Popout Manager I’d consider essential. You don’t need AM for iPad for either setup. The AM iPad app can be considered AM lite hence the reduced price. It doesn’t have all the features of the desktop version and you wouldn’t be able to use popped out instruments or any non app bundled instruments. If you go with iPads they will need to be setup as extra monitors to a desktop machine so essentially they become just like a touch screen monitor. You’ll find the monitors a better bet in the long run but iPads can work.