As iPads become more capable, they seem more viable as full-blown computer replacements.
Unfortunately, the iPad still lags behind the Mac in some very important areas.
System-Level Customization
Desktop operating systems are incredibly customizable.
Lucas Gouveia / How-To Geek | Apple
Apps likeAmphetamineandAlfredcan help boost your productivity from the ground up with system-level customization not currently available on iPadOS.
iPads are also unable to enter the command line like a Mac can, as noTerminal applicationis accessible.
Though some apps exist to allow you to code, more advanced development tools are often unavailable.
Apple
TheSwift Playgroundsapp is available on iPad and is a great way to learn to code and build basic applications.
Apple Silicon Macs can finally abandon macOS thanks to strides made withAsahi Linux.
Older Intel-based Mac machines can run Windows and practically any x86 operating system natively with enough fiddling.
Hannah Brostrom / How-To Geek
The iPad lacks the ability to do this, making using anything other than iPadOS and virtualization practically impossible.
User Swapping
When sharing a computer among several people, user profiles are an indispensable feature.
This feature is standard on nearly every major operating system.
Currently, there is no equivalent sharing system on iPadOS.
Desktop Multitasking
TheiPad’s multitasking featuresare far from bad, especially considering their ease of use.
Past using more than two apps at once, iPad multitasking becomes cumbersome.
Apple
The key difference between iPad multitasking and computer multitasking is freedom.
The current iPad lineup, especially the Pro models, are incredibly powerful machines.
