iPad Seeing a Flood of People Jumping to the iPad Mini 7 From Larger iPads

[Pbwallstreet]

I'm a 13" M4 iPad Pro owner. I also have a 16" MacBook Pro that sits on my desk as my mainstay daily driver and a 15" M3 MacBook Air. I use the Air on the couch or when I need to work on other businesses.

I find the 13" M4 iPad Pro very awkward to use as a tablet. It's just too big. I use it mostly with the Magic Keyboard. I had a Mini 6 that I sold a year ago and miss it. I've really been looking online to see what people are saying about the new iPad Mini 7 and particularly over the past week I'm almost in disbelief about what I'm seeing is a flood of people flocking to it from larger iPads.

Whether it's people on Reddit, here, or reviewers on YouTube, etc. people are dumping their OLED M4 iPads (13" and 11") and older iPad Pros/larger iPads and getting the Mini. And many people are posting their reviews after making such a move for days or weeks and saying how they like the Mini 7 a lot better given its smaller form factor.

What I'm also seeing is much more definitive decisions and comments from people that iPad OS and the iPad cannot replace their Mac. And how their MacBooks are better and that it's useless to have an iPad that is trying to be like a MacBook. Which further erodes the value of the larger iPads.

Wondering other people's thoughts.

 

[russell_314]

I'm a 13" M4 iPad Pro owner. I also have a 16" MacBook Pro that sits on my desk as my mainstay daily driver and a 15" M3 MacBook Air. I use the Air on the couch or when I need to work on other businesses.

I find the 13" M4 iPad Pro very awkward to use as a tablet. It's just too big. I use it mostly with the Magic Keyboard.

Have you considered the smaller iPad Pro/iPad Air? I’ve never used the larger iPad Pro, but I don’t find my iPad Air being awkward as a tablet and I don’t have a keyboard attached. I tried a keyboard, but for what I used, it didn’t make sense.

I had a Mini 6 that I sold a year ago and miss it.

Well, if you found it useful, perhaps consider getting another. I had an iPad mini and didn’t find it very useful for me, but perhaps that’s because I had the larger iPad Air. I didn’t find it more portable than my iPad Air but it was smaller, so therefore not as good for watching videos and browsing the web. Maybe that’s just my perspective though because someone else might feel the mini is better.

I've really been looking online to see what people are saying about the new iPad Mini 7 and particularly over the past week I'm almost in disbelief about what I'm seeing is a flood of people flocking to it from larger iPads.

Whether it's people on Reddit, here, or reviewers on YouTube, etc. people are dumping their OLED M4 iPads (13" and 11") and older iPad Pros/larger iPads and getting the Mini. And many people are posting their reviews after making such a move for days or weeks and saying how they like the Mini 7 a lot better given its smaller form factor.

I wouldn’t worry about popularity when it comes to deciding if it works for you. No one‘s going to see you at the cafeteria table and say wow that guy has an iPad mini. I’m going to sit next to him. I’m being a little facetious here, but the fact is someone could absolutely love the iPad mini and it could work for them, but be absolutely terrible for you. You have to determine what you do and if it works for you.

What I'm also seeing is much more definitive decisions and comments from people that iPad OS and the iPad cannot replace their Mac. And how their MacBooks are better and that it's useless to have an iPad that is trying to be like a MacBook. Which further erodes the value of the larger iPads.

I think that’s people that have specific use cases that work better with the Mac. Just because a screwdriver is better at installing screws than a hammer doesn’t devalue the hammer. If you’re driving nails, that screwdriver isn’t very useful. If you have some program or application that needs macOS, then the iPad is not going to be very helpful.


What I use my iPad is mostly for watching videos on YouTube and light web browsing. Since I don’t have a keyboard on my iPad, if I’m doing something that requires a keyboard, I use my M2 MacBook Air. It’s so much easier with a physical keyboard when you’re trying to type in spreadsheets or type long documents.

 

[sparksd]

I have a 13" M4 with the MKB and a Mini 6 and would not give a moments consideration to doing such a jump. If I had to choose between the 13" and a Mini as my only iPad, the 13" wins hands down. I also find myself using my 13" more than my laptop a lot more and will more readily leave the laptop at home when traveling.

 

[Shirasaki]

To me quite the opposite, I am thinking about buying a larger iPad. Unfortunately the 1TB M4 13” iPad Pro with keyboard and new pencil could set me back a whopping $5k AUD. But I really start to appreciate larger screens a bit more, from being generally easier on the eyes to able to launch multiple applications without worrying Running out of screen space, to just using a full sized keyboard. It starts to make more and more sense to me.

I have 11“ M1 iPad Pro, but M1 starts to show its age on gaming. Regardless, if iPad mini somehow picks up trend, maybe we can have iPad mini pro one day?

 

[AeroSatan]

Personally, and clearly needs vary, I would never try to use an iPad ( Tablet ) for "Pro" uses, because with all the keyboard and trackpad attachments and accoutrements you might as well get the Air or a MBP for pretty much the same price but with TB 4/5 ports, actual Mac O/S and a screen I don't have to constantly wipe. For the tablet ( Media Consumption) uses the Mini form factor is hard to top. If they made a Pro version even with the same SOC but with an OLED screen it would be virtually a perfect iPad for the majority of the people that use an iPad.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

I had a 1st gen mini, followed by an iPad Air, followed by a 12.9” Pro. I always missed the compact mini so finally got a mini 6 as a “secondary” iPad which within a matter of weeks became my primary, then only when I sold the Pro.

Just upgraded the mini 6 Wi-Fi 64GB to a mini 7 Cellular 512GB, and I love it.

I really, strongly considered the M4 11” but it’s too big for certain purposes, and too expensive to just have as a secondary.

 

[rui no onna]

I'm a 13" M4 iPad Pro owner. I also have a 16" MacBook Pro that sits on my desk as my mainstay daily driver and a 15" M3 MacBook Air. I use the Air on the couch or when I need to work on other businesses.

I find the 13" M4 iPad Pro very awkward to use as a tablet. It's just too big. I use it mostly with the Magic Keyboard. I had a Mini 6 that I sold a year ago and miss it. I've really been looking online to see what people are saying about the new iPad Mini 7 and particularly over the past week I'm almost in disbelief about what I'm seeing is a flood of people flocking to it from larger iPads.

Whether it's people on Reddit, here, or reviewers on YouTube, etc. people are dumping their OLED M4 iPads (13" and 11") and older iPad Pros/larger iPads and getting the Mini. And many people are posting their reviews after making such a move for days or weeks and saying how they like the Mini 7 a lot better given its smaller form factor.

What I'm also seeing is much more definitive decisions and comments from people that iPad OS and the iPad cannot replace their Mac. And how their MacBooks are better and that it's useless to have an iPad that is trying to be like a MacBook. Which further erodes the value of the larger iPads.

Wondering other people's thoughts.

The Mini 7 is the new release. YouTubers will of course cover it for the clicks.

Personally, I love the Mini but I wouldn’t consider getting rid of my bigger iPads for one. For me, they each have their place.

P.S.
I do plan on upgrading from my Mini 6 256GB to Mini 7 512GB as I’ve long wanted to have both more RAM and more storage on the Mini (my iPad Pros are both 1TB). I’m waiting for sales on 512GB cellular though.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

I upgraded from a Mini 6 to a Mini 7. I can't imagine using my wife's 11" iPad Air for an extended time. If I want the larger screen, that's what my 15" Macbook Air is for.

 

[Apple_Robert]

OP,
Your post reads as someone reminiscing about a favorite toy you once had. If you are not careful, you may find yourself making a purchase for a new toy you will rarely use all in the name of nostalgia. If you had an actual use case, you wouldn’t have had a need for the thread. You are trying to find justification for a whim from strangers who looked for the same in others for some of their whims.

 

[Pbwallstreet]

Personally, and clearly needs vary, I would never try to use an iPad ( Tablet ) for "Pro" uses, because with all the keyboard and trackpad attachments and accoutrements you might as well get the Air or a MBP for pretty much the same price but with TB 4/5 ports, actual Mac O/S and a screen I don't have to constantly wipe. For the tablet ( Media Consumption) uses the Mini form factor is hard to top. If they made a Pro version even with the same SOC but with an OLED screen it would be virtually a perfect iPad for the majority of the people that use an iPad.

Agreed and your statements about the superiority of the Mac are on point and what more and more people realize. It’s been an age old argument: can an iPad replace the Mac. Generally, no…

 

[Pbwallstreet]

I had a 1st gen mini, followed by an iPad Air, followed by a 12.9” Pro. I always missed the compact mini so finally got a mini 6 as a “secondary” iPad which within a matter of weeks became my primary, then only when I sold the Pro.

Just upgraded the mini 6 Wi-Fi 64GB to a mini 7 Cellular 512GB, and I love it.

I really, strongly considered the M4 11” but it’s too big for certain purposes, and too expensive to just have as a secondary.

Bang.

 

[Pbwallstreet]

OP,
Your post reads as someone reminiscing about a favorite toy you once had. If you are not careful, you may find yourself making a purchase for a new toy you will rarely use all in the name of nostalgia. If you had an actual use case, you wouldn’t have had a need for the thread. You are trying to find justification for a whim from strangers who looked for the same in others for some of their whims.

Actually no. My 13” is too big for tablet use for me. I should have kept my Mini. My use cases are: reading PDFs and Website material, reading Jira tickets and making minor comments, video watching and Pages, Keynote, Numbers and Email use.

I can do all of that on the Mini in a way that is better for me as a tablet and not something too big trying to be a laptop like the 13”.

 

[Beeneeord]

If you’re in the mood for a new iPad, choosing a different size is certainly the best excuse.

It goes both ways, even with the same person. Upsize, downsize, upsize, downsize. The same old size game.

 

[yabeweb]

I'm a 13" M4 iPad Pro owner. I also have a 16" MacBook Pro that sits on my desk as my mainstay daily driver and a 15" M3 MacBook Air. I use the Air on the couch or when I need to work on other businesses.

I find the 13" M4 iPad Pro very awkward to use as a tablet. It's just too big. I use it mostly with the Magic Keyboard. I had a Mini 6 that I sold a year ago and miss it. I've really been looking online to see what people are saying about the new iPad Mini 7 and particularly over the past week I'm almost in disbelief about what I'm seeing is a flood of people flocking to it from larger iPads.

Whether it's people on Reddit, here, or reviewers on YouTube, etc. people are dumping their OLED M4 iPads (13" and 11") and older iPad Pros/larger iPads and getting the Mini. And many people are posting their reviews after making such a move for days or weeks and saying how they like the Mini 7 a lot better given its smaller form factor.

What I'm also seeing is much more definitive decisions and comments from people that iPad OS and the iPad cannot replace their Mac. And how their MacBooks are better and that it's useless to have an iPad that is trying to be like a MacBook. Which further erodes the value of the larger iPads.

Wondering other people's thoughts.

If you go from pro to mini and you are fine, you probably never needed a pro.
I am on an 11 m4, it replaced an 11 m2, they have been my sole machine in years, and I do not miss the Mac.

I can do almost nothing on it ( I don’t code ) it took time to adapt to the new workflow but I never missed a Mac.
As always, pick the right machine for your job.

 

[Pbwallstreet]

If you go from pro to mini and you are fine, you probably never needed a pro.
I am on an 11 m4, it replaced an 11 m2, they have been my sole machine in years, and I do not miss the Mac.

I can do almost nothing on it ( I don’t code ) it took time to adapt to the new workflow but I never missed a Mac.
As always, pick the right machine for your job.

The Mini does almost everything the Pro does. Just stupid marketing terms really. It’s the size that’s the issue.

 

[Zest28]

The Remarkable 2, which is specialized at writing with a pencil, is around the size of the 11” iPad Pro.

Amazon also focuses their more “tablet oriented” e-readers that support writing with a pencil to be a similar size as the 11” iPad Pro.

So the 11” iPad Pro is where the sweet spot is as a tablet if you look at the overall market.

On MacRumors and Reddit you have a lot of people saying how they are / were buying the iPhone Mini, yet in reality, the sales of the iPhone Mini was terrible and Apple decided to axe it. So don’t believe everything you read online.

 

[BelgianChoklit]

I'm a 13" M4 iPad Pro owner. I also have a 16" MacBook Pro that sits on my desk as my mainstay daily driver and a 15" M3 MacBook Air. I use the Air on the couch or when I need to work on other businesses.

I find the 13" M4 iPad Pro very awkward to use as a tablet. It's just too big. I use it mostly with the Magic Keyboard. I had a Mini 6 that I sold a year ago and miss it. I've really been looking online to see what people are saying about the new iPad Mini 7 and particularly over the past week I'm almost in disbelief about what I'm seeing is a flood of people flocking to it from larger iPads.

Whether it's people on Reddit, here, or reviewers on YouTube, etc. people are dumping their OLED M4 iPads (13" and 11") and older iPad Pros/larger iPads and getting the Mini. And many people are posting their reviews after making such a move for days or weeks and saying how they like the Mini 7 a lot better given its smaller form factor.

What I'm also seeing is much more definitive decisions and comments from people that iPad OS and the iPad cannot replace their Mac. And how their MacBooks are better and that it's useless to have an iPad that is trying to be like a MacBook. Which further erodes the value of the larger iPads.

Wondering other people's thoughts.

Don't take this the wrong way but I call boloney on that one.

I know 2 people working in the Apple Store in Brussels and they both say that even with the mini 7, they've seen no change in disinterest in the mini. That people keep buying the regular iPad with the Pro and Air also being popular but less so.

Now this is what they see in the Brussels Apple Store, but I can't imagine it would be much different in other locations.

 

[JSRinUK]

I swore by my mini (2 then 5). This year I got a refurb M1 iPad Pro 11”.

I've not touched my mini since. As a result I’ve no real interest in the 7 at this time.

But that’s just me.

 

[familychoice]

I love my 13” Air, it’s great for my music making where the extra screen space is a real benefit.

But for general use I use my previous Air 4. Apple offered such a lousy trade deal I kept it, pleased I did now as its much more comfortable for armchair web browsing.

 

[subjonas]

Everybody has different needs and preferences of course. I like iPad Mini because it’s the only iPad that’s light enough for me to comfortably hold one-handed for long periods, which is very important for how I want to use it. Also it can fit in some of my pockets, which uniquely enables it to be more portable than other iPads (which require carrying in hand or in bag).
I like to have a larger device too though, for better productivity. I have a 13” iPad with MK and Pencil because I also want to draw. I wouldn’t want any smaller of a device for these purposes. If I didn’t draw though, I’d probably just go with a 13” MacBook instead because macOS is more flexible and touch isn’t that important to me on a device that size. But not to say I often find iPadOS lacking. It’s pretty rare that it doesn’t meet my mobile productivity needs. But just if given the choice.

I spend much more time on my Mini than my 13”, because I consume more than I produce. But if I had to choose one device it would be the 13”, even though I would find it less than ideal the majority of the time (for mobile consumption), simply because I value productivity more than consumption.

Who knows what the actual trend is, let’s just hope Apple continues to offer options.

 

[Ctrlos]

Why wouldn't you? You're getting 90% of the benefits of an M1 iPad Pro in a smaller, lighter package. It plays all the high end games and is probably only no good for CAD and Video editing.

 

[The Game 161]

I recently got a mini 7 for on the go and have the 13 inch iPad Pro but thinking of getting the 11 inch as it is more comfortable to use. I find myself picking up the mini more at home so I think 11 inch is the way to go for me

my 13 inch is used a lot of media and sport watching. If I need a bigger screen I may just use my 16 inch MacBook pro

 

[yabeweb]

The Mini does almost everything the Pro does. Just stupid marketing terms really. It’s the size that’s the issue.

Well the promotion display,, the m4 chip, the quad speaker and the added ram are definitely a worthy update if you do work on ipads.

If all you do is web and video streaming I can agree.
As I said, if you go from pro to mini and don't notice a difference you never needed the pro to begin with.
No ipad is bad, pick the one for your needs.
I could not work on the mini for the screen size alone, but the added extra are worthed as it's my only device, thought about an Air 11 but the pro is a better pick for me as the display alone is making it a good update.
I don't care about the pro name in it, but the device is my only one, and the pro fits my needs.

Affinity and similar apps are great with added ram and faster CPU.

 

[brilliantthings]

27" 4k
15" MacBook Air
11" iPad Pro
8" iPad Mini
5" iPhone mini

I find uses for them all

 

[robertosh]

Why you are worried about what people is doing? . If you liked the mini before and do not enjoy the 13 now, I think it's clear the path to follow.
I tried the 13' on the store and realized after 30 seconds that was unusable as a tablet. I took the 11, which even though is on the limit, thanks to how thin it is, is still pretty usable and I don't miss my 9.7 in any sense (my use case is couch usage + app UI design)