Choosing the right IPAD for my needs

I'll third Shag's recommendation, if only for the Excel and the lack of mouse support. Though the camera may be an issue on an actual laptop, since those are front facing rather than rear.

You can learn to use Excel on an iPad without a mouse, but its not that convenient. Also you will need to pay for Office 365's annual subscription to be able to use Excel for more than viewing files.

Outside of that, an 11" iPad Pro would be my choice. Keyboard is a bit personal. Try going to an Apple store and testing them out.

Download speed is dependent more on your actual internet connection than the device. If you have a good internet connection, and good Wi-Fi signal, download speed should not be a factor across different devices.

Always buy the most memory you can afford, especially if memory cannot be upgraded after purchase.

I'll also add getting a Bluetooth keyboard that feels right and provides the right user experience has thus far been quite the challenge. I don't like the Apple Folio keyboard. Finally there's something Apple makes that's just not right for me. It's not backlit and is missing important function keys IMHO. I also don't like the magnetic connections both for power and to hold the iPad.

So, I bought a folio style one that the iPad can actually attach to (not via magnets like the Apple Folio), is backlit, but I didn't like how the keyboard needs to be adjusted correctly for each use.

Next up, a nice YockTeck Keyboard, all aluminum, backlit, lets me charge my Pencil while attached, but it's not 360 degree rotatable and I can't use my iPad as a tablet, unless I want to remove the iPad from the case.

Tonight, when I get home, the new Zagg Slim Book Go for iPad Pro 11 will be waiting for me. It's backlit, had the needed function keys and you can just pull the iPad out from the magnetic holder which keeps the iPad and keyboard attached to use it as a tablet. I sure hope I like this one. If it doesn't meet my needs, I have 30 days to return it and the next up will be the new Brydge for iPad Pro 11, supposedly coming out in the next couple weeks.

Wow!, If anything, you will at least have a good sampling of keyboards, and can maybe recommend one over the others after all is said and done.

I have a standalone Belkin keyboard that works decently enough, but the keys are a bit mushy, and a Logitech keyboard folio case for the office iPad that is not too bad, but makes using the iPad as a tablet only a bit cumbersome without removing it from the case.

The search for a good keyboard continues. :P

I will chime in with the rest here and state that ShagCA’s recommendation is pretty much spot on.

I would give the Microsoft Surface Pro tablets a very serious look and consideration.

They offer a very mobile and full Windows OS experience coupled with a touch screen tablet-like interface/experience and the Surface Pro tablets support all of the traditional computer input devices, as well as Microsoft's unique Surface Dial.

They have more ports and allow for other connected hardware, just like a larger laptop and do, essentially, what you want an iPad to do.

Also, you can customise a Surface pro for both storage and the amount of internal RAM.

With iPads, the RAM is fixed and for iPad Pros, the common fixed installed RAM set at 4 GBs and if you want to go with the top high end iPad Pro model, it has 1 TB of internal flash memory storage and 6 GBs of RAM.

I love my 2015, 12.9 inch screen iPad Pro and use it for a lot of things, like you want to do, but I still rely on my Mac, too, for more powerful and more flexible and sometimes much easier ways of doing things.

iPads/iPad Pros run a less powerful OS ( iOS ) that has a much different workflow to learn and use.

iPads, even an iPad Pro, is NOT a full laptop computer replacement for some tasks.

iPads are still more of a companion device to a Mac or PC.

iPads/iOS have ZERO support for external mice or trackpads or any other conventional computer peripheral devices.

iOS apps, like MS Office, may not offer full functionality and features of its full computer version applications.

iPads are great for artistic endeavours and some level of work related tasks, but are not the same as a full laptop/desktop computer.

That is IT in as small a written nutshell as I can express.

Best of Luck to You!

Thanks. This does concern me. But this case was released a few months ago for the iPad Pro 9.7 and I haven't seen anyone say the mechanism with magnets are an issue on the Slim Book Go current version. The system is the same design for iPad Pro 11 and was finally released for sale just last week. Maybe they've gotten this one right? Still, unless I absolutely fall in love with the Zagg, it will be returned and I'll just have to pay the price of admission for the Brydge, which appears to be very well built and pretty much exactly what I wanted to begin with. It's just the Brydge after months of hype, still isn't available to be purchased. Though they say it will be released any day now. The Brydge is pricey at $149 (still less than the Apple Folio).

If you're interested here's the Brydge: https://www.brydge.com/products/brydge-for-ipad-pro-2018?variant=21374999167081

And here's the Zagg: https://www.zagg.com/us/en_us/keyboards/slim-book-go-apple-ipad-pro-11

Your experience may be totally different because I had the slim book

https://www.zagg.com/us/en_us/keyboards/slim-book-ipad-mini-4

And those two little slots where the keyboard and back case attach was the weak spot. IMHO, it should have been metal, instead it was plastic and the simple stress of opening/closing the case a few times a day took its toll

The pro case looks different so may not have the same issue.

They were great about exchanging it, I just got tired of the cases not lasting very long so walked away at the end of the year’s warranty and went for something else.

It looks like the Zagg is going to have to satisfy for at least a while. I called Brydge directly and now they say their case won't be shipping until at least mid-May now. Clearly something's not right if it's taking that long to get their case to market.

I see from the link about your case, the mechanism is completely different, so hopefully my experience will be better. I like Zagg and hope I like this new case. I'll find out tonight. It's sitting in a box on the kitchen counter waiting for me as it was just delivered. I won't see it till I get home from work tonight.

An update. Not pleased with how the Zagg looks or works together (keyboard and case). They don't tell you the back of the keyboard is covered in fabric and the front of the keyboard is covered in some rubberized material, which will trap dust and get dirty quickly. They iPad portion of the case is plastic, so there are too many competing finishes going on. And if you stand the iPad up connected to the keyboard, you have to pull this stand thingy out taking up more table space and making it impossible to use in your lap. The power button and volume keys are covered and it's hard to push them. It honestly feels cheap to me, so I've already gotten a return authorization and it's going back for refund.

What I had for years, but wasn't available until recently is a keyboard case that rotates 360 (iPad on top of the keyboard keys) to use as a tablet. I found this one which is Aluminum, backlit keys and is exactly what I was looking for. It will be here on Friday.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PG11L44/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

No problem PIBzzz. Those who spent more time voicing out their opinion deserve it more than I do. I was too busy to reply yesterday.

Although I have never owned one, Surface is the best bet for what you need to do especially if you're more comfortable using a mouse. It's more of a tablet/laptop hybrid. You can run full blown software with features that are available on laptop/desktop computers. I'd say 8GB is sufficient for what you plan to do. However, if the RAM isn't upgradeable or too difficult to replace, go for 16GB. Between I5 8250U or I7 8650U, I would go for i7. My next purchase would likely be a Surface too.