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iPad mini Who owns mini 6 and iPad pro the same time? How you balance the usage?
- Thread starter orange23
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I have the M1 12.9 5G 256gb, which is my "work" device (IT management - mostly browser / O365 based + online meetings) and picked up the Mini 6 256gb as my go to device around the house / reading device.
Watching movies etc is all the 12.9, but general mucking about on the sofa playing games/browsing etc is all the mini these days,
For me, a great balance between the size and function
Watching movies etc is all the 12.9, but general mucking about on the sofa playing games/browsing etc is all the mini these days,
For me, a great balance between the size and function
I use the 12.9" Pro as my laptop, it always sits in the magic keyboard and is never held. Whenever I want to bring some small device with me or hold it in my hand I use my Mini 6. For me they aren't even comparable since the portability is just so much better on the Mini 6.
Translation: please help me find a use case for an iPad mini because I want one but have no idea what to use it for. 
I don't try to balance usage. I just use whichever one is more convenient or more suited for the task. I already knew from the get-go the mini will be least used among my iPads but it serves a specific purpose so I got one (jacket iPad so always with me).
For me, it's the M1 MBA that's been a waste of funds. Haven't used that in 6 months iirc. Meanwhile, all the iPads get fairly regular use.
I have the M1 12.9 and the Mini 6. The 12.9 tends to now stay on my desk and I use it more for work purposes. I need a large screen tablet, so it's a no brainer for me to have the 12.9 anyway.
But now that I have the Mini 6, I carry that everywhere with me. The Mini is my media consumption, gaming, and Zoom device (I switch off between the 12.9 and Mini tbh). Since I had a Mini 5, I know that the Mini 6 was going to be relegated to these 3 things and nothing more. I'm not trying to make my Mini something that it's not or try to find more things for it to do.
Everything I have does what I need it to do to make my life faster, better, and more joyful~
But now that I have the Mini 6, I carry that everywhere with me. The Mini is my media consumption, gaming, and Zoom device (I switch off between the 12.9 and Mini tbh). Since I had a Mini 5, I know that the Mini 6 was going to be relegated to these 3 things and nothing more. I'm not trying to make my Mini something that it's not or try to find more things for it to do.
Everything I have does what I need it to do to make my life faster, better, and more joyful~
I have a 12.9" and a Mini 6. The 12.9" is always with a Magic Keyboard and I use that when I'm going to be doing a significant amount of typing or browsing for long periods. It mainly says on the main level.
The Mini has been my bed and portable device. I've been taking it with me more and I also use it for reading and browsing in bed. Surprisingly, I've used it more on the couch when I'm doing more reading activities but not necessarily books (Twitter, Instagram, FB, News, etc).
The Mini has been my bed and portable device. I've been taking it with me more and I also use it for reading and browsing in bed. Surprisingly, I've used it more on the couch when I'm doing more reading activities but not necessarily books (Twitter, Instagram, FB, News, etc).
My 12.9 Pro is for work (often with Magic Keyboard), anything multitasking and watching HDR videos. My Mini 6 is predominantly a portable web content and communication device. I have used both for games (12.9 for 120fps COD Mobile, but Mini 6 for other games). Usage between both is broadly 50/50.
I have two iPP 11 (2018 and 2021) and a Mini 5 and a Mini 6. The iPP 11 2018 will probably be sold to a friend or given to one of my brothers next year after I retire and don’t need both iPP 11 for grading papers. The Mini 5 will probably be sold to a friend soon. I thought I might keep it as a backup but haven’t touched it since I got the Mini 6.
I don’t worry about balancing time. I use whatever I feel like using for the task at hand. My iPads are one of my few personal indulgences.
I don’t worry about balancing time. I use whatever I feel like using for the task at hand. My iPads are one of my few personal indulgences.
If I need something that requires keyboard usage (Magic keyboard), I use the Pro. Example, one time I went to Delta Sonic to get my car detailed, and I took the Pro as a laptop with built in cellular for internet (though I think Delta has free wifi). The Mini gets most of the other usage.
I have a 12.9, 11 and a Mini 5.
The Mini gets the most use by far - because it lives in my commuting bag and comes on holidays.
Then it's the 12.9 because I use it with the Magic Keyboard on the sofa. It's a bit of a beast though, so I bought...
An 11, which actually gets the least use because it's not the best at being portable and nor is it the best around the house. I ditched a 10.5 for it, and I confess I rather miss the TouchID home button and the curved edges which were more comfortable in the hand and gave the impression of slimness.
So my view is that a Mini plus a 12.9 is a great combo, but a Mini plus an 11 is probably not distinctive enough.
The Mini gets the most use by far - because it lives in my commuting bag and comes on holidays.
Then it's the 12.9 because I use it with the Magic Keyboard on the sofa. It's a bit of a beast though, so I bought...
An 11, which actually gets the least use because it's not the best at being portable and nor is it the best around the house. I ditched a 10.5 for it, and I confess I rather miss the TouchID home button and the curved edges which were more comfortable in the hand and gave the impression of slimness.
So my view is that a Mini plus a 12.9 is a great combo, but a Mini plus an 11 is probably not distinctive enough.
Your M1 MBA is so useless to you that you don't even bother putting it in your signature. ?
Just curious, what do you use for work then? (And if I may ask - what do you do for work to be able to use your iPads primarily?)
A Dell OptiPlex 3020 and a Dell XPS 15 both provided by my employer. My work is Windows-centric (Excel, Access and in-house webapps that still require Internet Explorer).
can't agree more, MBA is totally a waste....I will never spend a dime on it unless.....
B. My iPad Pro goes unused. (11", not the latest version) I use my iPad Mini 6 every day. But I really don't consider it wasted money.
I'm a teacher. I use the 12.9 inch iPad as a whiteboard, connecting it either to a projector or to Zoom. I use it for grading exams with my pencil (submitted in PDF format). I use it for copying and pasting graphs and such when composing tests. Sometimes I use it to watch movies when I'm on my stationary bike. If I'm sitting down in one place, I'll read math books and work problems in Good Notes.
The iPad mini is for reading when I'm up and about. It's just large enough to read PDF's comfortably. I use it for GPS, and for browsing the Internet (again when I'm up and about or out and don't want to carry a large device).
And I have a laptop too, for writing exams in a word processor, reading email and such when I'm at my desk.
They all get plenty of use.
The iPad mini is for reading when I'm up and about. It's just large enough to read PDF's comfortably. I use it for GPS, and for browsing the Internet (again when I'm up and about or out and don't want to carry a large device).
And I have a laptop too, for writing exams in a word processor, reading email and such when I'm at my desk.
They all get plenty of use.
I’ve got a 12.9/11/mini 6. I always end up going back to the 11 as it is the (near) perfect compromise between the other 2. Mini 6 is the ultimate portable iPad, but I need a keyboard for some tasks. If I’m just doing quick one handed web surfing, I’m not likely to get the mini 6, as my phone is in my pocket. The 12.9 is beautiful, and I just went through a period of using it again. Problem is I often like to take my iPads off the magic keyboard folios and use them like tablets. The 12.9 just gets heavy after a while. The 11 gets heavy, too, but I can certainly hold it longer. The mini 6 is perfect for holding for extended periods.
Soooo, in the end, I always end up going back to my 11. At this time, my mini 6 is powered off and sitting in a cabinet with my 12.9. If I only had the mini 6 and 12.9 (like many in this thread), I can see myself switching off between the two; but since I have that middle device, I find myself using them less and less.
Soooo, in the end, I always end up going back to my 11. At this time, my mini 6 is powered off and sitting in a cabinet with my 12.9. If I only had the mini 6 and 12.9 (like many in this thread), I can see myself switching off between the two; but since I have that middle device, I find myself using them less and less.
Have to say I'm tempted to take my wife up on her offer of swapping her Pro 11 for my Mini 6...
Well if you don’t like it, you know where she lives!
2018 12.9 w/MKB as a companion to my work-issued laptop (I barely use the laptop). Mini 6 for fun stuff - I made a point to not add any work apps to the Mini and it’s been great as a couch surfing, media consumption device. I leave work in my home office and forget about it. It’s great! I could never do that with the 12.9 as work was always there with it.
I have the 2021 12.9 and the Mini 6. If I want a big screen, I grab the 12.9. If I want easy mobility, I grab the Mini 6. It all depends on what I want to to do, I don't make any conscious effort to balance usage. I'm quite happy to have both.
It’s nice to have 2 iPads if you are a heavy iPad user and drain the battery so much that it has to keep being plugged in. I found that I use one as a reference monitor while I paint/draw on the other. It’s nice to have one open playing a game and another open playing music or with work on it/safari. The mini is the go-to iPad for trips to the bathroom because it’s so small. The Pro is great for reading because of the beautiful screen, but I also like reading on the mini which is like holding a paperback novel, compared to the feel of holding a textbook with the iPad Pro 12.9. They are perfect complements to each other and both have different uses.
