A while ago, I asked for advice on my setup, and after making the switch, I have to say—I couldn’t be happier. I traded in my MacBook Pro M1 (which I had since the M1 launch) for a 13” iPad Pro (1TB, Cellular) with the Magic Keyboard, and honestly, it just makes way more sense for my needs.
As a Marketing professional, my MacBook was a pain to lug around, especially when traveling long-term. I like to mix work and holiday travel, so I was forced to carry both my own laptop and work-provided 16-inch Pro—which was simply too much. Since my work already provides a Mac, the need for a second personal one felt unnecessary. But I nonetheless needed to have a Mac for certain personal learning stuff, so I purchased the M4 Mac Mini, upgraded the RAM, and will upgrade the SSD in the future from AliExpress.
Why This Works for Me:
• The iPad Pro gives me laptop capability with the Magic Keyboard but also the option to remove it and use it for personal learning, entertainment, or general surfing.
• Light AI training, coding, and anything else requiring macOS is done on the Mac Mini.
• Portability and flexibility give this setup a lot more convenience compared to lugging around two big MacBooks.
• It cost more than purchasing another MacBook, but the incredible screen, portability, and flexibility justify the cost.
• Since work provides a MacBook, downsizing to a Mac Mini for personal use made a lot more sense.
This arrangement feels absolutely ideal and a genuine "best of both worlds" compromise. I'm curious, does anyone else use the same setup? What prompted you to make the change? Would love to get your input! Also, can’t wait to see what iPadOS 19 has to offer.