10.5 v 12.9 as Digital Notebook and PDF Viewer

[lbass]

Hi all,

I have been using the iPad Pro 12.9" since launch as a digital notebook. I used to have a physical notebook for making daily plans, and converting this this to a digital system has kept me far more organised.

I do not use iPads for consumption. I use them to annotate PDFs, to view documents, to view textbooks, and as a digital notebook. The 12.9" is an excellent notebook because it is like a sheet of A4 paper. My issue is that I get 95% of my work completed on a mac so having a massive iPad for a few complimentary tasks is painful.

A portable 10.5" would be great, but if that is like buying some cramped little notebook it would be essentially useless to me. But if it is enough real estate to make Apple Pencil tasks bareable then it would be a great addition. I'm interested to here from 9.7" Pro owners on their Apple Pencil experiences (would it be enough real estate for time blocking a day from 7am - 10pm), and how do full size PDF documents look on the smaller screen?

 

[c14nhl]

I currently use the 9.7 Pro for note taking everyday at my work.

I'll be visiting my local Apple store sometime this week to get a feel for both of the new Pros.

I have never once felt restricted by the size of the screen while taking notes. It's an ideal size for travelling to and from work, and also grabbing to to take into meetings.

That being said, I'm very tempted by the 12.9 however that's more because I use my iPad as my main (one and only) home computing device. So the larger screen isn't so much for note taking, but the other activities I'll use the device for (Watching content, basic image editing, simple home movie editing).

 

[jjd]

I have been using my 9.7 IPP for precisely the same productivity uses as the OP - including work email consumption and creation while traveling. But also for a lot of consumption (mainly browsing, Pocket, Twitter, and movies/ TV on flights). Also as a navigation tool while flying.

I have ordered the new 12.9" for the productivity tasks only - I think the extra r/e will make reading and annotating long docs that much easier (overkill for just note taking but still nice to have the extra room). Same for email, simple spreadsheets. Together with the Apple BT keyboard/ pencil, I am increasingly using the iPad for video and picture editing - with Affinity photo dropping last week and Luma Fusion now very powerful, I am hoping the 12.9" will be a viable laptop replacement. An added bonus I guess will be the extra screen size for movies/ TV, though I really have not had a problem with the 9.7" at handheld range.

But, having tried a 12.9 last year, I know that it will not work for me for browsing, reading ebooks, Pocket etc. It is just too big - I found it uncomfortable to sit on a flight reading for extended periods with the 12.9" in my hands. Same for a using while eating a quick meal or grabbing a coffee - in those cases I think I will just take the 9.7". I travel very frequently for work, and I have decided that for anything more than a day trip, I will by flying with both the 9.7" and the 12.9".

I know that sounds crazy, but I am hoping that with common chargers/ accessories, cloud bases music, docs etc, and given their still small size/ weight comared to MB Pros, I can make this work. We'll see.

 

[lbass]

Thanks for the replies and the insight. Interesting that you are both going for the 12.9". I am very undecided. I tried them both in store; I am leaning towards the 10.5" but the big display is going to be hard to walk away from. Purely for apple pencil use, the 12.9" is better it's just hard to decide if the 10.5" is good enough. As a notebook, my notebook will be with me far more often if it is the 10.5", but I can't decide if it will be an inadequate notebook that's always with me.

 

[ascender]

I was surprised by how big the 10.5 felt for note taking in portrait mode to be honest. I could see me using it in landscape mode in split view mode but maybe that's just because of the size of notebooks I'm used to using

 

[max2]

I am curious those you who are getting the 12.9 inch will you all bring it to restaurants if need be ?

 

[maflynn]

I find the 10.5 to be a large tablet, I can't imagine using the 12.9" for such tasks. It may be great in one location but its mobility will be such that its a bit bulkier to carry around.

 

[TraceyS/FL]

I am curious those you who are getting the 12.9 inch will you all bring it to restaurants if need be ?

I don't bring my Air1 to restaurants- maybe once because I had it in my bag already. I rarely dine alone, and when I do I normally just enjoy that experience.