Goodbye PC: The Best Solution for Using an iPad (Tablet) Exclusively for Work, Study, and Entertainment
Author: OwnDing
Date: 2022-12-20
Back in March 2022, the battery on my Microsoft Surface Laptop — which I had been using for over three years — started to swell. Official repair costs were too high since the warranty had expired, and attempting a self-repair ran into the frustrating problem of stripped screws. All of this got me thinking about replacing the laptop. But then I thought: spending 7,000–8,000 RMB on a laptop that only lasts three years, and having to lug it around every day — it just didn’t seem worth it.
That’s when I remembered the iPad Pro’s famous tagline: “Your next computer is not a computer.” On impulse, I decided not to buy a laptop at all — I would use only the iPad Pro for work, study, and entertainment.
My day-to-day computer use is mainly document writing and software development. So I searched the App Store for suitable replacement apps, but nothing was satisfactory — even editing a complex Word document was a struggle, let alone writing code. I also looked at other people’s iPad/tablet productivity setups online, but they all had drawbacks: too expensive, or too inconvenient to use.
Then, at the end of March, I happened to come across a Spring Festival promotion from Tencent Lightweight Cloud: 4 cores, 8 GB RAM, 10 Mbps bandwidth, 100 GB storage — only 998 RMB for 3 years. I immediately decided to go with an iPad + cloud PC setup, treating the cloud PC as just another app.

iPad Pro connecting to a cloud PC via RD Client. Although the title says “goodbye PC,” what I’m really saying goodbye to is the physical computer in my hands — a cloud PC is still needed for complex work and study tasks. After using this setup for 9 months, I found it fully meets my needs for both productivity and entertainment, and most importantly, the cost is low. Even during extended business trips (about a week), there are no issues at all, and a tablet is so much easier to carry.
Without further ado — what do you need if you want to work and study using only an iPad or tablet?
An iPad or other tablet; a Bluetooth keyboard, mouse, and docking hub + a cloud PC (choose specs based on your needs, running Windows Server 2019). Yes, with just these items you can leave your bulky computer behind while still enjoying everything a tablet has to offer.
Tablet Selection
Both iPads and Android tablets can meet the needs of productivity and study. That said, a larger screen size is recommended.
Cloud Server Selection
Choose a cloud server provider based on your preference. It is recommended to buy a lightweight cloud server during major sale events such as Double 11, Double 12, or Chinese New Year, when discounts are the largest. For example, the Tencent Cloud Lighthouse server I purchased costs only 998 RMB for 3 years (Spring Festival promotion), and the 8 GB RAM configuration is more than enough for everyday office work.
You can also choose Tianyi Cloud PC, which offers larger bandwidth and is even suitable for watching movies on the cloud:

Tianyi Cloud PC pricing. If you buy a tablet for around 3,000 RMB and plan to use it for 3 years, the annual tablet cost is about 1,000 RMB; if you buy a cloud PC during a promotional period, the annual cost is around 600 RMB. That makes your total 3-year spend approximately 4,800 RMB — and you end up with both a capable computer and a tablet. Sounds like a great deal, right?
Security Recommendations (Important)
When connecting an iPad or other tablet to a cloud PC via Microsoft RD Client, the remote desktop port is exposed to the public internet, which inevitably introduces security risks. The following recommendations can help harden your cloud PC:
Use a strong password. Set a strong password for your cloud server.
Multi-factor authentication. Install the free version of Duo Security — remote login to the cloud PC will then require phone confirmation. Website: Multi-Factor Authentication & Single Sign-On

Phone-based second factor required at remote login.

Remote login authentication configured via Duo Security.

Authorizing login via the Duo mobile app. 3. Install IPBan (free). Exposing remote desktop ports to the internet makes the server vulnerable to brute-force attacks. IPBan automatically adds IP addresses with repeated failed login attempts to the firewall blocklist. Link: GitHub - DigitalRuby/IPBan: Since 2011, IPBan is the worlds most trusted, free security software to block hackers and botnets. With both Windows and Linux support, IPBan has your dedicated or cloud server protected. Upgrade to IPBan Pro today and get a discount. Learn more at ↓

IPBan GitHub homepage. The above three measures are foundational security recommendations. With these three in place, unauthorized logins to your cloud PC are extremely unlikely.
Other security hardening options — such as changing the remote desktop port or restricting login to specific IP addresses — are somewhat more complex for most users.
Setting Up an Online Development Environment (For Developers)
For developers or those learning to code, having your own server lets you set up an online development environment and write and debug code directly from the browser on an iPad or tablet.
- Frontend — Install Code-Server (free)

Online coding and debugging. 2. Backend — Install JetBrains Projector (free)

IDEA online coding and debugging. If any of these ports are exposed to the public internet, pay close attention to security. Exposing ports publicly is not recommended.
Summary
At the current stage, apps on iPads or Android tablets alone cannot meet the productivity needs of most people — but paired with a cloud PC, the story changes entirely. You can truly leave your physical computer behind and go anywhere with just a tablet, whether it’s a quick outing or a week-long business trip. In a pinch, you can also log into the cloud PC from your phone to handle urgent tasks.

RD Client mobile app — for emergency use on your phone. For anyone with mobile productivity needs, this setup is simply unbeatable ;)