3 things I've learned after switching from iPad Pro to iPad Mini

I've been threatening to do this for a while... but I finally bit the bullet! I've traded in my iPad Pro 11" and have been using the iPad Mini 6 for a month now. As a replacement device, it's not really felt like a downgrade!
These are THREE BIG things I've learned in the process.
-------------------
🙋 MONTHLY PRIZE GIVEAWAY AND BTS ACCESS
Support the channel for the price of a small beer every month, with behind-the-scenes access to upcoming videos, community chats, weekly video rambles from me… and best of all - your chance to win EXCLUSIVE monthly giveaways courtesy of the brands I work with.
/ thatmarkgilroy
-------------------
🔗 RELATED
Paperlike 2.0 cover for iPad: paperlike.com/thatmarkgilroy
My iPad Mini 6 (2021 edition, 256GB space grey): geni.us/Sp9LH
iPad Mini 6 keyboard/case: geni.us/WQI3m
--------------------
⌚️TIMESTAMPS
0:00 : Intro
1:14 : Learning Point 1
3:24 : Learning Point 2
6:13 : Learning Point 3
7:26 : Wrap-Up
-------------------
📨 MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
If you want to receive a monthly summary of interesting news/updates/ideas from the realms of psychology, tech and productivity, you can sign-up to my newsletter at : the-modern-geek.ck.page/6d320...
No spam. Ever.
-------------------
🖥 SETUP
My kit: thatmarkgilroy.com/pages/kit
Soundtrack from Epidemic Sound (use free for 30 days): www.epidemicsound.com/referra...
Titles by MotionVFX: motionvfx.sjv.io/markgilroy (use code GILROY10 for 10% off)
Thumbnail artwork by Canva: www.canva.com/join/xsh-trl-nnr
[All of the above include affiliate links unless otherwise stated]
-------------------
✋🏼 LET’S BE FRIENDS
Website : thatmarkgilroy.com
Instagram: / thatmarkgilroy
Twitter: / thatmarkgilroy
TikTok: / thatmarkgilroy0
LinkedIn: / mgilroy
-------------------

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

For some reason I refer to the large iPad Pro as 14.9” when OF COURSE I meant 12.9”. Could anyone handle a 14.9” iPad?! 😂

[@tee_shirt]

*nose breaking sounds intensify*

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Me neither

[@wizerdjuice9589]

Rumor is Apple is making a larger one.

[@romangarmong254]

I hear people talking about a 14" version, but I can't imagine actually using it. I want to get the largest one I can (12.9"), but I can't imagine lugging around something any bigger than that.

[@wizerdjuice9589]

@@romangarmong254 I have a 12.9 that stays at my place and use a mini 4 for on the road.

[@tomdunlap6254]

As a Professional Pilot my iPad mini 6 is essential for my job. I use it not only for navigation, but to study manuals, publications, and to have a computer solution on the go. It enables me to to easily look at the weather and to search countless PDF docs as well as take notes. Recently I have been using it as a planner as well.

[@theanythingguytag3420]

I’m a student pilot and got mine for the same reason, never used it except in the past few days I’ve been getting more into using it for productivity.

[@jeremy41234]

My ForeFlight saved my butt when my flight displays failed earlier this month

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Wow!

[@RcFlyer49]

Hey, bud. This is Kody from over at 126. Nice to see you on here! I'm flying out of Chesapeake and am about to get a Mini for the same reasons. Anyway, small world!

[@mr.marvelousmess6986]

Does Apple Pay pilots to post these comments? They’re everywhere.

[@maraki_zrg]

As a student i use my ipad pro 2018 as a digital notebook and also the fact that i can download the books that i want for free as pdfs and do notes on them using the apple pencil comes very handy and i just carry one tablet with me. No more bags full of heavy books

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Oh wow. I REALLY wish I'd been able to experience being a student in the iPad age - it must be great having all your studying life on one device. Do you have a favourite note-taking app?

[@AdamariMedia]

Where do you get the books🤔

[@drewhamre]

Genuinely the perfect device for University students for sure. I got a 2020 12.9” iPad Pro and use Notability every lecture with the voice recording feature. Not only do you retain more information from writing by hand and drawing diagrams and such but you can also use it in times when you’re not allowed to use a laptop. It’s amazing.

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

@@drewhamre I SO wish I had access to this when I was at university. Notability & Goodnotes would have been absolute gamechangers for studying.

[@maraki_zrg]

@@ThatMarkGilroy i used to have microsoft OneNote but I quickly switched to GoodNotes5

[@CozyCabbit]

My first iPad was the 6th Gen one from 2018. I mostly used it for drawing and found that it was pretty travel friendly. I really enjoyed using it! But now I find myself using the 5th Gen iPad Mini that I use for work a LOT more. It’s comfortable to hold, doesn’t take up too much space, and I’m honestly not bothered by the screen size. Sure it’s not the 9.7in I was used to, but it’s definitely a more comfortable user experience in comparison. 🥰

[@Chaoticmass]

I’ve been using an iPad mini 6 for the last 6 months. It’s my first iPad. I primarily use it for content consumption, but I did experiment with using it as my only computer for a couple of weeks. I’m happy with how capable it can be but at the end of my experiment I was glad to have my pc back. The mini is very capable in a pinch to handle things, but not ideal.

[@summerboliek2892]

I switched from the iPad Pro 11” to the iPad mini 5 the day it came out. The smaller form factor was absolutely perfect for me to use on a daily basis. It has replaced my laptop and as soon as I get the finances for it, I will be upgrading to the mini 6 ❤

[@DemolitionNine]

I own an iPad mini 6 myself. I keep wishing they would make an iPad mini Pro with a 1TB drive. I literally use my mini for EVERYTHING. Flight charts, drone mapping, mobile ops, notes, reading, etc. I use it as my notebook when in meetings, you name it. I just wish we could get ALL the power of the full size in this screen size/form factor. Even if it was slightly thicker, I wouldn’t mind in the least.

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Yep - I would be absolutely fine with a thicker form in order to get a better/brighter screen. It's already A5 notebook size - it can stand to be that kind of thickness too.

[@tiny.kawaii]

I made the switch as well - I went from an iPad Pro 10.4 to the iPad mini 6. The difference is huge - I use the Mini so much more than I used the Pro. It fits nicely in my handbag without adding much weight - so it comes along with me all the time. I have it in front of me when I am working on my desktop computer for quick note-taking without hindering the use of my keyboard. As an Illustrator it fits all my needs - I love sketching on the small screen (I preferred small sketchbooks since I started drawing because I draw at different weird angles) and now that I have it with me all the time I can start drawing whenever I have an idea. The fine-tuning happens on my desktop computer anyway - 32" beats 7" as much as it beats 10.4.

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Great point about the fine tuning Tiny!

[@KevinTimothyRichardSolberg]

Hahaha tried the same and found the size far too small. Was very annoyed. For me it is just a big iPhone. :).

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

@@KevinTimothyRichardSolberg Depends on the size of your iPhone no? I use an iPhone Mini for most of my day-to-day work and that combined with the iPad Mini works nicely for me.

[@95yashsheel]

What if I use iPhone pro max ? Then IPad Mini required ?

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

That’s the combo I have.

[@rivetingglance]

Love my mini 6. It is portable and I use it to read books, watch videos, check email, take notes and so on. Love it and won’t go bigger. Perfect size for me.

[@CMDZamora]

Great video. I initially had a mini 6 which worked great but i thought i wanted more screen and power so i went for an M1 ipad pro 12.9. I was in love through the honeymoon phase i bought the magic keyboard to see if i can make it into a 2in1 device. As many have experienced, iPad OS is got ready for that which is quite a shame. Soon after the honeymoon phase wore off it was just too big to carry without a bag. I realized my ipad mini 6 was just perfect. Returned the ipad pro and got a MacBook air and kept the ipad mini. Best decision ever! The mini with cell service goes EVERYWHERE just because it can and it fits in every jacket pocket i have !

[@TheBigFatHairyCheese]

As a flight instructor, I use an iPad for flight planning, textbooks, practice exam sets (saves printing a pile of paperwork) & photo editing. I had planned to use it as a laptop replacement when travelling but, same as you, found iPadOS way too limiting. Trying to use it as a laptop replacement, I keep finding that iPadOS apps are cut down & missing important features compared to their desktop counterparts, or software limitations that make it slower or impossible to do the desired task, forcing me to pull out the laptop each time.

[@franckielouann4651]

thank you, still very happy with the mini..and honestly, i would really be happy with that mini keyboard as well.❤

[@KreeTerry]

I have a 2018 12.9 pro but I’m leaning towards an 11” or air for my next iPad. While I do use my iPad for a lot of work I think stage manager and external monitor support will fit my needs perfectly and the added mobility with with 11” models. The 12.9 has been great but the size has really hurt its portability and usability for me.

[@WestonWoodfin]

I am a Full-Time Graphic Designer. Some would consider me a "Pro User" seeing as I use my iPad almost everyday for work. But, I sold my iPad Pro and purchased the iPad mini. There honestly isn't much that the Pro can do that the mini can't. Super happy with my purchase. I made a video recently going more in depth about why I love the Mini even as a "Pro User".

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Hey Weston - just watched your video- loved it! And yep, like you in a totally non-pervy way I also enjoy taking the Mini to bed with me. 😊

[@WestonWoodfin]

@@ThatMarkGilroy haha Thanks Mark! Definitely keeps me warm at night. :) Perfect bed time companion.

[@X1GenKaneShiroX]

@@WestonWoodfinThere are several negative downsides with the iPad Mini 6th generation that you might want to keep in mind I’m not saying that the mini is bad it’s just something to consider. iPad Mini 6th generation obviously runs much slower than the iPad Pro and that’s pretty evident on the benchmark scores because the mini got an score of 1572 on single core while the Pro got an 1874 on single core, pretty significant… Does way worse on the multi-core since the Mini 6 got 4471 while the Pro 6 got an 8417 pretty much about half so I’ll highly advise against running demanding softwares or even games on the Mini 6… What about the value for the storages? Well on the Pro 6 you could be paying $1.17/GB while on the Mini 6 even with cheapest option you be paying $2.54/GB much better value on the Pro 6. And considering that the Pro 6 was released more recently it’s basically much more future proof than the Mini 6…

[@WestonWoodfin]

@@X1GenKaneShiroX I hear what you are saying and I agree with some of your statements. However, there is much more to consider than just benchmark scores and price per gigabyte. When it comes to benchmarks, the 6th generation iPad mini actually ranked higher than the 2018 iPad Pro that I had. The mini has a newer chip than that one. Also, if you want to talk about power and benchmarks…there are VERY FEW PEOPLE that will actually use the extent of power for most of the iPads, especially the iPad Pro. As a designer and photographer I have yet to see even the 2018 iPad Pro struggle with huge procreate files and massive raw images. With that being said the mini is no slouch. Personally, I needed more storage so I went for the 256GB iPad Mini Model. I was able to find it for $450 “open box” on Amazon in great condition.Therefore, it was a great deal for me…but that’s also because of other factors besides the numbers on a sheet. I talk about it more in a video I made if you are interested.

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Never thought of mapping the storage value that way. Interesting.

[@brotheryoung]

Subbed after watching this video! I too "downgraded" from my iPad Pro 11" (2020) to the iPad Mini 6 and I don't regret it at all! The portability > power is a brilliant point. I have a M1 Macbook Air from my job so any photo editing I do gets done on that now. I think having a Macbook (air or pro) + iPad Mini 6 is a solid combo. Great vid!

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Thanks mate. 👍🏻

[@GermericanGuy]

Good video, and I’m glad to see others are thinking about this. I was SOOO excited when Apple turned on phone calling for iPad. I’ve been wanting to get away from having a phone and separate larger screen (that’s bigger than the Max series of iPhones), and they’ve taken one step closer to that ideal. I’ve been doing an experiment for a few months, where I leave my iPhone 11 at home while I carry my iPad Mini 6 with cellular, Apple Watch 6 with cellular, and EarPods Pro. I've found that for me, having the Mini with me all the time is a definite bonus. To carry it around, I either use a small crossbody bag that fits the Mini perfectly in an external pocket or I wear cargo pants where the large pocket perfectly holds the Mini with its pencil attached. (It sticks out of the pocket about 3cm or so, but it’s very convenient to always have it with me and not have to carry around the body bag. It’s very easy to grab from the pocket and easy to replace once I’m done with it.) I also find that, with the Splashtop app, I can connect back to my Mac Mini at home if I need to do any kind of “real“ work using a desktop-type system. (This is a whole other story, but when I was trying to decide on the iPad Pro 12.9”versus a MacBook Air, I decided on the iPad Pro with keyboard, again using Splashtop if I need to do any desktop-level work.) Hardware-wise, I’m not a professional camera type person and I find that the quality of the Mini 6 camera is good enough for me. Size-wise, it’s been interesting how I’ve gotten used to the size and have no trouble using it. App-wise, I send and receive SMS messages to and from both Android and iOS people and I use FaceTime audio to call people (using the EarPods and not holding the iPad to my head) and if they have an Apple device, we can FaceTime video if they want. Of all the apps I’ve used, I’ve found that there are only two that don’t work so far: Apple CarPlay (which is a definite bummer) and the McDonald’s app (though the Burger King app works fine so I can scratch that occasional junk food itch).

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Thanks for your thoughts Eddie. Utterly mad that CarPlay doesn’t work with iPad - seems like a no brainer?!

[@mitschiewaldmann9450]

Thanks for the video. Having the same thoughts at the moment and considering a switch to the mini. Your video provided some interesting insides / thoughts!

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Thanks Mitschie! Tons of other great observations in the comments from people who’ve either done the same or are happy with their larger iPads for their workflows.

[@romangarmong254]

I bought the Mini as soon as it the stores. That was my first iPad in what I think of as the content-generation era. (Previous iPad and iPad Air were consumption devices only.) I absolutely love it, and have never regretted the choice. As you say, it's ultra-portable and works great for content consumption, but also for note-taking and other basic content creation. It's even not too bad for drawing with ProCreate and making videos with Lumafusion. A year later, however, I'm very close to pulling the trigger on a Pro, probably the 12.9". I do love drawing and creating videos, and I do quite a lot of those tasks as part of my job as principal of a Montessori kindergarten. While the Mini works okay for such things, it does feel a little cramped. I'll never give up my Mini, however: any other iPad will be an addition to my Apple devices, not a replacement for anything.

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

That’s such an interesting distinction between generation and consumption Roman- thanks for sharing. Sounds like the 12.9” Pro will serve you well for your kindergarten work. 👍🏻

[@shanghaichica]

Yes I had the first gen mini and it was my first iPad. I’ve had every generation of mini.

[@TJDawgs72]

I have the Pro 12.9 (2020) and the Mini 6…they have many great things about them. I use the Mini 6 specifically for Kindle books and as my travel iPad. When I’m sitting home watching KZbin and all the other blah blah blah crap I use my 12.9. If you can afford both get both. But if you can only afford one iPad the Mini is a great choice.

[@Impulse97]

I went from an 11" M1 pro to a 6th gen Mini. I mainly used my pro as a laptop replacement as I mainly used a laptop to browse the web and consume other media. I did also draw on my pro. That said, I can still do all of that on my mini, and more comfortably too.

[@xxhawkdancerxx]

I have the newest iPad mini and the iPhone mini. I also have a 2017 iPad Pro, but tbh since I got the mini 2y ago I haven’t used it very much at all. The iPad mini fills in all the “gaps” between a laptop and my phone very well, and is the perfect size for note taking as well

[@roloos]

iPad Mini last edition with pencil 2. I love the size. It’s great for browsing, taking notes, watching videos, drawing in procreate, email, administration, zoom calls, social media. The size makes it easy to hold with one hand.

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Yes. Now if only they could make it just a TAD brighter I'd be a happy little Apple fanboy.

[@mdarks4117]

I’m a PT university student, who’s used the Pro 11 for 1 year and a bit during the pandemic for online courses & downtime at work (also have an iMac). I found it to be able to do most of what I needed it to do, for things like essays, PowerPoint presentations, research, Zoom & Teams lectures + meetings, KZbin/ media & reading textbooks on Acrobat Reader. I’ve recently switched to a 12.9 for the nicer display & screen size

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Interesting- and how has switching affected how often you use your iMac (if at all)?

[@gaveem]

I’ve been using the iPad Pro 11 2020 for a couple of years now, and I can tell you, it meets my requirements in about 80% of use cases. For scripting, writing, reading, teaching, media consumption, gaming… this device works fine. But I keep running into hurdles whenever I need specific professional grade work: vector work with illustrator, and specific functionality of the Microsoft 365 productivity suite. In both cases, the apps simply aren’t up to par with the desktop class software, and are quite frankly, prone to random crashes and bugs reminiscent of the horrible user experience with Windows ME way back in the early 2000s. 80% is good, and perfect when considering I used only this device during trips abroad for music composition and some light video production. But then again, the lack of a “desktop”, and the entire nightmare of using the files interface is just so unintuitive… so very unlike the whole ethos of the OSes that Apple has carefully curated all this time. At this time I’m just waiting for what the next series of MacBook Pros are going to be like before deciding on what to get. For anyone wanting an iPad, sure, go for it! Because even if you can’t find a good workflow for yourself with it, you can always use it as a second display with sidecar!

[@mdarks4117]

@@ThatMarkGilroy I use the iMac as a 2nd device if my gal is doing course work or I want a full app like Word. Also if I need a computer for some exam sites, websites or software requiring a Mac OS or Windows.

[@Andyhandle]

I switched from an ipad air to the the mini and love it. The size is perfect for me and I use the stylus most of the time. Adding "paperlike" screen cover made a huge difference- from writing on glass vs writing on good quality paper.

[@StudyTeatime]

Hey so I’m a student in need of a new device to get me throught the next 6~ years of schooling. I do some video editing, not that seriously yet, but I do. Also taking notes is valuable to me. What would you guys recommend? Macbook or ipad?

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Personally I’d go MacBook Air. For the price of a refurbished one you’ll be able to do much much more than on an iPad. As long as you’re comfortable taking notes in a program like Notion or Obsidian rather than handwritten.

[@bunkie2100]

I have two personal interests that make an iPad indispensable: flying and performing. Within the pilot community, almost no one is without an iPad. This is because of a single application, Foreflight. It started out as a replacement for paper aeronautical charts but has evolved into a full-blown navigation and aircraft management system. For performing, most of my musician friends use OnSong to manage the chord and lyrics charts. For both applications, sophisticated mounting devices have evolved. I have one that works with a microphone stand for music and another that mounts the iPad to the instrument panel of the aircraft. These are two of the specialized solutions for which a tablet is indispensable. The overwhelming dominace and resulting sophistication of the specialized iOS apps are a self-fulfilling reality. I’m on my second iPad and will upgrade as soon as Foreflight no longer supports my current iPad. With respect to the Mini, I have been tempted many times by the small form factor (in a small cockpit, that can be a big advantage). But a critical applications like Foreflight demands a larger screen which Is why I haven’t made the switch.

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Yes Peter I have used Onsong in a past life as a professional musician. What an app!

[@hiep_exe]

Bro winning in life being both a pilot and a musician. Respect 📈

[@linekerv]

I use foreflight on the mini all the time and I feel it is a great investment. I love it when I hop on / off the warrior and 172s all day. But if you have a bigger plane and the space use the bigger iPads I guess.

[@rogue8853]

I buy ipads for aviation as well. I used to only use minis but found that larger ipads do just fine and i like to split screen the foreflight map and synthetic vision or to map + other etc

[@Bootus123]

As a music director, ForScore alone has made my investment in a 12.9" iPad Pro worth it. Anything smaller than the 12.9" and I wouldn't be able to see my scores very well, especially for orchestral or band scores (I am a choral director so this doesn't come up often, but it is super helpful when I conduct pit orchestra). It also makes taking notes on PDFs really great, since it's about the same size as an A4 sheet of paper. I use my iPad for about 95% of my daily tasks.

[@howardeastin1474]

I own both an iPad Mini and now an iPad Pro 11 inch M2. I use the mini as my personal iPad, where I take it with me everywhere I go. The iPad Pro serves as my work computer, and yes I said computer. I work in field sales, and I have tried MacOS, Windows, and even ChromeOS. What I kept coming back to during each stint was iPadOS. iPadOS just serves all my work needs. The experience is just fast, smooth transitions between apps, supports every app I need and iPad’s are just more portable than any laptop out there, including Apples own MBA. iPad’s are just more accessible than laptops. iPad’s fit in more bags, can be minimal, and now can last as long as you need them. Yes, laptops have full working desktops that allow you to have more windows open at a time, but for someone like myself who finds that option too tempting to have things open to get in the way of work, I find that I focus more using an iPad over a laptop and I work more efficiently …

[@th3sand7]

As a 11 pro user, I've been thinking about switching to the mini as well. Before my iPad keyboard broke, I used it mostly for journaling my thoughts, writing a lot, and being my portable "Portable Computer". The snappiness and instant on capability makes it an always on device for me to record all my thoughts without having to wait for a screen to load. Otherwise, I use it for brainstorming with Nebo and watch KZbin which I always feel bad for not 'maximising' its power.

[@oo0024]

I have the M1 12.9 and I only use it for movies 😂 but I get my worth out of it because the screen is ridiculously good watching movies on this screen is brilliant

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Nebo is a really good notetaking tool!

[@pilot4775]

It’s like you took the words right out of my mouth. Your frustration with iPads is exactly what I am experiencing as well.

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Thanks Jacob- sounds like we’re not alone reading some of the other comments here.

[@m2bounder498]

Hey, I really like your laidback but very informative style. Keep up the good work!

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Thanks buddy, means a lot!

[@NairobiOSmith]

I’m a musician and I have a 2018 iPad Pro for sheet music and other performance related things. I’ve been using iPad for sheet music for about 10 years now and it saves having to carry a large 3 ring binder around. I also have a mini that I use for note taking, calendar and other small productivity things like that. I find them both very useful. Granted I could use an iPad Air but at the time I was due for an upgrade the new iPad Pro came out and I wanted to try it. I prefer the larger size (comparing the mini and the 11 inch pro) for reading sheet music.

[@OG_Zlog]

I own an Apple iPad Mini 6th Gen with an Apple Pencil and I absolutely love it. It does have jelly-scroll issues, but that is only apparent in portrait mode with a wall of text on screen. In landscape the issue vanishes. I basically treat my iPad Mini as a replacement phone when at the house, or on the go for note taking and watching movies. I love it to death.

[@darcyknight5462]

Very well put together video. First time watching and I thought you would have had at least 100k subscribers. Informative and straight to the point.

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Thanks Darcy- that’s really kind of you- I’m working on the 100K 😉

[@RedMageGaming]

I switched from a Surface Go2 and surface pen to an ipad mini 6 and apple pencil. I loved the idea of my surface go, but the performance left too much to be desired. Where the mini 6 just feels snappy. Would like a little more oomph in some web applications. But generally It does what I need it to do while away from my laptop/desktop. Mostly content consumption, communication, and note taking.

[@codytappen]

Started using an iPad for notes and diagrams in college when the releases the first base model you could get with Apple Pencil. A year after graduating I swapped to the current gen mini cause almost all my time on the iPad was spend reading and mini is clearly a superior reading form factor. Love both. If I was an artist or in a position which requires me to regular hand write I would get pro if the larger size without question, for now I’m happy with the mini as an e-reader and occasional pdf editor and white boarding tool

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Thanks Cody. Yes the A5 (ish) size lends itself really well to reading and also field-journal style note taking.

[@cholectu]

I did the exact same thing and I am much happier. I’m using iPad as a complementary device apart from my MBA M2, for reading, youtubing, note taking and occasional document editing. It’s really portable and working well. Besides the screen space, it’s almost indifferent from using the iPad Pro. The real problem is the fact that iPad apps are still unable to be used as their MB counterparts.

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Yep. Apple seem fixed on making the iPad experience more like a phone than a computer. There’s so much wasted space even on the Home Screen that could be better utilised with a software bump.

[@Oodelfjisk]

I have an 11.9" iPad Pro and use it for reading my daily newspaper digitally. It's clearly more computing power than I need for that, but the screen is bright, the text is clear, and it saves me hundreds of dollars a year on a hard copy newspaper subscription with home delivery. We made the switch to a digital sub about 8 months ago when they raised the cost yet again. It works great every morning (or even at midnight), and I just print out the few things I need to keep. You also get a digital preview of the very latest news, which the print folks don't get until the next day. Even my Luddite wife reads the paper on the iPad! With the continued decline of print media in general it seems to us like this is a great use for a screen this size. A Kindle is probably better for reading novels, but magazines and the newspaper really look much better on an iPad than a tiny phone screen. Streaming football and soccer matches on my iPad while multi-tasking with something else on the computer is also something I do regularly.

[@SilentNinja1x]

I have an ipad pro 12.9” which i brought first for note taking for training courses as its similar size to a4 paper but has so much more functionality. Started working from home and i dont have the same size desk as i used to, so having the pro on my desk to support with work tasks just didnt work. So i brought a mini 6 which works wonders, main purpose is notetaking, smooth enough to not be an issue but its not as good as the pro! When not working, i use the mini 6 as an ipad… something i could rarely do with the Ipad pro because of the size and weight… i had the combo touch case, worked brilliantly but just cant be handheld like a tablet should. The mini doesnt have this problem and works brilliantly for browsing the web, light email tasks, shopping and media. consumption. The Ipad pro has become a pretty much permanent desk addition, mainly running notion to free up space on my work screen. Also use it for music and light media tasks while working paired with my airpod max. Brilliant stand for it now as well, but if i had to chose 1, i would take the mini 6 every time, the pro has better features, but its almost always stuck to the desk it just isnt the right size and weight - think of it like a notebook, you put it in a bag to transport it and then whenever you use it, its almost always on a desk.

[@boogidaball]

I genuinely believe that they should be focusing on the smaller form factors. I love the mini for the ability to have a digital notebook and side tool to all of my MacBook Pro tasks. I’d love to see some of the pro features trickle down. Pro motion mini LED on an iPad mini would be phenomenal for content consumption and browsing.

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

YES! I don’t need M1 or M2 in a small form ipad but the display and camera bump would be a great addition.

[@boogidaball]

@@ThatMarkGilroy I know that it came out that apple isn’t bringing mini LED to smaller models including the 11 inch yet because cutting the glass that small has to many failed units but when they switch to OLED soon enough I’m praying to god we get it on the tiny models. Even if they don’t wanna bring “pro motion” to non “pro” models I’d love at least 90hz. Idk I love the little notebook handheld size iPad mini. Great vid.

[@ricardomerk2]

I remember the days when smaller was premium. Love to see a new mini iPhone and the mini ipad get at least some pro like features. I’d definitely be all in.

[@morphos2]

I bought a 1st gen 12’’ iPad Pro because it allowed me to read full A4 pages (at its real size) as well as underline and take notes on PDFs , without needing to constantly pinch to zoom. Although I think many of the apps I use in my productivity workflow need a some optimizations. Somehow I can not absolutely forget the practicality and tangibility that a leaf of quality paper brings to the table.

[@Lesson_Episodes]

Same with me, I want an ipad for note taking and reading for my mbbs book pdf also some time for graphic drawing As portability Can you suggest me is ipad pro good or a mini is best as its portable What are the cons of pro

[@weekendatbernies2265]

That and an extra fine pen

[@JohnvanGurp]

I’ve been using the iPad Pro, since it first came out, and upgraded to an M1 as well. I absolutely love it… There’s just nothing it can’t do from editing large video files to the obvious art and graphics programs. However, I also recently bought the Mini 6 and holy smokes. I love that too! I’m keeping them both! 😊

[@VanBattad]

I use the iPad Mini for my fast referencing checking while doing rounds or completing my census for patients. The size is portable enough to not be bothered bringing it around all day, but not too small like a phone.

[@ladyhollman9534]

I have the mini 6 and 11 Pro. The mini is my buddy. It’s no slouch and I use it for my field research. Field journal extraordinaire.

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Yes! It’s a perfect field journal size.

[@dennisaustin4268]

I've been tempted by the current mini because I loved using my old one as a private airplane pilot. Cockpits are small. But the reason I use the 11" Pro is primarily so I can travel without a computer. (Personal travel, not business.) I don't think the mini would suffice as a computer substitute. The 11" with smart keyboard is still barely up to it.

[@DormanDavid-mv2ce]

I have an iPad mini six. I wish it had more storage.

[@betuldokucu]

iPad mini user for a year here! I use it to read mostly (on public transportation or before sleeping) but also for yoga tutorials, and watch stuff in my bed. Really convenient compared to using a laptop for these. When I'm on a long train ride or a flight I watch knitting tutorials while knitting. Phone screen would be too small, and the laptop would be impossible to use, but iPad mini is just the size I need.

[@PriyanujKashyap]

I am personally using the iPad Pro 2017 primarily for note taking in classes and reading notes sometimes. But I am planning to switch to a eink display tablet like the kindle scribe for the task as its better on my eyes. I will probably have an ipad mini for the tasks that I need an ipad for like drawing something or drawing diagrams.

[@Azn_Bran]

Yeah, I've not had an iPad for years now and it hasn't at all affected any of my workflows. I often think I should get one again, but I don't know what I would even use it for. I think you nailed it when you said they, "created a solution for a problem that doesn't exist."

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

If I was into physical notebooks, I couldn’t justify it.

[@Azn_Bran]

@@ThatMarkGilroy It doesn't help that my handwriting is atrocious. Thankfully I am a very fast typist lol

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Snap! 😂

[@wintersheet]

I am a teacher, and i use a m1 12.9 inch iPad Pro. The biggest thing for me is the Apple Pencil not only for note taking, but to create materia for my students. For me the only real reason to use a pro is because of the display size. I use my iPad every day and it’s my favorite tool. I probably could use an iPad mine, but I love the ability to draw on a bigger screen.

[@airsnapshots]

I have the first gen iPad Pro (2017). I only use it these days for streaming shows and movies. For my day to day, I too use my iPad Mini 6 along with the 2nd gen Apple Pencil. I use this little workhorse for editing my drone videos in Lumafusion. Absolutely love it.

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

I am trying to figure out a way to use it as a drone controller….!

[@zaryl2k]

i used to own 2018 ipad pro 11" LTE before i switched to a larger 2021 M1 ipad pro 12.9" 5G. i really appreciate the extra screen estate & readability on the large ipad pro. i mostly use it for reading & annotating research journals, answering emails, multimedia consumption, sometimes playing COD mobile via ps4 gamepad and etc. Occasionally, i would do light video editing via LumaFusion as well. While the 12.9" is quite heavy & unwieldy, i took the 5G version because i frequent travel and i prefer to use my own internet data as opposed on using public wifis such as at Starbucks for data security & privacy concerns. More than a year of usage and i didn't really find it that heavy though. but the battery could be better as it's not really a whole day battery life especially when you are using 5G all the time. All in all, i am very satisfied with it.

[@tmbocelot]

To me the iPad use case is just a question of “do you do anything on your phone that a bigger screen would enhance?” If the answer is yes then it’s worth it to me. I use the mini 6 as well for reading and watching content and it’s suits me perfectly. As someone who reads a lot of manga the kindle screens never did it for me but the iPad mini is perfect

[@c9j92]

What website do you use to read your manga?

[@whengrapespop5728]

I’ve been using an iPad mini 5 professionally for a few years now, and it’s been great. It’s a bummer that the Gen 5 (or 6) won’t get external monitor support - that’s the only thing I feel like it’s missing in a professional context, but other than that it’s great.

[@Squarethrone1980]

I have a 2021 iPad Pro 12.9 and iPad Mini 6. I generally use my pro for gaming, typing, media watching. For whatever reason I just prefer the pro for watching stuff. I use the mini for everything else. I definitely prefer the mini for web surfing. Next update I might spring for cellular model of the mini.

[@z-mackdos6echo311]

I have in my iPad arsenal an old 9.7” iPad Pro, an M1 12.9” iPad Pro, and the 6th Gen iPad mini (or as I refer to it, because I bought to replace my iPad touch) aka, iPod touch pro. Video editing using Lumafusion, but primarily digital art with procreate. The protective cases for the new model iPads I prefer the cases made by ZUGU. Versatile and Apple care approved, but no keyboard. I have a foldable Bluetooth keyboard for the mini, and a Logitech Bluetooth keyboard for the others. Ever since I’ve my first iPad Pro, I left behind a PC desktop, because I didn’t care for the wires to connect all the peripheral devices needed to use it, but that’s before all the new wifi or Bluetooth devices came out. Last century I owned an 18” digitizing tablet with a pen to use with Coral draw. So I was used using one once they became available for the pro models. The Apple Pencil works much better and easier to charge up than finding hearing aid batteries. Although the one for the Microsoft surface pro pen work pretty good with that tablet. The only external devices I have that I use regularly are my portable SSD drives for storing my art work. Each is designed to find a solution for the individual looking to using one and have it suit their specific work needed, and also their budgetary price constraints. Which gives them the option to choose one of the many available choices. Which solves their needs. I’ve been an iPad user since the first Gen, which I still have in pristine condition.

[@CrimFerret]

Thank you! "A solution looking for a problem." perfectly describes most tablets. I only have an Ipad 9th gen because my sister gave it to me after she won it and determined she had no use for it. Tablets have always been in the realm of tech toys that would be fun, but too expensive to justify given the lack of any real need for one. After a few weeks with it, I've determined a few things. It could never act as a primary portable computing device if I had a need for that. I really didn't have any need for a tablet. I'm definitely not an Apple person. I've found one use for it as a portable PDF reader for reference and text books which I often have to jump to a specific section in for the information i want. That's about it. I don't think I'd feel any differently if it had been an Android based tablet. It comes down to this; tablets aren't small form factor PC's, they are large form factor smartphones (without the phone part) with all the limitations of a smartphone. I don't need a large form factor smartphone.

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Totally agree with this. And that feel of being a large form factor smartphone isn’t helped by iPadOS being virtually identical to iOS.

[@mencken8]

Different individuals, different needs. Today, I use my MB Pro

[@crimsonbard1]

I've always used a Mini, originally a Mini 3, and just this year I replaced it with the Mini 6 and all the features I gained (Apple Pencil support, primarily). You mentioned wanting a foldable keyboard, and I have one that is outstanding. There are several, but the one I use is the Arteck case, which is much lighter than the one I used for my Mini 3. The case has a divot on the top which allows you to charge your pencil while still in the case, and the screen and keyboard are detachable, which means you can leave the keyboard behind if you want, and also, you can attach it in reverse, so it acts as a stand. The case was around $30. Incidentally, I also bought an Apple Pencil clone (iPenbox) for around $30, which has all the functionality of the Apple Pencil 2, except pressure sensitivity.

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Nice - thanks for the recommendation John!

[@DonovanMediaCenter]

I love the form factor of the mini, and it has been more than capable for content creation (video/photo/audio editing).

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Totally agree!

[@erezgonculer9279]

Keep the great work man!

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Thanks, will do!

[@georgh.3041]

I'm actually using two iPads. An iPad mini 6 for work, mostly for note taking, and also as my reading device. Secondly I'm using an 12.9 iPad Pro for reading music scores. It's a shame that there is no 'normal' iPad with this size because the m1 is total overkill for this task. But it's also a great device for watching videos. Recently I began thinking about switching to an Z Fold 4 to have one device less...

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Yes- I used to work as a professional musician and my iPad Pro was a great size for reading score/lyrics when performing live- not sure I could have made a Mini work in that case.

[@theonlyerec]

I have an iPad mini 6. I was a huge fan of the form factor when it launched. I use it for video editing on my other KZbin channel using LumaFusion. Yeah a bigger screen would be easier but nothing beats the portability of the Mini.

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Lots of folk in the comments mentioning LumaFusion Christian. Really glad to hear it's working for you. There's always the option to connect to a bigger screen via AirPlay too.

[@fjfjrfjfjr]

This was a VERY well done video! Keep up the good work!

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Thank you!

[@jadude119]

Well done man, this was a great video!

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Thanks mate 👍🏻

[@Vern_Levine]

I’ve been using the iPad mini for about three years now (upgrading to the mini 6 earlier this year) and in the past week, I have upgraded to the iPad Pro M1 11 inch ($570 at target a few weeks ago). And I have to say I’m super happy with it. I’ll be selling my iPad mini in the next week. I was starting to feel like my iPad wasn’t much bigger than my iPhone 13 Pro. And using the Apple Pencil with it really didn’t work well for me. I’d have to say the biggest difference with the larger iPad is just how much more snappy it feels with the M1 processor. I was very frustrated with how ‘slow’ at times the multitasking in the mini felt. Not so with the iPad Pro. One of the primary reasons I had the mini was for reading however, I’m finding with the pro it’s just as good if not better because of the larger screen real estate I have to work with.

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Thanks Vern- can’t really go wrong with that Target deal! I guess my comparison wasn’t entirely fair as the M1 & M2 pro models would sprint past my A15 bionic Mini if I did a ‘latest models’ test.

[@edgaryzen4925]

You are right. I DON’T GET why folks have both phablet size iPhone and iPad mini for the same use case? It makes no sense financially and practically. I always thought that iPad should be use as a productivity tool or entertainment while the iPhone should be computerized minimalistic phone. Perfect example of mine; iPhone SE 2016 as my daily driver and iPad Pro 12.9’ M1. If I want a phone that can nearly replace my computer, I WOULD OPTED for the top of the model iPhone and not look into the iPad at all. MacBook is simply a computer which is incomparable to phone and tablet.

[@chasefeller1279]

I still use the ipad mini 5. I want to upgrade and love the form factor of the new mini but the one thing i cant get behind is the touch id on the power button. While definitely a dated design, the mini 5 touch id is superb and perfectly located. If it had face id, i’d be the first in line to get one. I have debated going with the ipad pro 11 so many times but just not sure its for me, I just prefer the small form factor. For now, i’ll just keep the mini 5…its been an amazing device for me for several years.

[@object__object]

I have a Mini 6 and I'm a big fan of the power button touch id. I find it very natural to use, especially in landscape mode where it's right beside my index finger.

[@kimwidol]

Well…I bought them at different times and got sale discounts where possible, and I didn’t originally plan on it, but I have the M1 MacBook, 12.9 iPad Pro, 11 iPad Pro, iPad Mini 6. The MacBook and the 11 iPad Pro I bought first. I rarely used the MacBook unless there is something the iPad just couldn’t handle. When I changed jobs, I needed something light and highly portable, so I got the mini 6 with cellular service. I LOVE that little thing! It goes absolutely everywhere with me. I decided later that I wanted the 12.9 for the screen size for doing desk work and for spin bike workouts. (My eyesight isn’t what it used to be!) I passed up the 2022s and went with the 5th Gen and got a great discounted deal on it at Best Buy. I love that thing too! The screen is gorgeous! The 11-inch iPad Pro is kinda the odd-man out so-to-speak, but not really. I now use it for my choir music and for a larger screen on vacation…and because they are all 2021 era machines, they will have a long lifespan.

[@amitkapila573]

I’m glad. Finally somebody has made a video that talks to me. I have been saying this to all my friends and anybody who would listen that the iPad mini is perfect for notetaking carrying with You and a general all-purpose iPad and you can use your computer for the rest.

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

I’m fully with you Amit!

[@letsgowalk]

I totally agree with you about it not quite being to replace a computer. I love my Mini 6, but one thing that drives me up the wall with it (and iPads in general) is the terrible Files app. Even with the upgrade to iPadOS 16, which supposedly improved a lot of things, there are still many shortcomings. When I go on trips, I don’t like lugging around a clunky laptop, so I have been trying to use the iPad instead for transferring photos from my camera to a thumb drive via a multiport dongle. This has been a frustrating proposition to say the least. I would say perhaps there is a less than 50/50 chance that it works. More often than not, it would either stop copying halfway through (the progress circle is quite useless), or copy over a bunch of corrupt files. Yes, I know some people will tell me to bring more SD cards for my cameras, but some simply don’t have that option, like my Insta360 Go2, for example. Overall, I still adore my Mini 6. It works surprisingly well for editing 4K videos through Lumafusion, but as an overall computer replacement, I would say it is maybe about halfway there. The funny thing is that I actually purchased a Pixel 6a simply for the camera (everything else is Apple ecosystem), and I have inadvertently found that it can perform this above mentioned task even better than the iPad can. Couple that with the fact that Lumafusion is also available on Android now means that I don’t even have to carry the Mini on trips anymore.

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Thanks for sharing! And yes, I feel your pain with the Files app- just awful. Had the same experience with importing photos/videos via a dongle. SanDisk could make a fortune if they can invent a card compatible with AirDrop.

[@TheJoaninhaMendes]

iPad mini user here since the 1st generation. Never had another type of tablet and after owning the mini 1, mini 2 and currently using my old mini 4 (looking to update to a 6) I can say that it is the best tablet ever. My use case is media consumption. Yes, i could do on my phone, but it would drain the battery really fast. So i have the ipad for that. As i type this in vertical mode, using both thumbs, it feels so comfortable to type. It is amazing. It will never replace a computer, but for my use case is perfect.

[@reidcardwell]

I have an iPad Pro 12.9 and a Mini, and the Pro mostly just sits on the desk. Like you, I'd hoped to replace the Macbook Pro with the iPad Pro, but the OS and apps just aren't there yet. I carry the Mini with me much more often, primarily for note-taking.

[@suyinbarker3259]

i use an ipad mini 5. i mostly use it for schoolwork, but i also use it for some drawing applications and general productivity stuff. I bring it with me everywhere. With the exeption of a few things, it does what my iphone cant and my iphone does what my ipad cant

[@patburns64]

I have the ipad mini 6 and the air 5th generation with M1. I have to say that they are both awesome devices. I carry the mini in my bag at all times and its awesome to have with me. I like the portability and speed of the mini 6, The only issue I have is certain websites and the google sheets app. Sometimes they dont fit my screen correctly and I have to scroll in weird ways. But that is more of my job related work. Everything else is great. I really wanted a foldable like the galaxy fold line, but the mini is a great alternative. Its my 2nd favorite ipad off all time. I use my air 5 for some of the apps for my job. But overall they are pretty similar in every day use.

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Thanks Pat! If the mini 6 is your second favourite does that mean the iPad Air 5th gen is at the top spot? I do think we’ll see something out there from Apple next year in their iPhone line up. Hoping for foldable 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

[@davievoelker1211]

I just picked up a 2020 11 inch iPad Pro and it has been amazing for my specific use case. As both a musician and Sound Technician, the ability to have one device next to my MacBook that lets me have both my music scores and interface apps for the sound boards I’ll work with has been a game changer. And while the mini does look appealing in terms of form factor, the larger screen gives me more real estate for music, scripts, and faders/interfaces

[@kathrynfarmer3736]

True!!! I agree. I’ve a MacBook 14” Pro & iPad 11” Air. Been tempted to switch to iPad mini BUT on stage I use my 11” to read music scores/lyrics. I feel I’d miss the largeness of my 11” screen. I agree with the podcaster though that apple should create a phone that flips out to an iPad Mini.(all in one device). Then I’d definitely switch to an all in one iPhone / iPad Mini device….

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

There’s various patents that Apple have submitted for foldables. Not sure if they’d kill off the mini’s fandom in favour of a folding phone though….we’ll see.

[@ZackM72]

I use the 2018 iPad Pro with a keyboard and mouse and it works well for my work needs and haven’t really needed my MacBook. I do a lot in the office apps and have been able to use remote software to connect to other work machines as needed if I need something the iPad can’t. I just really wish true external display would come, I know they pulled that back from the 16 update but it was also going to be just for the M2 versions so would have to upgrade for that and that doesn’t justify that for me. The only knock I really have against it is the battery, with Bluetooth connected it does seen to burn through the battery in about a day plus pushing 4 years old the battery might just also be losing its juice.

[@user-li8if6pd9x]

Currently using the newest IPad Air as a student. What I currently use it for is for my mail, Note taking, And Homework (To some programs). What I wish These IPads would do is to be a little bit more like a computer instead of a balance between the iphone and mac. Like I wish that I can do to some extent coding. These IPads have really good chip sets and it just needs to get another OS refresh so that apple can finally target that audience that wants a more portable computer.

[@robertoviana514]

I like the form factor of the iPad mini for all of the reason that you pointed out. I use the mini for reading books and taking notes. The weight and size is a big factor for me.

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Thanks for sharing Roberto!

[@margaritaisabelamoroso9981]

Totally agree! Currently have a Mac Pro and iPad Air. But having issues with the weight of the iPad Air with the smart keyboard. So planning to get a mini but can’t quite give up the iPad Air…yet. Thanks for this video!

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Thanks Margarita- glad you liked it! At this stage I'd hold on until at least March as it's highly likely a new Mini will be out around then...!

[@Flippy1524]

I have the iPad Mini 6 paired with an iPhone 13. My thinking was that if I need to use a keyboard, I need an actual laptop/desktop. Therefore the larger iPads made no sense for me, this one is hella portable. I use it for standard media consumption, especially when travelling, i've used it to cast/connect to tv's so we can watch movies that i've downloaded locally or on a streaming app. I've also used it occasionally for drawing, as well as a stream deck. There have been two situations where i've used it for presentations where i shared the iPad's screen instead of an actual laptop. It came to a point where I actually gave my own macbook air to my parents so they can have a laptop because i just simply didn't use it. I do have a work provided macbook, but thats solely for work.

[@jimmyzhao2673]

Great video. I think the term *'Pro'* is overused marketing puffery by all manufacturers.

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

It really is overused!!

[@JollySmash]

I tried a whole suite of iPads at once. I too found I used the mini more, especially when I was on the go. But I valued the 120hz and M1 chip on the pro. I said to the sales staff at Apple - why do I have to choose between this amazing form factor or the Pro’s benefit (which could be construed as, why is there no Mini Pro) - the staff replied with genuine surprise, “oh you’re right, there’s a gap in our line up there”. In the end I went with the pro 11 while I wait for 120hz to hit the iPad mini 😂

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

[@ace41367]

Went from an iPad to 12” Pro, then regular pro, now Air. 12” was to big, did not need the features of pro when compared to Air - main reason is that iPad versions of software apps ( and OS) are just junior league when compared to those on the Mac. Not sure if I would go smaller though since it starts to compete with my iPhone max (personal) and my iPhone mini (work) and I use it as a secondary display for my MacBook.

[@valuetraveler2026]

I got rid of my iPad Air a few years ago - too big to carry around. Use case now would be as a second screen to consume content on the go read PDFs or documentation also better for games. Can never replace a Mac desktop for programmers

[@craigo2142]

I like the idea of foldable iPhone that would have about same screen space as a mini. That would be perfect for travel. Wish Apple offered a more basic mini for "normal" users. And, the major problem I do have with the current mini is regular document file storage. IOS needs to handle this much better.

[@yogesh.mistry1981]

I downgraded from ipad 7 to iPad mini 6th gen and iphone 11 to iPhone 13mini. My sentiment align with your points completely. I am not a Pro user, smaller size ,means portability, pencil 2 works great, with sidecar, it comes in handy when i need a 2nd monitor. What i didnt compromise was on the storage and cellular for the mini. Maxed it out to 256GB. My requirements are met with this setup and i dont think they will change anytime soon, so need for bulkier and more expensive Pro series phone or tablet.😊

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

That’s a great setup Yogesh- I love the iPhone 13 Mini too, that’s my work phone of choice.

[@bbhdd6181]

Interesting video for sure! I currently use the iPad Air 4th gen and use it with the magic keyboard. I wish it was better at handling files and general computing too. It’s extremely annoying when I can’t even properly open audio files or integrate them into the ipad in any meaningful way.

[@CayoBuay]

Same concerns here, I'm an IT pro (SRE/DevOps) and have a hard time with the iPad other than note taking and researching stuff online, I can do some things but not as efficiently as I could on an actual OS like Mac or Linux.

[@wkm610]

Agree with all you say. I bought the first gen 12.9” iPad Pro “back in the day” again to see if it worked as a desktop substitute - it doesn’t for much the reasons you summarise. I also agree with your comment that the iPad is “a solution looking for a problem” and it’s driving me to downsize to the Mini I would like to see a better quality screen and scaling on the Mini as there seems to be a lot of wasted screen space on current versions, but otherwise I see that combined with a 14” MacBook Pro as the next iteration of my portable computing solution.

[@kadran3263]

I love iPad. The Mini has been my key Apple device since 2012 as unlike the iPhone, it covers that middle space of gaming, reading, working and typing + portability. I've had every other iPad bar the 10.2". The Air 4 + Magic Keyboard is necessary for lots of typing and is my portable 'computer' and 12.9" is for drawing at home, but the Mini 6 I use the most. I downgraded iPhone from 11 Pro Max to 13 Mini and it's SO NICE to have a small phone again. They are best for one-thumb messaging and phone calls. Everything else is too compromised compared to doing the same on the Mini. Yay stereo landscape speakers and Apple Pencil 2!

[@kevinwheatley1097]

Makes a lot of sense. I’ve just given my iPad Pro 11 3rd gen to my wife, her iPad Air 4 to my grandson and got a mini 6 base model. Seems to sit better between my iPhone and my MacBook Air. I am not a pro user and expect to use the mini more and take it out and about.

[@PsalmistScribe]

So I use the iPad mini for mostly reading, some design work, perhaps some video editing if I need to. I find its size is great as a companion device for my laptop.

[@Kerbeygrip]

Bought a mini for all the reasons given. Never wanted anything else it’s brilliant.

[@mouniraHmz]

thank a lot for the review. This is exactly where I am at the moment ..... Getting rid of my heavy beautiful iPad Pro 12 and switching to iPad mini or even hoping to cover my needs with a larger iPhone. Actually using a MacBook Pro for work (vpn connection to enterprise network, files management, office doc editing...). Over the past years, my iPad pro 12 has been my go-to place whenever I need to sketch something: a planning, a plan, a workflow, ...and I keep going back to it when in need of building a big picture of something. I also used it for hand-writing my meeting minutes but went back to just typing them the day I added a keyboard to it. I guess I would use it much more as my 'always on' communication tool (chat, video call, email) if it was not that heavy (indeed, full cover + keyboard makes it very heavy). and maybe an iPhone with a larger screen than my SE would do the job for the 'communication' part.

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Hi Mourina. Yep, you might be worth trying out one of the larger iPhones in person to see how they feel- I quite like having the Pro Max size but I know plenty of people who find it far too big.

[@johnhutchinson635]

I’m using a gen 6 M2 pro 12.9 with Magic Keyboard and a mini 6, both fantastic devices, my pro is my main device but not for work as I use a windows laptop for my job. I’m with you on the keyboard for the mini, if they’d release some sort of folio case for the mini I’d buy one tomorrow for when out and about

[@urbaneplanner]

I purchased an iPad mini for travel - I found my iPad Pro too heavy to carry around while travelling but wanted an iPad to do photo editing and browsing while on the road. It’s really sold me on the mini as I find I get quite used to it while travelling. As you say, the pro has good hardware but that doesn’t really matter given the software - you need a MacBook to do a lot of computing tasks and even to use iTunes / Apple Music effectively - this is a conscious decision by apple to not eat into the laptop market but I do think it ends up making it attractive to get the mini all things considered

[@tennisad-in4002]

I'm still using ipad air 2nd gen for entertainment on trips. It's showing it's age a little since Apple dropped support. Even at 10" it's at times not convenient with the space available on planes. Recently I found another use case for the ipad. It serves a good connection to sound board when I need to do configuration setting remotely. But have given up using it as a music folder, because like the video mentioned the file management issue. Also I'd need to go Ipad pro to see the whole page but still have to deal with page turns.

[@funkymonkey8777]

Clear and helpful. Thanks 🙏🏻

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Thanks!

[@paulvanobberghen]

First gen iPad Pro 12.8. Primarily media consumption on the couch which it fits perfectly with the big screen and still running iOS 16 minus latest features I don’t mind. Basically zero production and almost no move.

[@elstevobevo]

I like your evaluation.

[@greenmedic88]

The iPad boils down to one word for my use case scenarios: Pencil. The iPad is my all in one portable drawing tablet. And even when just used for note taking, it does allow for the sketching of quick diagrams, etc. which just isn't viable with standard laptop use without more hardware. If Apple ever makes a MBP with Pencil support (touch panel with capacitive pressure sensitivity/an iPad display), the iPad would more or less become my satellite device for light work that can be used as a second display, thanks to SideCar. Realistically, the iPad would be left behind for travel, unless I just wanted to pack a work-free content consumption device and left the MBP behind. It's likely I would just go back to being a two device (laptop/phone) user. The iPad does provide a more focused experience due to iOS limitations, even with Stage Manager, but things like being a one port device and limits of a smaller display size (for certain tasks) don't make them laptop replacements for my uses. I've tried this with an iPad 12.9 M1 with keyboard case, which works, but at about 4 lbs, isn't saving much weight over a 16" MBP M1 Max, without the ports, added processing power, larger display, etc. Still enjoy using either device, but wouldn't pack a 4 lb iPad 12.9/Magic Keyboard with a 4.7 lb 16" MBP without very good reason beyond doing a bit more cardio. As for why the 12.9", I use it because of the larger size of the display for drawing and editing menus. iPhone covers the little stuff. For straight content consumption, a $150 Amazon 10" Fire covers everything other than my Apple account content, even though everything obviously looks and sounds better on the 12.9" iPad's quad speakers and faster refresh mini LED panel.

[@averysanov7218]

I'm a college student and I bought an iPad Air 3 when it was new, and it's really been the last ipad that i can say is worth it for me. I love it for taking notes and media consumption, and it's awesome with sidecar. I actually did upgrade my macbook to use sidecar, but I still get everything I need from the iPad Air 3. Buying the new pencil and the new keyboard with a new iPad brings it to the price of a new macbook, and at that point having a real laptop is more useful. The only reason to upgrade for me would be if Apple made iPadOS more capable on more capable hardware.

[@BillyNoMates1974]

I have the cheapest of chips Ipad 10.2 inch (32GB model) with keyboard and gen 1 pen. But my use case is a bit different to everyone else. I use Plex for home movies and music along with Amazon Music then I use Remote Desktop client to RDP into a Windows 11 laptop running Software Defined radio (SDR Play) and tune around Hf bands. works well. Also use a Anker Soundcore 2 bluetooth speaker for audio. Also sometimes I plug it up to a 24 inch monitor for SDR radio. works well So most of my needs do not use local space at all.

[@kathleen.dodge-dehaven]

I have the 11-inch M1 iPad Pro, and I use it 95% of the time; I use my 2013 MacBook Air as needed. The only thing I can’t do on the iPad Pro is write music with Finale software. The company has an app that will allow you to view and playback Finale files, but I understand they have no plans for a music-writing app for iOS. I’ve tried other music writing apps for iOS, but I didn’t care for them very much. I’ve been using Finale for over 20 years, so it’s hard to get motivated to switch. The Magic Keyboard makes all the difference, too, for me, though I agree it makes the whole thing heavy. Of course, I don’t do a lot of serious video editing or any kind of gaming, so people who need those functions would have to research more. I use GoodReader app to display my music PDFs for work, and it’s easy to quickly access the files and edit them with a finger or an Apple Pencil. The file system is still a little clumsy, but it works smoothly for my purposes. Editing a Numbers spreadsheet used to be a bear, but they’ve improved on it quite a lot so it’s workable for me. Of course, all these things work better with a keyboard. As to the trackpad on the Magic Keyboard, I rarely use it, preferring the touchscreen in all cases. Watching videos or reading books are truly immersive with the addition of AirPods Pro. And they’ve made such great improvements in the software that I can see myself continuing to use the M1 iPad Pro as my main keyboard for most tasks. I wonder what an iPad Mini Pro with a Magic Keyboard would be like?