Forget The New MacBook Pro, Apple Has Something Much Better

Forbes Innovation Consumer Tech Forget The New MacBook Pro, Apple Has Something Much Better Ewan Spence Senior Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Storyteller exploring digital worlds, mobile, music and podcasting Following Sep 2, 2023, 04:41pm EDT | Press play to listen to this article! Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin With Apple expected to launch the next generation of MacBook laptops in October , many will be deciding if now is the time to upgrade their computer and which Mac would make the best update. Yet, for many, Apple’s upcoming hardware shows promise and significant advantages over the current MacBook Pro and MacBook Air options.

New MacBook Pro laptops are displayed during Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (Photo by JOSH . . .

[+] EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images For some, the best upgrade in Apple’s portfolio may not be a Mac but an iPad. Specifically, the iPad Pro models running the same Apple Silicon as the MacBooks . With Apple Silicon, the Mac platform kept ahead of equivalent hardware running on Intel’s x86 platform.

They were not the first devices running Apple-designed chipsets; the Axx chipsets have a long history of powering the iPhone and iPad devices. Yet the launch of the Mac-specific Mxx chipsets unlocked more performance and efficiency in the deskbound platform The Mxx chips also turned up in the high-end iPad Pro models, delivering that same boost with far more mobility for users. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the M3 family, which is expected to debut in the MacBook Air and consumer MacBook Pro laptops in October, is also expected to arrive in the iPad Pro tablets.

If you are looking for power in a mobile device and the answer is the M3, then the iPad Pro needs to be considered. As with any computer, what software you can run is a key factor. There will be apps that only run on iPadOS or macOS, and if you have a critical app, your decision has been made for you.

With the rise of cloud computing, a lot can be done inside the browser, and the ubiquity of the iPad platform means that developers are not afraid to create versions for both platforms, which will happily interact with each other through Apple’s online services. MORE FOR YOU The 22 Best Labor Day Laptop Sales Happening Right Now Here Are The 36 Best Deals From Best Buy s Labor Day Sale A STEM Degree Requires A Real PC Of course, Apple is working to bring iPadOS and macOS closer together so apps can run on either base. That’s a small factor, but over the next two years, the lines between the two may become blurred, and you can make your hardware choice without worrying about software.

For now, a quick check on app compatibility may surprise you with the breadth of desktop-level apps on Apple’s tablet. Taking the M2-powered MacBook Air and the M2-powered iPad Pro, you’ll find a slightly small screen on the iPad Pro – 12. 9 inches to the Air’s 13 inches, but being a tablet, the form factor is much smaller.

This does highlight one big difference… Apple’s MacBooks naturally come with a built-in keyboard. If you’re looking for a keyboard on the iPad Pro you’ll need to spend more money. That cost has to be balanced against portability.

The iPad Pro is smaller, lighter, and can be purchased with 5G to allow for always-on connectivity wherever you are. It is, by design, a portable device, and if this is one of your priorities, then the iPad needs to be part of your discussion And if you need a final benefit, consider the touchscreen. It’s a ubiquitous input device available on iPhones, iPads, Android devices, Windows laptops, smartwatches, and more.

Yet Apple has resolutely refused to add one to the MacBook; its laptops have no touchscreen and no stylus support. Customers admire iPad Pro products in an Apple retail store in Shanghai. (Photo by Alex Tai/SOPA .

. . [+] Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images The iPad Pro is not for everyone.

Neither is a MacBook Air, a MacBook Pro, or an iMac. When looking for a new personal computer within Apple’s ecosystem, it is understandable to look at other Macs. But the iPad Pro may well suit your needs.

And if that’s the case, Apple definitely has something better than the MacBook Pro. Now read the latest Mac, iPhone and iPad headlines in Forbes’ weekly Apple news digest. .

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