A:Answer Increasingly yes. iPadOS 13 released in Sep 2019 added the important ability to use files on USB devices attached to this iPad's USB-C port.
However, the App Store apps for Microsoft, Google and Adobe have only a subset of the features of their desktop versions. For example, you cannot create a pivot table in Excel on the iPad. Once these apps improve, the iPad really will be a candidate to replace a laptop.
So, if you just do everyday things on your computer (and many people fall into this category), then yes, the iPad is a great device for you. But if you need some of the more advanced features of your office productivity or creative software, or you need to attach to older or specialty peripherals, you'll still need a Windows or macOS computer.
