout is wider, the trackpad is broad, and the wrist rests are taller. The Magic Keyboard is good enough in these areas, but if you had to pick a better typing experience, you’d choose the MacBook every time. The Magic Keyboard also doesn’t have a function row, which is pretty useful when it comes to quickly adjusting settings or accessingShortcuts.

When it comes to managing all your files and projects, iPad users get the short end of the stick. Instead of being able to keep files organized on your home screen like on a Mac’s desktop, iPad users will have to keep all their data on the built-in Files app, which can quickly turn into a frustrating experience when managing hundreds of files.

Although Apple brought true multitasking to the iPad, it’s not the same experience you’ll get on a MacBook. iPadOS will only let you view up to three apps at once, and even then, it can become a cluttered mess where it’s hard to keep track of what’s going on. This article explains Why an iPad Pro can’t replace the MacBook, even with the Magic Keyboard