The foremost drawback of the iPad 2 - when it is pitted against a laptop, is the absence of a physical keyboard. While a virtual QWERTY keyboard does exist - along with an amazing cover which doubles up as a prop to put it in a position ideal for typing, the experience is not as smooth as that of a laptop - especially when you have a lot of typing to do. As a student you require to do projects and assignments and as a working professional you may need to prepare power point presentations. Sadly, neither of the two tasks would work fine with a virtual keyboard, even if it happens to be a QWERTY keyboard which the iPad 2 sports. The virtual keyboard in iPad 2 is ideal for typing mails, but typing lengthy texts or doing assignments and power point presentations can be pretty annoying.
Other than a physical keyboard, laptops also edge out the iPad 2 in terms of USB ports. While the thousands of apps available at the official App Store may give iPad 2 users a high of a sort, one can't download some of the most useful apps from the Internet and install it on this device. While the multitasking feature finally makes a debut on the iPad, the experience is far from multitasking on a laptop. Not to forget, the problem with multitasking also affects your web experience on the iPad 2. At the same time, the 256 MB RAM available with the iPad is not sufficient when it comes to surfing. The 2nd generation iPad does boast of a 10 hour battery life, but it has a built-in battery which you cannot replace like you would in a laptop.
That must have helped to determine which is ideal for you -or laptop. The second generation iPad does boast of two cameras which make FaceTime video calling possible. It does have the ability to play various audio and video files. It can also double up as an e-book reader and a gaming device. But all these things are also possible on the laptop, depending on which brand you opt for. In fact, Apple's very own MacBook Pro can be an ideal choice if you are to choose between the iPad and a notebook.
Apple iPad 2 in no doubt a lot better than its predecessor, but it is not good enough to replace a laptop. If you are still confused as to whether you should go for a laptop or the iPad 2, you should sit back, think and decide what you want this device for. Irrespective of whether you are a student or a working professional, if it's about genuine computing, it's a laptop all the way. But if you already have a desktop or a laptop, and you just want to buy the iPad 2 for the brand that it is, you don't need to give a second thought on putting your money on it.
