Do you need a laptop or a tablet? We help you discover which Apple device is best suited for your needs

It used to be the case that choosing between a MacBook and an iPad was easy, but Apple has started to blur the lines between the two in ways that few of us could have expected. In terms of power, we have now reached parity thanks to the new iPad Pro which uses the same M1 chip as the MacBook Air and when you start to look at the storage onboard the comparisons become even closer. For example, you can buy a 12.9” iPad Pro for only £100 more than the equivalent 256GB MacBook Air, but if you opt for the 11” iPad Pro then you can pay only £50 more for 512GB of storage. This makes the cost analysis almost moot, which is then exacerbated by the fact that the M1 chipped MacBooks can run most iOS apps and games as well. With so many titles now available on macOS and iOS in separate versions as well, it can come down to how each will work for you in terms of the physical forms. We will try to help you decide which device will be best for you, but there is little doubt that Apple is making this a tricky question to answer.

 The flat iPad keyboard

Many people will quite rightly presume that a physical keyboard is best for long periods of typing and data entry, and in many ways this assumption makes sense, but there is more to the story. A software keyboard like the one on the iPad can be customised to work in specific ways, which can make it as efficient as real keys.

Pro iPad apps

The belief that a ‘proper’ computer is needed to undertake professional tasks is still strong, but the developers of some of the better-known titles have created equivalents that work just as well on the latest iPads. Some of these apps work identically as a way of proving that mobile computing is no longer the poor relation of Windows PCs and Macs.

1 Adobe Photoshop

Most people are aware of Photoshop, but are likely less aware of just how powerful the iPad version is. You can now undertake complex image manipulation wherever.

2 GarageBand

Apple makes GarageBand, and has not scrimped on features when it comes to the iPad. In this app the Apple Pencil arguably gives you greater control than on the Mac.

3 Affinity Photo

Whether you need unlimited layers, brushes or smart object importing, Affinity Photo offers it all on the iPad. Again, the Apple Pencil offers near perfect control.

4 Code Editor

If you have a data input system you are happy with, either an external keyboard or the iPad screen, Code Editor gives you every coding tool you could possibly need.

5 Luma Fusion

Video editing on an iPad? Yes indeed. With the later iPads and the Pro models you will notice little difference in performance compared to a Mac. A big leap forward.

6 AutoCAD

AutoCAD lets you view and edit CAD drawings wherever you are with just your iPad. This is perfect for when you’re on site and the need is there to make instant adjustments.