iPad mini iPad mini which one???

[Momof9]

I was so hoping for a mini in March, but that does not look like its going to happen.... The rumors I here for April are for late in the month.

So I have both 2018 iPad Pros - 12.9 and 11 and iPhone 11 Pro Max. I want to use a device for taking notes in church, so holding it. The 11" is too big for me, small hands. The iPhone - well lets say I have been waiting for pencil support (former Samsung Note user). The handwriting keyboards for the iPhone are a bit wonky now. One was really good, but they quit support on it many years ago. I have a fairly good stylus.

So last Sunday, I used an old Samsung Tab E - a little smaller than the iPad mini. I really liked the size - especially in landscape mode. But I hated how the apps worked or did not work in android.... It was very frustrating... SO I have been looking for a used iPad mini.... How old or new should I go? I will hopefully be buying the 6 when it comes out, especially if it has smaller bezels. I probably will do a cellular version.

I know that 4s are the oldest that work in iPad OS. Will they still work in next update? I don't want to get something that would not have much left in updates or resell value. But I don't want to wait over a month to get something. The regular iPads are too close to the 11" size.

Thank you for your help

 

[LibbyLA]

Since you’re planning to replace it with a 6, seems like a 4 would be a lower cost stopgap than a 5. I had a 4, replaced it with a 5 and use both the Apple Pencil and Logitech crayon.

 

[sracer]

Since you’re planning to replace it with a 6, seems like a 4 would be a lower cost stopgap than a 5. I had a 4, replaced it with a 5 and use both the Apple Pencil and Logitech crayon.

I think getting a (non-LTE) 5 is better than a 4 even if the OP is going to a 6, provided that the OP already owns an Apple Pencil 1. The Mini 4 doesn't support active stylii.

When I'm not preaching, I take my Mini 5+Pencil instead of my dead-tree Bible to church. Although I'm a fan of both iOS and Android tablets, my preferred Bible software is not available on Android. Using the Mini 5 with a matte screen protector with the Apple Pencil is very enjoyable user experience.

I'm a big fan of Apple smartcovers. Sadly, current iPad Pro models don't have them. If the rumors of the 6 are true, it won't have one either.

Smartcovers for the Mini 4 will work with the Mini 5... and they can be purchased new for a fraction of their original price... so much so that I have 2. I have a red cover that I use when I'm using the Mini as an ereader. I have a black smartcover with a sling for the Pencil when I'm using it as a digital notebook/journal.

Then there are the full cases. The Zagg keyboard case for the Mini 4 will work on the 5 (but have to slightly modify the microphone hole if you'll be using the mic).

 

[Momof9]

I wondered if I would hear from you - I almost PMd you about this

I will have to get a new pencil 1 - One of my older daughter is buying it and my 2018 12.9" iPP.

I just found an app - Church Notes that works ok on my iPhone - I will have to see how it works at church. I just rewrote Sunday's notes into it and it works ok - some glitches. I just know that at church when I was using the Day One Journal - it would delete whole sentences etc on me LOL. not fun.... it was glitching a lot on the iPhone. At least this will give me a little time to find or wait for the 6...

The other thing I was concerned about was going from the top of the line iPads to the mini. I also know that I would read from the Kindle app at night on the mini, without my glasses. Sometimes it is getting really hard to read without them on at night.... LOL. at least with the mini, I could make the text large enough and it wouldn't make me have to change the page as often LOL

I also was looking at the 4 prices - for a little more, I could get a 5....

 

[LibbyLA]

I think getting a (non-LTE) 5 is better than a 4 even if the OP is going to a 6, provided that the OP already owns an Apple Pencil 1. The Mini 4 doesn't support active stylii.

When I'm not preaching, I take my Mini 5+Pencil instead of my dead-tree Bible to church. Although I'm a fan of both iOS and Android tablets, my preferred Bible software is not available on Android. Using the Mini 5 with a matte screen protector with the Apple Pencil is very enjoyable user experience.

I'm a big fan of Apple smartcovers. Sadly, current iPad Pro models don't have them. If the rumors of the 6 are true, it won't have one either.

Smartcovers for the Mini 4 will work with the Mini 5... and they can be purchased new for a fraction of their original price... so much so that I have 2. I have a red cover that I use when I'm using the Mini as an ereader. I have a black smartcover with a sling for the Pencil when I'm using it as a digital notebook/journal.

Then there are the full cases. The Zagg keyboard case for the Mini 4 will work on the 5 (but have to slightly modify the microphone hole if you'll be using the mic).

OP says she has a stylus so I went with Mini 4 for cost. We don’t know what pencil Mini 6 will use so I was thinking that she should spend as little as possible for a “get by” device, keep more money for new when we know what it will be and get Apple Pencil then (since it could be 1, 2, or possibly rumored 3).

I agree about the Mini 5 with a matte screen protector and the Apple Pencil. I do more drawing than writing, but matte screen protectors make a big difference in the feel of the pencil on the screen.

I‘m using Smart Covers and silicone cases for Mini 4 on my Mini 5. The camera opening is “off” but it doesn’t appear to interfere with field of view.

 

[LibbyLA]

I wondered if I would hear from you - I almost PMd you about this

I will have to get a new pencil 1 - One of my older daughter is buying it and my 2018 12.9" iPP.

I just found an app - Church Notes that works ok on my iPhone - I will have to see how it works at church. I just rewrote Sunday's notes into it and it works ok - some glitches. I just know that at church when I was using the Day One Journal - it would delete whole sentences etc on me LOL. not fun.... it was glitching a lot on the iPhone. At least this will give me a little time to find or wait for the 6...

The other thing I was concerned about was going from the top of the line iPads to the mini. I also know that I would read from the Kindle app at night on the mini, without my glasses. Sometimes it is getting really hard to read without them on at night.... LOL. at least with the mini, I could make the text large enough and it wouldn't make me have to change the page as often LOL

I also was looking at the 4 prices - for a little more, I could get a 5....

If the 5 isn’t much more than a 4, the 5 is a great choice. I haven’t looked at prices so I didn’t know whether the 4 can be found for bargain prices or not. I thought you have a generic stylus that would work with 4.

I think you will be happy with whatever you get. I love my iPP 11 (and the 10.5 before that and 9.7 before that), but the Minis are just so handy.

 

[Momof9]

I love drawing / writing with no screen protector.... I use magnetic cases for my iPP's - to make them lighter weight, but I have nice padded bags for them to protect them when I travel. I have no problems buying an additional pencil - I do have 2 pencil 2's now... One of mine got messed up - it still works sometimes. But I really like having dedicated pencils for each device - it makes it so much easier - as I am often using both at the same time....

I am glad to hear that you like drawing on it....

 

[Momof9]

I do have a great generic stylus... it works decently on my iPhone and the android devices... works on iPads too... if I did get a 5 I would use the stylus I have, since I would want to wait to make sure which one the 6 would need. Actually I could borrow my dad's pencil 1 probably. He never uses it LOL

 

[LibbyLA]

I love drawing / writing with no screen protector.... I use magnetic cases for my iPP's - to make them lighter weight, but I have nice padded bags for them to protect them when I travel. I have no problems buying an additional pencil - I do have 2 pencil 2's now... One of mine got messed up - it still works sometimes. But I really like having dedicated pencils for each device - it makes it so much easier - as I am often using both at the same time....

I am glad to hear that you like drawing on it....

When I’m grading papers electronically, I’ve actually found it easer to use the Logitech Crayon so I don’t have to keep swapping from one pencil to another. Before I got the crayon, I spent a lot of time trying to write on either the iPP 11 or the Mini 5 with the other device’s pencil. I am usually just viewing on the iPP 10.5 while writing on the other two, but could use the crayon with it, too, if I needed to. (I got the Crayon last fall after getting annoyed with the pencil swapping and once I got it, wondered why I hadn’t done it sooner.)

When drawing (not that I do a lot of that), I use each device’s respective Apple pencil. I have one pencil for the Mini 5 and the iPP 10.5 but the 10.5 is mainly for backup so I don’t use the pencil much with it.

 

[AutomaticApple]

I was so hoping for a mini in March, but that does not look like its going to happen.... The rumors I here for April are for late in the month.

So I have both 2018 iPad Pros - 12.9 and 11 and iPhone 11 Pro Max. I want to use a device for taking notes in church, so holding it. The 11" is too big for me, small hands. The iPhone - well lets say I have been waiting for pencil support (former Samsung Note user). The handwriting keyboards for the iPhone are a bit wonky now. One was really good, but they quit support on it many years ago. I have a fairly good stylus.

So last Sunday, I used an old Samsung Tab E - a little smaller than the iPad mini. I really liked the size - especially in landscape mode. But I hated how the apps worked or did not work in android.... It was very frustrating... SO I have been looking for a used iPad mini.... How old or new should I go? I will hopefully be buying the 6 when it comes out, especially if it has smaller bezels. I probably will do a cellular version.

I know that 4s are the oldest that work in iPad OS. Will they still work in next update? I don't want to get something that would not have much left in updates or resell value. But I don't want to wait over a month to get something. The regular iPads are too close to the 11" size.

Thank you for your help

You should wait until April. We're expecting to see new iPads be released during that month. A redesigned iPad mini with Apple Pencil 2 compatibility seems like a possibility so far.

 

[UltimateSyn]

Not sure why you (or anyone else in this thread) are expecting a new iPad mini next month. The oft-reliable Mark German recently pegged the redesigned mini for a release “as early as this year“ (aka late this year if not pushed into 2022)

Apple Nears Launch of New iPads After Stay-At-Home Sales Boost

Apple Inc. plans to announce new iPads as early as April, adding to a product line that has performed particularly well as people work and study from home, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

www.bloomberg.com

 

[Momof9]

well I have a mini 5 coming on Tuesday.... I can always resell it when the 6 comes out - if I so desire.... Who knows when the 6 will come out, April, June, October, 2022.....

 

[rgarjr]

well I have a mini 5 coming on Tuesday.... I can always resell it when the 6 comes out - if I so desire.... Who knows when the 6 will come out, April, June, October, 2022.....

Yeah I got one yesterday at BestBuy to replace my Mini 4. Very nice little tablet.

 

[AutomaticApple]

Yeah I got one yesterday at BestBuy to replace my Mini 4. Very nice little tablet.

View attachment 1750119

Interesting! You didn't want to wait for the iPad mini 6?

 

[Momof9]

I decided I did not want to wait indefinitely... The resale value on these are great. I got a used 5 on eBay in excellent condition for a great price!