Which is better for Zoom meeting - Web browser on Mac or iPad App?

I plan participate in a casual club meeting soon using Zoom with approximately 8 participants. Which would be better to use - web browser on a 27" iMac or iPadOS app on a new iPad Pro 11"?

I’m not too concerned about security - the host is aware of the latest v5.0 Zoom update and we will be using a strong password. I would like to optimize my experience - being able to view all of the participants.

The iMac would provide a larger screen to view all 8 or 9 participants simultaneously. The iMac’s 720p camera is less than optimal, however. I dabble in photography so poor image quality is a bit annoying. For future meetings I will obtain a Logitec web cam, but they are not available now.

The iPad Pro’s front-facing camera is much better than that of the iMac. Is the iPad Pro app satisfactory to view all of the participants in a grid view on the iPad screen? I would prefer not to have images of other participants “zoom” in and out as they speak.

Any tips would be appreciated.

I use my 27" iMac with Zoom in browser and it’s perfectly fine. I also use it on iOS and have recently used the Zoom v.5 app on the iMac and they’re comparable. I haven’t noted any appreciable differences. For reasons of privacy I prefer to use Zoom in browser; to that end I use this Chrome extension (in Brave) which sends Zoom links to a new browser window instead of launching the app (which I have to do for some meetings which deny browser use and require passwords).

1 Like

I normally use both iOS and MacOS at the same time on Zoom meetings.

Video can be streamed from either device. I share presentations from the iPad and watch the participants on MacOS, where you can see more people. I also have my microphone and external webcam hooked up to the Mac.

Both devices can be connected at once on the same account and it works fine. You can also share a whiteboard on the iOS device using the pencil, which is handy.

1 Like

One big distinction I’ve experienced is the screen sharing. This is much better and robust on macOS than it is on iPad with remote screen control being buggy, etc. Also when you’re sharing screens one party can’t see the other at the same time.

1 Like

Digress a little from the topic: Google Meet is now free for everyone who has a Google account.

I like the iMac version if the group is large enough — gallery view can support more people on the iMac vs iOS. I much prefer the experience of the native app, no matter what platform you choose.

I’m on 2-3 Zoom calls a week ranging from 4-30+ people and it’s been amazing!

The Mac app version works really well for me.

If you use ethernet for the iPad screen sharing (via a USB-C adapter), it isn’t buggy at all - it’s rock solid. I’ve used it for 4 hours at a time sharing PowerPoints and whiteboards with zero issues.

Using both Mac and iPad means the other party can always see you and you can use the iPad as a digital whiteboard with the pencil, and I use this every day as it’s very useful when explaining things. It’s also nice to free up the Mac and not use it for the presentation so you can see everyone and be involved in the chat while sharing presentations.

I think I would trust the iPad app over the web app, but I would trust the web app over a theoretical Mac App Store app…
No idea why…?