iPad Pro Switching to the 12.9": My real world usage story

[spiderman0616]

I have noticed a lot of arguing in a lot of threads lately over what size iPad Pro is "ideal" or "best" or "most versatile" or whatever. I think there are a lot of people not getting a lot of help with their decision reading through those arguments because everyone is going to have their own personal reasons for wanting one size or the other. The problem is that the introduction of the Magic Keyboard seems to be causing a lot of people to reconsider what size iPad Pro is really best for them and are having trouble deciding now. I've even seen several people say they bought both and now can't figure out which to return!

I wanted to just tell my version of the story here to maybe give a little perspective. My iPad Pros have basically taken all tasks over from my Mac over the years, and with that in mind I decided to just throw caution to the wind and go with the 12.9" without really doing much real world testing or even having an open Apple Store to go and really spend some time comparing and contrasting between the two. I have NEVER owned a 12.9" model before now and never really wanted to, because I found them to be comically large and weird. So here's kind of how it went for me, in stages:

1. This thing is too big and heavy--I've made a huge mistake.
When I first got the 12.9" 2020 iPad Pro, I did not have my Magic Keyboard yet, just my dBrand skin that I had planned on putting on the back for protection, my screen protector, and my gen 2 Apple Pencil. I spent about 4 days using it with just these accessories and no other "case", and it felt slightly ridiculous to have such a large tablet. I wasn't used to handling such a large slab and constantly felt like I was going to whack it into something or drop it. I was also kind of dreading how much weight the Magic Keyboard was going to add and was thinking I might return it and get the Smart Keyboard Folio instead.

2. Why did I never use my 11" model this way?
After about two full days of using my 12.9" iPad "naked" I realized something key to the whole experience: this felt better than using the 11" iPad Pro with the Smart Keyboard Folio attached folded around back, which is how I ALWAYS did it when using the 11" as a tablet. This felt thinner, sleeker, lighter, and more seamless than having all that baggage stuck to the back. I started feeling silly for never having tried using my smaller iPads in this way. Also--the 12.9" started feeling, dare I say.....normal sized?

3. My Magic Keyboard arrives and I feel I've made a mistake again.
My Magic Keyboard arrived via UPS about 4 days later and I had started enjoying the iPad Pro so much that I wasn't really even thinking about it too much. When I unboxed it and attached it, I felt like I had just ruined the iPad. It was now twice as thick and much heavier and felt like my Macbook Pro. Definitely a nicer FEELING cover than the SKF as far as fit and finish and build quality, but just a lot bulkier. I was once again questioning my decision to size up.

4. Magic Keyboard finds its place.
I worked with the Magic Keyboard for a few days and stopped noticing the extra size/weight. I realized that just because I could carry the iPad all over the house with the Magic Keyboard doesn't mean that I have to. This was a completely different beast than what I was used to with the Smart Keyboard Folio, which was slightly more awkward to remove and leave behind due to its floppy-ness. Long story short: I usually store the iPad Pro on my desk. If I'm using it at my desk or at the kitchen table, it's on the Magic Keyboard. If I'm using it on the couch or in bed, the Magic Keyboard stays on my desk until I'm done using the iPad. (I started thinking about how I would want to transport this whole setup once it's safe to start leaving the house more, and decided on a TomToc sleeve.)

5. This is normal.
Going to a 12.9" iPad Pro AND adding on the Magic Keyboard all in one upgrade cycle was a HUGE change for me. It added a lot of screen size, weight, and bulk. But now it just seems like a normal sized iPad to me. It's also a good lesson in what happens when you add a "real" keyboard to a device like this. You have to be willing to accept what that entails. But all in all, I am REALLY enjoying using the 12.9" iPad Pro as just a tablet or as my full blown laptop. I can decide which, and it's incredibly easy to do. At this point, you couldn't pay me to go back down to the 11".

I think there's a reason some of you are hemming and hawing about the 12.9": it's because you know deep down that's probably the one you need. I just wanted to communicate that in my experience, it felt like my hesitation was confirmed, but it didn't take long for the 12.9" to feel like the iPad I've been waiting for since 2010.

 

[0128672]

Excellent post @spiderman0616. Thanks for articulating the granularity of your experience, which was fun to read and completely relatable (as another happy 12.9-er). I hope many others benefit from your words.

 

[bcaslis]

I got a 2020 12.9” a week ago (coming from a 2018 11”) and I have to say this mirrors what I am experiencing also. I’m not quite at step 5 yet (more like 4.5) but I mostly agree with this. When using it with the MK, it’s clearly much better than the 11” with the MK, I’m still wresting with the size when using as a tablet, but it clearly has way more space and I really like the 3 column view in Apple Mail and Apple Notes and the better onscreen keyboard.

 

[AutomaticApple]

I have noticed a lot of arguing in a lot of threads lately over what size iPad Pro is "ideal" or "best" or "most versatile" or whatever. I think there are a lot of people not getting a lot of help with their decision reading through those arguments because everyone is going to have their own personal reasons for wanting one size or the other. The problem is that the introduction of the Magic Keyboard seems to be causing a lot of people to reconsider what size iPad Pro is really best for them and are having trouble deciding now. I've even seen several people say they bought both and now can't figure out which to return!

I wanted to just tell my version of the story here to maybe give a little perspective. My iPad Pros have basically taken all tasks over from my Mac over the years, and with that in mind I decided to just throw caution to the wind and go with the 12.9" without really doing much real world testing or even having an open Apple Store to go and really spend some time comparing and contrasting between the two. I have NEVER owned a 12.9" model before now and never really wanted to, because I found them to be comically large and weird. So here's kind of how it went for me, in stages:

1. This thing is too big and heavy--I've made a huge mistake.
When I first got the 12.9" 2020 iPad Pro, I did not have my Magic Keyboard yet, just my dBrand skin that I had planned on putting on the back for protection, my screen protector, and my gen 2 Apple Pencil. I spent about 4 days using it with just these accessories and no other "case", and it felt slightly ridiculous to have such a large tablet. I wasn't used to handling such a large slab and constantly felt like I was going to whack it into something or drop it. I was also kind of dreading how much weight the Magic Keyboard was going to add and was thinking I might return it and get the Smart Keyboard Folio instead.

2. Why did I never use my 11" model this way?
After about two full days of using my 12.9" iPad "naked" I realized something key to the whole experience: this felt better than using the 11" iPad Pro with the Smart Keyboard Folio attached folded around back, which is how I ALWAYS did it when using the 11" as a tablet. This felt thinner, sleeker, lighter, and more seamless than having all that baggage stuck to the back. I started feeling silly for never having tried using my smaller iPads in this way. Also--the 12.9" started feeling, dare I say.....normal sized?

3. My Magic Keyboard arrives and I feel I've made a mistake again.
My Magic Keyboard arrived via UPS about 4 days later and I had started enjoying the iPad Pro so much that I wasn't really even thinking about it too much. When I unboxed it and attached it, I felt like I had just ruined the iPad. It was now twice as thick and much heavier and felt like my Macbook Pro. Definitely a nicer FEELING cover than the SKF as far as fit and finish and build quality, but just a lot bulkier. I was once again questioning my decision to size up.

4. Magic Keyboard finds its place.
I worked with the Magic Keyboard for a few days and stopped noticing the extra size/weight. I realized that just because I could carry the iPad all over the house with the Magic Keyboard doesn't mean that I have to. This was a completely different beast than what I was used to with the Smart Keyboard Folio, which was slightly more awkward to remove and leave behind due to its floppy-ness. Long story short: I usually store the iPad Pro on my desk. If I'm using it at my desk or at the kitchen table, it's on the Magic Keyboard. If I'm using it on the couch or in bed, the Magic Keyboard stays on my desk until I'm done using the iPad. (I started thinking about how I would want to transport this whole setup once it's safe to start leaving the house more, and decided on a TomToc sleeve.)

5. This is normal.
Going to a 12.9" iPad Pro AND adding on the Magic Keyboard all in one upgrade cycle was a HUGE change for me. It added a lot of screen size, weight, and bulk. But now it just seems like a normal sized iPad to me. It's also a good lesson in what happens when you add a "real" keyboard to a device like this. You have to be willing to accept what that entails. But all in all, I am REALLY enjoying using the 12.9" iPad Pro as just a tablet or as my full blown laptop. I can decide which, and it's incredibly easy to do. At this point, you couldn't pay me to go back down to the 11".

I think there's a reason some of you are hemming and hawing about the 12.9": it's because you know deep down that's probably the one you need. I just wanted to communicate that in my experience, it felt like my hesitation was confirmed, but it didn't take long for the 12.9" to feel like the iPad I've been waiting for since 2010.

Thank you so much for sharing your story! I'm sure that it'll help a lot of people out with their purchasing decisions.

 

[sparksd]

I went to the 2018 12.9 Pro from the 10.5 Pro. Initially, the 12.9 felt large but after a little while it seemed normal. I kept the 10.5 but don't use it - I don't like the smaller screen for use anywhere, including reading in bed.

 

[cmonkey1976]

@spiderman0616 great post!
Coming from an iPad Pro 10.5, whenever I looked at the 12.9 in an Apple store (the 2018 model) I always thought it was way too big of a tablet.

I had never considered getting the 12.9 iPad really, my 10.5 was THE perfect size.

When I saw iOS was now working so cool with a mouse, and the fact that I’ve hardly used my MacBook in ages I really liked the idea of going the full hog and using it with a keyboard and mouse, although I didn’t think it was worth getting the new Logitech keyboard case for my 3 year old device (and it just wasn’t the cool Apple one anyway)...

Initially I just couldn’t justify replacing my 10.5 with the 11 as my 3 year old iPad Pro was as good as the day I got it.
Then I got reading the forums and the debate around 12.9 and 11... those that had 12.9 and subsequently changed to the 11 made my mind up that the 11 must be the better size (and again, I couldn’t justify the move from 10.5 to 11).
... then there was the ones that had gone BACK to the 12.9 after trying the 11... that’s when the doubt set in...
flip flopping between the 11 and 12.9 hour by hour or day by day - still not really justifying a new device, especially given that I just didn’t know what size would be right, and the doubt that if I did get the 11 would I be disappointed or that I loved my iPad as a tablet so much that the 12.9 would be too big and just wouldn’t use it like I had been.

My partner got his (making the decision on size after I’d shown him a few YouTube videos talking about the sizes pretty quickly). He went with the 12.9..... when it arrived I was in awe of the screen, that display wow... but also was in the mind set of CRIKEY, THAT’S BIG!... after seeing the screen I kind of justified that my 10.5 just didn’t have that look and feel anymore... and still flip flopped between sizes, ‘cos the 12.9 is just too big, the 11 would be better, then again having that screen estate....

Anyway, I decided to go for it, got the 12.9 - have to say, it’s amazing! And after a couple of days using it, its definitely the 12.9 for me and I think I would have quickly regretted the 11.

I have a non-Apple folio cover (which I think is far better than the Apple one at less than a quarter of the price), and it’s so easy to go naked as the case is held by magnet I totally get what you said above... why didn’t I ever use my 10.5 naked like that, always just bending the smartcover back on itself rather than using it naked... such a great feeling.

I still haven’t gone for the Magic keyboard yet (even though that’s what started this all off) as I’m just enjoying it so much more as a tablet and not sure I’d really get the use of the magic keyboard - but love the idea of transforming it to a laptop when I have the choice... so may end up getting it, but not right now.

the 12.9 actually feels lighter than my 10.5 when in bed, and doesn’t feel too big either in bed or on the sofa.
Have never really used my iPad out and about much, but don’t think this size would stop me taking it out at all.

so yes, at first glance the 12.9 feels so big, looks so big... but after a day my 10.5 felt tiny and no desire to go back to it.
your post summed it up really good to the stage where I’m at so far .... I’m expecting I’ll progress through the next steps when and if I get the magic keyboard... good to know how that ended (when you again doubted yourself).

 

[The Game 161]

Loving my 12.9 and i won’t ever need to get anything other than an apple pro 12.9 again. Magic keyboard really is magic for my usage. Backlit and the feel is great.

i can’t actually remember the last time i took the iPad off the magic keyboard. It really has been my laptop replacement. I see no reason to use it as a tablet apart from to show my wife something that I’m looking at for example.

for most other tasks that i can do one handed the pro max is more than big enough to use for everyday tasks like browsing, texts, e-mails, app usage e.t.c

 

[spiderman0616]

There is a major thing I forgot to mention in my original post:

My wife, who by now is used to the fact that my iPad models change with the wind, did not even remember or notice that I had switched up to the bigger model. I had been using it for like a week, often right in front of her, before she even asked, "Is that iPad bigger than your last one?"

So something I was SUPER aware of in my daily usage was not a difference that the casual observer noticed very easily. I sometimes wonder if people think they'll look silly using such a big iPad. That was definitely a factor for me with the first two generations of 12.9" Pro before the redesign. I think with this one, it's not as much of an issue. It's not "bigger enough" than the 11" to look dramatically different.

 

[kazmac]

Very nice thread @spiderman0616 - glad you’re enjoying yours.

 

[C. Robert]

I went though exactly what you did minus the MK But it’s on it’s way. When out people ask a lot about it and how they want to get one.

 

[jdb8167]

I switched from the 12.9" 2018 model to a 2020 11". I still have the 12.9" and I pick it up and use it occasionally but it is not my go to device. I have the Magic Keyboard for the 11" and use it a lot. But the key thing for me is when I use the iPad Pro as a pure tablet. The MK is good because it is quick to unmount the iPad Pro and use it as a tablet. Much better than the old Smart Keyboard Folio which was a bit clunky to separate from the iPad Pro.

I mostly read when my iPad Pro is in my hands as a tablet. The smaller size is just better for reading. It is more comfortable to hold and my eyes don't have to scan as much across the screen (in landscape) or up and down (in portrait.) Taking notes seems about the same in both sizes and I'm not much of an artist so drawing isn't a big consideration. When using the iPad Pro with the Magic Keyboard, I don't find the lesser real-estate to be a problem. I haven't used the 12.9" iPad Pro with the Magic Keyboard so I can't do a direct comparison but I haven't really felt that I've lost anything by switching to the 11".

Like most things, the decision on 11" or 12.9" probably will rest on what you use the device for. In many cases, the size difference won't matter either way. In some, the 11" is better and in others the 12.9" is. Everyone should evaluate their workflow to decide.

 

[Cosmo M3]

Good to read personal experiences from everyone. I just grab my 16" MBP if I feel the need to do work on the bigger screen.

 

[spiderman0616]

Good to read personal experiences from everyone. I just grab my 16" MBP if I feel the need to do work on the bigger screen.

I'm in a bit of a unique situation in that way, because I always have a Mac handy, but it doesn't belong to me--it's issued to me from my employer and gets upgraded every 4 years. I try to keep work stuff on work stuff and personal stuff on personal stuff.

All that being said, in general I no longer prefer macOS. To me, it's started seeming more and more like legacy software, especially over the last couple of years. I know there is software that some people need that only works on macOS or Windows. I fortunately am not one of those people, even though I do a lot of "pro" things with my devices.

 

[rkuo]

I'm in a bit of a unique situation in that way, because I always have a Mac handy, but it doesn't belong to me--it's issued to me from my employer and gets upgraded every 4 years. I try to keep work stuff on work stuff and personal stuff on personal stuff.

All that being said, in general I no longer prefer macOS. To me, it's started seeming more and more like legacy software, especially over the last couple of years. I know there is software that some people need that only works on macOS or Windows. I fortunately am not one of those people, even though I do a lot of "pro" things with my devices.

I prefer iOS and the associated hardware for a lot of things. It has by far the most responsive hardware in its form factor (speed, touch capability and responsiveness, refresh rate, and native apps). If I'm web browsing, casually emailing, or browsing YouTube on a 11" screen (I do all of that a lot!) I'd take iPadOS over macOS every day of the week.

But I still need the power of macOS for all of the hardware it supports, the UI decisions that enable apps and the OS to support large multiple screens with multitasking, etc. Yes, it has a lot of legacy, but I don't see anything legacy about all of the options and flexibility it brings to the table. Split screen has always felt clunky and hacky to me.

The in between that I'm excited about is traveling/portability. I *need* macOS with me, but I *prefer* the iPad hardware and form factor. So, in the past, I've had to carry a MacBook even though I'd prefer an iPad. And what I've been really focused on solving is being able to carry just my iPad, but still do all of the work I need to do on macOS. Been experimenting with remote desktop software, which really looks promising with the new trackpad/mouse support ... but in the future, an ARM version of macOS might do the trick.

 

[jpadhiyar]

You really did a great job of describing the ups and downs of your iPad Pro 12.9" story. It did bring some salient things to the foreground, most importantly that you get used to it. Thanks!

 

[cupcakes2000]

I prefer iOS and the associated hardware for a lot of things. It has by far the most responsive hardware in its form factor (speed, touch capability and responsiveness, refresh rate, and native apps). If I'm web browsing, casually emailing, or browsing YouTube on a 11" screen (I do all of that a lot!) I'd take iPadOS over macOS every day of the week.

But I still need the power of macOS for all of the hardware it supports, the UI decisions that enable apps and the OS to support large multiple screens with multitasking, etc. Yes, it has a lot of legacy, but I don't see anything legacy about all of the options and flexibility it brings to the table. Split screen has always felt clunky and hacky to me.

The in between that I'm excited about is traveling/portability. I *need* macOS with me, but I *prefer* the iPad hardware and form factor. So, in the past, I've had to carry a MacBook even though I'd prefer an iPad. And what I've been really focused on solving is being able to carry just my iPad, but still do all of the work I need to do on macOS. Been experimenting with remote desktop software, which really looks promising with the new trackpad/mouse support ... but in the future, an ARM version of macOS might do the trick.

This is exactly how I use my iPad. I have a Mac mini which I essentially use headless combined with either sidecar (almost flawless, but the Mac has to be local) or real VNC (needs powerful internet connection to work well). Feels like macOS as an app and I love it.

If I’m away for an extended period of time, I just chuck the Mac mini in a bag too, and all is well. Most of the time the iPad is fine though.

 

[rulymammoth]

This is exactly how I use my iPad. I have a Mac mini which I essentially use headless combined with either sidecar (almost flawless, but the Mac has to be local) or real VNC (needs powerful internet connection to work well). Feels like macOS as an app and I love it.

If I’m away for an extended period of time, I just chuck the Mac mini in a bag too, and all is well. Most of the time the iPad is fine though.

This is interesting. So during those times where you take your Mac mini with you on the road, how do you use it headless if you don’t have a monitor wherever you’re going?

 

[cupcakes2000]

This is the only drawback. I’m dying for there to be a proper way to get round this.

I can only occasionally get the VNC software to start automatically properly. When this happens I can turn the Mac on, type the password ‘blind’, and it auto connects to my hotspot. Then VNC in to turn on sidecar.

But the VNC in bit fails more than not.

I really wish sidecar could be started from the iPad, and I really wish it could operate in a way where it worked as I want it to in this scenario!!!

On the other hand, there’s almost always a tv for hdmi to initially set up, so it’s not been particularly relevant.

 

[rulymammoth]

This is the only drawback. I’m dying for there to be a proper way to get round this.

I can only occasionally get the VNC software to start automatically properly. When this happens I can turn the Mac on, type the password ‘blind’, and it auto connects to my hotspot. Then VNC in to turn on sidecar.

But the VNC in bit fails more than not.

I really wish sidecar could be started from the iPad, and I really wish it could operate in a way where it worked as I want it to in this scenario!!!

On the other hand, there’s almost always a tv for hdmi to initially set up, so it’s not been particularly relevant.

Ah, the TV, right. Good call. Heck, I might start doing this. Although, if you’re going to do this, why not just carry around a laptop instead? Haha...

 

[malkovich87]

Yesterday I did my first full day of work on my iPad Pro 12.9 with the Magic Keyboard. I had used it off and on for work tasks but never quite made the switch.

For me, it came down to finding the right apps. I found out that designing lesson plans on Xmind is really easy and straightforward (although it would really, really help if it could export links :-/ Apart from that, I have all my lesson materials on the iPad and all the tools we require for the school works on it very well. Other teachers use Surface Pros as we have a Microsoft environment at work, but I find the iPad Pro fits in well here. One thing I don't like yet is the fact that Microsoft Teams won't let you initiate group videoconferences on iOS, for whatever reason. You can participate in those, so it's clearly able to keep up - I guess they want to protect their Surface-line sales.

For full disclosure: I also teach CS and for that I use my MacBook Pro with Parallels - I need full versions of the Microsoft Office suite for that. But that's just one day a week

 

[MyopicPaideia]

@rulymammoth & @cupcakes2000 - I can highly recommend Jump Desktop for remoting in. I also have a Mac mini I remote into on the exceedingly rare (and getting more and more rare) occasions that I need to use macOS for something. I can access it from anywhere, and with their “fluid desktop” tech, it is a very good experience even on cellular data. It updates very often and handles trackpad support on the remote machine extremely well.

 

[cupcakes2000]

Ah, the TV, right. Good call. Heck, I might start doing this. Although, if you’re going to do this, why not just carry around a laptop instead? Haha...

Well, firstly, the iPad alone is more powerful than most laptops, certainly for my use case. It’s also smaller and easier to manage.
Secondly, aside the graphics - the mini is way way more powerful than most laptops. It’s also very small and light and once set up, can be forgotten about.
The combined weight truly isn’t much more than an equivalent specc’d laptop and a Wacom tablet - which I would need. I mean, I only take it with me for extended stays or when I know I’ll need it specifically - so there’s a suitcase involved anyway. Other than that, the rest of the time I carry a relatively tiny iPad Pro around rather than than a MacBook Pro 16, which would be the equivalent of iPad plus mini.
This modular idea is just so infinitely more configurable, for just slightly more hassle. And if I can’t be bothered with any hassle? Then my iPad alone does anything I need.
[automerge]1591344343[/automerge]

@rulymammoth & @cupcakes2000 - I can highly recommend Jump Desktop for remoting in. I also have a Mac mini I remote into on the exceedingly rare (and getting more and more rare) occasions that I need to use macOS for something. I can access it from anywhere, and with their “fluid desktop” tech, it is a very good experience even on cellular data. It updates very often and handles trackpad support on the remote machine extremely well.

Thanks, I’ll take a look.

 

[Zanton68]

I’ve not upgraded from my iPad Air.....yet 🤔

 

[Abazigal]

I have noticed a lot of arguing in a lot of threads lately over what size iPad Pro is "ideal" or "best" or "most versatile" or whatever. I think there are a lot of people not getting a lot of help with their decision reading through those arguments because everyone is going to have their own personal reasons for wanting one size or the other. The problem is that the introduction of the Magic Keyboard seems to be causing a lot of people to reconsider what size iPad Pro is really best for them and are having trouble deciding now. I've even seen several people say they bought both and now can't figure out which to return!

I wanted to just tell my version of the story here to maybe give a little perspective. My iPad Pros have basically taken all tasks over from my Mac over the years, and with that in mind I decided to just throw caution to the wind and go with the 12.9" without really doing much real world testing or even having an open Apple Store to go and really spend some time comparing and contrasting between the two. I have NEVER owned a 12.9" model before now and never really wanted to, because I found them to be comically large and weird. So here's kind of how it went for me, in stages:

1. This thing is too big and heavy--I've made a huge mistake.
When I first got the 12.9" 2020 iPad Pro, I did not have my Magic Keyboard yet, just my dBrand skin that I had planned on putting on the back for protection, my screen protector, and my gen 2 Apple Pencil. I spent about 4 days using it with just these accessories and no other "case", and it felt slightly ridiculous to have such a large tablet. I wasn't used to handling such a large slab and constantly felt like I was going to whack it into something or drop it. I was also kind of dreading how much weight the Magic Keyboard was going to add and was thinking I might return it and get the Smart Keyboard Folio instead.

2. Why did I never use my 11" model this way?
After about two full days of using my 12.9" iPad "naked" I realized something key to the whole experience: this felt better than using the 11" iPad Pro with the Smart Keyboard Folio attached folded around back, which is how I ALWAYS did it when using the 11" as a tablet. This felt thinner, sleeker, lighter, and more seamless than having all that baggage stuck to the back. I started feeling silly for never having tried using my smaller iPads in this way. Also--the 12.9" started feeling, dare I say.....normal sized?

3. My Magic Keyboard arrives and I feel I've made a mistake again.
My Magic Keyboard arrived via UPS about 4 days later and I had started enjoying the iPad Pro so much that I wasn't really even thinking about it too much. When I unboxed it and attached it, I felt like I had just ruined the iPad. It was now twice as thick and much heavier and felt like my Macbook Pro. Definitely a nicer FEELING cover than the SKF as far as fit and finish and build quality, but just a lot bulkier. I was once again questioning my decision to size up.

4. Magic Keyboard finds its place.
I worked with the Magic Keyboard for a few days and stopped noticing the extra size/weight. I realized that just because I could carry the iPad all over the house with the Magic Keyboard doesn't mean that I have to. This was a completely different beast than what I was used to with the Smart Keyboard Folio, which was slightly more awkward to remove and leave behind due to its floppy-ness. Long story short: I usually store the iPad Pro on my desk. If I'm using it at my desk or at the kitchen table, it's on the Magic Keyboard. If I'm using it on the couch or in bed, the Magic Keyboard stays on my desk until I'm done using the iPad. (I started thinking about how I would want to transport this whole setup once it's safe to start leaving the house more, and decided on a TomToc sleeve.)

5. This is normal.
Going to a 12.9" iPad Pro AND adding on the Magic Keyboard all in one upgrade cycle was a HUGE change for me. It added a lot of screen size, weight, and bulk. But now it just seems like a normal sized iPad to me. It's also a good lesson in what happens when you add a "real" keyboard to a device like this. You have to be willing to accept what that entails. But all in all, I am REALLY enjoying using the 12.9" iPad Pro as just a tablet or as my full blown laptop. I can decide which, and it's incredibly easy to do. At this point, you couldn't pay me to go back down to the 11".

I think there's a reason some of you are hemming and hawing about the 12.9": it's because you know deep down that's probably the one you need. I just wanted to communicate that in my experience, it felt like my hesitation was confirmed, but it didn't take long for the 12.9" to feel like the iPad I've been waiting for since 2010.

Thank you for sharing. I always enjoy reading a good ipad story.

I started off the same as you with the 12.9” model, but I just couldn’t get past “1”. I don’t regret returning it for the 11” model as I have been using it to great effect very well, but now that I have used the larger ipad and know what it can do, there are times I do miss the larger form factor for tasks like research involving 2 apps side by side.

And no, I am not going to get 2 iPads...

 

[PortoMavericks]

Well, firstly, the iPad alone is more powerful than most laptops, certainly for my use case. It’s also smaller and easier to manage.
Secondly, aside the graphics - the mini is way way more powerful than most laptops. It’s also very small and light and once set up, can be forgotten about.
The combined weight truly isn’t much more than an equivalent specc’d laptop and a Wacom tablet - which I would need. I mean, I only take it with me for extended stays or when I know I’ll need it specifically - so there’s a suitcase involved anyway. Other than that, the rest of the time I carry a relatively tiny iPad Pro around rather than than a MacBook Pro 16, which would be the equivalent of iPad plus mini.
This modular idea is just so infinitely more configurable, for just slightly more hassle. And if I can’t be bothered with any hassle? Then my iPad alone does anything I need.
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Thanks, I’ll take a look.

I'm dying to see a benchmark on the A-Series ARM chip running on full macOS.

Many people will finally understand the performance penalty on the CPU with all the services, daemons and compatibility layer the macOS needs to run at the same time.