iPad Pro 11 or 12.9 Pro ?

[prospervic]

I was always a 9-10" iPad user up until the M1, where the miniLED being exclusive to the 12.9", and the KB actually starting to become good, so I gave the larger size a chance. After using it for two years I am already used to this size, with the apparent problems of weight, overall bulk when on Magic KB, but as an in-house device I find it a much better fit than the 11" especially when I need more than a single app / window on screen. Portability does suffer a lot, to the point I frequently just don't want to take the 12.9" with me outside. But that's more to do with the Magic KB than the tablet itself.

Now if the new 11" does get no less good screen than the 13", this formula may change. I also need to see what improvement or changes in ergonomics for the new Magic KB, because on the 11" I found the keys being too crammed compared to the 12.9" has a MacBook size layout with enough key spacing. Weight reduction will be welcome but it will happen to both sizes anyway, and probably will be more significant on the larger model, we saw that with the titanium iPhone 15 Pro Max getting a more meaningful weight reduction than the Pro where you could feel it more on the Max.

Have you tried the Apple Smart Keyboard Folio? It’s significantly lighter while being more flexible, which makes it better for traveling. No trackpad, but the iPad is a touchscreen-first device anyway.(You can always get a mini mouse if needed)

The Magic Keyboard is better suited for home, which is where I use mine.

 

[Chancha]

Have you tried the Apple Smart Keyboard Folio? It’s significantly lighter while being more flexible, which makes it better for traveling. No trackpad, but the iPad is a touchscreen-first device anyway.(You can always get a mini mouse if needed)

The Magic Keyboard is better suited for home, which is where I use mine.

I know the folio is much lighter, in fact when I tried out both in the Apple Store, the folio indeed felt much more portable. But I ended up getting the Magic KB instead specially because of the trackpad. The trackpad is not mandatory per se, but my line of thinking was "since I am bringing such an unnecessary heft anyway, may as well include every function that I may need". Also the folio while cheaper than the MKB, it is still not that cheap compared to what's out there, which made the MKB feeling like a better deal.

But thanks for bringing the folio up, when the new iPads drop I am sure the old folio will be discontinued and surely get a 3rd party price drop, I will snatch one up.

 

[Torty]

When I had the 5S I had an iPad always with me cause the screen was so tiny on the 5S.
It became less with the X and since the 14PM I don‘t carry an iPad with me. So in the past I would have gotten the 11” but now the 12,9”.

 

[the future]

LG is producing the OLED screens for the larger Pro iPads. That now throws a wrench into my decision to buy the smaller Pro (I say smaller or larger, because who knows what will be the actual size). My sole purpose for buying the new Pro iPad was due to the OLED screen. I don't like Samsung screens.

You won‘t get a „LG screen“ or „Samsung screen“, though. All Apple displays are not off-the-shelf parts, but specially made, adhering to Apple‘s exact (and often quite specific) demands and specifications. That‘s (presumably) the reason for the current delays, but also why I would never let my decision which iPad (or iPhone etc.) to get be influenced by who (allegedly) manufactures specific parts for which model.

 

[Onimusha370]

Any other current 12.9 inch users (2018 model here) debating whether to stick with 12.9 or go back down to the 11 inch when the OLED refresh happens? When I bought my iPad Pro I was using it alongside an iMac and so wanted the extra space to use as a pseudo-laptop, which worked great with the Magic Keyboard.

Since then i‘ve now moved to a 16” MBP + XDR setup and so mainly use the iPad for couch surfing/netflix rather than as a laptop replacement - tempted to go for the 11” this time assuming it does get OLED, but then the 13” is great for video… decisions decisions!

 

[AVBeatMan]

Any other current 12.9 inch users (2018 model here) debating whether to stick with 12.9 or go back down to the 11 inch when the OLED refresh happens? When I bought my iPad Pro I was using it alongside an iMac and so wanted the extra space to use as a pseudo-laptop, which worked great with the Magic Keyboard.

Since then i‘ve now moved to a 16” MBP + XDR setup and so mainly use the iPad for couch surfing/netflix rather than as a laptop replacement - tempted to go for the 11” this time assuming it does get OLED, but then the 13” is great for video… decisions decisions!

I have both the 12.9 and the 11" and am planning on getting the 11" when it comes out. My 12.9 just lives on my office desk. The 11" is much more portable and the screen difference isn't that great. I hardly notice it.

 

[profets]

Any other current 12.9 inch users (2018 model here) debating whether to stick with 12.9 or go back down to the 11 inch when the OLED refresh happens? When I bought my iPad Pro I was using it alongside an iMac and so wanted the extra space to use as a pseudo-laptop, which worked great with the Magic Keyboard.

Since then i‘ve now moved to a 16” MBP + XDR setup and so mainly use the iPad for couch surfing/netflix rather than as a laptop replacement - tempted to go for the 11” this time assuming it does get OLED, but then the 13” is great for video… decisions decisions!

I've always been tempted to go down to 11" from my 12.9". I miss that pure tablet feel of the 11, but I tend to use my 12.9 as a laptop quite a bit and it feels a bit too much for me to have both sizes around (though its very tempting).

Knowing the OLED update is coming, I keep thinking if I should just go with 11 to change it up and see how it is. But I have a handful of use cases with my 12.9 where I do need the screen real estate and I do use it like a laptop where the full size keyboard is so nice to have.

One thing is certain, if I were to introduce a MacBook into my setup, I would for sure go to the 11.

 

[Onimusha370]

I've always been tempted to go down to 11" from my 12.9". I miss that pure tablet feel of the 11, but I tend to use my 12.9 as a laptop quite a bit and it feels a bit too much for me to have both sizes around (though its very tempting).

Knowing the OLED update is coming, I keep thinking if I should just go with 11 to change it up and see how it is. But I have a handful of use cases with my 12.9 where I do need the screen real estate and I do use it like a laptop where the full size keyboard is so nice to have.

One thing is certain, if I were to introduce a MacBook into my setup, I would for sure go to the 11.

Yeah on your final point that’s where I’m kinda at. 13 inch iPad alongside 16 inch MBP feels quite close together, whereas the 11 inch bridges the gap better between an iPhone and my laptop. I also miss the “tablet” feel of the 11 inch which I’ve not had for 5 years now!

 

[Hallstar]

I’ve recently sold my 12.9 (A12Z) in preparation to order the 13 OLED.

With the release having been pushed back from March/April to May, I picked up a secondhand 11 (M1) and whilst it is nice to have an iPad to use again, I miss the 12.9.

I also have a MBP 16 Pro (M1).

 

[profets]

Yeah on your final point that’s where I’m kinda at. 13 inch iPad alongside 16 inch MBP feels quite close together, whereas the 11 inch bridges the gap better between an iPhone and my laptop. I also miss the “tablet” feel of the 11 inch which I’ve not had for 5 years now!

I remember using the 2016 Pro (9.7") and being amazed by the 12.9 as it was still pretty new. 2017 I jumped to that size, but with that older design with home button it definitely felt a bit unwieldy, and in 2018 I thought for sure I was going to go down to the 11 (thinking it was nice that the smaller size was getting a larger screen, and the 12.9 was feeling too heavy for general tablet use). But then seeing the 2018's in person, both having that thinner and lighter design, that 12.9 was just too good to pass up. So I've been on it since lol.

Keep thinking about downsizing again, but I know if I see this updated design with the supposedly thinner bezel and 5.0mm thinness its going to be hard to avoid.

 

[Rafterman]

49.2% for each, with 1116 votes each - a dead heat

 

[MisterSavage]

49.2% for each, with 1116 votes each - a dead heat

This is still my all time favorite MacRumors thread.

 

[prospervic]

Any other current 12.9 inch users (2018 model here) debating whether to stick with 12.9 or go back down to the 11 inch when the OLED refresh happens? When I bought my iPad Pro I was using it alongside an iMac and so wanted the extra space to use as a pseudo-laptop, which worked great with the Magic Keyboard.

Since then i‘ve now moved to a 16” MBP + XDR setup and so mainly use the iPad for couch surfing/netflix rather than as a laptop replacement - tempted to go for the 11” this time assuming it does get OLED, but then the 13” is great for video… decisions decisions!

I use my M1 12.9 all the time, so definitely not replacing it. But when traveling I’d often thought it’d be nice have a smaller and lighter iPad, so I‘m thinking of getting the OLED 11 inch (when Best Buy has a sale on them).
Won’t be buying another Magic Keyboard, however — that bulk and weight undermines the whole “traveling lite” idea. I’m hoping Apple will introduce a new Smart Keyboard Folio to go along with new iPads.

 

[Rafterman]

This is still my all time favorite MacRumors thread.

Oh oh, 12.9 just took the lead by 1 vote.

 

[Shanghaichica]

I‘ve never owned the 12.9 but I just feel it would be too big and would overlap with the size of my 13 inch MacBook Air. I’m on vacation at the moment and decided to take my 11 inch pro with me after some deliberation. I did not even think of taking my MacBook and would never take a 12.9 inch pro outside of the house.

 

[zakarhino]

Oh oh, 12.9 just took the lead by 1 vote.

Yeah I just voted for 12.9 and it pushed it up by one vote above 11". Probably the craziest thread and poll on the forum, I was shocked to see that the vote count is quite literally identical (minus my vote) with just over 2,000 votes.

 

[zakarhino]

I really like the bigger display of the 12.9" because for photo and video editing it's the ideal size for maximizing the content of whatever you're trying to edit. Also watching videos on the 12.9" feels great, big enough to enjoy the content at home without being too unwieldy (so long as you're immobile). I'm worried 11" won't be as pleasant for photo editing (at home anyway, I'll get to that). When I owned a 12.9" it just sat around the house most of the day because it's too big to take around with me and for a lot of media consumption I prefer macOS and the 16" display on my MBP. I ended up using my iPad so little (outside of some photo editing which I ended up doing more of on my Mac thanks to the miniLED display) that I gave my iPad to a family member.

So now I'm thinking for this generation I might go with 11" cellular because it's small enough to fit in my everyday sling bag. I like the idea of carrying an iPad around for doing iPhone stuff (and photo editing) on a bigger display and cellular means I don't have to fumble around with a hotspot and eat away at my iPhone's battery. I'm not interested in the Magic Keyboard thing, I never have been, I don't like using iPadOS as a laptop replacement it just doesn't work. I tried it once and got frustrated with how slow and undecided it felt. For me iPads are for touch and touch alone.

At the end of the day there's a voice telling me I'm just not an iPad guy. They are fun for occasional use but I've gone weeks without wanting to use mine. I don't think I'll end up carrying around an 11" either, it's just another thing to worry about and my iPhone is so much more at hand and ready to go (plus it's fairly durable and weather proof); I can jump in and out of iOS on iPhone at a split second. With iPad I have to get it in and out of my bag first.

 

[Rafterman]

Yeah I just voted for 12.9 and it pushed it up by one vote above 11". Probably the craziest thread and poll on the forum, I was shocked to see that the vote count is quite literally identical (minus my vote) with just over 2,000 votes.

Hehe, now 11 is back in the lead

 

[UltimateSyn]

Hehe, now 11 is back in the lead

Back to dead even now.

 

[M5RahuL]

Should’ve had an option for the mini in the poll too ! The 11” is ideal for my use case but I take the mini 6 cellular (almost) everywhere

 

[ericwn]

Should’ve had an option for the mini in the poll too ! The 11” is ideal for my use case but I take the mini 6 cellular (almost) everywhere

That’s true the mini used to be very popular, probably until they first decided to not update it for ages then followed with the release of the under specced and overpriced 6. I really like the form factor though.

 

[rkuo]

I loved the mini, but at some point it felt less useful. I think it's because the world has adapted to mobile phones and every site is in some way specifically tailored to work reasonably well on a phone.

 

[profets]

I've always loved the mini, and have had different ones over the years that I've used as a secondary iPad just for reading books (and some other casual usage). Currently have a mini 6 that does feel like it pairs well with the 12.9.

 

[Yaxchian]

For me the form factor 16:9 on Galaxy Tab S9+ or Ultra looks more appealing than on the 12.9 Pro. Maybe I have to reconsider switching. Will save a lot of money too…

 

[Chevyguy2021]

I just sold my 2 week old ultra on Swappa. Screen was amazing but it’s just not as fluid as the iPad. Waiting on the new pros. I’ll spend extra for the best table experience IMHO coming from an 11” pro. Can’t wait for OLED

For me the form factor 16:9 on Galaxy Tab S9+ or Ultra looks more appealing than on the 12.9 Pro. Maybe I have to reconsider switching. Will save a lot of money too…