All iPads iPad mini 5 redundant with 8 plus?

[buin20]

Hey everyone. Currently in the market for an iPad. Crossed the iPad 10.2 off my list due to display and processor and have no interest in spending the money needed for a pro (and will under no circumstance every give up touch ID).

That leaves me with the mini 5 and the air. Spec wise I know they are identical so it just comes down to form factor. For reference, I had an iPad 2 with retina display, then moved to a retina iPad mini. Shortly before getting the 7 plus I sold my iPad mini assuming I'd be fine with the plus phone which I was for the last several years. However, I'm growing tired of the phone for at home use so here I am.

So, do I purchase the mini for $379 or do I go even bigger with the air for $479 and get a pair of beats included? I will use this device almost exclusively either in an armchair or in bed and will use it for youtube, netflix, web browsing. Nothing more. Also, I can type very easily on both devices with two hands in portrait or landscape so that's not an issue. I have until Thursday night to get my student discount if I do end up going air.

 

[Never mind]

As you wrote, comes down to the form factor. If you’re comfortable with the smaller one or larger the choice is up to you not us. It’s going to be your tablet and you have to be happy with it. So go to the Apple store or wherever they have these two items and hold them for a while to see which one you prefer.

 

[callihan_44]

Ive been kicking around the idea of mini or pro 11, after playing around with the mini extensively I think Im crossing it off my want list...ive had one in the past but for me it overlaps too much with my phone. I need a bigger display, my eyes strain to read web pages on the mini now....

 

[Apple_Robert]

Ive been kicking around the idea of mini or pro 11, after playing around with the mini extensively I think Im crossing it off my want list...ive had one in the past but for me it overlaps too much with my phone. I need a bigger display, my eyes strain to read web pages on the mini now....

The mini screen is a lot bigger than your phone. Are you straining to read on your phone?

 

[Falhófnir]

There's less overlap between a mini and plus iPhone than you might expect given the relatively close screen diagonal. For starters, the different aspect (squarer on the iPad) means the screen is more than twice the size, not the 1.4x implied by 5.5 vs 7.9. The iPad apps are optimised for more screen space, and even more so with iPad OS, there's a difference in layouts, more permanent UI elements will be shown on the iPad.

Between the Air and the Mini, the two are essentially the same in different sizes. Would you make use of the smart KB if you got one? That might be something to lean you towards the Air. Would you be taking it on the go a lot? That might make the mini a better choice. If you can find somewhere selling both models and have a look IRL, that usually makes it more apparent which model you would prefer. When the new 11 and 12.9 inch Pros launched, I initially thought I might like to try the smaller 11", until I saw it in person and decided it was a bigger drop in size than I thought, and I'd probably struggle to adjust.

 

[ericwn]

It’s hard to give you advice on what size interface would be preferable. It’s really a personal decision in my opinion.

Personally, I might try the mini first. Great size that you have familiarity with. But I’m only looking at the mini because I already have a 12.9” Pro.

Buy from a place with good return policy and test the devices with your apps and with your data. Some student discount probably always applies. Forget about Beats. Just my opinion of course.

 

[Macintoshrumors]

imo with the mini, might as well use your phone . if your going for the air, id get the 10.5 Pro, its better in every way, quad speakers, promotion the A10X chip is still a beast and made specially for the ipad (unlike the A12 on the air that is used on the iphones) and the cherry on top? it still rocks touch id . you can find these cheaper than the air on the apple site under the refub section which are practically new machines with the one yr apple warranty .

think about it .

 

[subjonas]

All our devices have some level of redundancy, but I think what makes each device worth having is when it fulfills a personally important role that none of your other devices can adequately fulfill, no matter how much redundancy there is. So theoretically two devices can be identical except for, say, color, and if it’s critical that you have those two colors for some reason, then it’s critical for you to have both (this might happen in a business scenario maybe).

So it’s a very subjective decision. But personally, I appreciate the mini’s portability more. It’s better for holding for long periods of reading, and it’s easy to pick up and do a quick task. But I also have other devices that are dedicated for other tasks. I have a 12.9 for productivity, and a pretty nice TV on which I prefer to watch all movies and shows.

If you go for the Air (3), I agree that the 10.5 Pro should be at least considered as an alternative. But I think the decision between the two is a tough one.

Ive been kicking around the idea of mini or pro 11, after playing around with the mini extensively I think Im crossing it off my want list...ive had one in the past but for me it overlaps too much with my phone. I need a bigger display, my eyes strain to read web pages on the mini now....

The mini screen is a lot bigger than your phone. Are you straining to read on your phone?

The unfortunate thing about hard to read websites is that it’s not really the fault of the device’s size—it’s usually just because the website does not properly adjust itself to the screen size of the device. Ideally you should be able to set your device to always have a certain font size, and every site you visit will maintain that font size and adjust the format to the device’s screen. But that’s not the reality, sadly.

 

[callihan_44]

The mini screen is a lot bigger than your phone. Are you straining to read on your phone?

the text on the mini is not that much bigger and yes the only time I use my phone to look something up on the net is when I dont have any other device around, not enough size difference to justify buying it as a main consumption device for me.

 

[AutomaticApple]

Hey everyone. Currently in the market for an iPad. Crossed the iPad 10.2 off my list due to display and processor and have no interest in spending the money needed for a pro (and will under no circumstance every give up touch ID).

That leaves me with the mini 5 and the air. Spec wise I know they are identical so it just comes down to form factor. For reference, I had an iPad 2 with retina display, then moved to a retina iPad mini. Shortly before getting the 7 plus I sold my iPad mini assuming I'd be fine with the plus phone which I was for the last several years. However, I'm growing tired of the phone for at home use so here I am.

So, do I purchase the mini for $379 or do I go even bigger with the air for $479 and get a pair of beats included? I will use this device almost exclusively either in an armchair or in bed and will use it for youtube, netflix, web browsing. Nothing more. Also, I can type very easily on both devices with two hands in portrait or landscape so that's not an issue. I have until Thursday night to get my student discount if I do end up going air.

Sounds like the iPad mini 5 would fit you very well.

 

[buin20]

Thanks guy. Went to the apple store. Like that the iPad air has a big screen but the thing is unwieldy to use with two hands.

Decided on the mini, just need to figure out which size storage to get now.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Thanks guy. Went to the apple store. Like that the iPad air has a big screen but the thing is unwieldy to use with two hands.

Decided on the mini, just need to figure out which size storage to get now.

I stream everything. 64gb cellular for me.

 

[tops2]

When I had my iPhone 6plus, I rarely used my mini. But now with the XR, I prefer going back to the mini for when I want to read for longer periods. Even though the text for some websites are almost just as small, the webpage format of the websites I go to allows more space and doesn't feel as cramped.

With iPadOS, I appreciate I can request desktop page and enlarge the text.

I did briefly have the entry level iPad (5th gen), and found it nice for sitting on the sofa. But it was "unwieldy" when lying in bed so ended up returning it. I'm tempted to trade in my mini 4 for a new ipad..but kinda debating if I want to just go to the larger Air 3 or go with mini 5 as well.