Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

iPad Pro 11" iPad to 12.9" iPad = A significant and (unexpectedly) great upgrade!

miamialley

miamialley

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jul 28, 2008
3,588
1,056
California, USA
I have only ever had the 11" iPad. I have always loved it for traveling, which is the only time I ever really use it, because I always found it a bit small otherwise. Everytime I used it, I always thought it was a little tiny to be an actual work device. So, it has always been relegated as a travel companion and served that purpose well.

Got the 12.9 when the new ones came out recently. Wow. I am really surprised at how useful this thing is.
  1. Sidecar with my 16" MBP is incredible. It is literally a secondary display that I now use all the time. I had no idea how much my MBP workflow could benefit from having an iPad as a second display. I'd tried the 11" before for this, but it was just always oddly small.
  2. Continuity is awesome. So there are times where I want to be able to use the iPad as an iPad, but still have it as a secondary display. Continuity allows this in the way that I want. I don't even have to set it up. It just works automatically. I can have a document open on my iPad, use the Apple Pencil to mark it up, and move my mouse over to my MBP when needed, type on my MBP even if I'm typing on something open on my iPad. Awesome.
  3. The Apple Pencil. This thing makes reviewing and marking up documents so much more pleasing and almost enjoyable.
  4. Games are better on the larger iPad. I have more space. Just better.
  5. The iPad has also definitely replaced, in many instances, my MBP for just browsing webpages on the couch. It's a smaller device and is more enjoyable in many respects to use for this purpose.
  6. Typing. I have the Magic Keyboard. The first time I pulled it out and used it I tested my typing speed at 90 words per minute. Then, I tested myself on my MBP that I have used for years, 90 words per minute. So, no loss there. The trackpad on the Magic Keyboard makes it like having a MacBook, minus the function row keys.
  7. I have noticed with my increased use of the iPad that I often end up trying to touch the MBP to do something. This is because for many tasks I end up preferring that style of input. It feels more natural and quicker at times.
I am traveling in a few weeks and will take my iPad with me. It's definitely a bit bigger than the 11", but I'm looking forward to it. I have a small backpack that holds it well and I'm looking forward to making use of it. If anyone is on the fence about the functionality of the iPad or is concerned about moving from the 11" to the 12.9", maybe this will help sway you one way or another.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ppetrovic, the future, AllThingsTruth and 20 others
lambertjohn said:
You'll get tired of it, I promise. Then you'll wish you had your 11" back. The 12.9" is really cool at first, then it gets old because it's big and cumbersome and so goofy looking at coffee shops. Good luck with your purchase.
Click to expand...
Good thing I don’t go to coffee shops I guess. As if there aren’t people there constantly on laptops just as big and bigger than the iPad, lol. Whatever dude.
 
  • Like
  • Haha
Reactions: Methodical48, magicman32, ppetrovic and 31 others
Obviously, everyone's view will be different. I've teetered between the 12.9 and 11inch iPad Pros for the last year and always go back to the 11, especially when I travel (which I have been doing a ton of these last 6 months). The size makes the difference when on a plane or working at a remote site. While the keyboard is more cramped and the screen smaller, I can be just as productive when on the road to where the weight tradeoff just isn't worth it for me (note both of these iPads have the magic keyboard). Good luck on your journey. The screen on the 12.9 sure is nice!
 
  • Like
Reactions: blkjedi954, progx and miamialley
I moved up from a 10.5” IPP to the M2 12.9” a few weeks ago. I used the 10.5” with the Smart Keyboard and got the Magic Keyboard for the 12.9”. I use it professionally in the office for video calls, emails etc. MS Office for iPad is not that useful. Hence, I go back to the work PC for those tasks.
I (air)travel quite a bit and though the 12.9” is heavy with the keyboard, I have no issue taking it on any trip. It is small enough to be used on the airplane tray and the display ist just amazing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Aggamemnon, RogerDoger2801, outlawarth and 1 other person
I had the 2018 11" for 2 years then got the M1 12.9" and used it for a year, sold it luckily only dropped a few hundred, then went back to a 11" M1 3 months ago, which is the perfect size imo.
12.9" is way overpriced imo, base model 128gb wifi with MKB is $2480AUD here, I got my MBA M2 8/256 for $1100 new, comes with a real keyboard and trackpad too lol
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Populus, VaruLV, jezbd1997 and 1 other person
Jumped from iPad Pro 10.5 to 12.9 2018 iPad Pro many years ago. I still enjoy it. iPad is still working good. Maybe next year I will update my 12.9 to another 12.9 iPad.
 
  • Like
Reactions: outlawarth
It's too big. At least that's what she said.

I like the 11 inch, but if you don't move around a lot I suppose you can put up with the bigger one.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Jezak
Personally I have the 12.9” and I love it 90-95% of the time. The extra screen space is really nice and when I use it on a desk (like I am right now) it feels like a 13” Macbook Pro or Air. It can be a little cumbersome as a tablet granted but honestly it’s still very useable. I will say I don’t use it for reading, tried to and it was too big so I got a dedicated e-reader which I ended liking more since it’s far less distracting knowing all I can do is read on it.

The biggest thing for me was the XDR display - watching movies and HDR YouTube on this thing is absolutely incredible! It gets ridiculously bright and the black borders are true black - almost indistinguishable from OLED. That annoyed me on my 2018 11” iPad. I happily trade the decrease in portability for this screen.
 
  • Like
Reactions: blkjedi954, bhodinut, W£S and 2 others
lambertjohn said:
You'll get tired of it, I promise. Then you'll wish you had your 11" back. The 12.9" is really cool at first, then it gets old because it's big and cumbersome and so goofy looking at coffee shops. Good luck with your purchase.
Click to expand...
What’s this? A prophecy from the cynical internet!

2502E696-BB94-4436-A63C-12C309F53100.jpeg
 
  • Like
  • Haha
Reactions: itunexify, michaelsviews, imnotthewalrus and 2 others
I completely agree — always used the smaller sizes prior to my M1 12.9, and now I can’t imagine going back. I use mine mainly for studying in PDF Expert, Affinity apps, Pages, and Keynote. Logic Remote is also excellent, especially for travel — having a mobile controller paired with my 16 MBP is great.

Stage Manager is also nice on the 12.9, especially when using display scaling.
 
  • Like
Reactions: johntw, VaruLV and outlawarth
lambertjohn said:
You'll get tired of it, I promise. Then you'll wish you had your 11" back. The 12.9" is really cool at first, then it gets old because it's big and cumbersome and so goofy looking at coffee shops. Good luck with your purchase.
Click to expand...


Not everyone is you. I love my huge ass iPad and I have not been tired of all the generations I have had. Not everyone cares what others think of them as well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: itunexify, imnotthewalrus, KeithBN and 5 others
lambertjohn said:
You'll get tired of it, I promise. Then you'll wish you had your 11" back. The 12.9" is really cool at first, then it gets old because it's big and cumbersome and so goofy looking at coffee shops. Good luck with your purchase.
Click to expand...
Woah - bit strong that opinion of yours, no? That may have been your experience, but I don't think that is how everyone feels.

I had a 11" 512 and bought a 12.9" 1TB and liked it so much I sold the 11". The bigger screen makes notetaking and productivity tasks so much better for me that I cannot go back.

There were some things I missed about the 11" though - e.g. The 12.9" does not work as a bedtime reader and it also is a bit unwieldy in a coach class airline seat. My solution? I picked up a used 64GB 11" IPP and use that on the couch and in bed.

There is a case for both the 11" and the 12.9" IPP models. The 12.9" works brilliantly for my work although I could do all of that stuff on an 11" device, it feels too cramped at times. I am fortunate enough that I can have both and they fit into my life in different ways. If I was forced to keep only one, it would be the 12.9" because I can get so much more done with it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Night Spring
I have both the 11" and the 12,9" version (2020 models) and find that they have their individual advantages. Personally, I use the 11" more often and for reading A5/digest size books and web pages it's a lot more convenient. For sketching or reading larger books and comics, though, the 12,9" is notably better. However, since it's too bulky to carry around anyway, I actually would love to see its size increased further, maybe to 14" (like the Samsung Galaxy Tab Ultra).
 
  • Like
Reactions: TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️ and RickTaylor
I have had the 11” 2018 iPP since launch and loved it. As I started to use multitasking / splitview more though it began feeling really cramped. I broke down and got an M1 12.9” recently and I agree with the OP. It’s a much better device than I ever gave it credit for.

Besides the things OP mentioned, Procreate on the 12.9” is in a whole different league compared to how small it feels on the 11“, it really blew my mind. Also productivity apps just feel night and day different on the 12.9” vs 11”.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️, outlawarth and Kierkegaarden
miamialley said:
I have only ever had the 11" iPad. I have always loved it for traveling, which is the only time I ever really use it, because I always found it a bit small otherwise. Everytime I used it, I always thought it was a little tiny to be an actual work device. So, it has always been relegated as a travel companion and served that purpose well.

Got the 12.9 when the new ones came out recently. Wow. I am really surprised at how useful this thing is.
  1. Sidecar with my 16" MBP is incredible. It is literally a secondary display that I now use all the time. I had no idea how much my MBP workflow could benefit from having an iPad as a second display. I'd tried the 11" before for this, but it was just always oddly small.
  2. Continuity is awesome. So there are times where I want to be able to use the iPad as an iPad, but still have it as a secondary display. Continuity allows this in the way that I want. I don't even have to set it up. It just works automatically. I can have a document open on my iPad, use the Apple Pencil to mark it up, and move my mouse over to my MBP when needed, type on my MBP even if I'm typing on something open on my iPad. Awesome.
  3. The Apple Pencil. This thing makes reviewing and marking up documents so much more pleasing and almost enjoyable.
  4. Games are better on the larger iPad. I have more space. Just better.
  5. The iPad has also definitely replaced, in many instances, my MBP for just browsing webpages on the couch. It's a smaller device and is more enjoyable in many respects to use for this purpose.
  6. Typing. I have the Magic Keyboard. The first time I pulled it out and used it I tested my typing speed at 90 words per minute. Then, I tested myself on my MBP that I have used for years, 90 words per minute. So, no loss there. The trackpad on the Magic Keyboard makes it like having a MacBook, minus the function row keys.
  7. I have noticed with my increased use of the iPad that I often end up trying to touch the MBP to do something. This is because for many tasks I end up preferring that style of input. It feels more natural and quicker at times.
I am traveling in a few weeks and will take my iPad with me. It's definitely a bit bigger than the 11", but I'm looking forward to it. I have a small backpack that holds it well and I'm looking forward to making use of it. If anyone is on the fence about the functionality of the iPad or is concerned about moving from the 11" to the 12.9", maybe this will help sway you one way or another.
Click to expand...
ditto i gave my ipad pro 11 to my brother whom 2nd year in university and i decided to go 12.9 . now I see what I have been missing especially with workspace and multitasking
 
  • Like
Reactions: outlawarth
miamialley said:
  1. Sidecar with my 16" MBP is incredible. It is literally a secondary display that I now use all the time. I had no idea how much my MBP workflow could benefit from having an iPad as a second display. I'd tried the 11" before for this, but it was just always oddly small.
  2. Continuity is awesome. So there are times where I want to be able to use the iPad as an iPad, but still have it as a secondary display. Continuity allows this in the way that I want. I don't even have to set it up. It just works automatically. I can have a document open on my iPad, use the Apple Pencil to mark it up, and move my mouse over to my MBP when needed, type on my MBP even if I'm typing on something open on my iPad. Awesome.
  3. The Apple Pencil. This thing makes reviewing and marking up documents so much more pleasing and almost enjoyable.
  4. Games are better on the larger iPad. I have more space. Just better.
  5. The iPad has also definitely replaced, in many instances, my MBP for just browsing webpages on the couch. It's a smaller device and is more enjoyable in many respects to use for this purpose.
  6. Typing. I have the Magic Keyboard. The first time I pulled it out and used it I tested my typing speed at 90 words per minute. Then, I tested myself on my MBP that I have used for years, 90 words per minute. So, no loss there. The trackpad on the Magic Keyboard makes it like having a MacBook, minus the function row keys.
  7. I have noticed with my increased use of the iPad that I often end up trying to touch the MBP to do something. This is because for many tasks I end up preferring that style of input. It feels more natural and quicker at times.
Click to expand...
1. Sidecar. Meh. That external display got disconnected itself more often than what I like. I improve my productivity by remote connect to my windows PC and use it as a pseudo dual monitor-ish setup.
2. Continuity is awesome when it works. But, after about 5 years since the introduction, somehow, literally no one in Apple asks for changing docks behavior in iPadOS to one similar to macOS: new app icon added at the very end of the dock rather than replacing the most used app. I can’t remember how many Times I accidentally tapped to another app when I just want to go back to previous one I’m using. I hate it so much that I even turned off handoff, only to turn it back on afterwards. Feedback goes nowhere.
3. This I can agree, a bit reluctantly. The feel of writing on paper is just not quite there. Maybe a special screen protector can improve that.
4. Yes, they are better. Way way way WAY WAY WAY better than playing on those tiny 6.1“ iPhone screen. As long as the game isn’t designed to utilise the entire screen, it’s so much more enjoyable to play. I even uninstall many games on my iPhone because i can’t bear to see those tiny fonts on iPhone anymore.
5. Compared to 16” MBP, 12.9” is smaller. So yeah.
6. Magic Keyboard typing just feels good. Backlight also helps typing in the dark. The setup also uses less space than membrane keyboard Folio. Not water resistance tho.
7. Lmao. I use my iPad so much nowadays my iPhone is essentially a wired modem for my PC. Even going out and about I carry iPad more often than not.

I use 11” because that’s the largest size I can still type using both thumbs. 12.9” is way too big for that purpose and it’s uncomfortable when trying to do so.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jezak
miamialley said:
Good thing I don’t go to coffee shops I guess. As if there aren’t people there constantly on laptops just as big and bigger than the iPad, lol. Whatever dude.
Click to expand...
you will like it I used one for years traveling all around the world not even an issue in coach! was great to watch movies and meal on the other side of screen! light, think slips into backpack, what's not to like, a great companion for my work mandated PC
 
  • Like
Reactions: KeithBN and miamialley
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back