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

[Booji]

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 had a large-format Android (Mi Max 2) and I really loved it for a special use case - traveling where I would constantly access a map. It was really great for that, but after a while, I found the large size a real burden. For other uses, the 13 6.1" screen is big enough. This year, I was tempted to for MP but chickened out at the last moment.

 

[Shanghaichica]

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.

The 12.9 with magic keyboard attached weighs more than the MacBook Air which is crazy to me.

 

[ericwn]

At the end of the day, it’s great that you found the screen size that you feel the most comfortable with - that to me is the most important thing with tablets.

 

[The Game 161]

I’ve gone back and forth on 11 inch vs 12.9. I’ve found 12.9 is more suitable for when I need the bigger screen. I feel the other things I use things for can be used on my phone

 

[F-Stop]

???I'm not sure if anyone will find this interesting…

Well, I certainly did ?

Ive owned all the iPads since the very first one was released. At present I’m using an 11” Pro (my wife too) and have found it to be the most suitable, for my needs, over the 12.9 version. I’ve bouget the largest iPad twice now but have ended up selling it on both occasions. I’ve also purchased, and subsequently sold, the magic keyboard too! It’s a great device…but it just didn’t suite my needs. And that just about sums it up…each to his/her own. Whatever suits you best and whatever you are most comfitable with is all that matters ?

As much as I enjoy using my 11” Pro (my ‘go to’ device) I’m going to purchase the new iPad mini 6 to see what it’s like. I know it’s going to be a great device for simple content viewing whilst slouching on my sofa, so there’s a very high chance I’ll be keeping both the Mini and the Pro . I bought the new 24” iMac when it was released as I’d never owned a Mac before and was interested in what Mac OS was like to use. I loved it, and still do…so I kept it.

Ive got a 12 Pro iPhone but am curious as to if the improvements to the camera on the new 13 will benefit me…so I’m going to buy one and give it a whirl. I’ve got to check the specs though as I really fancy getting the 13 mini, but only if the camera is at least as good as my 12 Pro is.

In conclusion…go with what suits you and your needs.We are all different and we all need different devices for different reasons. There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution.

Thanks for your post… I, for one, found it very interesting ? ?

Andy ?

 

[Ludatyk]

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 ?

I've always been on the side of if owning an iPad Pro... whether it be 12.9 or 11, a desktop would compliment it much better than a laptop would. I'm only looking at it terms of screen size, I recall owning a Macbook next to an iPad Pro and although it was a nice experience. I thought owning the two seemed redundant.

I know macOS is a superior operating system compared to iPadOS, but I couldn't get past the screen size when using both. So, in all my years of owning an iPad Pro (12.9")... I always thought it was a better fit to use an iPP with a desktop, PC or Mac Mini/iMac. If I'm on the go and need to access my desktop, I could always remote into it.

 

[davidako]

The 12.9 with magic keyboard attached weighs more than the MacBook Air which is crazy to me.

Yeah kinda insane but they had to deliberately make the keyboard heavy to make sure the heavy 12.9 wouldn’t be unstable. With a normal laptop there isn’t so much weight in the display section.

 

[EastHillWill]

Well, I certainly did ?

Ive owned all the iPads since the very first one was released. At present I’m using an 11” Pro (my wife too) and have found it to be the most suitable, for my needs, over the 12.9 version. I’ve bouget the largest iPad twice now but have ended up selling it on both occasions. I’ve also purchased, and subsequently sold, the magic keyboard too! It’s a great device…but it just didn’t suite my needs. And that just about sums it up…each to his/her own. Whatever suits you best and whatever you are most comfitable with is all that matters ?

As much as I enjoy using my 11” Pro (my ‘go to’ device) I’m going to purchase the new iPad mini 6 to see what it’s like. I know it’s going to be a great device for simple content viewing whilst slouching on my sofa, so there’s a very high chance I’ll be keeping both the Mini and the Pro . I bought the new 24” iMac when it was released as I’d never owned a Mac before and was interested in what Mac OS was like to use. I loved it, and still do…so I kept it.

Ive got a 12 Pro iPhone but am curious as to if the improvements to the camera on the new 13 will benefit me…so I’m going to buy one and give it a whirl. I’ve got to check the specs though as I really fancy getting the 13 mini, but only if the camera is at least as good as my 12 Pro is.

In conclusion…go with what suits you and your needs.We are all different and we all need different devices for different reasons. There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution.

Thanks for your post… I, for one, found it very interesting ? ?

Andy ?

Lots of good stuff here! I’ll be curious to hear how the mini fits into your current setup. I could see myself getting one at some point, but I really want to give this current crop a fair shake. Re the iPhones, I also went from the 12 Pro to the 13 (Pro). Yesterday was the first time I really had the chance to play around with the camera, and Photographic Styles are very interesting; I’m def looking forward to using them more. If that feature had been added to the 12 series I’d tell most folks that the camera upgrade alone probably isn’t worth it, but between that and all of the other little improvements it’s actually a pretty compelling sell. Apple offers a bunch of very good products at the moment, to the point that it can be difficult to figure out which ones best fit your life. Not the worst problem to have ?‍♂️

 

[EastHillWill]

I've always been on the side of if owning an iPad Pro... whether it be 12.9 or 11, a desktop would compliment it much better than a laptop would. I'm only looking at it terms of screen size, I recall owning a Macbook next to an iPad Pro and although it was a nice experience. I thought owning the two seemed redundant.

I know macOS is a superior operating system compared to iPadOS, but I couldn't get past the screen size when using both. So, in all my years of owning an iPad Pro (12.9")... I always thought it was a better fit to use an iPP with a desktop, PC or Mac Mini/iMac. If I'm on the go and need to access my desktop, I could always remote into it.

For sure. The redundancy thing always bother me to a certain extent. There‘s really nothing wrong with having a variety of devices with some amount of overlap between them, but when I’m in that situation there’s always a part of me that‘s like ’hey, we should really be more efficient here.’ Sometimes I listen to that voice, other times I go and buy a gadget I don’t really need ?‍♂️

 

[Kiimora]

It took the 2020 12.9” & the M1 12.9” to realise that the 11” is more practical for my use case . I am awaiting the next iteration of the Mx 11 iPP to revert & hopefully get the MKB

 

[kristalsoldier]

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.

It is precisely because it’s “a tweener” that it is a “happy medium” with the understanding that nothing really “is perfect”!

 

[Rafterman]

For sure. The redundancy thing always bother me to a certain extent. There‘s really nothing wrong with having a variety of devices with some amount of overlap between them, but when I’m in that situation there’s always a part of me that‘s like ’hey, we should really be more efficient here.’ Sometimes I listen to that voice, other times I go and buy a gadget I don’t really need ?‍♂️

I gave up the multiple iPad lifestyle ad settled on an 11. I had a 12.9 and a Mini 6, and I felt like I always used the Mini, in which case, what the hell did I have a 12.9 for? In the end, I spit the difference and got an 11 inch iPad. Not much heavier than a Mini, but with the 12.9's capabilities.

 

[kdoug]

Well, I certainly did ?

Ive owned all the iPads since the very first one was released. At present I’m using an 11” Pro (my wife too) and have found it to be the most suitable, for my needs, over the 12.9 version. I’ve bouget the largest iPad twice now but have ended up selling it on both occasions. I’ve also purchased, and subsequently sold, the magic keyboard too! It’s a great device…but it just didn’t suite my needs. And that just about sums it up…each to his/her own. Whatever suits you best and whatever you are most comfitable with is all that matters ?

As much as I enjoy using my 11” Pro (my ‘go to’ device) I’m going to purchase the new iPad mini 6 to see what it’s like. I know it’s going to be a great device for simple content viewing whilst slouching on my sofa, so there’s a very high chance I’ll be keeping both the Mini and the Pro . I bought the new 24” iMac when it was released as I’d never owned a Mac before and was interested in what Mac OS was like to use. I loved it, and still do…so I kept it.

Ive got a 12 Pro iPhone but am curious as to if the improvements to the camera on the new 13 will benefit me…so I’m going to buy one and give it a whirl. I’ve got to check the specs though as I really fancy getting the 13 mini, but only if the camera is at least as good as my 12 Pro is.

In conclusion…go with what suits you and your needs.We are all different and we all need different devices for different reasons. There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution.

Thanks for your post… I, for one, found it very interesting ? ?

Andy ?

Take it from me, anything named Mini, SE or Lite is like buying day old bread or bottled water. Apple is the master at manipulation because they want us to believe that they somehow are running the company like Steve Jobs and that’s the farthest thing from the truth. That Mini can’t cost them more than $150-$175 to produce and there’s nothing new or innovative about it whatsoever.

 

[sparksd]

Take it from me, anything named Mini, SE or Lite is like buying day old bread or bottled water. Apple is the master at manipulation because they want us to believe that they somehow are running the company like Steve Jobs and that’s the farthest thing from the truth. That Mini can’t cost them more than $150-$175 to produce and there’s nothing new or innovative about it whatsoever.

I have the 2021 12.9 iPP and the Mini 6 and I find the Mini to be a great device. Take it from me ...

 

[kristalsoldier]

I have the 2021 12.9 iPP and the Mini 6 and I find the Mini to be a great device. Take it from me ...

Sure! When and where? ?

 

[kdoug]

I have the 2021 12.9 iPP and the Mini 6 and I find the Mini to be a great device. Take it from me ...

? So you chose poorly twice?

 

[iPadified]

I never understood "the perfect size" statement and the endless need for confirmation that "I" have chosen the correct size. Perfect size has mostly to do with what you are using the device for and partly your eyesight. This varies of course a lot. I am waiting for a 15 inch iPP .

 

[sparksd]

? So you chose poorly twice?

Not in my opinion, which in this kind of thing is the only one that counts.

 

[MrGimper]

I’ve gone back and forth on 11 inch vs 12.9. I’ve found 12.9 is more suitable for when I need the bigger screen. I feel the other things I use things for can be used on my phone

This is why I went from a 10.5 pro to the 12.9. The 12.9 is brilliant with it's bigger screen ..... web browsing, movies, apps, all fantastic and especially with mini-LED. I have had "Plus/Max" phones since they were introduced. I bought a Mini 6 last week as a "tweener" device, but it's going back. The experience is terrible compared to my 12.9, too cramped and the screen isn't as good. Also compared to my 13 Pro max, where the UI experience and screen is better albeit smaller.

I love the 12.9 on the couch, this vast viewing area makes such a difference.

 

[jagolden]

Take it from me, anything named Mini, SE or Lite is like buying day old bread or bottled water. Apple is the master at manipulation because they want us to believe that they somehow are running the company like Steve Jobs and that’s the farthest thing from the truth. That Mini can’t cost them more than $150-$175 to produce and there’s nothing new or innovative about it whatsoever.

Have to disagree on this one. Use a Mini 5 and 12.9” Pro. Both see similar uses - writing, photo manipulation, drawing/art, games, and research.
As to the 11”, for my use cases I wouldn’t touch it. When you’re doing photo manipulation or art, the extra screen realestate is invaluable.

 

[TechRunner]

I use it in 2-column landscape though (so like an open book)

This! I like reading a "book", and that's the one usage that has kept me on 10-11" iPads (I have the 7th gen; looking to upgrade to 11 Pro in early spring). I've always thought the Mini would be a great device, but it always comes down to reading books for me, and having two pages visible in landscape mode is my comfort zone. And sadly, justifying the purchase of two iPads in the context of my other hobby addictions isn't possible

 

[gsal]

If they could fix external monitor support for iPad OS, I would be over the 12.9”. I personally feel that 11” is the sweet spot for a portable touch screen tablet device.

For artists imagine having the 11” as a portable sketchbook device, and then going home to connect up to a 24”+ cintiq to get some real work done all with the power of M1. One could only dream.

 

[petvas]

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!

While I don't share your Windows feelings I had a similar way of thinking in regards to the iPad. I had the 12.9" and found it to be too big and heavy as a tablet. For serious work I always use my iMac and my 13" MacBook Pro. I thought about getting the iPad mini and in the process of doing this I realized that the Mini is too close to my iPhone Pro Max and that I actually want a high end iPad, but just not big as the 12.9". I ended up buying the 11" and I am happy with it.

 

[EastHillWill]

I never understood "the perfect size" statement and the endless need for confirmation that "I" have chosen the correct size. Perfect size has mostly to do with what you are using the device for and partly your eyesight. This varies of course a lot. I am waiting for a 15 inch iPP .

Whenever I see folks talking about the ‘perfect size device’ most times I think it’s clear their frame of reference is ‘for them.’ At least that’s the case in the tablet space, where there are just as many sizes as use cases. When it comes to phones I think you’re correct: There’s a lot of ’this size is objectively the best for everyone, and if you think differently you’re wrong!’ rhetoric. That’s one of the reasons I’m very happy the Pro devices are identical this year outside of size and battery capacity—less opportunity to argue about how the Pro Max is ‘the best’ due to the camera, etc. I hope you get your 15” iPad Pro. Heck, it may even fold!

 

[EastHillWill]

While I don't share your Windows feelings I had a similar way of thinking in regards to the iPad. I had the 12.9" and found it to be too big and heavy as a tablet. For serious work I always use my iMac and my 13" MacBook Pro. I thought about getting the iPad mini and in the process of doing this I realized that the Mini is too close to my iPhone Pro Max and that I actually want a high end iPad, but just not big as the 12.9". I ended up buying the 11" and I am happy with it.

Very nice, sounds like we had a similar thought process ? And yes, haha, I didn’t think my Windows opinions would be shared too broadly here. It’s definitely more the hardware of the Samsung laptop that I enjoy as opposed to the OS itself, where it’s more nostalgia and familiarity than some great love of what MS has done with UI.