What can you do with an iPad?

Key Takeaways

• The Apple iPad is useful for various work tasks such as taking notes, communicating with colleagues, and staying focused.
• It can also function as a small portable TV for watching shows or movies anywhere.
• The latest iPad Pro is great for reading and gaming because of its simple design.

When it comes to shelling out more than $1,000 for the latest iteration of Apple’s iPad, an understandable first thought would be, “will I actually use it enough to make it worth the price tag?” In fact, I had that question myself when I first bought an iPad many years ago.

I will admit that when I got my hands on the first iPad, there was a strong argument that the answer to the question was much closer to “no” than it is now. But flash forward to 2024 and the launch of the 13-inch iPad Pro, and there are quite a few useful things you can do with Apple’s tablet, making it worth the money. So, what can you use the iPad for? Let’s get into it.

1 Using an iPad to help with work

The iPad Pro does what it promises

It’s no mystery that the iPad Pro has been billed as a tablet that can help people get work done. After all, it was released as Apple’s answer to Microsoft’s Surface Tablet. I’m happy to report that, aside from the Apple Pencil, the 13-inch M4 iPad Pro I’ve been using can do what it’s supposed to do.

Ever since I got my first iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, I’ve used the tablet as a portable filing cabinet. I use a notes app to take notes and enter them (I honestly can’t remember the last time I used a pad of paper or a regular pen). This way, when I go to a meeting, I always have all my notes, and I don’t have to worry about keeping track of where I put a small sticky note with important information.

Having access to all this functionality in one thin and light device is great.

Besides using the iPad Pro as a note-taking tool, a few great apps allow me to focus on what I need to do every day (my go-to is Trello). There’s also a focus app that breaks my tasks down into manageable chunks of time and breaks and a Slack app that I use to communicate with colleagues. Having access to all this functionality in one thin and light device is great.

2 Using the iPad to watch movies and TV shows

A small TV on my desk

As a writer, I spend a lot of time writing articles. Another way I’ve found to make sitting at my desk for a few hours less of a chore is to use my iPad as a second screen, where I can easily take a break and watch movies or television shows.

Some may find this distracting, but I throw on my AirPods Max headphones, turn on Netflix, Peacock, or Hulu, and enter my own little world while I work. With the advanced OLED display featured on the 11-inch and 13-inch M4 iPad Pro, it’s really like having a high-end portable 4K TV sitting on my desk. Yes, I can still use the iPad Pro when I’m done working for the day and I’m sitting on my couch or in bed.

3 Using an iPad to study

The new iPad Pro’s sleek design makes reading more enjoyable

When I’m full of movies and television shows, the iPad can also be a great e-reader. Although this is one area where the 13-inch version of the tablet isn’t always very exciting. That said, the larger M4 iPad Pro is easy to handle, given how light and thin it is.

Comics on the Kindle app (though I miss the standalone Comixology app) look great when I read in portrait mode. Regular books also look great, and the larger screen is easier on my aging eyes.

4 Using the iPad to play games

Bigger and better games are coming all the time

There was a time when Cut the Rope and Fruit Ninja were the top games for the iPad. While there are plenty of simple mobile games like this that are still fun, gaming on the iPad has evolved a lot over the years.

More AAA games like Assassin’s Creed Mirage are coming to tablet every day. There are also titles like Diablo Immortal that look comparable to low end console games. If you’re a gamer, there are a few options out there for those who want to spend hours or just a few minutes playing on their iPad (as long as you have a high-end, up-to-date iPad).

The bottom line is that there’s never been a better time to get an iPad. It seems that Apple finally understands that it needs to justify the high price tag of the tablet, regardless of which model you buy. It really is a versatile device that is useful throughout the work day and in the evenings when you want to spend a little time with your feet up relaxing and watching content.