iPad Pro instead of iMac?

The biggest downside I can see to the iPad Pro is that it is not a computer. It is an overgrown iPhone. From everything I have seen about it so far two of the area you want to use it with, photos and music, will be handled so much better on the iMac. Plus the iMac has a much more powerful CPU, a file system for storage of your data that is not integrated with the applications. Plus the storage is easily expandable as your needs grow.

I avoid the first generation on a tech item, if only because it may take a year to iron out the kinks.

That said, the Pro is a great iPad. I'd go to your Apple Store and try it out in person; you might find it awkward, or not as easy to use as an iPad or MacBook.

With Time Machine, you would need to sync it to another computer (like an MacBook or iMac), or sync it offline through the Cloud.

Have you looked into refurbished ones from Apple?

What iPad Pro were you considering.

If you are looking to use one of these as full computer replacement like a mobile laptop replacement, the 32 GB model will be a poor substitute with its paltry storage amount which leaves you with only the much pricier 128 GB model to consider.

In the near and, practically $1000 cost of that iPad Pro model, there are full blown Macs that run OS X that are more powerful than the iPad Pro.

iPads and iOS are not yet ready to really call themselves computer or laptop replacements and this stage and time.

I can easily see this changing in a couple of years. Just isn't here in the now, as yet!

So, for the $1000 range and if you can scrounge up just $200-$300 more there ars models of 11 inch screen and 13 inch screen MacBooks and MacBook Airs that are $1000 to $1200. Plus for $1300 there is the gorgeous 13 inch screen retina display of the MacBook Pro that are a LOT more capable mobile devices than an iPad Pro.

AND, there are two baseline models of 21 inch screen iMacs that come in at $1100 and $1300, respectively.

I have the iPad Pro 128 GB model.

I absolutely love this thing as an artistic device and tool and, ironically, I try to use it as much as I can as a laptop replacement, too, but, in this respect, it has limits that a true laptop running OS X won't have (touch interface ignored for comparisons).

I cannot create as well on ANY iPad what I can do very well on my Mac. I would never try using the current crop of any mobile device or iPads as a full computer replacement.

Even with my iPad Pro, it will take me awhile to get my drawing chops up to my own acceptable level, but my drawing style and work, to date, will still be quite a bit better on a full blown computer with more "professional" drawings tools, more accurate and finer resolution drawing tablets and stylii and, generally, more powerful desktop/laptop computer apps that offer more options and finer working resolutions that I fully take advantage of in my drawing and design work.

An iPad as a powerful adjunct device and/or tool to a desktop or laptop computer? Yes, but not a standalone only computing device, currently.

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IF, IF Apple had the 64 GB iPad Pro option, you might have gotten away with that storage amount, but even THAT amount dwarfs a regular computer for onboard storage. MacBook Airs, in the price range of an iPad Pro 128 GB model, come with double that storage amount with 256 GBs of flash storage for nearly the same price as an iPad Pro!

If you still decide to go iPad Pro, you really need the 128 GB storage version if you want to store a decent amount of data onto the device

Especially if your iMac had a ton of stored data on it.

BTW,

I bought two iMacs (a 2009 27 inch screen and 2010 21 inch screen model) used in 2011.

If you live in the U.S., the best online and retail Apple product reseller I can recommend to you is PowerMax.

I purchase used Apple hardware from them a couple of times throughout the years.

They have a great staff! Great customer service! They sell scads of used Macs and they look over every Mac they sell and inspect them before putting them up on their website to sell. Their pricing on used Macs is competitive, but fair, as they sell used, but good condition Macs.

AND, A BIG PLUS! They offer extended warranty coverage plans for ALL of their used Apple products for up to one year!

A one year warranty on used Mac gear, folks! You are not going to find that from too many computer oriented stores that sell used hardware!

You might be able to replace that broken iMac for the same one in better condition or something a little newer and a little more powerful for a lot less money!

Check out their website!

I highly recommend these folks!

https://www.powermax.com/

Good Luck!

Hi, I've been using an iPad Retina (4th Gen) for 2 years as my main and only computer. Considering what your usage will be, even an iPad Air can be sufficient.

I now have an iPad mini and even this tablet can be used as a main computer. However, I can understand that you doesn't want to use it as a main device (I find it too small to be really comfortable).

The iPad Air might suits you very well and of course the iPad Pro is largely good enough for your usages.

P.S: In both case, be sure to have at least 32 GB of storage. 16 won't be enough, it will always be a constant struggle.

I think even the 32 GBs of storage is not enough if you are really using the iPad as a serious alternative to a laptop computer.

Music and photos will eat up even a 32 GB iPad ( which only has 28 GBs of storage after formatting and pre-installed apps) in a longer, but still not too short a period of time.

Installing additional apps can eat up space, too!

If you are a TV or movie watcher on an iPad and purchase and store those types of videos on a 32 GB iPad, you are only be able to save/store maybe 5-6 movies, at the most, if you want operational storage room and some storage space for any other data or personal data.

After the first 3-4 years into owning iDevices, I just go for the 64 GB storage models, now.

I use my iPads more or less like a laptop replacement for most things and when you use an iPad in that fashion, you need as much storage space as possible.

I usually have between 8-12 GBs of free space storage that I try to maintain on a 64 GB storage iDevice so to have some operational working and some spare data space when needed, which is almost the amount of total space on a 16 GB storage iDevice.

I just purchased my first 128 GB iPad Pro and I feel I should be well covered for onboard storage space for quite some time based upon my own usage habits.