I have a 16GB i7 Surface Pro 7 and I recently tried a flip on the "can my iPad replace my laptop" question - I set the 2021 12.9 aside and only used the SP7 for a week, as a laptop and as a tablet. I found that for my usage and purposes, the SP7 was a fine replacement for the 12.9. I need the laptop for its full-up apps like Office & Photoshop but I don't have similar driving needs on the iPad. Plus, for a good deal of work, I want to use my large 4K monitor (and a mouse with a decent pointer) - an area of failure for the iPad. I really like the 12.9 - a beautiful display - but if it died, I'd likely just stick with the SP7 (or an SP8 upgrade) and not replace it (I'd still keep and use the 5G Mini 6).
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iPad mini Why I’m keeping my IPad Mini 6
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I have a 16GB i7 Surface Pro 7 and I recently tried a flip on the "can my iPad replace my laptop" question - I set the 2021 12.9 aside and only used the SP7 for a week, as a laptop and as a tablet. I found that for my usage and purposes, the SP7 was a fine replacement for the 12.9. I need the laptop for its full-up apps like Office & Photoshop but I don't have similar driving needs on the iPad. Plus, for a good deal of work, I want to use my large 4K monitor (and a mouse with a decent pointer) - an area of failure for the iPad. I really like the 12.9 - a beautiful display - but if it died, I'd likely just stick with the SP7 (or an SP8 upgrade) and not replace it (I'd still keep and use the 5G Mini 6).
I think that’s the issue for more and more people as of late…
It’s starting to slowly be realised that the iPad simply can’t fully replace a laptop to a varying degree due to its limitations.
And depending on your use case will determine what sort of iPad is better suited for you, if the iPad simply can’t replace your laptop then either a standard iPad, iPad mini or iPad Air is ideal, as it’s a nice sized tablet to do simple tablet things (it’s just a case of what size to get).
If you feel your iPad can replace your laptop for half of the things you do then you probably need to get either an iPad Air or iPad Pro 11” as they will give you a decent keyboard option and will have a bit of extra power etc…
If you feel your iPad can 100% hands down replace all of your laptop needs then it’s worth investing in either the 11” or 12.9” iPad Pro with a Magic Keyboard and go all out on it.
The problem is most don’t know what it can replace immediately off the bat… so my best advise is to get as cheap of an iPad as you can released within the last 3-4 years either second hand, refurbished or whatever’s available test it for a month or two, see how your using it etc… and from that you can gauge what your uses are for it and what size and iPad type you need and then invest in a new one.
I never bought iPads with the thought of replacing laptops. I got them for tasks where the laptop is less than ideal.
They can’t replace traditional PCs for my work but home use, they’re good for 90-95% of my usage nowadays. Hence, I (grudgingly) splurge for high storage and cellular.
I don’t have a use for the Magic Keyboard though since I prefer using my iPads as tablets. I do use the 12.9 on a desk in conjunction with my Windows PC. However, I prefer multi-device keyboard+mouse rather than a dedicated keyboard+mouse/trackpad for each device.
The $329 iPads are a pretty great entry point for those just starting out with iPads.
The 2-4 year old Airs and Pros tend to be more expensive and you don’t really save much money going with iPad 6th to 8th gen.
Pretty much this. I'd add one option for myself: "Can replace my Mac entirely with an iPad but have decided I don't want to because it's not as good of an experience."
Some people, me included here and there, have gotten into this weird mindset where you have to commit to one or the other, but I just don't see the point anymore. The existence of the M1 has shaken up the entire equation for me personally, and has been since the day they announced it. The Mac now has the incredible power it needed to make macOS feel snappy and fluid again, and the iPad now has the power to spare to inherit the best Mac features and contribute its own use cases for them. They can now feasibly feature-share back and forth, even if it's just by way of a simple Catalyst app conversion. We can hem and haw about bugs and complain about feature complete-ness all day, but those issues will get ironed out eventually. The big picture is that the ecosystem just works better when you have all pieces in place.
It's also kind of funny to me--I spend so much time thinking about this, but usually grab my iPhone instead of my iPad or Mac anyway.
It’s iPad all the way for me unless I’m working. iPhone displays are just too small for me.
Even the iPad mini is smaller than I’d prefer. I like having large readable fonts without having to scroll a lot.
Yes. What I like and what I need are separate issues but carry almost equal weight with me.
Pretty much agree with everything you’ve said apart from the silver colour option…I think the blue and purple options on the new Air 5’s are very tempting ???… in fact, I think I might just buy a blue one to see if I prefer using it to my 11” Pro (but I absolutely love my Mini 6 which I also use as my screen with my drone and both of which will be coming on holiday with me to Cancun in a couple of months time) ?????
I'll never understand these posts. An iPad Mini is significantly larger than an iPhone Max. I guess it just comes from people who have never seen then side by side.
It’s a whole different aspect ratio and use case. Haters gonna hate.
Agree - I have the 12 Pro Max and Mini 6. That post is flat out wrong in my view of the two devices.
I’ve been commuting with my Mini 6 for past two months. It’s been excellent. I use the Apple Pencil with scribble to do admin on the train and when I arrive I connect it to an old 30” Cinema Display and keyboard and mouse. There’s still room for improvement, especially in how it connects to the external Display and still at times I need to take a laptop for specific tasks, but 90% of the time my computer now fits inside my jacket pocket!
Speaking only for myself, having an iPad mini means I don't need a larger iPhone, which wouldn't have been big enough for the things I use my mini for anyway.
100% agree.
I've got an iPhone 13 mini and an Apple Watch. A larger phone would be uncomfortable in my pocket, so I'd be carrying it in-hand, defeating the some of the purpose of the watch (which I'd still want for exercise tracking anyway). But I'd still need an iPad because I do a lot of split-screen app useage and PDF/Word file markups with the Pencil, so until the iPhone has Pencil support, this work needs to be done on an iPad -- and even the iPhone 13 Max would still be too small even if it did have Pencil support. So a bigger phone doesn't help and a 12.9" iPad Pro is not as easily portable.
The iPad mini 6 is near perfect for me. It's perhaps a bit too small for my 50+ year-old eyes when reading for long periods of time without my reading glasses, but otherwise it's with me daily at work and much of my time at home. So that's when the bigger iPad comes out (currently a first-gen. 11" iPad Pro, soon to be a 12.9" M1 iPad Pro).
I've got an M1 MacBook Air for anything that can't get done on the iPads.
If I had to live with one and only one iPad/laptop-like device, I would go with a larger iPad. But since I'm able to have more than one, I'll choose the best tool for the job, even if there's overlap between devices. At least with multiple devices, there's no gaps (always something to get the job done).
I've had to resign myself to accept this. As much as I would REALLY like to have just 1 device - I cannot make it work for all my usage scenarios. I'm sure a lot of thought went into this but in reality, if you think about it, I don't see how 1 device COULD beat all usage scenarios. There's times when I want to use my iPhone in a line at an event or place where I don't want to lug around my iPad. And when I'm home, I want a nice big screen (iPad Pro 11) for readability for long periods of time. And when I want a computer to work on multiple files at once, I need a MBP. Best tool for the job.
I think we'd all be worried if a repair person came to our houses with 1 tool in their toolbox.
Well said.
I'd choose Windows 15" laptop + iPhone SE2 if I'm limited to just the absolute minimum. However, apart from having to charge more devices, I find it very nice to have specific tools for different jobs.
Same here - I'd go with my Surface Pro 7 & 12 Pro Max and relinquish the 2021 12.9 and Mini 6. But glad I don't have to choose.
There definitely seem to be some people not keeping the 6
I was at my local Best Buy yesterday and they had nine iPad mini 6’s that had been returned and in the little case awaiting a new buyer (at a discount..not much…like 8% off)
I was at my local Best Buy yesterday and they had nine iPad mini 6’s that had been returned and in the little case awaiting a new buyer (at a discount..not much…like 8% off)
Considering how hard it is to keep it in stock, I would say it's safe to say people are buying and keeping them.
Not really surprising. There's been a number of people on the forum who've said they returned a 12.9 after finding they didn't like the large size. At the prices for these devices, why hold onto something you're not really happy with, for whatever reason.
I love my mini 6, use it all the time for browsing, iMessage and entertainment.
I also use it for work, email and office work on the go when I am travelling, hotspot to my small iPhone SE 2020 when I need internet if I am out of wifi coverage.
I have had a few iPads but this is the best one for my needs, I don't own any of the other ones now.
I also use it for work, email and office work on the go when I am travelling, hotspot to my small iPhone SE 2020 when I need internet if I am out of wifi coverage.
I have had a few iPads but this is the best one for my needs, I don't own any of the other ones now.
Well put.I think we'd all be worried if a repair person came to our houses with 1 tool in their toolbox.
For me the ipad mini is one of the best devices Apple has released in years. Speaking about possible points of improvement, without a doubt face id is more convenient than touch id, 120hz would be very welcome and regarding screen, I’d be tempted to say oled/mini led would be a pleasure to have but current blacks are so good an reflectivity is so low that I’m not missing this too much…
I'm glad you like your Mini6, but seriously, have you compared it side by side to other new iPads or new iPhones?
The Mini 6 is objectively one of the least impressive screens they sell (company wide).
It's "fine" -- but could be so so much better.