I've got an ipad in a drawer somewhere. Also work has been trying to push a macbook on me. After trying it I said no: I stick to my Fold, because I like it better, both for the hardware and the software.
It's smaller and does everything multiple separate device would be needed for.
> I had to painstakingly pick a location and name for each file.
First world problem lol!!
For old apps, I have an AHK shortcut to save files by ISO date. However, it's rarely a problem with modern apps. And if you close them without saving, most of them will bring back your unsaved work. Even Word does that!
> By tablet stuff, I mean reading, taking notes and sketching. No app ecosystem does it like iPad OS'.
For comics and mangas, I use Takiyomi (technically, it's an android app, but WSA makes it seamless)
For taking notes, I use ZimWiki and Windows stickies
For sketching, I use OneNote.
> The iPad was so much better at its task that it's not even funny.
We must have very different uses, because between even just Takiyomi+OneNote vs an ipad, indeed it's not funny for the ipad.
> That's on top of the regular Windows problems. I spent the first day just doing updates and disabling bloat
Well, don't look further for the root cause: "disabling bloat" often causes more problems. I only remove very specific things. For updates, I use Windows Pro and usually defer them until I want to reboot. When I read the problem people report with windows, it's like they live in a different world.
> Now I take my iPad everywhere, and if I intend to do more work, I pack my Macbook
I just take my Fold everywhere - nothing else is needed, but I've got a bluetooth keyboard for comfort if I want to type a lot.
On the Fold, I can draw with a Wacom pen - no need for a separate device like the ipad, because most windows tablet and convertibles also have a touchscreen.
If I need to work, I have Windows Terminal and everything I need to code. ZimWiki means my notes can be converted to HTML and published.