All iPads Friendship ended with 12.9" iPad Pro. Now 11" iPad Pro is my best friend

[EastHillWill]

I'm not sure if anyone will find this interesting, but I wanted to share my thoughts on the current state of my gadget life, specifically the laptop/tablet side of things. Until the change mentioned in the title I had the following setup:

-Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 (a 13" 2-in-1 Windows laptop)
-M1 MBA
-12.9" iPad Pro (3rd gen) w/MKB

I like having a Windows machine for work and compatibility reasons, and my old Lenovo is dying so I replaced it with the Samsung. It's a great machine (OLED screen!) and justifies its presence via the aforementioned reasons. Things have always been tricker with the MacBook and iPad. Over the years I've tried going all in on one or the other, but in the end I've preferred having both available to me. I pretty quickly realized the iPad was a bit too big (great for some things, not so much for others) and as such it rarely left the MKB. As a result I basically had three laptops of similar size, which didn't make sense to me.

With the release of the new mini I saw the opportunity to sell my big iPad and finally replace it with a smaller version that I might actually use as a tablet. I played with the mini at Best Buy and the Apple store and read the reviews, threads, etc. It's a very cool device! At the same time I started to think more about the 11" iPad Pro as an option, and also checked it out. I ended up preferring the size and ProMotion display compared to the mini, which in my hands was too close to my iPhone Pro. (Note: I know that due to the differing aspect ratios there's actually quite a bit more real estate on the mini's screen. For me, the 'in hand feel' was too close, and for things like looking at Twitter and reading webpages the extra size of the mini just didn't make a big difference.)

Decision time! Earlier this week I sold my my big iPad Pro and picked up the 11". So far so great I really like the size and actually using it as a tablet. Perhaps someday I'll get a keyboard, but for now I'm happy using it strictly as-is. The mini is great, but for my situation the 11" iPad Pro really is the ideal device. On the laptop side of things, I like the Samsung so much--I'm using it to type this post--that I'm very rarely using the MBA. Having grown up with Windows I've never really gotten used to macOS, but the M1 is such an incredible machine that I'm hesitant to get rid of it. However, we have a few years old desktop iMac which is primarily used by my wife, so I don't think hanging on to the MBA make a lot of sense. That will be the next big decision to make, but for now things are pretty good ?

If you're shopping for any of these devices, or are otherwise in a similar situation, feel free to ask me anything. Have a great weekend!

 

[adamlbiscuit]

As a digital artist I always thought the 12.9-inch iPad Pro was going to be the only option for me.

I had one and used it daily for a couple of years. It was fantastic & I could never see myself downsizing to an iPad that was any smaller than 12.9-inch.

A little later on I started a new job and had to do a lengthy commute daily. I thought it'd be nice to get the then-new iPad mini (the 5th gen) as a companion device for sketching whilst on the train - when I got home I always had the 12.9-inch iPad waiting for me, so it was a good idea and I wasn't losing anything.

But that's when I ended up in a predicament. For me, the mini was too small for anything more than sketches or smaller works, but it made the 12.9 iPad Pro feel so cumbersome to use by comparison.

Honestly, the mini changed my view of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro without me having expected it. That's when I decided to sell both and got an iPad Pro 11-inch.

Honestly, the 11-inch is the perfect size for me. It brings the portability of the iPad mini that I so loved, but mixes it with a bigger screen so I'm still getting a decent canvas to draw on.

I don't think I could go back to 12.9-inch now. I'm keen to upgrade my current iPad Pro to one with an M processor, but I'm waiting patiently for them to add mini LED to the 11-inch model just to make it a more worthwhile upgrade.

It's really nice to read your experience because I think we sometimes get caught up in the 'bigger is better' mentality, but it really isn't true a lot of the time.

Thank you for sharing.

 

[EastHillWill]

As a digital artist I always thought the 12.9-inch iPad Pro was going to be the only option for me.

I had one and used it daily for a couple of years. It was fantastic & I could never see myself downsizing to an iPad that was any smaller than 12.9-inch.

A little later on I started a new job and had to do a lengthy commute daily. I thought it'd be nice to get the then-new iPad mini (the 5th gen) as a companion device for sketching whilst on the train - when I got home I always had the 12.9-inch iPad waiting for me, so it was a good idea and I wasn't losing anything.

But that's when I ended up in a predicament. For me, the mini was too small for anything more than sketches or smaller works, but it made the 12.9 iPad Pro feel so cumbersome to use by comparison.

Honestly, the mini changed my view of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro without me having expected it. That's when I decided to sell both and got an iPad Pro 11-inch.

Honestly, the 11-inch is the perfect size for me. It brings the portability of the iPad mini that I so loved, but mixes it with a bigger screen so I'm still getting a decent canvas to draw on.

I don't think I could go back to 12.9-inch now. I'm keen to upgrade my current iPad Pro to one with an M processor, but I'm waiting patiently for them to add mini LED to the 11-inch model just to make it a more worthwhile upgrade.

It's really nice to read your experience because I think we sometimes get caught up in the 'bigger is better' mentality, but it really isn't true a lot of the time.

Thank you for sharing.

That's a great perspective, thank you as well! I have the pencil (very much not an artist) and would like to use it more, which I'm hoping I will now that the tablet won't be in 'laptop mode' all the time.

I hear you on the screen. It gave me slight pause that the display isn't the latest and greatest--and there's a real chance it will get the mini-LED upgrade next year--but of course it still looks great. You're right that bigger is not always better, and I think there's also something positive to be said for having a smaller range of options. Sometimes getting 80% of what you want with one device is better than 90% each on two devices. (Or three, or four, etc )

 

[MisterSavage]

I bought a 2018 12.9" without trying it after reading the "it's the size of a piece of paper" comments, etc. I think I gave it a week but I just could not get used to it upgrading from a 9.7". I ended up exchanging it for an 11", which I still love and use daily.

 

[sparksd]

I'm on the flip side - after moving to the 12.9 I won't ever go smaller other than getting a Mini as a complement to the larger device.

 

[rui no onna]

I think for most, 10-11" is a happy medium. Before 2017, the mini used to be the budget iPad and now it's mid-range only.

Meanwhile, there's three in the 10-11" range and Apple went to great lengths so they could offer the ~10" size for $329 (downgrading screen to non-laminated, minimum useful storage, etc). Reckon it's a good move considering it's now their best selling model (50+% of iPad sales).

I pretty much have all the size classes but if I had to choose just one, I'd go for the 10-11" class, too.

 

[UltimateSyn]

Interesting take! I always love the 11” vs 12.9” discussions and hearing peoples’ perspectives. I think I’m going to end up switching my 12.9” to an 11” with the rumored redesign next year - I’ll have a MacBook by then so I’ll no longer need my iPad to act as a laptop replacement, it’ll have the freedom to shrink down to a more manageable size. I’ve got the mini for the smallest end of that spectrum, too.

The 11” is an interesting device. I go back and forth between saying it’s too much of a tweener - not quite as portable and handheld as a mini, and doesn’t have the expansive screen size of the 12.9” - and saying that it’s the perfect happy medium iPad. There really is virtue in each of the sizes, my favorite changes all the time.

 

[Rafterman]

That's a great perspective, thank you as well! I have the pencil (very much not an artist) and would like to use it more, which I'm hoping I will now that the tablet won't be in 'laptop mode' all the time.

I hear you on the screen. It gave me slight pause that the display isn't the latest and greatest--and there's a real chance it will get the mini-LED upgrade next year--but of course it still looks great. You're right that bigger is not always better, and I think there's also something positive to be said for having a smaller range of options. Sometimes getting 80% of what you want with one device is better than 90% each on two devices. (Or three, or four, etc )

I am also in the "11 is more portable like the Mini, but still has the power of the 12.9" camp.

 

[EastHillWill]

I'm on the flip side - after moving to the 12.9 I won't ever go smaller other than getting a Mini as a complement to the larger device.

How often do you use it strictly as a tablet?

 

[EastHillWill]

I think for most, 10-11" is a happy medium. Before 2017, the mini used to be the budget iPad and now it's mid-range only.

Meanwhile, there's three in the 10-11" range and Apple went to great lengths so they could offer the ~10" size for $329 (downgrading screen to non-laminated, minimum useful storage, etc). Reckon it's a good move considering it's now their best selling model (50+% of iPad sales).

I pretty much have all the size classes but if I had to choose just one, I'd go for the 10-11" class, too.

I think you're right that the 11" Pro is in a sweet spot for most folks. (Kind of like the iPhone 13/13 Pro, although I know phone size is much more contentious.) I had a 10.5" iPad Pro some years ago, and I remember thinking how much I enjoyed that size. I guess I should have learned from that experience and bought the 11" initially rather than the 12.9!

 

[EastHillWill]

Interesting take! I always love the 11” vs 12.9” discussions and hearing peoples’ perspectives. I think I’m going to end up switching my 12.9” to an 11” with the rumored redesign next year - I’ll have a MacBook by then so I’ll no longer need my iPad to act as a laptop replacement, it’ll have the freedom to shrink down to a more manageable size. I’ve got the mini for the smallest end of that spectrum, too.

The 11” is an interesting device. I go back and forth between saying it’s too much of a tweener - not quite as portable and handheld as a mini, and doesn’t have the expansive screen size of the 12.9” - and saying that it’s the perfect happy medium iPad. There really is virtue in each of the sizes, my favorite changes all the time.

The 11" does have some tweener attributes, that's for sure. I tried it as a reader in bed for the first time last night, and while it's fine that's a case where the mini would probably work better. But again, on the whole, I like the larger size versus the mini. Hmm, if only it folded ?

 

[rui no onna]

The 11" does have some tweener attributes, that's for sure. I tried it as a reader in bed for the first time last night, and while it's fine that's a case where the mini would probably work better. But again, on the whole, I like the larger size versus the mini. Hmm, if only it folded ?

10-11" is actually my favorite size for reading. I use it in 2-column landscape though (so like an open book) with the SmartFolio-like cover acting as stand and propped against pillows so I don't have to carry the weight.

 

[Smoothie]

I recently bought the 11-inch Pro at BB. The 256 GB version was on sale that day for $100 off and the Pencil was $30 off, so I lucked out on timing. I was originally set on getting the 12.9 because of the screen technology, but when I picked up the larger one with the Magic keyboard attached I was surprised at the overall weight. The 11 has been perfect for me, and I just purchased the Magic keyboard for it. It’s plenty large enough for viewing videos, for taking notes, for quick edits of photos and for the amateur artwork I play around with. It’s very portable for traveling and has replaced my laptop in this respect.

 

[Mr. Awesome]

I really like the size and actually using it as a tablet. Perhaps someday I'll get a keyboard, but for now I'm happy using it strictly as-is.

This is one of the things I love and hate about my 11". It's a fantastic tablet, but because I always have it docked in the MK, I never get to actually use it that way! ?

 

[EastHillWill]

This is one of the things I love and hate about my 11". It's a fantastic tablet, but because I always have it docked in the MK, I never get to actually use it that way! ?

It's an interesting and surprisingly difficult decision! On one hand a keyboard increases the utility of the device, which is great. But on the other hand, once a tablet is attached to a keyboard it has a tendency (for many of us) to stay like that, which potentially decreases its usefulness as a tablet. In my case I just need to remind myself that I have a laptop. We'll see how it goes!

 

[kp98077]

i found the 12.9 with MK waaaay too big, might as well have a laptop! infact my air is much more compact, for that reasson the 11" is better for me!

 

[beach bum]

It's an interesting and surprisingly difficult decision! On one hand a keyboard increases the utility of the device, which is great. But on the other hand, once a tablet is attached to a keyboard it has a tendency (for many of us) to stay like that, which potentially decreases its usefulness as a tablet. In my case I just need to remind myself that I have a laptop. We'll see how it goes!

I completely agree with your assessment. With my IPP 12.9 it stayed attached to the MKB, and I never removed it. However, I was often frustrated because I wanted the IPP for its portability, but at the same time, it was impractical because I used it for consumption, work and school. I found that with the MKB, it was portable but not in the way I wanted to use it—in my lap. When the M1 MBA was announced I figured that I would gift the IPP and get the M1 which would solve all of the things that I didn’t like about the IPP/MKB combo. I wound up getting the Mini 6 which is I feel is a great complement to the M1 and my Mac Mini. I still have the IPP 11”, but find that I don’t use as often as I do my other devices. We each find solutions that works best for our needs.

 

[AstroRexaur]

As a digital artist I always thought the 12.9-inch iPad Pro was going to be the only option for me.

I had one and used it daily for a couple of years. It was fantastic & I could never see myself downsizing to an iPad that was any smaller than 12.9-inch.

A little later on I started a new job and had to do a lengthy commute daily. I thought it'd be nice to get the then-new iPad mini (the 5th gen) as a companion device for sketching whilst on the train - when I got home I always had the 12.9-inch iPad waiting for me, so it was a good idea and I wasn't losing anything.

But that's when I ended up in a predicament. For me, the mini was too small for anything more than sketches or smaller works, but it made the 12.9 iPad Pro feel so cumbersome to use by comparison.

Honestly, the mini changed my view of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro without me having expected it. That's when I decided to sell both and got an iPad Pro 11-inch.

Honestly, the 11-inch is the perfect size for me. It brings the portability of the iPad mini that I so loved, but mixes it with a bigger screen so I'm still getting a decent canvas to draw on.

I don't think I could go back to 12.9-inch now. I'm keen to upgrade my current iPad Pro to one with an M processor, but I'm waiting patiently for them to add mini LED to the 11-inch model just to make it a more worthwhile upgrade.

It's really nice to read your experience because I think we sometimes get caught up in the 'bigger is better' mentality, but it really isn't true a lot of the time.

Thank you for sharing.

same happens with the iPhone Pro Max, my boyfriend has the Pro Max and I have the Pro. I don't understand the hype that Pro Max have over Pro. The PM is so uncomfortable for all types of situations and don't fit properly in pockets and places/accesories "made" for phones. Edit: I have 11" pro 2018 has a "laptop" and was hyped to upgrade it this year but there was not any screen improvements. Mac mini M1 has a desktop.

 

[MisterSavage]

same happens with the iPhone Pro Max, my boyfriend has the Pro Max and I have the Pro. I don't understand the hype that Pro Max have over Pro. The PM is so uncomfortable for all types of situations and don't fit properly in pockets and places/accesories "made" for phones.

A friend of mine swears his pro always fits in his pockets. I think he's messing with me.

 

[Rafterman]

I recently bought the 11-inch Pro at BB. The 256 GB version was on sale that day for $100 off and the Pencil was $30 off, so I lucked out on timing. I was originally set on getting the 12.9 because of the screen technology, but when I picked up the larger one with the Magic keyboard attached I was surprised at the overall weight. The 11 has been perfect for me, and I just purchased the Magic keyboard for it. It’s plenty large enough for viewing videos, for taking notes, for quick edits of photos and for the amateur artwork I play around with. It’s very portable for traveling and has replaced my laptop in this respect.

The 12.9 is 1.5 pounds, the 11 is 1 pound and the Mini is .6 pounds. While half a pound doesn't sound like much, it can be after trying to hold it as a tablet for a while. To me, the 12.9 was awkward as a tablet. If you keep it docked most of the time, the 12.9 is great. But if you use it as a tablet, the 11 and Mini are easier to manage.

 

[kdoug]

I bought a 12.9 Pro with keyboard. At first I thought it would be perfect until I realized it’s still not a laptop and at around $1400 I could’ve bought a 1tb, 16gb Air which is what I did. So now I have a brand M1 Air and a 11” IPP. This combo is perfect for my usage.

 

[Rafterman]

same happens with the iPhone Pro Max, my boyfriend has the Pro Max and I have the Pro. I don't understand the hype that Pro Max have over Pro. The PM is so uncomfortable for all types of situations and don't fit properly in pockets and places/accesories "made" for phones. Edit: I have 11" pro 2018 has a "laptop" and was hyped to upgrade it this year but there was not any screen improvements. Mac mini M1 has a desktop.

Well, for one thing, the 12 Pro Max had a slightly better camera than the regular. The cameras on the 13 though are the same this year.

 

[rui no onna]

same happens with the iPhone Pro Max, my boyfriend has the Pro Max and I have the Pro. I don't understand the hype that Pro Max have over Pro. The PM is so uncomfortable for all types of situations and don't fit properly in pockets and places/accesories "made" for phones.

The folks I know who got the iPhone Pro Max did so because their aging eyes need bigger fonts. On smaller displays, there'd be barely any content on the screen with the font sizes they use.

 

[sparksd]

The folks I know who got the iPhone Pro Max did so because their aging eyes need bigger fonts. On smaller displays, there'd be barely any content on the screen with the font sizes they use.

I got one simply because I like larger screens. The 12PM was an upgrade from the XS Max for me.

 

[rui no onna]

I got one simply because I like larger screens. The 12PM was an upgrade from the XS Max for me.

Lol, I think one upgraded from a broken 6S Plus and the other one came from a 7 Plus with bad battery.