iPad; not quite a laptop, not quite a phone – but far from being the weird middle child, iPadss have come a long way and can be a useful device to have in your technology arsenal. iPads offer great style, power, portability and can be put to a range of good uses, both around the home and out and about. This article will identify the eleven main benefits of an iPad in 2024.
Advantages of an iPad
There are so many advantages of iPad — here are 11 of them.
1. iPad is so light and portable.
One of the primary benefits associated with iPads, is the fact that they’re fully portable. Although there are many different models of iPad currently available, even the larger models are still very small and light in weight, making them perfect for travelling. Basically, with an iPad, you get all of the benefits of a super-powered computer, without having to lug a heavy PC or laptop around with you. Whether you’re laid in bed, on the train, flying, or anywhere else for that matter, because they are so small, thin, and light, the portability of iPads makes them extremely popular.
Meanwhile, the typical screen size on an iPad is around 8.3-12.9 inches, which means they easily fit into most backpacks, carry bags, or briefcases.
This makes iPads a great asset for students, travellers, commuters and professionals who have to travel a lot on business. Who wants to stream their favourite shows on a bulky laptop while they’re travelling? That’s right, nobody. An iPad is the perfect middle ground.
2. You can get connectivity anywhere.
If you have things to do online and your phone can’t handle it, the great thing about an iPad is it can get the internet anywhere. That is, as long as you get an iPad with cellular connectivity. No lugging your laptop around cafes and libraries hunting for free WiFi. Just power up and get online.
This makes iPads particularly handy for professionals. Whether you need to check emails, edit documents on the cloud or just stay up to date with the latest news in your industry, an iPad can help you get it done easily anywhere. It’s just like your iPhone – connect to the internet anywhere on the go.
This is a feature not yet available in MacBooks. They, of course, can use an iPhone to connect to the internet. But that’s not as convenient as 5G built right in.
3. An iPad is more affordable than a laptop.
These days it seems like having a home computer is compulsory. But actually, if you’re only using your computer for light web browsing, some email, Facebook and Netflix, an iPad might do just as well.
While critics decry the high prices of Apple computers, the 10.2-inch iPad is a shining exception. It costs $329 — about a third the price of the cheapest MacBook. Even adding a keyboard case to let the tablet convert to a laptop still puts it well below half the cost of a MacBook.
And the budget iPad is a very capable computer — all a student needs. Heck, it can do everything most adults need for their personal lives. So depending on what you want to use it for, an iPad could save you quite a bit of money, and offer more portability to boot.
4. iPads ‘wake up’ instantly.
Another great benefit of iPads, is the fact that they take pretty short time to boot up. Most laptop computers generally take around 10-30 seconds to start up. However, the initial start up on an iPad is generally around 2-10 seconds. Once powered on, an iPad can “wake” from a sleep mode instantaneously. Nothing makes you feel like you’re living on the cutting edge quite like a lightning-fast tech.
5. They make excellent portable entertainment systems.
Want an ebook for your long flight? Games on the bus? A bit of Netflix in bed? Sure, you can use an iPhone for all that but it’s all so much better on a bigger screen.
Mac is not a great gaming platform. That’s why many Mac users own a console or even a PC just for gaming. But iPad is also a strong option.
There are untold thousands of iPhone games, and all of these are playable on the larger iPad display. There are also plenty of top-quality titles available in the Apple Arcade subscription service.
Many of these support game controllers — just connect one to any iPad and play on.
Traditional books are great, but they’re bulky. An iPad can carry every book you’ve ever read or even plan to. You won’t have to carefully choose which novels to take on vacation — take all of them. No matter where you go, with an iPad you’ll never have an excuse for boredom.
6. They’re great for web browsing.
Portability and fast start-up combine to make the iPad a first choice for quick web browsing, especially when you’re away from your desk. A good example would be looking up a recipe for a meal. Set up the iPad in the kitchen, find a recipe online, and get cooking!
7. They’re handy for giving presentations.
A rising trend in business is the use of iPads to run presentations. With presentation files on an iPad, it’s relatively simple to share the content with a large screen in meeting rooms. And if you’re travelling around to clients and giving presentations outside of the office, they’re a lot easier to lug around than a laptop.
8. You can give one to your kids.
If your kids are hankering after their very own computer or smartphone to play games, watch TV and just generally surf the web without having to queue up for your laptop, an iPad could be the answer.
iPads prices start low which means you’ve got plenty of budget options if you just want to give your kids something simple or are worried they might break it (hey, it happens). And if you get one without 5G connectivity you can give your kids a taste of the smartphone life without giving them a device they can connect absolutely anywhere.
iPads are now widely used and accepted by education institutions to boot. Interactive education is the key to the iPad’s success in the classroom, where children can engage with learning materials in real time.
9. iPad is more flexible than laptops
Another advantage of an iPad is that the tablet can turn into a laptop while a MacBook (and most Windows laptops) can’t turn into a tablet.
By itself, an iPad is an ideal “lean back” computer. With a touchscreen but no bulky keyboard it’s perfect for scrolling through social media, watching video or wandering the web.
Add a click-on keyboard and trackpad, and an iPad becomes a “lean forward” computer. You can type out emails, write a novel, enter data into spreadsheets. Whatever you need.
Don’t try pulling the keyboard off your laptop, though. It won’t go well.
10. iPad is easy to learn, especially for iPhone users
Someone buying their first computer should consider getting an iPad instead of a MacBook. Especially if they are already familiar with iPhone.
The two mobile computers are very much alike, though the larger iPad screen makes it a better option than an iPhone for many tasks. A tablet is ideal for watching video, for example. Or you can do your taxes on an iPad, for example. That’s not something anyone would recommend on a smaller handset.
11. A touchscreen is so intuitive
People who’ve been using a mouse or trackpad for many years forget that it’s a workaround from the days before touchscreens. With an iPad, you reach out and touch whatever it is you want to move. It’s easy to overlook how amazing that is.
Use an iPad for a while, and you’ll realize that a mouse or trackpad is a very indirect way to control a computer. That said, iPad doesn’t ignore that most people are accustomed to using those indirect input methods. iPadOS supports mouse/trackpad in addition to its lovely touchscreen.
See also: Why an iPad Pro can’t replace the MacBook, even with the Magic Keyboard
These Are the Benefits of an iPad
There are many benefits of iPad. If you read, watch or listen to stuff, iPad gives you the best experience because of decent screen and battery life comparing to a smartphone. You can research things via the Internet and check your email too. If you’re a kid, you can also download games/apps from the App Store or see videos. Adults prefer to look at the news and other things. It is so much more portable than a laptop as well. With external keyboard you can type longer texts, with stylus you can draw and sketch. The apps for iPads are optimized for touch, and that actually makes interfaces simpler.
See also: Three ways the iPad beats the Laptop