Are you me? lol this is almost exactly my experience. For the life of me I can’t decide between the 13” and the 11”. Only difference for me is that I don’t really want to use both, as I don’t use an iPad enough to justify having 2 different ones, so I’m forcing myself to choose either oneWell I've finally done it... I've caved and decided that 'Both' is thedecision copoutanswer for me. Going to try out owning both an 11" and 13" iPad Pro, along with a now-larger 16" MacBook Pro. I had an incredibly hard time deciding on a size for the new M4 iPad Pros; when I used the 13" I missed the compact / portable / light nature of the 11", and when I used the 11" I missed the large, expansive canvas and superior speakers of the 13". So I've opted not to choose.
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iPad Pro 11 or 12.9 Pro ?
- Thread starter George Dawes
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Well I've finally done it... I've caved and decided that 'Both' is thedecision copoutanswer for me. Going to try out owning both an 11" and 13" iPad Pro, along with a now-larger 16" MacBook Pro. I had an incredibly hard time deciding on a size for the new M4 iPad Pros; when I used the 13" I missed the compact / portable / light nature of the 11", and when I used the 11" I missed the large, expansive canvas and superior speakers of the 13". So I've opted not to choose.
I’m doing this currently, albeit with an 11 M1 and a 12.9 M2 and a 27” iMac 5K (Intel i7)
I have recently sold my MBP 16 M1 Pro, an impulse buy that got very little use.
Whilst there is absolutely nothing wrong with either of my iPads, the fact there is “new” has drawn me to the Apple Store several times to price up M4 replacements for both.
But, aside from the OLED, very slight weight saving, repositioned camera and new battery, I’m struggling to justify forking out upwards of £1500 atop what I may be able to sell my current models for.
I do like “new” though!
So I got a M1 Pro 11” 128gb WiFi and recently got a new M2 12.9 256gb pro + cellular thinking I would sell the M1. Now I can’t decide and it seems like keeping both could be an option now. I don’t like PWM so the M1 IPS display could be the text reader and the more portable option. The M2 12.9 has PWM 6.4khz but I am ok with it so it would do everything else plus the better keyboard experience. Initially did not think I would have considered keeping both but here I am in the “both” camp.
Anyways you still have 14 days to make up your mind, if you realize you don’t really use either.Well I've finally done it... I've caved and decided that 'Both' is thedecision copoutanswer for me. Going to try out owning both an 11" and 13" iPad Pro, along with a now-larger 16" MacBook Pro. I had an incredibly hard time deciding on a size for the new M4 iPad Pros; when I used the 13" I missed the compact / portable / light nature of the 11", and when I used the 11" I missed the large, expansive canvas and superior speakers of the 13". So I've opted not to choose.
PS: Wow! I can’t believe that after more than two thousand votes, the poll is 50/50!
I could not live with the compromises of both sizes for certain situations, so I have had both sizes for several years now. For my uses, the 13" is just too big for certain situations and the 11" too small for others. I currently have an 11" M2 and a 13" M4 and will likely upgrade the 11 to an M4 in the next month or so.Well I've finally done it... I've caved and decided that 'Both' is thedecision copoutanswer for me. Going to try out owning both an 11" and 13" iPad Pro, along with a now-larger 16" MacBook Pro. I had an incredibly hard time deciding on a size for the new M4 iPad Pros; when I used the 13" I missed the compact / portable / light nature of the 11", and when I used the 11" I missed the large, expansive canvas and superior speakers of the 13". So I've opted not to choose.
I think I’ve lost my mind too and kept going back and forth with the 11” and 13” and after all of that, ended up with both too 😂 The iPad is my most-used device after my iPhone, so I don’t feel terrible. And the 11” has a nano display so it’s become an excellent outdoor tool for reading and document work if I’m poolside or on the patio.
I also have the mini, they all fit different circumstances
I have a somewhat different solution. Much as I am intrigued by the new M4 13”, I really can’t justify the expensive of replacing my 12.9” 1TB cellular M1 along with the Magic & Smart Keyboards and Apple Pencil.
So I‘m selling my Mini 6 (great for consumption, but too tiny for productivity) and getting an 11” M2 iPad Air. It’ll be a very secondary device used mainly while running around town meeting with clients. True, it’s not deluxe like the M4 Pro 11, but I don’t need an OLED screen for responding to emails and editing PDFs. Plus it works with the lightweight and flexible Smart Keyboard Folio which Apple still sells.
My still very excellent 12.9 mainly stays home for photo and video editing on its beautiful miniLED display.
So I‘m selling my Mini 6 (great for consumption, but too tiny for productivity) and getting an 11” M2 iPad Air. It’ll be a very secondary device used mainly while running around town meeting with clients. True, it’s not deluxe like the M4 Pro 11, but I don’t need an OLED screen for responding to emails and editing PDFs. Plus it works with the lightweight and flexible Smart Keyboard Folio which Apple still sells.
My still very excellent 12.9 mainly stays home for photo and video editing on its beautiful miniLED display.
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I've just gone to the dark side and got the 13" after years with the 10.5. It surprisingly doesn't feel too big for my use cases as I'm usually using it flat on a table or desk or propped up in its case. It wasn't that much heavier to carry about in its new bag.
I'm really glad to have USB-C to match my phone. It's also great to be able to charge it AND my pencil at the same time.
If I were rich, I'd get both though as the 11" is so small and light and almost like a toy and would be fun to use anywhere, anytime...
I'm really glad to have USB-C to match my phone. It's also great to be able to charge it AND my pencil at the same time.
If I were rich, I'd get both though as the 11" is so small and light and almost like a toy and would be fun to use anywhere, anytime...
Totally understandable. I pondered on the situation and realized eventually I’m going to have to make the move, better now than later…
I sold my 12.9“ 1TB cellular M1 along with all the accessories with it…. Didn’t get what I was hoping for. Had plenty of lowball offers, but I waited and received close to my offer.
Way back in the day I was fascinated/obsessed with the subnotebook/ultraportable laptops and owned a Toshiba Portege (T3400CT, I think) and IBM ThinkPad (560, I think). Years later I got (and really liked) the early MacBook Air 11”.
But as the years went on, I desired a larger screen and more power, and flash forward to the present, and I’ve been using a MacBook Pro 16 (Intel) for a few years now.
I’ve bought a few iPads over the years, but they would barely get used. My most recent one was an iPad Pro 11” (1st gen). As a creative person, I loved what the Apple Pencil (coupled with apps like Affinity Designer) could do, and dabbled with that. But it wasn’t until the Magic Keyboard case came out that I really saw some potential here, and it got me quite excited about the subcompact concept again.
BUT when I was sitting on my couch at home, I would still go for my MacBook Pro 16 over the iPad Pro 11 w/Magic Keyboard, primarily because of the significantly larger screen real estate the 16” gave me. A few generations of iPads came and went after that, and I never bothered upgrading, as I knew what my needs were, and it seemed like nothing had fundamentally changed with the iPad experience to change that.
But during that time, things were changing, little by little. The M-series chips were outclassing my Intel-based MacBook Pro, and Apple was slowly improving the iPad OS/UX to make it more capable (e.g., external monitor / extended desktop support). And when the latest models came out, and they tweaked/improved the Magic Keyboard a bit (and I happened to have a little extra disposable income lying around) I decided to get one on the day they came out.
Because I was still intrigued with the subcompact concept, I favored the 11” size, and after a bit of Googling, I went for the silver/white combo, as it looked so cool and the internet told me that it was easy to clean. I got the cheapest model (256GB), and immediately loved it, but then quickly realized that I loved it so much that it really did have the potential to completely replace my need for a MacBook Pro. BUT the 11” vs 16” screen size was still going to be a hindrance. So I decided to return it for a 13” model. In the few days I had the silver/white 11”, I also managed to get some dark marks on the outside of the white Magic Keyboard case that I was unable to remove, so I (sadly) decided to switch to the gray/black model 13”. And I went “all in” and upgraded to the 1TB model, just so that I could get the Nano-texture screen.
So far I’m loving it, and I’ve been successful at leaving my MacBook Pro 16 dormant since getting the latest iPad Pro (other than to boot it up a couple of times to copy some files over that were stored locally on its hard drive). I do miss the added display real estate of my MacBook Pro‘s 16” screen, but it’s a sacrifice I’m able to survive through. And, if the occasional use case arises where I *really* need more screen real estate, I can plug into my Dell U2518D 25” monitor when I’m home (2560x1440 @ 60Hz). Or, when I’m away from home, I can take my Viture Pro XR glasses with me (1920x1080 @ 120Hz).
So that’s my story, but the main point I was leading up to is that I’m someone who is obsessed with the ultraportable concept, but it’s hard for me now to see any real advantage of the 11” over the 13”. Both are too big to fit in a pants pocket, so if you leave the house with the iPad & Magic Keyboard, you’re going to need to carry it “externally” (and probably in some sort of bag/backpack), so at that point, is the added size/weight of the 13” really a big deal?
In my case, I have an older Skagen “Sling Pack” that I love (not sold anymore) which I, on rare occasions, would force my MacBook Pro 16 to squeeze into, but which was nice and roomy for my iPad Pro 11” w/Magic Keyboard), and my new iPad Pro 13” fits great in that. The added weight of the 13” over the 11” feels negligible to me, but the added utility of the larger screen size and roomier keyboard and trackpad are noticeable. The only advantage of the 11” for me would probably be appreciating the reduced weight/size when using the “naked” iPad and Pencil for sketching (which is kind of an interesting side-point, as a lot of people recommend the larger iPad for artists, but I often prefer the smaller size for drawing - you can quickly/easily zoom in for detailed work).
So, are there scenarios where the iPad Pro 13“ is ”too big”? As a matter of fact, I think so, but in my use cases which I’ll mention below, the 11” is also too big, and the ideal device is actually an iPad mini. So, as it turns out, I also have an older iPad mini, which has been one of the iPads of mine that was sitting dormant. But I’ve just recently decided that I can make frequent use of it for a few use cases:
1) Take-everywhere (via my wife’s purse) photo/video display (apps: Apple Photos, Google Photos).
2) Bicycle GPS mapping with Garmin Varia radar support (app: Ride with GPS).
3) GPS navigation on my Robalo R160 16’ center-console / fishing boat (apps: savvy navvy, Garmin Active Captain). I have a fairly recent Garmin UHD 94sv 9” navigation unit / fish finder installed on my boat, but the UX is *AWFUL*.
So, for me anyway, my current/ideal arsenal consists of:
1) iPad Pro 13” w/Magic Keyboard case as my primary computer/laptop.
2) iPad mini (which I plan to upgrade to whatever the next version of this is).
3) iPhone 15 Pro (which I’d prefer was an iPhone 15 Pro mini, as I’d prefer a smaller form factor, but wouldn’t want to give up very many of the “Pro” features).
4) Apple Watch Series 6 (which I plan to upgrade to a newer model this year - likely the next Ultra).
But as the years went on, I desired a larger screen and more power, and flash forward to the present, and I’ve been using a MacBook Pro 16 (Intel) for a few years now.
I’ve bought a few iPads over the years, but they would barely get used. My most recent one was an iPad Pro 11” (1st gen). As a creative person, I loved what the Apple Pencil (coupled with apps like Affinity Designer) could do, and dabbled with that. But it wasn’t until the Magic Keyboard case came out that I really saw some potential here, and it got me quite excited about the subcompact concept again.
BUT when I was sitting on my couch at home, I would still go for my MacBook Pro 16 over the iPad Pro 11 w/Magic Keyboard, primarily because of the significantly larger screen real estate the 16” gave me. A few generations of iPads came and went after that, and I never bothered upgrading, as I knew what my needs were, and it seemed like nothing had fundamentally changed with the iPad experience to change that.
But during that time, things were changing, little by little. The M-series chips were outclassing my Intel-based MacBook Pro, and Apple was slowly improving the iPad OS/UX to make it more capable (e.g., external monitor / extended desktop support). And when the latest models came out, and they tweaked/improved the Magic Keyboard a bit (and I happened to have a little extra disposable income lying around) I decided to get one on the day they came out.
Because I was still intrigued with the subcompact concept, I favored the 11” size, and after a bit of Googling, I went for the silver/white combo, as it looked so cool and the internet told me that it was easy to clean. I got the cheapest model (256GB), and immediately loved it, but then quickly realized that I loved it so much that it really did have the potential to completely replace my need for a MacBook Pro. BUT the 11” vs 16” screen size was still going to be a hindrance. So I decided to return it for a 13” model. In the few days I had the silver/white 11”, I also managed to get some dark marks on the outside of the white Magic Keyboard case that I was unable to remove, so I (sadly) decided to switch to the gray/black model 13”. And I went “all in” and upgraded to the 1TB model, just so that I could get the Nano-texture screen.
So far I’m loving it, and I’ve been successful at leaving my MacBook Pro 16 dormant since getting the latest iPad Pro (other than to boot it up a couple of times to copy some files over that were stored locally on its hard drive). I do miss the added display real estate of my MacBook Pro‘s 16” screen, but it’s a sacrifice I’m able to survive through. And, if the occasional use case arises where I *really* need more screen real estate, I can plug into my Dell U2518D 25” monitor when I’m home (2560x1440 @ 60Hz). Or, when I’m away from home, I can take my Viture Pro XR glasses with me (1920x1080 @ 120Hz).
So that’s my story, but the main point I was leading up to is that I’m someone who is obsessed with the ultraportable concept, but it’s hard for me now to see any real advantage of the 11” over the 13”. Both are too big to fit in a pants pocket, so if you leave the house with the iPad & Magic Keyboard, you’re going to need to carry it “externally” (and probably in some sort of bag/backpack), so at that point, is the added size/weight of the 13” really a big deal?
In my case, I have an older Skagen “Sling Pack” that I love (not sold anymore) which I, on rare occasions, would force my MacBook Pro 16 to squeeze into, but which was nice and roomy for my iPad Pro 11” w/Magic Keyboard), and my new iPad Pro 13” fits great in that. The added weight of the 13” over the 11” feels negligible to me, but the added utility of the larger screen size and roomier keyboard and trackpad are noticeable. The only advantage of the 11” for me would probably be appreciating the reduced weight/size when using the “naked” iPad and Pencil for sketching (which is kind of an interesting side-point, as a lot of people recommend the larger iPad for artists, but I often prefer the smaller size for drawing - you can quickly/easily zoom in for detailed work).
So, are there scenarios where the iPad Pro 13“ is ”too big”? As a matter of fact, I think so, but in my use cases which I’ll mention below, the 11” is also too big, and the ideal device is actually an iPad mini. So, as it turns out, I also have an older iPad mini, which has been one of the iPads of mine that was sitting dormant. But I’ve just recently decided that I can make frequent use of it for a few use cases:
1) Take-everywhere (via my wife’s purse) photo/video display (apps: Apple Photos, Google Photos).
2) Bicycle GPS mapping with Garmin Varia radar support (app: Ride with GPS).
3) GPS navigation on my Robalo R160 16’ center-console / fishing boat (apps: savvy navvy, Garmin Active Captain). I have a fairly recent Garmin UHD 94sv 9” navigation unit / fish finder installed on my boat, but the UX is *AWFUL*.
So, for me anyway, my current/ideal arsenal consists of:
1) iPad Pro 13” w/Magic Keyboard case as my primary computer/laptop.
2) iPad mini (which I plan to upgrade to whatever the next version of this is).
3) iPhone 15 Pro (which I’d prefer was an iPhone 15 Pro mini, as I’d prefer a smaller form factor, but wouldn’t want to give up very many of the “Pro” features).
4) Apple Watch Series 6 (which I plan to upgrade to a newer model this year - likely the next Ultra).
I often throw the iPad Pro 11" into the car by itself, when I walk over to a cafe or eat at a restaurant (kid loves drawing on it), or on day trips out from the hotel room. So yes, it does matter in those scenarios. Where I'm bringing a small day trip bag or backpack with chargers, a portable game console, etc ... the 13" can make more sense.
alright sooo after a couple returns i settled with the ipad pro 11’ it’s perfect all around except the magic keyboard typing expereince is a little cramped and takes some getting used to i highly prefer the 11 for browsing, procreate and notetaking.
I have had several 13 inch versions but for now settled on the 11. I often use it portrait and type using thumbs, I also read in bed and the smaller ipad is perfect for this. I do have a 14 MacBook pro so weighing up if I should return the magic keyboard.. But its so nice and I can see myself using it on the lap for focussed work.
Same as my reasons I stick with 11” had the 13” M1 for a year.
Gets more use in more situations v the 13” I found.
I have been using both the 11” and the 13” M4 since launch, and feel like I’ve finally landed on the 13” as the one to keep (the other will be used by my wife). I came from the M1 12.9” so I felt like the 11” was perfect for me since it’s better as a tablet and finally doesn’t compromise on the screen. I was really all-in on the 11”, getting a Magic Keyboard skin and a leather case for it. Despite that, the whole time I would wonder if the reduced thickness / weight of the 13” made it easier to manage compared to the M1, so I kept going back to it. After several times back and forth, I used the 13” exclusively for a few days and now feel it’s the better option for me. It’s barely heavier than the 11”, although much larger and less easy to hold in the hands. The Magic Keyboard offers a slightly better typing experience, and the trackpad is much larger. The on-screen keyboard is much easier to type on, and includes a number row. My 16” MBP is effectively a desktop as it never leaves my home office, so the 13” acts as my personal laptop / computer. I have found that I like using the iPad with the Magic Keyboard for typing purposes, which is a compelling case for the 11”, but as of now I like the 13’s screen real estate more.
Now all this being said, I’ll still probably go back and forth for another month between the 13” and the 11”, especially since my wife is not in a rush to use either. If I had to guess though, I’ll eventually be sticking with the 13”.
Now all this being said, I’ll still probably go back and forth for another month between the 13” and the 11”, especially since my wife is not in a rush to use either. If I had to guess though, I’ll eventually be sticking with the 13”.
I did something very similar. It is shocking how the weight difference from the old 12.9 really allowed me to use the 13“ more freely in tablet form but also with the versatility of a laptop sized keyboard when docked. I carried my 14” mbp to work yesterday and that thing feels more brick like than the iPad Pro, and luckily all my work can be done on the iPad. And reading on it is infinitely more pleasant for sure.
Funny you should mention reading. I used both the 13” and the 11” for reading last night using the Kindle app and found the experience more pleasant on the 11” due to its smaller size. I think I just prefer reading on my Kindle vs an iPad anyway so I’ll just pretend I didn’t have this personal setback 😅
Sort of tempted to pick up the 11 inch and have the 13 inch used purely for media content lol