Should I Ditch My Mac for iPad?

iPad Pro with iPadOS 26: Is It Finally a Real MacBook Alternative?

Author

Ark
June 18, 2025

In case you’re new here, or just catching up, I used to own an iPad Pro. But several years ago, I sold it.

Why?

Because it felt completely redundant sitting next to my MacBook Pro. I wasn’t in college anymore, didn’t need to take notes with an Apple Pencil, and frankly, I couldn’t justify owning both. The iPad was cool—but it didn’t fit into my workflow in a meaningful way.

But after Apple dropped iPadOS 26, things… changed.

So here I am, documenting my real-time thoughts, processing the updates, and asking a big question:
Is the iPad finally worth considering again?

The iPad’s Biggest Problem Was Software

Let’s be honest: for years, hardware wasn’t the issue. The iPad Pros have been insanely powerful, but software limitations kept holding them back—especially for pros who wanted to do more than draw or browse.

But iPadOS 26 seems to have broken some of those chains.

Window Management Now Feels Mac-Like

One of the standout upgrades in iPadOS 26 is vastly improved window management—and this makes a huge difference.

When I’m editing videos, I’m constantly toggling between browsers, screenshots, files, and Final Cut timelines. That kind of multitasking used to be frustratingly clunky on an iPad. Now, it’s faster and much more intuitive—almost like working on a Mac.

This change alone makes me want to revisit the iPad Pro as a serious tool again.

Background Exports and Progress Bars—Finally!

A subtle but game-changing feature: background exports.

In the past, whenever you finished editing a video, you had to keep the export app open and on-screen. Try multitasking, and the export would pause—or just crash altogether. Now, you can let the export run quietly in the background while you keep working. Plus, you get a sleek new progress bar to monitor it.

Honestly, it even looks cleaner than the export bar on Final Cut for Mac.

Preview App Comes to iPad

Another under-the-radar upgrade? The Preview app—yes, the same one you use on macOS—is finally coming to the iPad. As someone who uses it constantly for viewing and switching backgrounds during shoots, this is a very welcome addition.

Hardware Still Has Its Limits

Despite the software glow-up, let’s not pretend the iPad Pro is flawless. Compared to a MacBook Pro, it still suffers from:

  • Only one USB-C port
    (Though the Magic Keyboard case helps with a second, power-only port)

  • Battery life
    Still the same old iPad battery we’ve seen for years.

  • No M4 Pro or Max chip
    While it has the base M4 chip, it’s not going to keep up with MacBooks that come with active cooling and higher-tier processors.

Still, it does have its strengths—like the OLED display, which the MacBook Pro still doesn’t have (though rumors say next year… maybe).

Filming and Editing on One Device? Yes, please.

One thing I dream about: filming and editing on a single device.

With the iPad Pro, I could mount it on a tripod, plug in an external mic, and start recording—then immediately drag that file into my editing timeline. No AirDrop, no weird import processes, no headaches.

Plus, the iPad’s 4K front and rear cameras easily outperform the MacBook’s 1080p webcam. And the front-facing camera could give me a giant live viewfinder—something I’ve always wanted.

Better Audio Input Options

Recording with an iPhone has its quirks, especially with external mics. But iPadOS 26 now lets you easily select microphone inputs, which is a small but critical update for creators.

External Monitor Support & Multitasking

With improved pointer support and window resizing, docking the iPad to an external monitor now feels surprisingly desktop-like. You can keep your usual menu bar and run apps full screen—almost like a Mac.

And don’t forget Face ID, which is still a more seamless biometric system than anything on MacBooks.

So… should I switch back?

Let’s talk cost. A high-spec iPad Pro—say, 1TB storage with 16GB unified memory—still costs less than the $3,000–$4,000 MacBook Pro I was eyeing. That’s compelling.

But there are catches:

  • Final Cut on iPad requires a subscription (ugh).

  • I already own LumaFusion, which is still a fantastic editing app.

  • My new job at Telet Trucks has changed my workflow dramatically.

  • OBS and member-only live streams? Still easier from a Mac.

So yeah—I’m tempted. But I’m not rushing to buy an M4 iPad Pro just yet.

The Final Verdict: Worth It?

iPadOS 26 shocked me. It brings the iPad closer than ever to being a true MacBook replacement. And while I’m still cautious (bugs, early instability, high cost), I’m keeping my eye on it—especially in the secondhand market.

This might be the closest we’ve ever come to a true “one device to rule them all” setup.

But I’d love to hear your thoughts—should I try to move my workflow back to the iPad?
Would you watch those videos?

Let me know in the comments. And to everyone supporting this channel—thank you. Whether you’re here for the tech, the journey, or just the experiments, I appreciate you.

See you in the next one. 👋

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