iPad Pro M4 Review: Is It Really a Laptop Replacement?

The Laptop Replacement Question

I’ve heard “iPad can replace your laptop” for years now. Always felt like marketing speak to me. But with the M4 chip and that new OLED display, Apple seemed more serious about this claim.

So I actually tried it. Used the iPad Pro M4 as my only computer for a full month. Here’s what happened.

The Display Is Genuinely Impressive

This is the first OLED iPad and you notice immediately. Those perfect blacks, the contrast, the way HDR content looks - it’s a significant jump from the old mini-LED screens.

Watching movies on this thing is genuinely better than on my TV. That’s not an exaggeration. Dark scenes look incredible, and there’s no blooming around bright objects.

For photo and video editing, the color accuracy matters. Everything looks how it should.

How Thin Is Too Thin?

At 5.1mm, this is absurdly thin. Like, uncomfortably thin sometimes. I keep worrying I’ll bend it by accident. Apple’s engineering is impressive, but I find myself handling it more carefully than previous iPads.

The weight is nice though. Makes a real difference when holding it for reading or drawing.

Raw Performance

The M4 chip handles everything. I threw all my usual work at it:

• Exported 4K video with multiple effects and color grading - no issues
• Ran LumaFusion with 10+ layers - smooth
• Used Procreate with huge canvas sizes and hundreds of layers - never slowed down
• Played console-quality games - looked and ran great

Honestly, the hardware outpaces what iPadOS can do with it. The chip is not the limitation here.

The Month-Long Laptop Replacement Test

Here’s what I discovered trying to use this as my only computer:

Worked better than expected:

• Writing and research - great with the keyboard attached
• Photo editing in Lightroom - actually better than my laptop in some ways
• Note-taking and brainstorming with Pencil - obviously superior
• Video calls and meetings - webcam quality is excellent
• Light video editing - LumaFusion is legitimately powerful

Still frustrating:

• File management is still weird. Downloading something, finding it, moving it somewhere else - takes way more steps than it should
• No real external monitor support. You can connect a monitor but it’s just a mirror, not true extended desktop
• Development work is basically impossible. No proper terminal, no local environments
• Complex spreadsheets with multiple windows and references - doable but clunky

The Magic Keyboard Situation

The keyboard transforms the iPad into something laptop-like. The typing experience is good, the trackpad is responsive, and you can work on it like a real computer.

But there are catches:

Worth the money:

• Typing feel is excellent
• Trackpad works well with iPadOS gestures
• USB-C pass-through means you can charge while using accessories
• The hinge adjusts smoothly

Worth knowing:

• It’s expensive. Really expensive.
• The total weight with keyboard is heavier than a MacBook Air
• The lap typing experience is awkward - it’s top-heavy
• Keys are smaller than a full-size keyboard

Apple Pencil Pro Additions

The new Pencil adds squeeze and barrel roll gestures. Squeeze to change tools is genuinely useful - I use it constantly now in Procreate. The barrel roll for rotating brushes is more gimmicky; I rarely remember to use it.

Find My integration is nice since I’ve lost Pencils before.

My Honest Take

The iPad Pro M4 is without question the best tablet ever made. The screen alone justifies calling it that.

But can it replace a laptop? After a month, my answer is: for some people, yes. For most people, probably not.

It works as a laptop replacement if you:

• Primarily do creative work (drawing, photo editing, music production)
• Take a lot of handwritten notes
• Consume more than you produce
• Don’t need developer tools or complex workflows
• Can adapt to the iPadOS way of doing things

You still need a real computer if you:

• Write code for a living
• Work with complex spreadsheets across multiple monitors
• Need to run Windows or Mac-specific software
• Do heavy multitasking with many apps and windows
• Get frustrated by file management limitations

I went back to using my laptop for work after the month. But I still reach for the iPad Pro for specific tasks where it’s genuinely better.

Should You Buy It?

If you’re a creative professional or serious hobbyist who already works in apps like Procreate, LumaFusion, or Affinity Photo, this is an incredible tool.

If you’re hoping it will replace your laptop for general computing, you’ll probably end up disappointed and $1500+ poorer.

Know what you’re buying it for, and it won’t let you down.

Prices change so always verify before buying.