Ahead of the iPad Pro launch in November 2015, Tim Cook, CEO of Apple asked, “Why would anyone buy a PC anymore?” The company suggests their iPad Pro might be a replacement to the laptop.

Let’s compare the iPad Pro with a laptop to see how true this may be.

iPad Pro versus Laptop – Productivity

One of the main selling points of a laptop is its portability, but tablets are far more portable than laptops. The second main selling point of a laptop is productivity. Laptops have bigger screens, touchpads and keypads, making it easier for you to run and work with applications such as Word, Excel, graphics packages and PowerPoint.

The iPad Pro is a touchscreen device. It offers you a different type of input tool – Pencil, a stylus. The screen of the iPad Pro is pressure sensitive which is ideal for those whose work involves writing, sketching or annotating, the iPad Pro is a great device for artists.

If you prefer typing on a physical keyboard, the iPad Pro allows you to attach a Smart Keyboard which connects to the iPad Pro without needing Bluetooth. The keyboard is few millimeters thick and your iPad Pro stands at an angle when docked to this keyboard. The only drawback in this arrangement is the iPad Pro screen is at a fixed position so you will be unable to tilt the screen.

iPad Pro versus Laptop – Battery life

The battery life of many laptops is only few hours long whereas the iPad Pro is likely to give you enough power to last a full day. Obviously, the battery life depends on several factors such as screen brightness and the apps you are using. However in most cases, the iPad Pro would be more power efficient than a laptop.

iPad Pro versus Laptop – Screen

The iPad Pro has a 12.9 inch screen that is comparatively smaller than mainstream laptops that either have a 14-inch or 15-inch screen. However, the iPad Pro screen offers good working area and you would be able to do most work very comfortably on this screen size. The iPad Pro offers a screen resolution of 2732×2048 pixels, which is higher than that available in most laptops.

iPad Pro versus Laptop – Storage

Laptops offer you good storage options such as 500 GB or even up to 1TB. In addition, you can always connect external drives if you want additional storage space. Apple is offering 2 storage options in the iPad Pro – 32GB and 128 GB.

iPad Pro versus Laptop – the Verdict

The iPad Pro is ideal for artists and serves well for other purposes also such as browsing, editing and sharing pictures, watching movies or TV programs. However, the device may not be ideal for everyone who wants a portable device for doing document/ spreadsheet or other work. The laptop still holds strong when you need a business tool with strong backup options.