Really, what is a computer? Aren’t the things in our pockets like mini-microcomputers?

Dieter Bohn of the Verge makes an interesting point about replacing your laptop. (Mind you, this is before the release of iPadOS 13.4 and their cursor support.)

Some people still say an iPad or Chromebook can’t replace their MacBook or Windows laptop; others say yes it can. Really, it all depends on your workflow. If you want to upgrade your device and delve deeper into the iOS ecosystem, a basic iPad will do.

I just need something to cover the basics—email, web browsing, basic document editor, utilize social media, compose blog posts, play my mobile games, basic photo and web editing. While I have an iPad Air for that extra power boost, any base iPad or Chromebook (if you’re into the Android ecosystem) will do.

A base iPad, which is often as low as $250 new in some places, plus a keyboard will still be cheaper than almost any new Windows PC. Is it still a laptop replacement, though?

With iPadOS 13.4, iPads are finally alternatives to traditional laptops. Lots of kinks to still work out, but for people on a budget, even the base iPad is more powerful than any Windows computer below $400-$500.

I think Chromebooks and iPads are not just computer-like, they are fully equivalent to computers now; not just laptop-alternatives, but laptop replacements. It’s not fair that bare-bone, low-end laptops are still considered laptops, but more powerful devices like these are still not considered such. Just as we have “desktop replacement laptops”, I think these make excellent “laptop replacement tablets”. What do you think?

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