Hi sifus,
I'm in the middle of choosing a lightweight laptop for daily browsing at home.
So I need something that is lightweight(1.25kg and below) and have long lasting battery life.
After days of study online I found macbook air considered as all rounder for general uses. Windows laptop have some competitors but their prices already near to macbook air anyway.
But getting a macbook air, I'm limited with lower quality display and refresh rate compared to the windows counter part, so I were thinking is it better for to just get the old M2 ipad pro and magic keyboard which will cost around (RM5400) while macbook air will cost me around rm5200.

In your opinion which of the 3 options are the best for my use case and for long term usage?
1. Macbook Air M3 = RM5200+-
2. Ipad Pro M2 + Magic Keyboard = RM5400+-
3. Windows laptop with similar weight and battery life = RM4,500 - RM6,000 (lowest price is 8GB Ram only)

Thanks sifus in advance

This post has been edited by bibirbieber: Jun 26 2024, 01:08 PM

Daily browsing you mean internet browsing ?

If only internet browsing, I would suggest you use phone do that.

Based on your list, I feel like you are looking for media consumption more than just surfing the internet.

Internet browsing including youtubes and casual movie streaming. Phone screen is too small for my convenience. I need dedicated keyboard thats why i includes magic keyboard for ipad there

I see, with your use case. I think 5k budget is over kill.

I personally use Windows Laptop for my work.
iPad Pro M2 for my work (note taking) + document viewing + Game + light internet browsing.

For movie streaming, I got TV and sound system at my house.


I feel like you want to do more on the device instead of just surfing the internet and movie because you need a keyboard.

Do you have any "main machine" with keyboard already? If yes, go for iPad Pro. But they keyboard is just waste of money. Heavy and expensive. Pencil is the money that you want to spend.

If not, don't go for iPad. IPad OS is, you know is just a tablet. You don't expect you can do some productivity think in iPad. Biggest weakness of iPad Pro is iPadOS.
You will not be more Pro with the keyboard.

I suggest you go for Mac or Windows if you don't have main machine.

To me, i will take the macbook air if I do not have a computer.

Understood that most of us do not need a computer at all, then i would recommend you to take iPad.
Generally, iPad pro have better screen and speaker to macbook air.

Just wondering what makes you to consider iPad Pro M2? not considering the latest M4?

This post has been edited by kevinpss: Jun 26 2024, 05:41 PM

I have Windows PC that can handle my heavy task such as coding, photo editing and light gaming. The reason I'm looking for new device is for portability since I travel quit a lot after married.
I do agree that apple pencil is really useful when using ipad.

The combo price of M4 ipad pro with the keyboard is out of my budget already. Thats is the reason I'm looking for the M2 version.
I even though of getting the new ipad Air instead which cost less but loosing the high refresh rate display which makes a lot of difference for me while browsing and scrolling documents.

most of the video/movie is 60Hz or below. so i think you maybe can downgrade the model and get the cheaper alternative first. get the cheapest model to try it out, then next time you will know which one to buy.

another option is getting both of them : iPad (RM1799) + keyboard (RM800) and M1MBA (RM3399)



This post has been edited by kevinpss: Jun 26 2024, 08:02 PM

M1MBA still a good buy for 2024? I just worry of the od support for long term use

i believe it still a good buy.

so far, Apple is just stacking the CPU/GPU cores. if you're just using for documents and browsing, it is no brainer.

Now the windowsOS is just coming into the ARM chipset....i believe the M1MBA will not outdate anytime soon.

M1 performance wise, you can use this as benchmark - so it is hardly to be obsolete anytime soon...

Me, exactly thinking like this 1 year ago. But after 1 year using mba m1, seems like mba m1 can sustain 3-4 years for normal usage. even really good deal if you can grab during promo ( less than 3.2k )

True, windows starting to release ARM based laptops as well. The performance of M1 really more than good for my usage, just worry of the Apple OS support for that particular model. Not sure if Apple treat the Mac as their iphones as well or not. Like those older model iphone wont get their latest OS updates right.

Can give real world usage and reviews please? Like what is the downside of the laptop so that I won't get disappointed later.

should not be worry about that. try it first if you don't have macbook before

I bought the ipad pro first thinking it can replace my laptop. It cannot and did not.

i got an iPad pro and a Macbook air m1.

I would consider getting the none pro iPad and a macbook air M1 chips instead if you are just browsing.

I have been using the Macbook Air M1 since it first came out and it is still working great for what i need to do. (eg, chrome, slack, powerpoint, excel, teams call).

I have an iPad pro but it is totally over spec for what i do which is really just reddit, youtube, slack and browsing.

I dont see myself upgrading in the next 2-3 years.

Understood. The difference price between the M1 and (M2&M3) is very huge also. Maybe need to wait till any promo online.

you used your ipad pro with keyboard or just on its own?

Then go for iPad Pro. And... don't just M2 now la. Directly buy the M4 one

I think Windows PC and Macbook is kind of redundant.

Thank you so much sifus for the advice and idea given. I just purchased the MacBook Air m1 for rm3,599. writing this comment using it also. hopefully will last longer with me.

Just now the machines's salesperson kind of insist me to purchase the extra accidental warranty from them saying that MacBook Air m1 always have mother board issues.
But the extra warranty cost rm999 and to have new replacement later need to pay another rm999. So I decided to not buy the extra warranty since I need to pay extra rm2000+- to utilise the warranty itself.
I did the right decision or not a smart one ya? hehehe

congrats on your mba purchase. takes time to familier with the macos