There are so many people out there who are thinking about iPads, but they can’t find the key reason to buy one.
I only bought my first iPad in 2018. I liked the iPads, but I was always thinking to myself ‘I already have an iPhone and MacBook‘ Why should I buy an iPad too? There’s nothing I can’t do on Mac that I would be able to do on iPad. I was wrong, there are unique things that you can only do on an iPad like drawing and taking notes with Apple Pencil. There are also exclusive apps that are only available on iPads.
I want to show you how I use my iPad and how other people are using it, at least the most popular use cases.
Movies & TV
You can watch Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime, Disney, etc. on your iPad. iPad has the best display in the tablet market with vibrant colors and brightness to match.
Yes, you are compromising on the size when watching shows on iPad, but it’s extremely cozy, to just grab your iPad, lay on the couch, and watch a video or a movie. It’s very lightweight and portable.
iPads also have great speakers, great battery life, and good resolution, everything you need to enjoy your favorite show.
I used to watch TV on my Mac, but now I do it on my iPad. It’s just so much more comfortable. But I suggest you get an iPad case for that.
Media
Reading the news, the sports section checking on those stocks, etc. Basically, anything you can do on a laptop or phone, you can do on an iPad too. It’s just more convenient.
You can even request desktop versions of a site.
If someone has an iPad at home, you will never see him browse the web with their phone or laptop and I think that says a lot about how convenient it is.
Recipes
Recently, I started to enjoy cooking. I’m not particularly good at it, but having the recipe in front of me makes it easier,
I just open up the recipe, put my iPad in front of me, and start cooking. Now, I suggest you get a stand for your iPad or a folio case that allows you to place your iPad on a table for easier reading. I personally bought the Pitaka folio case.
I also suggest you set your iPad screen to stay awake at all times. Otherwise, you need to touch it every 2 minutes, so the screen doesn’t go black.
Professional cooks now their recipes by heart, but for other noobies out there iPads can be helpful in the kitchen.
Note Taking
Taking notes is something you can’t do on an iPhone or MacBook, that’s why people often claim that the main reason why they bought an iPad is for note-taking.
All you need is to buy an Apple Pencil or an alternative cheaper Stylus that will allow you to take notes for school, work, or just write down handwritten notes for yourself.
This is why you will often see medical students with iPads. Because it’s so convenient to take notes on it you will never lose them. Even if you lose your iPad. The notes will be saved on the cloud.
Did you miss a class? Ask your classmate to share their notes. I personally use Notability here in the example. It’s my primary note-taking app.
Drawing
Tattoo artists, digital designers, and just hobbyists buy iPads to draw. You can create amazing art on it.
There are great exclusive apps only for iPads, such as Procreate, that help you to make art on your device. There are many people out there who just buy iPads so they can use Procreate, that’s how cool this app is.
If this is something you would love to do on your iPad I suggest taking a look at another article I wrote – Best iPads for Procreate. There are differences between iPads and some are better than others if you plan to draw on it.
It’s Portable
This might not sound like a compelling reason, but hear me out. I travel every now and then and I want to stay connected in case something happens with work and I only take my iPad with me. It’s lighter and more convenient if you are traveling.
You can still get some work done if necessary, but you need to take your Magic Keyboard with you, otherwise, it’s hard to be productive.
I often download movies on Netflix and watch them on an Airplane. Really great for passing the time, and you can’t download Netflix movies on your Mac; they haven’t created a dedicated app for that, but you can do it on your iPad.
But not only that, when I’m at home and I know many people also do this, I don’t use my Mac for entertainment or TV I grab my iPad. Because it’s lightweight and portable. If I want to take a bath I can take it with me. If I want so sit on my couch, I can take it with me. If I want to cook in the kitchen, no problem I will put it on the counter. If someone is facetiming me? I will answer on my iPad, because I can walk around my home and see the person better.
Cellular Connectivity
This is something you can get on your laptop, but you can get it on your iPad.
So, even if you aren’t close to a WiFI connection, you’ll be able to use the Internet easily without worrying about needing to be near a cafe or restaurant.
While this feature may not be useful for everyone, it does serve great utility when you need access to the Internet and be connected with someone.
Also, it gives you extra security. Accessing unknown WiFi networks is a security concern. LTE iPads can give you something MacBook won’t and it will also give you an extra layer of protection. If you are always on the go, this will be valued.
Video Calls
iPads do have great cameras, and they also have center staging. This basically means you will always be in the center of your camera, even if you tend to move around.
When I talk, I walk around a lot, that’s why when I have video calls scheduled, I always use iPad, so when I can’t sit still any longer, I just pick up my iPad and walk around, and I’m still seeing everyone, and everyone is seeing me.
Reading
Just like a Kindle, the iPad also provides an incredible platform for reading eBooks. While the experience differs due to the lack of an e-ink display, the iPad has a retina display that is crystal clear and not too harsh on the eyes.
iPad isn’t particularly good for your eyes, due to the blue display, but you can adjust those in settings and you can get a screen protector that filters out the blue light. Zagg’s invisible shield is a good option for this purpose.
I personally love it, you don’t need a night light, and you are not disturbing your significant other when you are reading at night.
Kids Entertainment
We all have heard it and we all know it, screen time for kids isn’t healthy. But sometimes, parents just need that silence for an hour or two.
You install a few games on your iPad preferably something educational or you put on some video or a Movie of your choosing.
I suggest setting up screen time on your iPad so you know exactly how much time your kid is spending watching at the screen.
To make things easier you can even set up limitations on how much time your kid can spend on YouTube or Netflix.
It’s really good for cars as well, if you are taking a trip you can keep your kid entertained at the back; just get an iPad car holder for the back.
Photo & Video Editing
The powerful processors in iPads can handle robust apps like Photoshop and iMovie, making them excellent tools for photo and video editing. This is perfect for creators social media influencers and even photographers.
A lot of photographers actually buy iPads just to edit their photos. The upload is convenient, and the photo editing is fun, especially if you own an Apple Pencil.
Grab a cup of coffee, grab your iPad, find a comfortable spot on your sofa, and get to work.
Gaming
The iPad’s large screen and powerful processor make it an excellent gaming device. With the introduction of Apple Arcade, you get access to a library of premium games that are exclusive to Apple devices. The touch interface also provides a unique gaming experience that’s different from a traditional gaming console or PC.
Plus, you can use applications like Steam Link, and with iPadOS now allowing you to connect a DualSense 5 controller – the sky’s the limit for remote play.
I play all sorts of games on my iPad and one thing I can say for sure as soon as you connect a controller to the iPad. It will feel like you are cheating, it gives you a huge advantage over your competitors. I personally play with a PS5 controller.
If you plan to game on iPad I suggest checking out the top controllers that work with iPad.
Conclusion
There are many reasons why everyone is buying iPads right now and there’s isn’t just one specific use case I didn’t even list down half of the things you can do on your iPad.
Other note worthy reasons why people buy iPads are programming, document scanning, email answering, drawing on digital whiteboards, brainstorming, online shopping, remote desktop, diagrams, etc.
To make this list I used my person experience and observations. I asked my friends and family how they use their iPads, I asked the iPad community on Reddit how they use their iPads and I also used Google Auto-Suggest to get some insights.
I'm a writer and editor in iPads & Android Tablets, Windows Tablet section. I'm passionate about technology, especially about tablets. I'm on a mission to assist people in discovering their ideal tablets. In addition, I'm dedicated to producing helpful how-to guides and sharing top-notch tips and tricks. In my early carrier I founded and became and editor at worldoftablet and have been a guest author at many other tech blogs. In wolfoftablet I'm focusing on iPads, Tablets, Apple Pencil, Apps, Reviews, Buyers Guides and Tablet Accessories. In free time I like to play games on my PS5 or iOS.