12.9 vs 10.5 For Taking Notes

[JOHNGAETANO]

I currently have a Gen 1 12.9 iPad Pro. Love it. But it's a fuzz big to carry around for taking notes via the pencil. Has anyone tried the 10.5 for note taking, and how does it feel? Too Big, Too Small?

An example would be, like today I have a lunch. Sitting at a table, eating, and taking notes with the 12.9 seems awkward.

Just looking for any experiences. I may just grab a 10.5 and try it.

Thanks

JOHN

 

[Closingracer]

The few times I’ve written on my 10.5 I never had any issues . But I’ve never had the 12.9 and found it to be to big for me and priced a bit to high for my taste . I would rather buy a MacBook.

 

[MiniMe77]

829 Euro for the 10.5 256GB v 999 for the 12.9 256GB. It's a difference but not that huge of a difference really. They are both overpriced in my opinion and still I got a 12.9. :/

 

[maflynn]

Just an observation and opinion, but I think the 10.5 is a bit more portable and its dimensions leads itself to better experience holding it vs. using it on a stand or propped up by its case. YMMV, but I think its more holdable and portable.

When I travel, I'll be taking my laptop and 10.5" and I'll be more likely to whip out the IPP to do some things as I wait, such as at the airport. Going to conferences, the IPP can be a nice addition to help take notes.

 

[cobracnvt]

I currently have a Gen 1 12.9 iPad Pro. Love it. But it's a fuzz big to carry around for taking notes via the pencil. Has anyone tried the 10.5 for note taking, and how does it feel? Too Big, Too Small?

An example would be, like today I have a lunch. Sitting at a table, eating, and taking notes with the 12.9 seems awkward.

Just looking for any experiences. I may just grab a 10.5 and try it.

Thanks

JOHN

How do you like having the 12.9 in other situations? I'm thinking about getting one of the new iPad Pros and I'm leaning towards the bigger screen thinking it would be better for things like web browsing.

 

[nightlong]

I find taking notes on my Air2 ok, but on the 12.9 there is just so much more space to do other things, like messages or check research things without having to leave the note-taking app.

As for portability, I don't find the 12.9 difficult to carry but it can be awkward in some locations, and mine is wifi only, so I always take the Air2 cellular as I don't like using public wifi. But I often take both when I know I will have access to reliable wifi. I have a great STM bag which fits both plus Apple Pencil. Easy to carry.

 

[seadragon]

Get the 12.9 and this thing...

http://www.gopad.ca/

 

[maflynn]

I find taking notes on my Air2 ok, but on the 12.9 there is just so much more space to do other things, like messages or check research things without having to leave the note-taking app.

You still can do that with the 10.5 IPP.

 

[alecgold]

I have an 12.9 (1st Gen) and had a 9.7, now a 10.5
The 10.5 is really much better for note taking when compared to the 9.7: pencil is serious quicker (delay), friction is a tad better, screen is a little bit wider, making it easier to write sentences, brightness of the screen is much better. I can't really put one big reason, but all in all it really surprised me.
It's not the reason I updated, but it was a nice bonus. If you don't have the money or are not willing to spend it, get a used/refurbished 9.7. there is no shame in either, I'm a mad idiot spending so much replacing a perfect device for something a little bit better, but I gave the 9.7 to my father, his iPad 4 was getting less and he uses it so much).

A few examples how I use my ipads.
At my desk.
I have the 12.9 in a wooden stand (yohann.com, expensive, but nice) with a keyboard (k380 Logitech, small but good, not to expensive, does things the magic keyboard can't like switch quickly between three devices, so I can wake, unlock & work on my 12.9, 10.5 and iphone without lifting a finger from my keyboard)
The 10.5 is flat on my desk in portrait mode.
This is when I type in one Docx, PDF expert for read/reference in a second on the 12.9 in split screen.
I have Nebo on the 10.5 for notes/todo's, etc.

Like this, not my desk my iPP10 is flat

When with a client.
12.9 flat on the table, pencil for annotating PDF's / writing notes.
10.5 is in my bag or it lays flat in front of my client for reading previous documents/examples.

When in the train/bus/metro/being driven/passenger
12.9 in portrait for reading law textbooks, annotating PDF's.
If it's very crowed I use the 10.5 for reading, but that is less convenient.

In college
When I'm at college I have the 12.9 for taking notes and annotating the spread sheets and the 10.5 as a law text reference books with about 5-10 tabs open in Safari, one for each specific law text that is being used.
Bot flat at a (folding) desk.

Luckily my auditoriums are usually a bit les crowded and I can have 2/3 folding desks for all my stuff.

Other uses or places like bed/couch/Lamzac/hammock
The 12.9 is brilliant for comics (pity I hardly ever read comics), reading newspapers in their respective apps gives a bit "for old times sake" feeling (it's a copy of the paper version) also really nice are magazines. It's unbelievable we liked to do that on a 9.7 iPad, the 12.9 is so much better at this.
The 10.5 is really nice for reading in bed, especially ePub formats and the likes, they scale much better. (You shouldn't be reading in bed, get some rest and performed the next day better/more efficient!)

 

[bmac4]

Get the 12.9 and this thing...

http://www.gopad.ca/

No just please no. I really hope people don't actually use this.

 

[sracer]

I currently have a Gen 1 12.9 iPad Pro. Love it. But it's a fuzz big to carry around for taking notes via the pencil. Has anyone tried the 10.5 for note taking, and how does it feel? Too Big, Too Small?

An example would be, like today I have a lunch. Sitting at a table, eating, and taking notes with the 12.9 seems awkward.

Just looking for any experiences. I may just grab a 10.5 and try it.

Thanks

JOHN

If you have doubts then getting a 10.5 to try out is a good thing.

I think that there is a bit of psychological hootenanny going on with regard to the "gargantuan" size of the 12.9 Pro.

It is the same size as a 13" Macbook Air which people don't have problems taking to class, the office, meetings, coffee shop, etc. but somehow the 12.9 Pro is too large.

The 12.9 Pro is exactly the same size as a letter-sized notepad. Add a portfolio to hold the notepad, and it is bigger and bulkier. A letter-sized portfolio notepad takes up MORE space on a conference table than the 12.9 Pro, and yet there is this belief that the 12.9 Pro is too big to take to meetings. (portfolios generally can't fold the cover behind itself)



Perhaps some of that perception is based on the cases that people use. I tried a few of the slimmest cases I could find but they all added noticeable weight and increased size.

The 12.9 Pro with only a smart cover and skin on the back, is extremely thin and light. Using the Smart Keyboard instead of the cover adds only slightly to the weight.

The 10.5 is essentially no different than the 9.7 (only a .8" increase in screen size). If someone chose a 9.7 over the 12.9 then they would also choose the 10.5 over the 12.9 (which is 2.4" larger than the 10.5).

The real test IMO will be if Apple were to produce an 11.4/11.7 iPad Pro.

 

[Badrottie]

I currently have a Gen 1 12.9 iPad Pro. Love it. But it's a fuzz big to carry around for taking notes via the pencil. Has anyone tried the 10.5 for note taking, and how does it feel? Too Big, Too Small?

An example would be, like today I have a lunch. Sitting at a table, eating, and taking notes with the 12.9 seems awkward.

Just looking for any experiences. I may just grab a 10.5 and try it.

Thanks

JOHN

I never fussy about my 12.9 iPP and seem not awkward because it is much like a laptop. I enjoyed sitting at a table, drinking some hot tea, and always smile at people who stared at my big iPP.

 

[Ryanmrash]

If you have doubts then getting a 10.5 to try out is a good thing.

I think that there is a bit of psychological hootenanny going on with regard to the "gargantuan" size of the 12.9 Pro.

It is the same size as a 13" Macbook Air which people don't have problems taking to class, the office, meetings, coffee shop, etc. but somehow the 12.9 Pro is too large.

The 12.9 Pro is exactly the same size as a letter-sized notepad. Add a portfolio to hold the notepad, and it is bigger and bulkier. A letter-sized portfolio notepad takes up MORE space on a conference table than the 12.9 Pro, and yet there is this belief that the 12.9 Pro is too big to take to meetings. (portfolios generally can't fold the cover behind itself)

View attachment 706021

Perhaps some of that perception is based on the cases that people use. I tried a few of the slimmest cases I could find but they all added noticeable weight and increased size.

The 12.9 Pro with only a smart cover and skin on the back, is extremely thin and light. Using the Smart Keyboard instead of the cover adds only slightly to the weight.

The 10.5 is essentially no different than the 9.7 (only a .8" increase in screen size). If someone chose a 9.7 over the 12.9 then they would also choose the 10.5 over the 12.9 (which is 2.4" larger than the 10.5).

The real test IMO will be if Apple were to produce an 11.4/11.7 iPad Pro.

Yes 100x yes. Ive been thinking this for months. When did a standard notepad become so huge and unwieldy? I mean stick that notepad into a clipboard and OMG its ssoooooo big! Seriously the 12.9 seems like it would be the perfect size, had the world not grown so accustomed to 9.7.

 

[alecgold]

Yes 100x yes. Ive been thinking this for months. When did a standard notepad become so huge and unwieldy? I mean stick that notepad into a clipboard and OMG its ssoooooo big! Seriously the 12.9 seems like it would be the perfect size, had the world not grown so accustomed to 9.7.

absolutly true!!! I prefer the 12.9 to annotate PDFs.
But then again many -paper- notepads I used (phone notes, to do lists etc) where half sized (A5) because they where more convenient. That's exactly how I use my 10.5 often.