iPad Pro iPad mini 6 users who upgraded to the M4 11" iPad Pro

[Apple_Robert]

There has been able discussion about the pros and cons of the 11" vs the 13" M4 iPad Pro with the various use cases in typical daily use. One thing I have seen discussed past a random post in said threads, is the use transformation from the iPad mini to the new M4 11" iPad Pro without the Magic Keyboard. If you are a mini 6 or were a mini 6 user past the trial period and upgraded to the new 11" iPad Pro, I would like to read your useage thoughts comparing the two in regards to.

1) Body form handling - Are you still able to type as easily with the new iPad Pro as you were the mini 6? Do you find yourself holding the iPad Pro one-handed as much as you did the mini 6?

2) Screen Brightness - Has the increased brightness of the iPad Pro benefitted you in your day to day usage, or has it been something you haven't really paid attention outside of new tech day one testing?

3) Screen Scrolling - Have you noticed the ProMotion with the M4 iPad Pro, and if so, has it been something more than testing the iPad with fast scrolling? Has the ProMotion feature been something that has positively impacted your use of the iPad and if so, was it one of the main factors in upgrading from the mini 6?

4) Screen color depth - Has the difference in color depth been noticeable every time you use the M4 iPad Pro, or has it been (in your eyes with typical usage) very similar to the mini 6?

5) Split screen usage - Have you made use of split screen with the mini 6? If so, how has your experience been with the M4 iPad? Have you had to make use of the Zoom function and or changed text size to get the correct sizing that suited your use?

6) Pencil use - If you were a pencil user with the mini 6, has that increased with the use of the M4 iPad? And if so, in what regard?

7) Cellular use and portability - If you purchased the cellular option with the mini 6 or M4 iPad, have you made use of it on a regular basis and thus feel benefitted from the extra purchase cost? Do you travel as much or more with the M4 iPad than you did the mini 6? If so, what caused the change?

8) Please describe your typical iPad usage as to apps used and approximate time used per day)

9) iOS ability and use - Does the M4 iPadOS meet your current daily needs and are you able to perform tasks easier with the M4 iPad than you were the mini 6?

10) What things frustrate you when using the M4 iPad Pro compared to the mini 6?

11) Are you happy with your purchase or are you still considering returning the M4 iPad?

12) Did reading MR play any role in your purchase of the M4 iPad?

 

[Surfsalot]

Get a 13" for 13 days then swap it for a 11", will feel like a mini lol

 

[sublunar]

Isn't a comparison with an M2 Air a more pertinent one? In the UK you can get a 128Gb M2 Air 11" for £599 while the now ageing A15 Mini 6 costs £499 with 64Gb.

And if you get 256Gb you're paying £699 for the M2 Air or £649 for the Mini 6.

This is before any street discounts.

If I had to choose between the 2 now, the Air is clearly the better value for money unless the form factor is important. Clearly Mini 7 has to come with A18 CPU and the price could do with coming down too - it's already had a price increase in the UK thanks to dreadful US/UK exchange rate.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Isn't a comparison with an M2 Air a more pertinent one? In the UK you can get a 128Gb M2 Air 11" for £599 while the now ageing A15 Mini 6 costs £499 with 64Gb.

And if you get 256Gb you're paying £699 for the M2 Air or £649 for the Mini 6.

This is before any street discounts.

I never mentioned price as that is not a consideration for the me. I, and hopefully others, are more concerned with the other points raised.

 

[sublunar]

I never mentioned price as that is not a consideration for the me. I, and hopefully others, are more concerned with the other points raised.

But price has to be a consideration for new potential purchasers of iPad mini - that's one hell of an upgrade moving from iPad mini to iPad Pro M4. I'd just like to see what Apple could do with a Pro-grade Mini rather than the current Air-Grade one.

For what it's worth I'd probably have really liked the form factor of the Mini, I have had both an 11" and 12.9" iPad Pro (pre-OLED) and of the two I think the 11" is better for iPad.

I'd have found Cellular a great option out and about for the Mini - it's one of the things that sets iPads apart from Macs.

 

[Nikhil72]

But price has to be a consideration for new potential purchasers of iPad mini - that's one hell of an upgrade moving from iPad mini to iPad Pro M4. I'd just like to see what Apple could do with a Pro-grade Mini rather than the current Air-Grade one.

For what it's worth I'd probably have really liked the form factor of the Mini, I have had both an 11" and 12.9" iPad Pro (pre-OLED) and of the two I think the 11" is better for iPad.

I'd have found Cellular a great option out and about for the Mini - it's one of the things that sets iPads apart from Macs.

Price doesn't need to be a consideration if the mini was the only option in its size class. If given a pro-level mini, I'm sure there are people who would gravitate to it. By going to an 11", you get OLED, 120Hz, landscape camera, the Magic Keyboard, a better pencil, etc. Cost and value isn't always the only consideration for some.

 

[Apple_Robert]

But price has to be a consideration for new potential purchasers of iPad mini - that's one hell of an upgrade moving from iPad mini to iPad Pro M4. I'd just like to see what Apple could do with a Pro-grade Mini rather than the current Air-Grade one.

For what it's worth I'd probably have really liked the form factor of the Mini, I have had both an 11" and 12.9" iPad Pro (pre-OLED) and of the two I think the 11" is better for iPad.

I'd have found Cellular a great option out and about for the Mini - it's one of the things that sets iPads apart from Macs.

I too make use of cellular with my mini. I really like that ability.

Going from an iPad mini 6 to a M4 iPad Pro is a big upgrade. I haven't seen a lot of talk about it and it struck me curious why that is, as many I have spoken with are either content with the current state of the mini or they are waiting for the new model hoping for a pro version.

At this point in time, I have made peace with the fact that the iPad mini probably won't be offered in what many consider pro form for a long time, if ever. As such, I can either keep using what I have, which isn't terrible or, consider upgrading to the M4 11".

 

[rui no onna]

Not quite the M4 11" but I've used all 3 sizes.

1) Body form handling - Are you still able to type as easily with the new iPad Pro as you were the mini 6? Do you find yourself holding the iPad Pro one-handed as much as you did the mini 6?

I always use my iPad mini in portrait (not quite one-handed). The 10+" iPads I've always used in landscape with the SmartFolio acting as stand. It just feels too big for portrait mode for me.

2) Screen Brightness - Has the increased brightness of the iPad Pro benefitted you in your day to day usage, or has it been something you haven't really paid attention outside of new tech day one testing?

I'm always at 0-30% anyway and sometimes even have Reduce White Point on so the high brightness has never been much of a draw for me.

3) Screen Scrolling - Have you noticed the ProMotion with the M4 iPad Pro, and if so, has it been something more than testing the iPad with fast scrolling? Has the ProMotion feature been something that has positively impacted your use of the iPad and if so, was it one of the main factors in upgrading from the mini 6?

Not something I care overmuch about.

5) Split screen usage - Have you made use of split screen with the mini 6? If so, how has your experience been with the M4 iPad? Have you had to make use of the Zoom function and or changed text size to get the correct sizing that suited your use?

I find the Mini's display too small for split screen. Mind, the 11" in landscape with More Space enabled feels a little bit like two portrait iPad Minis side-by-side (Mini 5 height and a bit less than Mini 6 width).

7) Cellular use and portability - If you purchased the cellular option with the mini 6 or M4 iPad, have you made use of it on a regular basis and thus feel benefitted from the extra purchase cost? Do you travel as much or more with the M4 iPad than you did the mini 6? If so, what caused the change?

Before getting the Mini 6, the 11" was my EDC so I do use cellular a lot. I use iPads way more than iPhones. With that said, the Mini is easier to slip into more of my small purses/crossbody bags.

8) Please describe your typical iPad usage as to apps used and approximate time used per day)

Primarily reading and browsing. Some gaming (both touchscreen and with controller). Plus the usual stuff: streaming, shopping, banking, taxes, messages, video calls, notes, managing home security and IOT devices, email, etc. I use iPads 10+ hours a day.

Personally, I'm still very content with my M1 iPad Pros. It's the Mini that I'm hoping to upgrade to 8GB RAM.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Not quite the M4 11" but I've used all 3 sizes.



I always use my iPad mini in portrait (not quite one-handed). The 10+" iPads I've always used in landscape with the SmartFolio acting as stand. It just feels too big for portrait mode for me.



I'm always at 0-30% anyway and sometimes even have Reduce White Point on so the high brightness has never been much of a draw for me.



Not something I care overmuch about.



I find the Mini's display too small for split screen. Mind, the 11" in landscape with More Space enabled feels a little bit like two portrait iPad Minis side-by-side (Mini 5 height and a bit less than Mini 6 width).



Before getting the Mini 6, the 11" was my EDC so I do use cellular a lot. I use iPads way more than iPhones. With that said, the Mini is easier to slip into more of my small purses/crossbody bags.



Primarily reading and browsing. Some gaming (both touchscreen and with controller). Plus the usual stuff: streaming, shopping, banking, taxes, messages, video calls, notes, managing home security and IOT devices, email, etc. I use iPads 10+ hours a day.

Personally, I'm still very content with my M1 iPad Pros. It's the Mini that I'm hoping to upgrade to 8GB RAM.

Thanks for taking the time to respond to the thread with your experiences. I appreciate the feedback.

 

[G5isAlive]

I never mentioned price as that is not a consideration for the me. I, and hopefully others, are more concerned with the other points raised.

If price is not a consideration, then why talk about upgrading? Meaning, use both. I value the mini for the small form factor and primarily use it reading / web browsing in bed where an 11 inch iPad gets to be cumbersome. Or if I am going somewhere that makes portability critical. But I like the larger screen when I am sitting on the sofa watching TV. Two devices. Two different use. Not which one, but both.

And in particular, we are talking an old iPad mini design that just isn't worth that much in trade in. It has more value to me so I keep it, and just bought my iPad Pro outright.

 

[prospervic]

I was contemplating the same upgrade, really liking the M4 11 inch while trying it out in the Apple Store (so much lighter than the older design -- with a much better screen to boot).

But upon pulling my Mini 6 out of my cargo pants pocket I realized I just cannot give up this really handy size which, among other things is ideal for e-book reading. So I'm going to wait until I can purchase without a trade-in.

 

[Apple_Robert]

If price is not a consideration, then why talk about upgrading? Meaning, use both. I value the mini for the small form factor and primarily use it reading / web browsing in bed where an 11 inch iPad gets to be cumbersome. Or if I am going somewhere that makes portability critical. But I like the larger screen when I am sitting on the sofa watching TV. Two devices. Two different use. Not which one, but both.

And in particular, we are talking an old iPad mini design that just isn't worth that much in trade in. It has more value to me so I keep it, and just bought my iPad Pro outright.

I was considering keeping the mini 6 f I were to get the M4 11."

 

[Apple_Robert]

I was contemplating the same upgrade, really liking the M4 11 inch while trying it out in the Apple Store (so much lighter than the older design -- with a much better screen to boot).

But upon pulling my Mini 6 out of my cargo pants pocket I realized I just cannot give up this really handy size which, among other things is ideal for e-book reading. So I'm going to wait until I can purchase without a trade-in.

I would think reading on the 11" is even better at least that is what I recall when I had the 2020 11" Pro.

 

[G5isAlive]

I was considering keeping the mini 6 f I were to get the M4 11."

You should, and that’s the reason you don’t see much discussion comparing the two. Just isn’t relevant…the mini is almost 100% about content consumption, the pro with keyboard can do content creation. Of course the pro has a better screen, but for me if I am obsessing on the screen it’s because my content isn’t that good. The answer is not a better screen, it’s better content. I know you put a lot of time into your survey, but I think it’s missing the point. It’s about size.

 

[rui no onna]

I would think reading on the 11" is even better at least that is what I recall when I had the 2020 11" Pro.

Depends on your preferences. I've always been more of a mass paperback than hardcover reader.

I like the size of the Mini better when reading in portrait. When I read on the 11", I always use landscape 2-column mode so it feels like reading an open paperback.

 

[LibbyLA]

I use both a Mini 6 and a 2024 iPP 11 (upgraded from a 2021 iPP 11). I don’t use either size any differentl.

 

[VineRider]

There has been able discussion about the pros and cons of the 11" vs the 13" M4 iPad Pro with the various use cases in typical daily use. One thing I have seen discussed past a random post in said threads, is the use transformation from the iPad mini to the new M4 11" iPad Pro without the Magic Keyboard. If you are a mini 6 or were a mini 6 user past the trial period and upgraded to the new 11" iPad Pro, I would like to read your useage thoughts comparing the two in regards to.

1) Body form handling - Are you still able to type as easily with the new iPad Pro as you were the mini 6? Do you find yourself holding the iPad Pro one-handed as much as you did the mini 6?

2) Screen Brightness - Has the increased brightness of the iPad Pro benefitted you in your day to day usage, or has it been something you haven't really paid attention outside of new tech day one testing?

3) Screen Scrolling - Have you noticed the ProMotion with the M4 iPad Pro, and if so, has it been something more than testing the iPad with fast scrolling? Has the ProMotion feature been something that has positively impacted your use of the iPad and if so, was it one of the main factors in upgrading from the mini 6?

4) Screen color depth - Has the difference in color depth been noticeable every time you use the M4 iPad Pro, or has it been (in your eyes with typical usage) very similar to the mini 6?

5) Split screen usage - Have you made use of split screen with the mini 6? If so, how has your experience been with the M4 iPad? Have you had to make use of the Zoom function and or changed text size to get the correct sizing that suited your use?

6) Pencil use - If you were a pencil user with the mini 6, has that increased with the use of the M4 iPad? And if so, in what regard?

7) Cellular use and portability - If you purchased the cellular option with the mini 6 or M4 iPad, have you made use of it on a regular basis and thus feel benefitted from the extra purchase cost? Do you travel as much or more with the M4 iPad than you did the mini 6? If so, what caused the change?

8) Please describe your typical iPad usage as to apps used and approximate time used per day)

9) iOS ability and use - Does the M4 iPadOS meet your current daily needs and are you able to perform tasks easier with the M4 iPad than you were the mini 6?

10) What things frustrate you when using the M4 iPad Pro compared to the mini 6?

11) Are you happy with your purchase or are you still considering returning the M4 iPad?

12) Did reading MR play any role in your purchase of the M4 iPad?

1. I use both the mini 6 and the new 11" M4. It is easier for me to type on the 11" because it's a larger keyboard. I usually use the M4 in landscape mode so I don't use it a lot one handed. mini is used in Portrait mode and I do use that one handed some.
2. Brightness is not something I have really noticed. However, the clarity of the oled screen is something I have noticed. I mainly use the 11" indoors so outside brightness is not a huge factor for me.
3. I do notice the promotion and I really do like it. In fact, if Apple would put promotion on the regular 15 iPhone, I would probably get that rather than the Pro.
4. I use the M4 for content consumption and light work. I'm no expert on color depth, but I do think the screen is better on the M4. Blacks are blacker and colors seem to pop more.
5. I do use split screen on the M4 and it works for me very well, for those apps that support it. Most of my use is on single screen however.
6. I use the pencil on my M4 for signing documents etc., but rarely on my mini 6.
7. I do not use a cellular iPad as I have a 50Gig per month hotspot from my iPhone cellular plan, so I just use that. I do use the iPads when I travel and I always use my hotspot rather than public wifi for security reasons.
8. I use my M4 for email, managing various network gear, browsing the web, Bible reading software, some financial applications etc. I rarely watch videos as I'd rather do that on my regular TV.
9. M4 is easier to use as it's bigger and easier for me to manipulate. The mini is basically what I use if I am reading in bed.
10. No frustrations.
11. I'm past the return period so I'm keeping it
12. I am an avid reader of MR, and I do consider others viewpoints, but mainly, I know what I want and that is the major driver of my purchasing decisions.

Hope this helps.

 

[Apple_Robert]

1. I use both the mini 6 and the new 11" M4. It is easier for me to type on the 11" because it's a larger keyboard. I usually use the M4 in landscape mode so I don't use it a lot one handed. mini is used in Portrait mode and I do use that one handed some.
2. Brightness is not something I have really noticed. However, the clarity of the oled screen is something I have noticed. I mainly use the 11" indoors so outside brightness is not a huge factor for me.
3. I do notice the promotion and I really do like it. In fact, if Apple would put promotion on the regular 15 iPhone, I would probably get that rather than the Pro.
4. I use the M4 for content consumption and light work. I'm no expert on color depth, but I do think the screen is better on the M4. Blacks are blacker and colors seem to pop more.
5. I do use split screen on the M4 and it works for me very well, for those apps that support it. Most of my use is on single screen however.
6. I use the pencil on my M4 for signing documents etc., but rarely on my mini 6.
7. I do not use a cellular iPad as I have a 50Gig per month hotspot from my iPhone cellular plan, so I just use that. I do use the iPads when I travel and I always use my hotspot rather than public wifi for security reasons.
8. I use my M4 for email, managing various network gear, browsing the web, Bible reading software, some financial applications etc. I rarely watch videos as I'd rather do that on my regular TV.
9. M4 is easier to use as it's bigger and easier for me to manipulate. The mini is basically what I use if I am reading in bed.
10. No frustrations.
11. I'm past the return period so I'm keeping it
12. I am an avid reader of MR, and I do consider others viewpoints, but mainly, I know what I want and that is the major driver of my purchasing decisions.

Hope this helps.

Thank you for taking the time to respond. Your post was helpful. I have thought about just using hotspot but, it seems when I have used it, it has been slower and hot and miss at times.

 

[VineRider]

Thank you for taking the time to respond. Your post was helpful. I have thought about just using hotspot but, it seems when I have used it, it has been slower and hot and miss at times.

Hotspot has worked good for me, but definitely depends on cell coverage. I generally only use it for light network use and not if I need to have heavy download ability.