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.
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.
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!
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
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?
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.
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".
@@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…
@@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.
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.
@@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.
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.
3yrs in, I love my iPad Mini 6. It absolutely is my grab & go for the lab at Uni or in the hospital & it’s just convenient snap to consume on a break in a chair where i usually couldn’t be bothered to carry my 10” Pro. I do like to use it my photography hobby as a viewfinder & it’s so light it sits in a cold shoe mount. When I am carrying work or Uni stuff then I usually have room for my Apple Magic Keyboard II
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. 🥰
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 ❤
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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!
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.
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 !
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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, RU-vid/ media & reading textbooks on Acrobat Reader. I’ve recently switched to a 12.9 for the nicer display & screen size
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!
@@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.
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.
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. 👍🏻
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 RU-vid 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.
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.
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?
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.
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! 😊
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
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 …
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).
I have pretty much the same set up as you, iPad Pro 11 2018 which I bought 2 years ago brand new from a major UK retailer for only £400 I use it for basic video & photo editing & sometimes to watch a movie on a larger screen. I also bought the iPad Mini 6 just a few months ago I do all browsing & messaging & emails on this & Ive just paired it with the iPhone Mini 13 for the perfect ultra portable combination.
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 RU-vid which I always feel bad for not 'maximising' its power.
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
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.
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.
I have a mini and use it as a phone, I use my iPad just to make calls. The mini does everything else, carry it around in my bag and use it to play games and social media and RU-vid etc
Unique perspective here. I had an 9th gen which worked well for me. I started flying and now tablets (primarily only ipads) are used for charts and some useful data. For newer pilots or pilots that fly general aviation, the ipad mini is king. It does't take up much space and it's just the right size to have your maps on it. the normal size ipads take a little bit too much room in the cramped cockpits. for this reason, I just purchased an ipad mini
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.
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.
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.
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."
I have an iPad Air 5. I use it for watching movies & tv shows, RU-vid, listening to music & podcast, reading, web browsing, taking notes, email and social media. I also use it to occasionally edit a photo or play a game or FaceTime.
Thanks Warren. My hope for the next version of the Mini is that Apple give that front facing camera a big bump as a lot of commenters mention using their iPad Mini for FaceTime calls.
Really straight to the point! Size is matter with this device. I change from iPad pro to iPad mini due to portability and ease of use. I can bring it with me everywhere, write my concept or note immediately and then continue with my idea at my MacBook at home.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
I own both the 2018 iPad 11inch pro and iPad 6 mini. I love my iPad Pro but I’m in love with the mini. The portability is unmatched. And I grab it all the time over my 11inch. I primarily use my 11inch for watching tv/movies etc with let’s say my kids or husband when away from the TV room and for procreate and procreate dreams. On the work front the screen size supports better viewing of docs and such. But the mini is really my daily use device along size my phone.
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
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….
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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 😂
As a consultant in Productivity, Organization & Workflow - I've been in LOVE with the iPad mini since the 1st Generation back in 2014. And it's for all the reasons you cited... Compact Form Factor fits my workflow better - and even in an office environment is much easier to grab and take into a meeting for notes. I've had it paired with the original Apple Wireless Keyboard (...yes - the one that takes 2 AA batteries...) “I’m not a Pro User the way Apple wants me to be” - the iPad mini has the highest resolution of any iPad to date - PERIOD (...and it always has...) “Portability Beats Power” - all the reason's cited above. The iPad mini goes with me in my jacket pocket, onto trains, busses, airplanes, and it is a JOY, not a struggle ALSO - due to it being THE LIGHTEST iPad from Day One - you wind up using the device longer than other iPads, and you can even hold it with one hand. Once you pick up an iPad mini - even the Air feels heavy. You quickly become addicted to that lightweight feeling
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
As a musician, I absolutely need the screen size of my iPad Pro 12.9 inch. That is the single application for which I bought this device. I don’t so much need the increased computing power, but for reading sheet music, this size is essential. I notice when I am on gigs that most other musicians in my area also use a larger iPad Pro with software such as forScore and iGigBook. My aging eyes could not handle trying to read music from a smaller tablet!
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.
One of the main reasons why I have the 12.9 inch iPad Pro is for the OLED display, as I tend to use it a lot to consume media and some forms of photoshop as the Apple Pencil makes some parts much easier than if I where to do it on a Mac
@@luismarin3118 It’s apples way of branding it as the Mini LED display is based off of OLED display technology. For example the Retina and Liquid Retina displays are based off of LCD display technology, while the Super Retina XDR and Mini LED are based off of OLED display technology
@@thefuturegamer9451 No, its.obviously a local dimming backlight behind a LCD screen, but sure enough it delivers at 99%+ of any content perfect blacks
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.
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.
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.
My wife and I both got iPad Minis 6 days ago and we both absolutely love them. Lets me leave my phone on the nightstand for the most part, unless a phone call comes in (imagine that).
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...
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.
I'm another Mini user who has used the, since they came out. I've never perceived a use, for me, for the larger ones. I am still using an older, pre-pencil, model. I'm typing on one right now, with my thumbs (not really an option with a larger screen). I have this with me almost everywhere, and find myself using it in context where others are trying to use their phone. The comical growth in mobile phone size, I'd argue, only underscores the utility of an iPad mini-sized device for many people. It also happens to be the size of notebooks, paperback novels, etc. that have been around since before the computer age, a size long found "handy" for carrying around, writing, and reading.
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.
I’ve been using 2018 iPad Pro and I, for non-work purposes, I use it more than my MacBook. But for work purposes, it doesn’t quite work. When I travel and want to pack light, it’s all I take. But, when I need to do a lot of filling and scheduling tasks, it’s a much slower workflow to be worth it. So for that I need to go back to my Mac…and I happen to have a big 2015 MacBook Pro
Have you ever considered setting up a Remote Desktop back to your MacBook? I was never brave enough to try travelling without my laptop with work just in case I needed it (I usually did), but I was tempted to try this solution a few times so that I could access the Mac’s OS remotely when I needed it.
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.
I got an iPad mini recently after selling my iPad Pro 11” 2018 over a year ago. I realized that the large iPhone 13 Pro Max wasn’t cutting it for me and I wanted a Note Taking/Art/3D Modeling devise and for me that’s the pocketable iPad mini.
I switched from mini to Pro. My face and fingers have been cursing me since that day. Best lesson learned: Pro is not “bed friendly” lol, the smack on the face is definitely much more painful. Obviously.
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 RU-vid channel using LumaFusion. Yeah a bigger screen would be easier but nothing beats the portability of the Mini.
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.
iPad mini 6, I use it for gaming on a 32” Samsung tv it’s and Xbox controller. Also use it for RU-vid when I’m in the kitchen cooking or cleaning.I like the size and power it has. I have the cellular version so it is easy to take anywhere.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻
fully agree. Most I agree on is the weight of the magic keyboard. It prevents me from taking my iPad Pro with me. The iPad mini is always with me - even when going to the supermarket. You never know ….
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.😊
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.
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!
I’m using an iPad Pro 12.9”. You asked about use cases: I use mine to do some heavy reading. And by “heavy” I mean intense books. I have a Kindle and tried using that, but I’m a fast and voracious writer so it was bothersome to use - there just weren’t enough words on each page, so my reading was like going over speed bumps. The iPad Pro allows the kindle app to fill the screen with two big pages, allowing me to read more leisurely (and far more quickly, at my usual pace) than the Kindle. I also like to comment on live streaming, so I use it for that as well. I know the iPad mini would allow the same functionality perhaps, but I like the way the iPad works so well with the bigger external keyboard, and I especially like the screen size (a consequence of getting older and finding myself squinting more than I used to).
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.
i have a mini 6 for a year now and it’s perfect for travel. I am considering a giant ipad Pro to do video editing on the go. The mini is the best iPad i’ve ever had. I own a macbook air M1 that never disappoints and it’s much better for most of my tasks
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.
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.
When I bought the iPad Mini model 2 in 2014, I bought one Apple cover and it soon wore out and it was not possible to buy a new cover years later for that iPad. Now I have the iPad Mini 6, I bought TWO covers. I actually bought them about six months apart. I bought a black one then a dark cherry one. Pity they don’t come in “normal” colours, I’d love a red or blue one. Also you used to be able to buy leather ones. I never liked the non-Apple ones as they were too bulky. My advoce when buying any iPad, buy two covers as one cover will start to get ratty and you can’t replace it.
I’ve had my 2nd Gen iPad Pro for the past few years to help with my classes, mainly for note-taking and having textbooks. Now since I’ve graduated in 2022 with my associates, I’ve been using my iPad Pro as my everything-in-one (well, mainly for Procreate, RU-vid, and my writing) since I unfortunately have spilled water on my MacBook Air in early November 2022. It’s not as good as my Air/as good as any laptop really, but with a bluetooth keyboard, it certainly acts like one and does a decent job in the meantime as I try and fix my Air’s keyboard.
I am a surgeon and a medical researcher relying heavily on performing statistics. I have owned a couple of iPads including the gen 6 iPad mini. Nevertheless, I still use my old early 2015 Macbook Air for all my academic work and use the iPad solely for reading papers and browsing the web or something. I just haven't found a way for the iPad to work for me research-writing-wise...
@@ThatMarkGilroy I got the iPP11 in March 2020 for around $700 and traded it in for $450 in Feb 2022 at a store, which basically paid for the Mini. For me that was a good and simple trade.
I have 4 ipads mini, and a large one. The first iPad mini to the last, iPad mini6. I do love them. For the children, for my work and for daily routine. The form factor was my first choice to buy one. And now I’m in the system. Also have a MacBook Air m1. Since the last Ventura I can use the mouse and keyboard on both. Very clever.
I am not a “pro” user at all, yet I have a 12.9” iPad Pro (2020) just for the size. I also have the mini 6 that I got yo replace my 1st gen mini. The Mini 6 is by far my most favorite iPad. They portability of it makes it a dream, it’s in my purse every time I leave the house. I really with they would make a 12.9” iPad Air for the non-pro user.
Went from looking at the iPad, thinking to myself, I don’t need something that my phone can do especially for that price. It had a bigger screen and less capable than my iPhone. Then, in 2016 when they came out with the first Pro model with the pencil, my tune immediately changed once I saw what it was capable of (I was that guy waiting all night out front of the Apple Store). And I got the 9.7 model. Took it home and immediately realized I should’ve got the bigger one. So I used it for years until finally retiring it for a 2021 12.9 Pro model. To answer your question, art. And yes, I need the Pro model with at least the 1Tb storage so I could have greater RAM. And I love the thing…much, and no regrets on not waiting for the M2 version. Not that much different.
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.
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.
I commute daily and pretty much gave up logging around an iPhone 14pro max(in july 2023)in my pocket and an ipad pro in my backpack. I’ve found heaven in an iPhone 13mini, along with an ipad mini 6. Yes, even in September 2023. Love the bigger screens, features, latest and greatest but have also found my comfort zone with these 2 devices along with an watch ultra which I receive a lot of my messages, emails, etc. so even with the 13mini and ipad mini battery is never an issue to get thru my day. So long days of carrying a 2 ton brick in my pocket and always playing the phone juggling game in busy trains or buses in the city, not to mention the easiness of whipping-my ipad mini out of my backpack and do whatever task i need to do in a jiffy.
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.
Basically, this may be the first comment on a product video. I have been using the 12.9 2015 first IPAD pro, last year I bought an IPAD MINI 5th, which is supporting the first-gen Apple pencil. If you put them next to each other, Ipad Mini 5 is right now more powerful than the 12.9 2015 Pro. So from My aspect, I bought a small Ipad Pro for my needs. I draw and paint on my Ipad mini more than I thought. It pumps up your creativity since it is so reachable. Also, I had a windows desktop system, so I decided to use Mac Mini, I bought the Mac mini m1 with 16 Gb ram, and now I am using an Ipad mini and Ipad pro as a second screen with ASTROPAD, so I can use the actual photoshop in very big resolutions and a bunch of layers without freezing and using the apple pencil. Using Ipad mini as a small portion of the actual monitor is pretty cool. ( able to use, multitouch, draw on the screen, etc..) Definitely recommended.
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?
I own an iPad Pro 12.9 M1 with 1tb and still have the 2018 3rd gen. IPad Pro 256 12.9. I don’t need the old one anymore so I am selling it to purchase the 64 gig iPad mini 6. I’ve always loved the mini and now its even better. I don’t need the storage on the mini as its going to be an iPad just for funsies. Can’t wait to get it.
