I tested: replacing my MacBook with an Android tablet for a month

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“But what fly has well could prick it ?”some will think. Why trade a computer as powerful as the MacBook Air for an Android tablet ? And why not ?

When Honor contacted me to test its latest MagicPad 2 tablet, I initially refused this generous offer. I already anticipated the conclusions of my test: the machine is great but the Android experience on a tablet does not really allow it to replace a computer.

And then I thought back to a few discussions with colleagues who had succumbed to the charms of the latest Android tablets. Some even mentioned a better experience than with Apple iPads, which I use daily.

So I changed my mind. After all, why would anyone consider replacing a laptop or MacBook with an iPad, but not with an Android tablet ?

I grabbed my phone to contact Honor's press department, who kindly sent me their latest MagicPad 2 with the accompanying keyboard case and stylus. Enough to offer a complete everyday experience, at least in theory. And for the practical side? Response after a month of experience.

Before diving into my adventure, I think it's important to detail the technical characteristics of the MagicPad 2. Replacing my MacBook Air with a tablet is already not an easy process, so I wanted to equip myself with a tablet that was powerful enough to carry out my experiment.

Behind its extra-thin design, the MagicPad 2 hides a state-of-the-art technological arsenal. Starting with its magnificent 12.3” OLED screen, perfectly integrated, very bright and capable of broadcasting content in 2K with a refresh rate of 144 Hz!

The MagicPad 2 also integrates a Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chip, a 10,050 mAh battery compatible with 66 W fast charging as well as the MagicOS 8 interface associated with Android 14. I'll skip over the integration of the camera module, which is as huge as it is useless on a tablet.

This MagicPad 2 with its generous technical specifications is available for 600 euros in two colors: black or marbled white (my test version). It can be paired with a keyboard case (€100) and a stylus (€100) to make it a productivity tool in its own right.

At the time of publication, Honor is offering the MagicPad 2 at €500, the Smart Keyboard at €20 and the Magic Pencil 3 at €10, for a total of €530. At this price, the value for money is simply unbeatable.

Technical aside, let's get to the heart of the matter. Why and how did I conduct my experiment? In all honesty, the MagicPad 2 was not my one and only work device. For professional reasons (and the lack of certain specific software on Android) I continued to occasionally use my MacBook Air.

I also played it safe in order to meet my obligations: finding myself blocked in my daily tasks because of a technical limitation would have prevented me from fulfilling my role within the editorial team.

When I really had no other choice (or for safety), my MacBook was never far away. But I still made a point of using the MagicPad 2 as much as possible, even when some friction made the experience less fluid than with my good old Mac.

It seems appropriate to me to first address the main criticisms of Android tablets. I often read (in articles or on social networks) that working on an Android tablet would be much less pleasant than on a MacBook or PC.

Surprisingly, iPads are not the subject of the same distrust. Apple tablets are even often highlighted for their excellent productivity-mobility ratio. I am also one of those who regularly uses an iPad on the go, more practical than a MacBook for the majority of tasks. I am even considering using only this device on the go and replacing my MacBook with a Mac mini.

Why an iPad but not an Android tablet ? Out of simple habit. Because the conclusions of my experience with the MagicPad 2 are the same as with an iPad of equivalent range (iPad Air in this case).

The MagicPad 2 has enough power and endurance to meet to all my needs.I can obviously perform simple tasks like browsing the web and social networks, or communicating with my teams on messaging and videoconferencing applications. The stylus has also proven to be very precise and comfortable for taking notes.

The keyboard, an essential element of my activity, has nothing to envy the Magic Keyboard, even though it is sold 3 times more expensive. While the case design isn't as sleek, typing comfort was excellent.

What about more powerful applications?? Photo editing on Lightroomhas proven to be fluid and fast. However, I edit photos in RAW format which puts a lot of strain on the chip, especially its graphics part. More rarely, I have tried my hand at fast video editing, especially in vertical format shot on a smartphone. Here again, the MagicPad 2 showed no signs of weakness, including with 4K videos at 60 fps.

Above all, MagicOS 8 has quite a few optimizations that make the exercise easier of multitasking.I often felt more comfortable than with an iPad which, despite the improvements of iPadOS, remains an efficient machine for single-tasking.

However, like an iPad, an Android tablet is faced with the same technical limitations for certain specific uses. For my part, integrating an article on WordPress (CMS used to publish our articles) has systematically turned into a headache.

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Finally, I must admit that some applications exclusive to the Apple ecosystem I missed a lot. I think for example of Ulysse, my distraction-free writing app (also the one I use the most), unavailable on the Play Store. I swapped it for IA Writer. While the writing app is also a lot of fun, I had to sacrifice my years of archives and rebuild my folder organization in the new app.

I had to do the same thing with my to-do app. I usually use Things 3, but it is also exclusive to the Apple ecosystem, so I adopted < em>Todoist, an alternative available on Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. For Notes, I had fortunately taken care to synchronize my Apple notes with Google Keep. So I immediately found my archives.

Apart from these few adjustments (which took me a few minutes to adapt), the experience was most enjoyable. I even found that in some aspects, an Android tablet was much better optimized for productivity, especially in multitasking. An example? The interconnection between the different third-party applications is much more complete than on the iPad, which greatly facilitates the task in many situations.

While my MacBook is a device capable of running entertainment applications, it is not the most practical for this usage.

Because of its mobile aspect, a tablet is obviously a more comfortable support for watching films, series and Youtube videos. In terms of mobility, The MagicPad 2 stands out there with its 5.8 mm thickness and 555 g.

But this is not 8217;is not what impressed me the most about Honor's tablet. The MagicPad 2 pleasantly surprised me in two aspects.

First of all, its screen is simply magnificent.At Honor, unlike you know who, enjoying an OLED screen does not require selling a vital organ. So I saw a clear difference in image quality on the MagicPad 2's 12.3″ screen. The colors are vibrant, the blacks deep, the definition (3000 x 1920 pixels) remarkable.

The integration of the panel is also impeccable. At a glance, the borders surrounding the screen are at least half as wide as those of an iPad of the same range.

Cherry on the pixel,the MagicPad 2 is IMAX Enhanced certified. Basically, we find a cinema format on the tablet. In concrete terms, watching films, series and videos on such a screen is amazing. So much so that going back systematically causes a feeling of frustration.

To obtain this certification, Honor also worked on the audio. This second aspect definitely convinced me. The MagicPad 2 integrates 8 speakers arranged on either side of the tablet in order to broadcast high-quality immersive sound. Powerful and round, the sound that escapes from the tablet is impressive.

I'm not going to tell you any nonsense, I usually play on console. But I occasionally test the game on Mac, PC or tablet.

Let's forget the comparison with the PC, the offer being by far the richest but also my rarest practice. On Mac, the experience is very limited, due to a meager game catalog, but the arrival of AAA games pushes me to come back regularly . On a tablet, it is possible to have fun, under certain conditions.

The first is to agree to play games from the Play Store, which are very different from what you can find on console or PC. This does not mean that you get bored. Licenses like Call of Duty Mobile, Warzone or Fortnite are available. Sports games like NBA 2K25 are also part of the catalog. In 2024, the range of games on mobile is therefore rather rich.

In addition, cloud gaming services have also expanded over the years. By connecting my controller via Bluetooth, I was able to play my Xbox games in the cloud. In this case, the experience depends on the quality of the connection, but I didn't miss out on my pleasure. When I'm traveling, at the hotel, this tablet + controller + cloud gaming setup fully satisfies me.

The MagicPad 2 is perfectly suited to this use.The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chip (equivalent to the most powerful chip of 2023) allows you to run all the most demanding games with sufficient quality to play on a tablet. Above all, the screen refresh rate of up to 144 Hz makes the experience much smoother with compatible games. A treat.

I won't beat around the bush: My day-to-day experience with an Android tablet has been surprisingly enjoyable. Surprisingly, because there are still strong assumptions about these devices, including (admittedly) among tech journalists and influencers. Mea culpa.

In reality, the MagicPad 2 can do everything my iPad Air can and more. It ultimately proved to be more comfortable for multitasking, entertainment, and gaming. A nice surprise that definitely reconciled me with Android tablets.

Unfortunately, I don't yet feel capable of completely replacing my MacBook with an Android tablet. Firstly, for ecosystem reasons, since I use a good number of Apple devices on a daily basis.

Then for practical reasons. For example, some software (for video editing in particular) remains easier to use on a computer. Some applications that I have used every day for years are also unavailable. Above all, the touch experience on some websites is complicated. This is the case with WordPress, my main work tool.

On the other hand, I highly recommend an Android tablet such as the MagicPad 2 to students or users whose use is limited to consulting websites, entertainment or office automation. For this audience, a MagicPad 2 is the perfect tool.

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Teilor Stone

Teilor Stone has been a reporter on the news desk since 2013. Before that she wrote about young adolescence and family dynamics for Styles and was the legal affairs correspondent for the Metro desk. Before joining Thesaxon , Teilor Stone worked as a staff writer at the Village Voice and a freelancer for Newsday, The Wall Street Journal, GQ and Mirabella. To get in touch, contact me through my teilor@nizhtimes.com 1-800-268-7116