Macbooks and iPads

miikeeyy92 · 7 Jun 2012 at 17:14

Basically, I have a Sony Vaio laptop (Mostly used for DJing), a PC I built that has all my music and films etc, and an iPad 2.

I'm going to uni in September (hopefully!

), and was thinking of selling the Sony in replacement for a Macbook, as my Vaio is getting old, and so I would need a better machine at university.

I was only wondering, now I have an iPad, is a Macbook much gain? Obviously it is far more powerful, and can handle much more. I just wanted confirmation from people who have both, that buying the Macbook wont make the iPad redundant! I only use the iPad for chilling, browsing, and games!

Thanks

theheyes · 7 Jun 2012 at 17:17

The MacBook will enable you to get actual work done.

Disco Boy · 7 Jun 2012 at 17:29

Are you taking your desktop to uni with you? If so then don't bother buying a laptop, you can do work at home on your desktop, and use the iPad for small things whilst on the go.

Hxc · 7 Jun 2012 at 18:39

Disco Boy said:
Are you taking your desktop to uni with you? If so then don't bother buying a laptop, you can do work at home on your desktop, and use the iPad for small things whilst on the go.

I believe a macbook air with a 'docked' setup back in your room is the best solution. My 11' runs anything I throw at it (bar games, obviously) and is just as happy docked up to my monitor/keyboard etc as it is on the move.

Deleted member 77746 · 7 Jun 2012 at 19:34

I have both, they both have good points and no bad points.

Disco Boy · 7 Jun 2012 at 21:09

Hxc said:
I believe a macbook air with a 'docked' setup back in your room is the best solution. My 11' runs anything I throw at it (bar games, obviously) and is just as happy docked up to my monitor/keyboard etc as it is on the move.

Yes it's a good solution... But "best" is subjective when he already has all the other hardware.

It also depends on what he is studying, if he needs to perform cpu, gpu, or RAM intensive tasks, then an air as his only machine is somewhat out.

miikeeyy92 · 7 Jun 2012 at 21:43

Studying mechanical engineering, which will be heavy on the CPU if I can get software. It all depends on if Im taking the desktop. I was only querying about MacBooks with iPads really, thanks for the help though!

lamboman · 7 Jun 2012 at 21:50

Obviously, it's also worth checking what platform the software will be available on.

Really depends on how much ooomph you'll need, but the current (and next generation) 15" and up MBPs are powerful machines that can easily be a substitute for a desktop if required.

However, can't claim to know whether or not that much power will really be needed at uni level, somebody else would be better suited to answering that.

dav3evans · 8 Jun 2012 at 23:10

Disco Boy said:
Are you taking your desktop to uni with you? If so then don't bother buying a laptop, you can do work at home on your desktop, and use the iPad for small things whilst on the go.

This =]

Edrof · 9 Jun 2012 at 09:31

Will you be typing a lot? I find the iPad pretty easy to type quickly and fairly accurately on in landscape orientation. Some people hate it, though.

Amp34 · 9 Jun 2012 at 11:11

miikeeyy92 said:
Studying mechanical engineering, which will be heavy on the CPU if I can get software. It all depends on if Im taking the desktop. I was only querying about MacBooks with iPads really, thanks for the help though!

In that case a Desktop and a Laptop would be very useful. Maybe not a Macbook though, but depends what you want to spend (OSX won't be of benefit). For Mech Eng you'll probably want some small programs to run as well as those more intensive programs. You will also be spending a lot of time in the library/labs working.

Desktop for the intensive modelling etc. and then your laptop for the small things and writing up your reports. As you're probably not going to be doing anything intensive on it (if you take your desktop) I'd go for as small and light as possible so you can carry it around in your bag without thinking "should I take my laptop? If I do I'll need to take my big bag and lug it around", or at least along those lines. So a 13" ultrabook would be prefect IMO (Asus UX31, Samsung Series 9, Sony Z Series, 13" MBA).

A laptop is pretty much essential for uni IMO (sit anywhere in a library and always have a computer to use for example, and a computer you have set up for you, not with clunky keys and pared down user accounts). Then you can use your iPad to browse the net and play games, although coming from someone with a tablet and a MBA the tablet is not used due to the ease and battery length of the laptop.