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iPad mini After all the whining wanting a mini 5, I’m returning mine.

ssledoux

ssledoux

macrumors 601
Original poster
Sep 16, 2006
4,415
4,245
Down south
I’ve had my mini 5 for a week. I absolutely love the device, and the size of it. I thought I’d use it in bed for reading instead of my phone, but to keep it light, I want it case-free, and it’s honestly a bit awkward for me to hold and read or do anything with. It’s too big for me to hold it one-handed like a phone and still do anything, and if I’m propping it, I might as well be propping my iPP and using it in bed.

I really wanted to fit it into my lineup because I just love everything about it, but it honestly isn’t gonna make much practical sense for me. I find myself reaching for my phone because of the Loopy case. It just makes it so easy to hold in bed, even though reading on it is much more inconvenient.

I’m bummed, but I guess I’ll live...
 
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I've done this so much this year, planned out some cool lineups for myself and use cases only to find them unsatisfying to me in practice. I lost a tonne of money buying and selling them too! But sometimes no amount of research can truly pre-anticipate the reality of the situation.

Did you get it from Apple? If so take advantage of that 14 day return policy fast!
 
I took my mini 4 as my sole iPad on vacation for a week and sold it as soon as I returned. I got to the point where I loved the portability of it when packing and travelling but found it too compromising on screen size in use. It will definitely fit into many people's life but if you already have another iPad then it could quite quickly become superfluous imho as it then becomes a little too niche.
 
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ssledoux said:
I’ve had my mini 5 for a week. I absolutely love the device, and the size of it. I thought I’d use it in bed for reading instead of my phone, but to keep it light, I want it case-free, and it’s honestly a bit awkward for me to hold and read or do anything with. It’s too big for me to hold it one-handed like a phone and still do anything, and if I’m propping it, I might as well be propping my iPP and using it in bed.

I really wanted to fit it into my lineup because I just love everything about it, but it honestly isn’t gonna make much practical sense for me. I find myself reaching for my phone because of the Loopy case. It just makes it so easy to hold in bed, even though reading on it is much more inconvenient.

I’m bummed, but I guess I’ll live...
Click to expand...

Since you already have an iPP and an iPhone, would it make more sense to get an e-ink Kindle for reading? I just upgraded to the latest Oasis, and it's by far the best reading experience at night for me.
 
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I think that the best companion system for Mini 5 is as follows: iPhone SE, Mini 5, and a laptop/desktop supplement for intensive work.

Since you already have a Pro and a larger iPhone, the middle size seems more redundant, as your phone is already close to large enough. There may be some people that run a Max/11 with a Mini and Pro, but they might have a very specific use case for all of them that doesn't overlap well.

Mini 5 is a great product though. It's one of the few Apple products this decade that has received nearly universal praise from its users. I've thought about a Mini for about a year, but I don't think I would find it very useful. I'm mostly looking into a new laptop right now.
 
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Thanks for posting this. I have been debating picking up a mini but wrestling with the idea of yet more extravagance for something I kinda want but don’t need. I like the idea of one and will probably change my mind in a week or two..but for now I’m resolute (motivated by your post) I don’t need no mini :)
 
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i ditched the use of an IPAD quite a while ago. I find that the iPhone and MacBook air does everything i need.
 
ssledoux said:
I’ve had my mini 5 for a week. I absolutely love the device, and the size of it. I thought I’d use it in bed for reading instead of my phone, but to keep it light, I want it case-free, and it’s honestly a bit awkward for me to hold and read or do anything with. It’s too big for me to hold it one-handed like a phone and still do anything, and if I’m propping it, I might as well be propping my iPP and using it in bed.

I really wanted to fit it into my lineup because I just love everything about it, but it honestly isn’t gonna make much practical sense for me. I find myself reaching for my phone because of the Loopy case. It just makes it so easy to hold in bed, even though reading on it is much more inconvenient.

I’m bummed, but I guess I’ll live...
Click to expand...
I use my mini in bed and it's fine, but it took some time to understand how to hold it for it to be comfortable enough. I am not saying you are holding it wrong, but I am just curious to know how you are holding it (portrait, landscape), which fingers to you put on the thicker bezels, if any...
 
My husband went from mini to 12.9. I didn’t think he’d like it but 4 years later he still has it along with an iphone se, 2018 mac mini, and 2013 imac. Uses the ipad daily and loves it. Go figure. I use my iphone se for calls/texts, ipad 12.9 for email, browsing, note taking, and 2018 mac mini with 40” 4k monitor for heavy lifting. My book reader is a kindle paperwhite (cold dead hands and all). I realize our household has a gadget problem but we do tend to take care of our stuff and keep it for many loving years. Hell my son is still rocking his ipad air 2 since 2014.
 
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FWIW,

getting my mini5 when it came out earlier this year was great but it didn't get a ton of use in the beginning but over time it will get tons of use like my 12.9 2017 has and continues to be used.

if it just collected dust I'd get rid of it, but it definitely doesn't
 
It's always interesting to see the different personal preferences. For me, my 2018 12.9 Pro is my preferred device for most things, including reading in bed. And I also have an XS Max, the 10.5 Pro, an 8" Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, and a Kindle Paperwhite to choose from.
 
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I stuck with my iPhone and 9.7” iPad which seems to be working well for me so far. The iPad is still an unnecessary addition in my life really in terms of usage. It’s possibly the least used apple device I own, actually the Apple TV would be the least used but yeah as far as portable devices go I use the iPad predominantly in my living room and in bed.
 
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I was going through something similar, especially as, here in Canada, the 64 GB iPad Air was on sale for $100 off at The Source, making it only $20 CDN more than the 64 GB Mini.

I grabbed the Mini. Personally, I don't regret it one bit but, then again, I suppose my use case is pretty unique.

By (week)day, I work as a Content Marketing Specialist. At our agency, that basically equates to constant blog and other content drafting, plus interviews, transcripts, and plenty of note-taking to plan ahead for future months of recurring entries for clients. There's a lot of planning, organization and mental madness that goes into web content of any kind, and a lot of folks just don't realize that as they only see the final, polished result. Don't even get me started on SEO, etc.!

By (week)night and on weekends, I'm zeroed in on a novel manuscript. The Mini is excellent for both use cases, especially now with Apple Pencil support combined with Notability and iCloud saving. For instance, I was out yesterday wandering amidst the vibrant fall foliage with it and, by the end of the day, I had jotted down nearly 3/4 of the summaries for each chapter of my manuscript (planning ahead really saves time later if you leave breathing room for plot detours). Dying to do a bit of travelling with this little powerhouse in late November to complete more field notes and further the initial draft. Actual writing I turn to my ThinkPad T450s for.

Anyhoo, sorry to ramble! It's too bad that the Mini didn't work out quite as you had hoped, but I can understand why. I also specifically wanted something light and easy to carry around. Slapped a Dbrand skin (black swarm) and the papaya smart cover on my space grey model, and my word, does it ever look sharp. Also grabbed a cheap black front-and-back case by DTTO on Amazon for when I'm working in the field.
 
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ssledoux said:
I’ve had my mini 5 for a week. I absolutely love the device, and the size of it. I thought I’d use it in bed for reading instead of my phone, but to keep it light, I want it case-free, and it’s honestly a bit awkward for me to hold and read or do anything with. It’s too big for me to hold it one-handed like a phone and still do anything, and if I’m propping it, I might as well be propping my iPP and using it in bed.

I really wanted to fit it into my lineup because I just love everything about it, but it honestly isn’t gonna make much practical sense for me. I find myself reaching for my phone because of the Loopy case. It just makes it so easy to hold in bed, even though reading on it is much more inconvenient.

I’m bummed, but I guess I’ll live...
Click to expand...
Now see how much time you could've saved if you simply did this 7 months ago. 😂🤣😂

But at least you know. No more "wondering" how the Mini would fit within your use cases or not. And you have the added benefit of being more confident that your phone is an even better fit than you originally thought. And you don't have to spend more money.

Seems like it is a "win" all the way around.
 
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My wife bought mini5 few months ago. It was a wonderful device, but she returned it because realized that does not really need it. I remember that I tried it for few hours and remember that I could not hold it with one hand.

I have multiple devices and recently bought Samsung Tab 8.0 inch with SPen (p200). It is much slower than the apple tablets, but is good enough for me and there are two characteristics that I really like.

It is just wide enough (about 2/3 inch narrower than mini5) to be comfortably held with one hand and there is a Samsung app (good lock) which allows to customize all type of gestures. In addition the back is not metal finish but some kind of rubberized plastic that is very comfortable for holding. I hate the polished aluminum of all modern phones and tablets and can never use them without puting some kind of sylicon case. I use it a lot for reading, translations, note taking etc.
 
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Digitalguy said:
I use my mini in bed and it's fine, but it took some time to understand how to hold it for it to be comfortable enough. I am not saying you are holding it wrong, but I am just curious to know how you are holding it (portrait, landscape), which fingers to you put on the thicker bezels, if any...
Click to expand...

I tried it both ways. Like I said I really loved the size, but when I’d hold it either way, I’d either have to use both hands or, if I held it in one hand, use my other one to maneuver things around.

It just made me realize how easy it really is to hold my phone with my Loopy in one hand and use it, even though I won’t ever read actual books on my phone. Maybe I just need to start listening to books instead. ;-p
 
ssledoux said:
I tried it both ways. Like I said I really loved the size, but when I’d hold it either way, I’d either have to use both hands or, if I held it in one hand, use my other one to maneuver things around.

It just made me realize how easy it really is to hold my phone with my Loopy in one hand and use it, even though I won’t ever read actual books on my phone. Maybe I just need to start listening to books instead. ;-p
Click to expand...
Honestly I don't read books in bed, I just browse the internet, read my mails etc.. The most comfortable way I have found is in landscape mode, with my thumb on the thinner bezel and my index on the thicker one (fortunately we have bezels to hold to, other when you scroll it would take it as if you pinch to zoom....) and the angle of the ipad against my hand.
Other than that I listen to long texts rather than reading. I use siri to read text to me. I subscribe to a newspaper and that's how i manage to read 20-30 articles every day while doing something else....
 
I'm using my Mini 5 more than my 10.5 Pro these days. It's all about portability, and carrying a much smaller tech bag than when I had my 10.5 Pro that would take up a lot of space.

Only thing I wished the Mini 5 had, was Quad Stereo Speakers, but I often either use Airpods or the sound on the speakers are "good enough" for casual use.

Got the LTE version of the Mini 5 which makes it more useful outside Wifi.
 
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www.amazon.com

TFY Security Hand-Strap for Tablets - Compatible with iPad (iPad 10th Gen/iPad Mini 6 / iPad Air 5 / iPad Pro 9.7") - Samsung Tablets and More (ONE Piece)

TFY Security Hand-Strap for Tablets - Compatible with iPad (iPad 10th Gen/iPad Mini 6 / iPad Air 5 / iPad Pro 9.7") - Samsung Tablets and More (ONE Piece)
www.amazon.com

This will make it easier to hold the iPad Mini in one hand, and when you fall asleep holding it overhead, there will be less of a chance that you'll hit yourself in the face. Enjoy!
 
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
Different strokes. I’m definitely glad i bought the mini. As a traveler, i need to wear a shoulder bag at all times. Having a mini that i can use on trains and planes is a big plus.
 
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Similar situation. Bought a Mini 5. Really enjoyed the portability aspect but the limitation on screen size was also the deal breaker. Small enough for on the go, to small for main tablet device. Its great for grab and go, putting it in a small carry bag or case and just easy to pack overall. The downside is without a case its quite slippery, no way to prop easily and just kind of odd to hold. Adding a case takes care of that but also changes the look, thickness and so on. I was also excited about iPad OS for several reasons but mainly external storage support. This also means carrying more adapters yet along with normal power brick and cable when on the go. The regular usb adapter $20 would only work if the external storage device had its own power source. If it didn't you were pushed in to buying a more expensive adapter that had to be plugged in to power at the same time to work. Doesn't help when on the go or no power source.

Great device but iPad OS has a ways to go before I can make it my primary device. Picked up a a 11" touchscreen Chromebook that has usbc and usb3 and going to see if this will be a good compromise at least for the time being.
 
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I recently got a mini 5 and took it on a trip instead of my iPP. The difference in weight in my carry-on was noticable (I also drag around my MPB) and it served fine as a way to watch movies and read on the plane trips/in the hotel. I also have it in my day pack to and from work, as it's nicer to read on during my commute.

It's a bit redundant, and I've done fine without it up to now. But having tried it out for a while, I'll be keeping it.
 
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