iPad As Someone Who Never Owned an iPad, Should I Buy One Just for Digital Comics?

[Pepperfection]

Hello guys. I am reading digital comics a lot lately because physical copies are getting expensive and space consuming.

Thinking of getting an iPad just for that mainly esp now that iPad(9th gen) is on sale in Amazon. I already have an iPhone so I do most of my stuff there, so aside from digital comics, maybe watch Youtube vids for game guides as iPhone is too small and TV is a hassle to type.

Other than that, not much. Maybe an Android tablet is cheaper for that, but I am in the Apple ecosystem(iPhone, MB, Apple Watch, Airpods) so maybe it will be flawless to do things between them if I need to.

But to those who have it, what do you think? And how long is the norma life of an iPad?

THANKS!

 

[Gregg2]

Yes, get one. You'll end up using it for much more than comics. You will sync it to your Apple ID and enjoy having the iPad option for Mail, Messages, and web browsing. In addition to that, I have several simple games for entertainment. I've also used it to mirror MLB.tv to watch baseball games when I'm not at home. Other people use it for much more than that. Do it!

I've only had one for a few years, so I don't know how long they last.

 

[sracer]

Hello guys. I am reading digital comics a lot lately because physical copies are getting expensive and space consuming.

Thinking of getting an iPad just for that mainly esp now that iPad(9th gen) is on sale in Amazon. I already have an iPhone so I do most of my stuff there, so aside from digital comics, maybe watch Youtube vids for game guides as iPhone is too small and TV is a hassle to type.

Other than that, not much. Maybe an Android tablet is cheaper for that, but I am in the Apple ecosystem(iPhone, MB, Apple Watch, Airpods) so maybe it will be flawless to do things between them if I need to.

But to those who have it, what do you think? And how long is the norma life of an iPad?

THANKS!

The 9th gen iPad makes a terrific comic ereader.

I have a variety of devices, including Samsung Android tablets, and a few Amazon Fire tablets, but the 9th gen iPad is the best for reading comics (and other color material like magazines and vintage catalogs).

The aspect ratio of the iPad is near perfect for viewing full pages with minimal wasted screen space. It feels more "natural" in the hand than the widescreen aspect ratios of Android and Fire tablets.

Performance in displaying and page turning on the 9th gen is very snappy. It may be the entry-level model, but it can handle even very large (200MB+) files without breaking a sweat.

If you'll be reading material in .cbz/.cbr format, I recommend the Pocketbook app. It can handle those formats as well as epub and pdf. I like it because regardless of the format my digitized comics, books, magazines, and catalogs are in, Pocketbook presents them all together.

I use a matte screen protector on mine which adds to the ereader feel since it cuts down the glare and eliminates fingerprint smudges. That isn't for everyone, but I find the reading experience enhanced by the matte protector.

 

[Isengardtom]

I would say yes as well.

The 9th gen on sale is a pretty good deal.

I use my iPad Pro at home for YouTube, browsing, banking apps, watching streaming services on the couch or in bed, some light games here and there, and some light productivity work / mail. It's also an amazing device for taking with you when you travel.

The android tablets are probably just as good for the comics but if you are in the ecosystem as you say there are some advantages to the iPad.

Normally iPads last well over 5 years in use: battery degredation, insufficient RAM for future apps/OS updates and update support are things to consider. The iPad 9 is 2 years olde, But I would say for reading comics your iPad should last for several years to come.

 

[MapleBeercules]

If you already have an iphone then an Ipad is the next logical step.
I highly recommend you check out apples referb site. All ipads come with a new battery and shell so they are basically new devices, I would put applecare on it and your smokin'.

Good luck.

 

[rui no onna]

For comics, the 9th gen will work just fine for years.

Lol, I bought my first iPad precisely for reading manga: iPad 2.

I bought the 12.9" iPad Pro 2nd gen when I started to delve into American comics. I wanted the bigger display since I prefer to read in 2-page landscape mode. The 12.9 in landscape is the same height as 2x 9.7" iPads side by side and is perfect for double page spreads.

That said, the 16:10 aspect ratio on the Nexus 7 had smaller black bars than the iPad's 4:3 when reading in portrait.

 

[ReVRiN]

Heck yeah you should. Here is why. If you are subscribing to Marvel and/or DC you can share your account with your family, friends, yours kids, nieces and nephews. I think 4 devices are allowed. You can have reading party/book club and you can read along with them with weird voices! They love it. You can even open frame by frame and zoom in. It is awesome.

 

[smirking]

If you're willing to spend a bit more and want something more lightweight, I'd also consider the iPad Mini. I don't do comics, but I love doing my reading on that device. It's so light and easy to hold that I can read it in any position without fatigue... even lying flat on my back.

 

[rui no onna]

If you're willing to spend a bit more and want something more lightweight, I'd also consider the iPad Mini. I don't do comics, but I love doing my reading on that device. It's so light and easy to hold that I can read it in any position without fatigue... even lying flat on my back.

The mini can be too small for eye comfort for those with aging eyes especially on comics with smaller, denser text.

Modern comics are typically 6.75" x 10.125" (68.34 sq in). The iPad mini 6's display is 4.56" x 6.95" so it would have a little bit of letterboxing and display 2:3 comics at 4.56" x 6.85" (31.24 sq in).

 

[smirking]

The mini can be too small for eye comfort for those with aging eyes especially on comics with smaller, denser text.

Yeah, I think you're right for reading comics. I'm about at that age where smaller text is beginning to be a problem myself. I'd have problems comfortably reading dense text on my mini.

 

[motulist]

Get the cheapest used ipad you can find from a reputable seller. If the screen is pristine then it'll be perfect for your uses.

 

[Pepperfection]

thank you all! The 9th gen at $229 is a good price and last me long or should I spend more for a 10th gen?

If you're willing to spend a bit more and want something more lightweight, I'd also consider the iPad Mini. I don't do comics, but I love doing my reading on that device. It's so light and easy to hold that I can read it in any position without fatigue... even lying flat on my back.

I actually love and was thinking of just splurging for the mini. Looks sexy. But yeah, a bit too small and I already have a 15 PM recently. Though still bigger, kinda close so might have regrets

Get the cheapest used ipad you can find from a reputable seller. If the screen is pristine then it'll be perfect for your uses.

$229 isnt a good price for a 9th gen in your opinion? Refurb iPads in the official store are more expensive, also those at Amazon.

 

[motulist]

thank you all! The 9th gen at $229 is a good price and last me long or should I spend more for a 10th gen?

I actually love and was thinking of just splurging for the mini. Looks sexy. But yeah, a bit too small and I already have a 15 PM recently. Though still bigger, kinda close so might have regrets

$229 isnt a good price for a 9th gen in your opinion? Refurb iPads in the official store are more expensive, also those at Amazon.

Whatever is the cheapest you can find, that's the one you should buy. If 229 is the lowest you can find then go with that. Seems unlikely, but I haven't been following new and used ipad prices lately.

 

[rui no onna]

thank you all! The 9th gen at $229 is a good price and last me long or should I spend more for a 10th gen?

$229 isnt a good price for a 9th gen in your opinion? Refurb iPads in the official store are more expensive, also those at Amazon.

The 9th gen is fine. If you store a lot of comics on your iPad for offline reading though, the 64GB may feel quite cramped particularly since OS and system files are taking up ~20GB of that.

One thing the 10th gen has going for it is the USB-C port. If your comics are DRM-free (thanks, Humble Bundle), you can add extra storage for cheap via flash drive, SSD or HDD.

I use this flash drive when I don't want cables hanging off my iPad.

https://www.westerndigital.com/products/usb-flash-drives/sandisk-ultra-dual-drive-luxe-usb-3-1-type-c?sku=SDDDC4-512G-G46

 

[Allen_Wentz]

Hello guys. I am reading digital comics a lot lately because physical copies are getting expensive and space consuming.

Thinking of getting an iPad just for that mainly esp now that iPad(9th gen) is on sale in Amazon. I already have an iPhone so I do most of my stuff there, so aside from digital comics, maybe watch Youtube vids for game guides as iPhone is too small and TV is a hassle to type.

Other than that, not much. Maybe an Android tablet is cheaper for that, but I am in the Apple ecosystem(iPhone, MB, Apple Watch, Airpods) so maybe it will be flawless to do things between them if I need to.

But to those who have it, what do you think? And how long is the norma life of an iPad?

THANKS!

The damn things last forever. Currently I am on a (now s l o w) v1 iPad Air that refuses to die. Before that I had an original iPad that lasted until I sat on it and broke the display. Even then it still worked, but it too was s l o w by then. I just tested an iPad Pro and a Mini, and decided that even s l o w was good enough for what I use it for. Just buy one and enjoy.

 

[Shirasaki]

Why not? Nothing wrong with that and iPad is perfect for reading comics.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

If you're willing to spend a bit more and want something more lightweight, I'd also consider the iPad Mini. I don't do comics, but I love doing my reading on that device. It's so light and easy to hold that I can read it in any position without fatigue... even lying flat on my back.

I agree with the mini. I find it ideal for reading, and my 57-year-old eyes like it just fine.

 

[Starfia]

Ooh, good luck. Reading (text) is one of my main uses for my iPad mini, and as a device, it feels like an "arrival" for that.

I would say an on-sale 9th-gen iPad will survive and support the newest version of iPadOS for years, but the current iPad, iPad Air or Mini will likely be supported for an additional year or more. So weigh the cost against that a little.

 

[adib]

Hello guys. I am reading digital comics a lot lately because physical copies are getting expensive and space consuming.

Thinking of getting an iPad just for that mainly esp now that iPad(9th gen) is on sale in Amazon. I already have an iPhone so I do most of my stuff there, so aside from digital comics, maybe watch Youtube vids for game guides as iPhone is too small and TV is a hassle to type.

Other than that, not much. Maybe an Android tablet is cheaper for that, but I am in the Apple ecosystem(iPhone, MB, Apple Watch, Airpods) so maybe it will be flawless to do things between them if I need to.

But to those who have it, what do you think? And how long is the norma life of an iPad?

THANKS!

If it's "just for digital comics" consider e-ink devices. There are both color and greyscale options. These would be more useful for night reading since e-ink screens tend to not cause insommnia, unlike traditional LCD/OLED screens.

 

[rui no onna]

I agree with the mini. I find it ideal for reading, and my 57-year-old eyes like it just fine.

Do you read just regular text or comics?

I’m okay with the mini for novels and manga/manhwa. On comics, text can get too small at times requiring zooming and panning.

 

[JustAnExpat]

I agree with the mini. I find it ideal for reading, and my 57-year-old eyes like it just fine.

Not for comic books The text would be way too small

 

[JustAnExpat]

For cheapness: go with an iPad 9.

If you want to read two page spread, go with an iPad Pro, 12.9" for the display. It should fit a double page spread without any size reduction.

If the main purpose is just to read comics, you can save money and get an older model. The iPad 7 (released in 2019), 8 (released in 2020), or 9 (released in 2021) should be good enough (since it's just loading comics) and I think you should have enough space to download a couple of comics. The screen size is the same between the 7, 8, and 9.

The iPad Pro 12.9" are updated usually every other year. You should be able to use a 3rd generation (released in 2018), 4th generation (released in 2020), or 5th generation (released in 2021) easily.

 

[Pepperfection]

Thank you everyone! I guess the 9 it is, esp since it is cheap now at Amazon.

Really tempted to get a mini, love the form, but yeah, too small for digital comics.

 

[Greenmeenie]

Get an iPad, you won’t regret it. Digital Comics look amazing on the iPad. But I guarantee you that once you get one, you’ll start using it for more than just reading comics. I love my iphone, but once I got an iPad, I realized how much more enjoyable it was to consume ALL my media on it. The screen is just so much nicer to watch content on than your iphone. Trust me.

 

[Pepperfection]

Ok so I am about to buy an iPad. Should I go for the $229 9th gen or $349 10th gen? I watched YT videos saying the difference isn't much. But with my iPhone 15PM's USB-C, would be cool to just have one wire with the iPad. But then again, it is not really something that would bother me... just a bit of a hassle I can live with.

I am more worried about the future proofing of the 9th.