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I need to talk about the iPad again

Chris Hannah

Chris Hannah

— 2 min read

I started an experiment over 2 months ago, where I would try to use the iPad Pro as my main computing device (outside of work obviously), as I was excited about iPadOS 26.

This started well. I had many plans where I wanted to see how the iPad had improved since I last really used it day to day. But as I wrote last month, I started feeling friction again. I became a bit disillusioned with the experiment.

What I use the iPad for right now

It’s not like I’ve suddenly stopped using my iPad. I still use it a lot. Albeit, not every day.

I mainly use it when I don’t need to do any text input. So watching videos (YouTube, films, series, etc), playing games, browsing the web, or reading.

This means most of the time, I’m using the iPad as a tablet, without any attached keyboard or case. Apart from the occasional where I want to watch something without holding it. In that case, I’d put it on my Smart Keyboard and use it as an over-engineered iPad stand.

Why the hold off?

I can narrow it down to a few crude points:

  1. iPadOS still feels slow.
  2. Omarchy has gained my attention.
  3. My muscle memory of macOS and that I still use it for World of Warcraft.
  4. I don’t like the keyboard experience.
  5. IPadOS 26 has always felt a bit weird (mainly Liquid Glass).
  6. Many small annoyances like using FaceID when the camera is on the top of the iPad in portrait mode, whereas I prefer to use it in landscape mode.

Regarding the iPad feeling slow, I had originally put this down to the fact that I’m running a beta, and I’m sure some of it still is. But the iPad has never felt that responsive to me, and I think this problem still exists. Given my technical background, my primary input is via a keyboard, and text entry has always felt sluggish. There are too many animations (even with reduce motion turned on), and sometimes I feel like when I want to do something instantly, the OS is holding me back.

As for Omarchy, I mentioned this in my last post here. But I’ve been a very attentive onlooker of the Omarchy project for a while now. It appeals to me in many ways, but one of them is the idea of controlling your own computer, installing little tools, customising every single thing, and just having fun with technology. Whereas the iPad, by design, is a readymade computer for people to use.

I think the point about macOS is self-explanatory. My favourite game is World of Warcraft, so I will always need another computer, alongside an iPad. Which makes it harder to use the iPad, when I’m probably already on my Mac.

I won’t go into the other points that much, as a lot of it is personal preference, or muscle memory. And I think a few points are addressed, such as the FaceID camera being in a weird place, and the keyboard experience not being great. As I know, the camera is now on the longer edge in newer models, and the keyboard has been improved with an additional function row.

But these will remain as annoyances for me, as with my current usage, I can’t warrant an upgrade, just for those benefits.

So what’s next?

I’m still going to use the iPad, although likely not as my main device. But I am starting to feel like it’s a matter of when, not if, I give Omarchy a proper try with a new Framework laptop.

In both scenarios, I want to write about my experiences here. This blog started as a “journey” to use the iPad more. However, I think it still makes sense that it can be a place for any types of computers that I use, and want to learn more about.

I don’t want to promise too much too early, but this blog certainly isn’t going to stop.

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