iPad for Architects

Can an iPad replace the laptop for “real work”? How does an iPad fit within the workflow of an architect?

I initially wrote this article about 2 years ago when I started a blog on Wordpress. I plan to revisit this topic of using an iPad for ‘real work’, so I wanted to repost this here for reference. Since writing this article, I’ve also left behind my career in Architecture.

This is the topic that really inspired me to start this blog. I’ve always enjoyed reading up on the latest gadgets, pouring over as many tech reviews as I can anytime a new iPhone or iPad comes out. Over the last few years, iPads have received a lot of attention and the common thread has been analyzing the iPad for whether or not it can replace a laptop, and whether or not it can be used for “real work”.

What is “real work”? Every review out there describes typing up an article, doing some photo editing, formatting, and uploading to Wordpress. Every update to the iPad or iPadOS spawns a fresh batch of articles discussing how the iPad fits within the workflow of a tech reviewer. That’s all well and fine, but that’s not my workflow, not how I use an iPad, and really not what I need to know when considering a purchase or upgrade. As an architect, I want to know what works for other architects. I’ve got several teachers in…