The iPad Revisited:

“Until then: don’t ask whether the iPad can replace your laptop. Ask what you’re really trying to do—and whether a different mindset might help you do it better.”.

That's how I ended my original piece, the iPad conundrum, capable, confusing and completely different. And in many ways that thought still holds up. But I've spent more time with the iPad since then, including upgrading to the latest M3 iPad Air, and so I wanted to revisit this topic with what I hope are fresh eyes.

A lot has changed in the hardware, the OS and my own mindset, and while it hasn't magically transformed into a laptop replacement, and actually I still thunk maybe it shouldn't, I've found a groove with it that feels purposeful and genuinely useful.

The Same iPad Air : Just More

The new iPad Air, it's basically the same as the old one, just more. I picked up the new 11 inch iPad Air with the M3 chip and my first impression was familiar. Its the same iPad I already knew. Everything is essentially the same as it was before, just faster, better, smoother, more able to keep up with me. That might sound a little underwhelming on paper, but in daily use it does make an actual difference.

One noticeable difference is that the M3 chip handles multitasking really well, usually without a hiccup. One example of this was that I often used the Squarespace app on iOS and the previous iPad Air had issues with this. It had problems actually displaying the blog posts and editing the posts was an absolute nightmare. Sometimes it would just not display my drafts or even save them. So I literally would lose all of the work that I had done.

The M3 iPad seems to be able to keep up with all of that. It loads up the blog posts just fine. I can edit articles on there, save them. All of that is working the way you would expect it to work. I even had a blog post that I was writing earlier today open in split screen with chat GPT on one side where I was doing research and I was typing into Squarespace on the other and everything was working absolutely perfectly, which is the way it should be.

Size Matters.

I think this will be something that will be really individual for you and for what you are doing. And I know that sounds like a bit of a cop out but in this case, I really would argue that this is up to you.

I actually tried the 13 inch iPad a while ago and the size was great for the amount of content that was visible, it was great for viewing web pages. It was great for viewing anything that had a lot of, dense information like spreadsheets. It was even nice watching stuff on it. But the problem with it was just that it was kind of genuinely unwieldy. It was a little uncomfortable to use as a portable device. It was just a bit too big to hold it comfortably. It was a bit too heavy and awkward to hold it with one hand.

Now, the 11-inch size, seems to be that nice Goldilocks spot, at least for me. It's comfortable to hold. It's comfortable to use one-handed. It's a decent size for writing on, for sketching thoughts out on, for looking at web pages on. Stuff that didn't work or doesn't work well on my phone or my iPad mini, such as, admin portals to some of the applications we use at work, they just don't work properly on the smaller screens. Well, here on the 11-inch, everything fits really nicely. Everything just works. It's a screen size and a resolution that these applications are expecting, so that part works nicely.

I think another thing that's worth mentioning here as well is that, and I freely admit this is probably a limitation on my side, while the iPad mini was great for note-taking and jotting down stuff quickly, the idea of planning out something or sketching out a mind map or whatever on there, was kind of hard for me because it felt cramped. The iPad Air for me doesn't feel like the size is constricting.

A True Companion Device

I’ve found myself reaching for the iPad more often than my MacBook Pro, particularly for meetings, note-taking, and casual use. Apple Notes has become my go-to app for jotting things down, and I’m even considering using it to record and transcribe meetings.

At home, it’s equally useful. I read articles, watch videos, update to-do lists, and sketch out ideas. It’s become a reliable part of my day-to-day routine. My iPad Mini has shifted to more of a content consumption or late-night reading device, while the iPad Air is the one I now instinctively reach for when I want to do something.

The MacBook Pro has became this kind of anchor, it sits on my desk or comes with me only in the situations where I know I will need to multitask a lot or I need an app or something that is specifically for the MacBook.

Display and Audio

If you're familiar with Apple screens, then you probably already have a good idea what the screen looks like. I have never used an iPad Pro, so I don't have that comparison. But for me, the screen is great. Yesterday was a bright sunny day. I sat outside in the garden. I was reading some stuff on a website on there. I watched a YouTube video. All of it's at about half brightness and it was fine.

The speakers on there are good. They are loud. I don't think they would win any awards, but they are a lot better than other speakers that I've heard, they are perfectly fine for watching something, listening to music or an audiobook.

External Keyboards And Stands

I don’t use Apple’s Magic Keyboard—it’s just too expensive. Instead, I’ve been using a third-party Bluetooth keyboard and a basic portable stand. The keyboard has a built-in touchpad, which I find a bit odd to use, but functional. For long-form writing, this setup works well. The external keyboard frees up screen space and makes it easier to focus.

I have a few stands that I am trying out, if you’re interested, I can do a write up?

The Apple Pencil Pro: Surprisingly Excellent

I upgraded to the Apple Pencil Pro and I’ve been pleasantly surprised. The ability to rotate the tip for different stroke effects is more useful than I expected, especially for handwriting and calligraphy. The new squeeze gesture to bring up toolbars is also fantastic—it removes friction and improves flow. If you take a lot of handwritten notes or create art, this is a worthwhile upgrade.

Where I Stand Now

Compared to my original blog post, I’d say the iPad has finally found its place in my life. It’s not a laptop replacement—but it’s not supposed to be. It’s a focused, fast, and flexible companion that excels at single-task productivity and creative work.

If you need a device for deep focus, with fewer distractions and enough power to handle most tasks, the iPad fits beautifully. Just don’t expect it to multitask like a laptop—and don’t force it to.

As my eyesight has changed, I’ve come to appreciate the larger screen sizes more. The 11-inch iPad Air feels like the right balance between portability and usability.

So, can I recommend the iPad as a productivity device? Absolutely—with the caveat that you approach it on its own terms. If you do, you might just find it’s exactly what you needed.

I’ll continue exploring what the iPad can do, and I’m happy to share that journey here. If you’re curious about accessories, apps, or workflows, let me know—I’m keen to explore more and would love to hear your thoughts too.

Reassessing the iPad Air