Will an IPAD out live a Laptop under the same usage?

[zipur]

While waiting for my ipad shipment a thought came to me?
What kind of life span should one expect out of an IPAD? Lets say with daily use for reading, some typing, a few games and heavy internet? Will an Ipad outlive a lap top.
Does the battery hold up over a long time? I go through a laptops every two years, the screen hinge gets weak, power port breaks, keyboard keys become none responsive or it takes forever to boot. Does the IPAD follow the same life experience?

 

[Rlarson_mn]

I've had my iPad original since last Jine. Every. Day I have been using it between 6-8 hours each day. So far there have been no issues with it's useable. I anticipate the same thing with my new iPad 2 when it arrives.

 

[hoshnasi]

I've had my iPad original since last Jine. Every. Day I have been using it between 6-8 hours each day. So far there have been no issues with it's useable. I anticipate the same thing with my new iPad 2 when it arrives.

Have you noticed any appreciable difference in battery life?

 

[maliu]

Fewer moving parts, I would guess it would. Depends on the brand of laptop. I have an old PowerBook I bought in 1999 that still works fine although the battery is dead. Had a Dell Inspiron that lasted as long as the warranty and then the screen died in about 18 months. My experience is that any Apple product I've owned lasts longer than I want to use it. Usually takes about 5 years before I succumb to want for a newer product.

 

[tzimisce]

I've had some pretty long-lived laptops in my time - the oldest one I have now still working is 9 years old - so I wouldn't make any comparisons. I would say, though, that they don't make laptops now like they used to.

 

[qnet]

I would say the Ipad would last longer, especially battery life.

 

[DontUnderstandMyIpad]

From a hardware point of view does the iPad have very few obvious failure points, the Home button being the main one. So just looking at the technical side, it can be assumed that the iPad will outlast laptops, just because there are fewer parts that can break.

Now, from the software side of view, I would assume that laptops outlast an iPad. Most laptops, even years old can be used the same way as today's laptops, as all the software will run on them, just a bit slower. But with the tablet market still being in it's infancy, apps getting released in two years time will most likely not run anymore on initial iPads.

So even if the iPad will theoretically function longer than a laptop, I would imagine the software on the iPad being so limited compared to the iPad 3 or 4, that the time people use their device will be shorter for an iPad than for a laptop.

The main point being, that I assume the iPad will still work in two years time, I just don't think that I will still want use it then. On the other-hand, I still use my three year old laptop, because all the software I use works on it just fine.

 

[epb]

As I see it, the chief issues are the batteries and the flash drive storage. The batteries aren't replaceable and will lose effectiveness over time. The flash storage has a limited number of read/write cycles and will eventually corrupt

 

[Rlarson_mn]

I've had my iPad original since last Jine. Every. Day I have been using it between 6-8 hours each day. So far there have been no issues with it's useable. I anticipate the same thing with my new iPad 2 when it arrives.

Have you noticed any appreciable difference in battery life?

I can truly say no I have not noticed any difference. I will say though that my usage of the unit has gone up drastically the longer that I used the unit. I keep finding more and more applications to use tht have limited my need to open up my netbook, notebook or desktop.

 

[Futurebird]

I'm expecting about 3 good years, then I plan to sell/upgrade... though I might do it sooner if the iPad 3 has a better camera. (!)

I expect the device and battery to run for 5 years, that's how long my little gray powerbook 520c lasted before both of the batteries would not hold a charge.

I do wish there was a way to replace iPad batteries...

I had an imac desktop that lasted from 1998- 2008, I had to replace the monitor once in that time. In fact, the computer still works, it's in the closet, I ran in to software issues... I think apple stopped updating system software for that model... If not I'd still have it. My new (2008) silver imac will hopefully do 10 years too... though it has been getting much less use since the iPad came along!

Desktop ~10 years
Laptop/iPad ~5 years

That's what I expect. As others have said with apple the product tends to keep working longer than one wants to use it... or until Apple stops updating the system software... and then you need to run something that runs only on the latest system... but can't since you can't upgrade. (grrrr)

Though, after 10 years it was nice to have a new computer.


Now keyboards? I have destroyed so many... it's a shame. I need to stop drinking things at my desk and spilling them I had a cheap 3-rd party keyboard that was waterproof and it spoiled me... apple keyboards die if you so much as say the word "water" in their presence.

 

[tzimisce]

So even if the iPad will theoretically function longer than a laptop, I would imagine the software on the iPad being so limited compared to the iPad 3 or 4, that the time people use their device will be shorter for an iPad than for a laptop.

If I have a well-designed app now which fits my needs perfectly, that functionality will not regress even a few years into the future. I have 10+ year old software running on my 9-year-old laptop which is still running fine, and they still work for 99% of things that use it for, including word processing, graphics, surfing and printing. If the first iteration of a software works, future versions risk turning into bloatware where new but unneeded functionality is add for the sake of "improving" the software, as happens all the time in PC land.

 

[xune]

The batteries aren't replaceable and will lose effectiveness over time.

I do wish there was a way to replace iPad batteries...

The batteries are replaceable for $99 at any Apple Store or by sending it in:

Battery replacement information: http://www.apple.com/batteries/replacements.html


General information on batteries in Apple devices: Apple - Batteries - iPad

Also, if one has Apple Care, the batteries are guaranteed to have at least 80% or more of it's original battery capacity for two years from the original purchase date.

http://www.apple.com/batteries/

 

[Kenworth]

You can send it back to Apple and they will replace the battery for $100.00. Save your APPS....they won't come back with the new battery! Ken

 

[epb]

The batteries are replaceable for $99 at any Apple Store or by sending it in:

You can send it back to Apple and they will replace the battery for $100.00.

No, they aren't. Apple doesn't replace the battery when you send it in with a hundred bucks - they give you another iPad of the same specs and clone your old one. The procedure and hardware for replacing the batteries isn't cost-effective, even at $100 a pop.

Their business plan - and they're probably right - is that 99% of their customers won't keep an iPad long enough for the batteries to go bad and use the service. Five years down the line, someone looking for Apple to replace the batteries on an iPad 1 will probably get a letter of apology and a coupon towards an iPad 5, not new batteries.

 

[Seadog]

As I see it, the chief issues are the batteries and the flash drive storage. The batteries aren't replaceable and will lose effectiveness over time. The flash storage has a limited number of read/write cycles and will eventually corrupt

Actually, the batteries are dealer replaceable, but generally not worth the cost. If it goes bad under warranty, they just give you another iPad and send yours to have the factory replace the battery and do a full check. Then it becomes a refurbished unt. Unless it is engraved, or dented, and then you wait on yours to be fixed. I still have a Mac LC from 1991 that the last time we tried it, everything worked fine. Only problem is what can you do with a computer with less RAM, slower processor and less memory than an iPad?