With Apple expected to launch the next generation of MacBook laptops in October, many will be deciding if now is the time to upgrade their computer and which Mac would make the best update. Yet, for many, Apple’s upcoming hardware shows promise and significant advantages over the current MacBook Pro and MacBook Air options.

Update: September 5th: Looking further ahead, Taiwan’s Digitimes is reporting on an enticing new MacBook model. Targeted below the Pro and the Air, this budget MacBook would have to be priced at under $1000 to make a noticeable impact on the market. Tim Hardwick writes:

“According to DigiTimes’ industry sources, Apple will likely launch the new product line to differentiate it from the company’s existing MacBook Air and Pro lines. The outer appearance will still use a metal casing but will be made of “different materials” and the cost of the mechanical components will be lower, claims the report.”

It feels like the target audience for this Mac would be the same audience that Google is addressing with the Chromebook project – namely, a low-cost, cloud-first computer that will bring people into the cloud-based services that work best with the hardware.

Yet Apple has always sidestepped devaluing the Mac platform; the entry-level price of $999 for a MacBook Air has been relatively consistent over the years. Why would Apple change that approach now? And that’s before considering Apple already markets a product it pitches as a cloud-first computer… the iPad.

Update: September 3rd: Apple has worked hard to allow the iPad Pro to be seen as a direct replacement for a laptop or desktop computer (see its “Your Next Computer Is Not A Computer” campaign, and one critical part of that is Apple’s own Magic Keyboard, which not only offers the traditional qwerty experience but also has a trackpad that effectively offers a cursor on the iPad screen alongside the touchscreen.

Writing for Bloomberg’s Power On newsletter this weekend, Mark Gurman highlights how the next Magic Keyboard will move closer to the design and construction of the MacBook laptops using similar materials.

“The use of aluminum will supposedly make the Magic Keyboard appear more premium with a Mac-like feel. Aluminum is also a more rugged material than polyurethane, making the Magic Keyboard less likely to bend and tear. Other details surrounding the upcoming Magic Keyboard include a bigger trackpad as reported last week, as well as the inclusion of just one USB-C port embedded in the Magic Keyboard’s hinge.”

(Power On, via Supercharged News)

For some, the best upgrade in Apple’s portfolio may not be a Mac but an iPad. Specifically, the iPad Pro models running the same Apple Silicon as the MacBooks.

With Apple Silicon, the Mac platform kept ahead of equivalent hardware running on Intel’s x86 platform. They were not the first devices running Apple-designed chipsets; the Axx chipsets have a long history of powering the iPhone and iPad devices. Yet the launch of the Mac-specific Mxx chipsets unlocked more performance and efficiency in the deskbound platform

The Mxx chips also turned up in the high-end iPad Pro models, delivering that same boost with far more mobility for users.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the M3 family, which is expected to debut in the MacBook Air and consumer MacBook Pro laptops in October, is also expected to arrive in the iPad Pro tablets. If you are looking for power in a mobile device and the answer is the M3, then the iPad Pro needs to be considered.

As with any computer, what software you can run is a key factor. There will be apps that only run on iPadOS or macOS, and if you have a critical app, your decision has been made for you. With the rise of cloud computing, a lot can be done inside the browser, and the ubiquity of the iPad platform means that developers are not afraid to create versions for both platforms, which will happily interact with each other through Apple’s online services.

Of course, Apple is working to bring iPadOS and macOS closer together so apps can run on either base. That’s a small factor, but over the next two years, the lines between the two may become blurred, and you can make your hardware choice without worrying about software.

For now, a quick check on app compatibility may surprise you with the breadth of desktop-level apps on Apple’s tablet.

Taking the M2-powered MacBook Air and the M2-powered iPad Pro, you’ll find a slightly small screen on the iPad Pro – 12.9 inches to the Air’s 13 inches, but being a tablet, the form factor is much smaller. This does highlight one big difference… Apple’s MacBooks naturally come with a built-in keyboard. If you’re looking for a keyboard on the iPad Pro you’ll need to spend more money.

That cost has to be balanced against portability. The iPad Pro is smaller, lighter, and can be purchased with 5G to allow for always-on connectivity wherever you are. It is, by design, a portable device, and if this is one of your priorities, then the iPad needs to be part of your discussion

And if you need a final benefit, consider the touchscreen. It’s a ubiquitous input device available on iPhones, iPads, Android devices, Windows laptops, smartwatches, and more. Yet Apple has resolutely refused to add one to the MacBook; its laptops have no touchscreen and no stylus support.

The iPad Pro is not for everyone. Neither is a MacBook Air, a MacBook Pro, or an iMac. When looking for a new personal computer within Apple’s ecosystem, it is understandable to look at other Macs. But the iPad Pro may well suit your needs. And if that’s the case, Apple definitely has something better than the MacBook Pro.

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