I am a college student trying to decide if I should get a laptop of an Ipad 3 for college work. Which one would be better suited?

A laptop has a full sized keyboard - the iPad does not.

A laptop has a bigger scrren.

A laptop is a fully functioning computer that can run many applications that you will need and is better suited to doing that than the iPad is - especially if you need to be able to access Flash content on the internet.

With a laptop, you can store media, data and files on an external drive and copy files from an external drive - you cannot do that with an iPad.

You can only download content from Apple's own stores on the iPad, with a laptop you can download and install any application that will run on the OS.

I love my iPad but would never consider using it as my primary computer for school work.

If you must make a decision between either iPad or a PC, get the PC. Demo gave some good reasons, but doing basic schoolwork such as note-taking and even making spreadsheets and PowerPoint (Keynotes) slides is easy.

My recommendation is to get a desktop computer and an iPad. With the right apps, you can do a lot with iPad.

Please remember that all posts need to be confined to Apple's TOS for this forum. You can do a LOT more with iPad (and actually invalidate Demo's last three reasons), but can't be discussed on this forum.

xtremecarbon wrote:

Please remember that all posts need to be confined to Apple's TOS for this forum. You can do a LOT more with iPad (and actually invalidate Demo's last three reasons), but can't be discussed on this forum.

Really? You needed to go there?

I assumed that the OP was asking how to use the device as it was intended - not how you can hack it to do what you want it to do. Or am I missing your point here?

And if you are suggesting otherwise, then you should practice what you are preaching.

Honestly? buy yourself a cheap netbook, to keep portability and functionality and save the Ipad as a graduation gift.

You can get the iPad to do a lot of stuff...the key is "GET" it to do stuff.

It was designed as a consumer device....to consume data. Read books, listen to music, watch movie. It wasn't originally intended as a creator device. And it will create data, but you have to have the time and patience to work with it and get it to do what you want done.

All in all, the iPad is more expensive, then you will need to spend more money to buy apps and adapters etc.

As a college student, and I'm presuming watching your pennies, you honestly get more functionality from a laptop or netbook than you do an iPad. (Don't get me wrong, I love mine, and can go for a day or two without even turning my laptop on, but there are things I can do on the laptop that I just can't on the iPad, so it has failings and shortcomings)

I recommend buy a low price laptop. It has more functions than an iPad, like flash. I would use the iPad for just searches and small, quick stuff. Though the laptop is bulky, and may be heavy, but the real thing why people made it because it is portable. So, in conclusion, buy a laptop and save your money for an iPad as a Good for me! Gift, or something.

My point is that you are either giving false information or refuse to give correct information to coincide with ToS. If you are simply refusing, you should specify that. For example, f you know that iOS devices are capable of running outside content, say it but don't give any instructions. I like entertaining posters of the idea, but I never give any specific instruction on how to do so. Even better (this is something I should start doing), redirect them tothis link.

Please don't be offended, that is the last thing I want to do. Hopefully you know that the correct answer can't always be said.

Buy a desktop and an ipad. Desktop can be used for cpu intensive stuff and ipad can be used for browsing, watching movies, playing music, games and stuff. But definitely have a primary computer along with iPad.

Other posters here made good points. A laptop is pretty much a necessity.

Many colleges require a laptop for class, so you might want to check with the school. My younger son, starting his junior year in college, recently got an e-mail saying he must have a laptop for class. Other groups were required to buy a netbook directly from his university last year with pre-loaded programs.

You might also be required to have microsoft word, excel, etc. as my sons have to. If you get a laptop, and need/want microsoft word, etc., you might want to wait until you get to school and find two others in the same position with same type of laptop (pc or mac) and split the family pack. You'll save a lot of money.

Also, neither an ipad or a netbook (they all crawl and do not come with much memory - we have two) has a dvd drive, and that could make a big difference to you.

An ipad is fun and very portable. If you can get both, good for you. Enjoy!

We were pc users until less than two years ago. Our computers were fried by a microsoft security update. We now have two imacs and a macbbok pro. They are so much easier - no more viruses frying hard drives - at least three each on our son's laptops, replacing $80.00 adapters, etc. We have saved money because of this. My older son (just graduated) has the 13" macbook pro 2010 and still loves it - incredibly fast, reliable and long lasting battery. We do not plan on using pc's any more.

Many countries have the student discount where on a 13"macbook pro you get a $100. gift card for the app/itunes store and another $100. off the price of the macbook pro (so $1099.00). So when you're deciding on a laptop, you might take this student pricing into account. You must buy directly from an Apple store, Apple online or your Apple approved college bookstore. You don't need the retina display version, the added cost, or the additional weight of a larger model. With savings, you'll actually be paying $999.00. Also, if you buy apps for your macbook pro, those apps can be used on up to five authorized family imacs or macbook pros. Given the prices of some apps, that can be a great savings.

On the other hand, pc laptops keep improving (?) and might have sales because at at this point, they want to sell off the windows 7 versions before the new windows os comes out.

Whatever your decision, enjoy your new computer and college.