Engadget: iPad works as a laptop for most tasks, with some limitations
Engadget's Sept. 6 analysis finds that iPads can serve as laptops for common tasks, while complex workflows reveal frustrating gaps.
The article highlights that iPadOS 26 and later introduce a proper windowing system, a Mac-like menu bar and more capable Files and Preview apps, bringing the iPad much closer to a laptop experience. When paired with Apple's Magic Keyboard or similar accessories, an iPad becomes a portable keyboard-and-trackpad machine; adding an Apple Pencil supports drawing, note-taking and PDF annotation, skills no conventional laptop offers in such a direct form. The article also says M-series iPads have strong performance, with processing power ahead of most tablet-oriented tasks.
On the downside, the article notes the iPad still feels like a "big-screen iPhone" during keyboard-intensive and multi-step multitasking. Situations such as researching while writing, copying material among several apps or managing a large file collection expose underlying limitations in iPadOS's file system and shortcut ecosystem. While the iPad can run many creative apps like Procreate, Photoshop and Lightroom, the article says these titles are not always on par with their desktop versions. The touch-first nature and Apple's closed ecosystem can also create friction for people relying on mature desktop setups.
The article concludes that choosing an iPad over a laptop depends on each user's expectations and tolerance for friction. It describes replacing a laptop "brilliantly about 90 percent of the time," with "frustrating exceptions" making up the remaining 10 percent. For basic productivity and entertainment, the iPad is a strong alternative, but it may not satisfy professionals whose workflows depend on the depth of macOS or Windows.