Add a Bluetooth keyboard, & then the two being separate products becomes a farce.
I love the new MacBook Air's looks, but I can't help but constantly imagine how much better it would be as a detachable, or as a 2-in-1 convertible.
The thing is, the laptop is just a bad format period. Ideally you don't want to be looking just above where you type: good ergonomics requires distance between those two. An elevated tablet with a Bluetooth keyboard is a far far better option.
But Apple has these market segments that prevent actual good from being possible.
The thing is, the laptop was originally intended for on-the-go uses.
Do you know when a laptop's screen is at the right distance? When you use it in your lap. Or when you place it on something kitchen counter height and use it standing.
If you're using it as a desktop replacement just put it on a stand and use a wired keyboard. Maybe even plug in a larger monitor to protect your eyes.
It will still be cheaper than an iPad + Apple iPad keyboard and still do more.
Its still not the right height, if there are better options.
If you could elevate the screen - put it on top of a big can of oatmeal, use a cheap tablet mount clamp or stand - you'd have better results.
Coupling the keyboard to the laptop is an anti-feature. A folio keyboard cover will work better for most people. For those who actually need to do this for any amount of time, a ThinkPad TrackPoint Bluetooth keyboard & a tablet arm will make a very acceptable workstation anywhere.
> A folio keyboard cover will work better for most people.
Flexible keyboards aren't useful for people who type for a living :)
> ThinkPad TrackPoint Bluetooth keyboard & a tablet arm will make a very acceptable workstation anywhere.
Actually I think it's easier to carry around one item that doesn't need to be screwed into anything than three separate items, two out of which need a supporting object.
> The thing is, the laptop is just a bad format period. Ideally you don't want to be looking just above where you type: good ergonomics requires distance between those two. An elevated tablet with a Bluetooth keyboard is a far far better option.
I bring a laptop to the office, put it on a stand, plug two external screens and a USB-C hub with a keyboard and mouse. But I can also use it on a train, at an airport, on a ferry without all that extra gear. In the latter configuration the distance from where I type to where I look is bigger than on your default iPad.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I do also like my 64GB RAM, 1TB drive, and 12 cores.
The laptop is a perfect form for me. I'm sorry it doesn't work for you. The only thing for me "ideally" would be to be able to plug two more screens in (so... it's time to upgrade to an m4 max...)
I also bring a (Linux running x86) tablet with me everywhere. Its fantastically light and I can plug it in to two displays.
It has a very lightweight keyboard folio. More typically, i leave that at home & bring a small light clamp-mount arm that lets me easily mount it to whatever is nearby, tables or desks chairs or whatever. And use the very nice ThinkPad TrackPoint Bluetooth keyboard.
I have strictly more flexibility. And given that Mac has the same chips in both iPad and MacBook Air and Pro, it feels again like the distinction here is mostly arbitrary segmentation, not real. With ultra high end Asus Flow Z13 tablets rocking Strix Halo APUs, there's also proof that tablets can be incredibly power dense, if they want to be.
The laptop is a constrained design. That constraint is not a feature. You can do the same thing without that constraint. Just not on Apple.
I think you've failed to substantiate why the laptop is an acceptable form factor, given that there are more flexible options that have none of the downsides.
I love the new MacBook Air's looks, but I can't help but constantly imagine how much better it would be as a detachable, or as a 2-in-1 convertible.
The thing is, the laptop is just a bad format period. Ideally you don't want to be looking just above where you type: good ergonomics requires distance between those two. An elevated tablet with a Bluetooth keyboard is a far far better option.
But Apple has these market segments that prevent actual good from being possible.