iPad Air 2 or iPad Pro?

[Ethan Coohill]

currently have a 13"rMBP as my main computer, as well as a mini 3 and a 6s plus.

I need a bigger iPad now that I have the plus, so should I go with the iPad Air 2 or iPad pro?

I won't be drawing at all. Just consumption and taking notes and watching Netflix

 

[Devyn89]

My inclination would be for the iPad Air 2 as I think the form factor is better for the uses you said you had with it. I take notes on my Air 2 with a stylus or with a keyboard depending on how I'm feeling and it's great for that. It's also $300 cheaper than the iPad Pro, that's a lot of money. In my opinion, which of course folks are welcome to disagree with, the only thing I would use an iPad Pro for would be to draw. Given that I'm a terrible artist though any drawing I want to do I can do on my Air 2 because I certainly don't need it to be professional.

 

[vcof2005]

i vote iPad 2 as well.

 

[masotime]

You say that you're going to take notes. Do you mean by typing them in or writing them down? Because if you're writing onto a PDF, that's sufficient reason to get the iPad Pro + Pencil combo.

 

[arminta7]

Buy both, try them out, return one

 

[Ethan Coohill]

You say that you're going to take notes. Do you mean by typing them in or writing them down? Because if you're writing onto a PDF, that's sufficient reason to get the iPad Pro + Pencil combo.

Generally typing them.

 

[Ethan Coohill]

Or would it be wise to stick with my mini 3 and hope they make a air 3 in the near future?

 

[Night Spring]

Or would it be wise to stick with my mini 3 and hope they make a air 3 in the near future?

If you wait for the Air 3, you might be waiting until this time next year.

Do you plan to take the iPad on the go a lot? If so, would you mind toting the extra weight? Do you have a bag big enough to fit the Pro, or are you willing to buy a bag for it?

 

[7even]

I have an iPad Air 2 and a 6+ and I barely use the Air 2. It could be that it's brand new, but I'm more inclined to pull out my iPad Pro compared to the Air 2 ...

 

[Sanlitun]

If money is not a worry I would go for the pro. The display is much better than the air 2. If it doesn't work out you can return it and go for an air 2 any time.

 

[Ethan Coohill]

I'm leaning towards a air 2, just because I use my mini 3 daily once I'm home from school. And for the price. Maybe next year there will be some referbisehd IPP. right now I can get a iPad Air 2 64gb on Apple referbisehd for 509. Pretty good deal. Next question is should I get Apple care or not.

 

[CE3]

I'm leaning towards a air 2, just because I use my mini 3 daily once I'm home from school. And for the price. Maybe next year there will be some referbisehd IPP. right now I can get a iPad Air 2 64gb on Apple referbisehd for 509. Pretty good deal. Next question is should I get Apple care or not.

Spend about $20 more and get a brand new 64gb air 2 on Amazon. Also, if you're thinking of upgrading next year I'd go with a SquareTrade ADH warranty, as you can cancel the partially used warranty when you upgrade and get a partial or full refund. Unless AppleCare lets you do that too.

 

[Deafmac]

Sorry to hijack this thread.

Which stylus would you recommend? I like to do some handwriting note too. However I prefer the size of Ipad air 2....obviously the pencil is the best in the current market. I am not keen the common foam padded on the styles that I have found.

 

[tillsbury]

The apple pencil is nothing like any of the styli available for the air 2. They are poor substitutes for almost anything.

Would also point out that the audio from the Ipp when watching video is a huge step up

 

[eyeseeyou]

iPad air 2 + Belkin qode pro bluetooth keyboard = iPad Pro Mini minus the pencil. The case for the blekin even redirects the sound from the speakers to point towards you and be louder.

 

[Mr Kram]

it's all preference. i personally use 6s+, air 2 and MBA 11" and iMac 21.5" for you, i would dump the mini and get the air 2. just MHO

 

[mdridwan47]

iPad Air 3

 

[gribas]

Sorry to hijack this thread.

Which stylus would you recommend? I like to do some handwriting note too. However I prefer the size of Ipad air 2....obviously the pencil is the best in the current market. I am not keen the common foam padded on the styles that I have found.

I'm on the market finding a good deal for an Air 2 and a Stylus. Probably I will buy the Adonit Jot Script 2 seems good enough for note taking with goodnotes app.

 

[rsbacon]

I'm leaning towards a air 2, just because I use my mini 3 daily once I'm home from school. And for the price. Maybe next year there will be some referbisehd IPP. right now I can get a iPad Air 2 64gb on Apple referbisehd for 509. Pretty good deal. Next question is should I get Apple care or not.

If you decide to get the Air 2 be sure to keep checking deal sites like slickdeals for heavy discounts on *new* ones from authorized sellers like Bestbuy and Staples. Apple store refurb is no longer a good deal on the Air 2

 

[Lancetx]

Staples, Best Buy and others will have the iPad Air 2 for $100 and up off retail for Black Friday. Definitely better deals than a refurb from Apple.

 

[highdefjunkie]

I just switched from a Air 2 to a Pro and couldn't be more happy, especially when it comes to watching movies, surfing the web, etc. The weight and size to me is not that bad and you get use to it pretty quickly.

 

[jclardy]

I'd say Air 2, the thing feels so tiny compared to the pro and much easier to just tuck in any bag you have. Basically if you plan on doing mostly content consumption then the Air is the better choice because of the smaller form factor. The Pro will be similar to taking around your rMBP, they are nearly identical in footprint.

But I would say for taking notes the Pro is way better just because of apple pencil and the extra screen space.

 

[JerryMBPR]

I will probably use the Air 2 more than the Pro. The Pro by itself felt big, light and brittle (opinion - not fact). I put the Pro in a Logitech Lighted Keyboard/Case and now I like it. I love the MacBook Pro 15" & 17" lighted keyboards and think the unlighted Apple keyboard would not have worked for me.

My wife, who loves her iPad 3, Air & Mini surprised me by saying she loved the Pro (but will probably not buy one). We are 71/70, retired and iPads are a convenience (not work).

What I really want is a mouse (I don't care what Apple thinks about it). Without a true file system (not cloud & internet dependent) I still will stick to the MacBook Pros & Windows 10 for real computers.

I think the Air 2 & Pro are apples & oranges. If you need it, the Pro screen size wins hands down. If you are going to carry it a lot the Air 2 may be better. Seen together, the differences should make a choice relatively easy.

I will be using the Pro to create Excel spreadsheets but the Air 2 to just read and perhaps modify those spreadsheets. Even the Pro seems handicapped with Word & Excel (or Pages & Numbers).

I'm writing this on a Mac mini with 27" LED display. Its all about what works for our needs, age and capabilities.

Jerry

 

[Night Spring]

My wife, who loves her iPad 3, Air & Mini surprised me by saying she loved the Pro (but will probably not buy one). We are 71/70, retired and iPads are a convenience (not work).

What exactly did your wife like about the Pro?

I currently have an iPad Air 2, and have had most iPad gens before that. I don't use my iPad much for work. There's been a few situations where having the iPad saved the day by allowing me to bang out quick jobs on the go without having to go home or to the office to do them. But for regular work, it's easier to do them sitting at a desk on my iMac. But for my personal use, I'm constantly on the Air, and hardly ever use the iMac at home anymore. I do, however, find the Pro very tempting. The larger screen makes things much easier on my eyes. I do wonder how easy it will be to actually use in hand. But even if the Pro turns out to be easy to handle, I have a hard time justifying the cost for a device that would be for play only (that is, in MY use case). However, my MacBook Air is getting a bit old in the tooth, and I've been thinking of replacing it with the new Retina MacBook or maybe another MBA. But now I'm thinking maybe the iPad Pro could suffice as a replacement for my MBA. I'm shuffling devices and usage scenarios in my head, trying to come up with a solution that will have room for the iPad Pro.

 

[silverblack]

Only buy the iPad Pro if either:

1. You could really make use of the Pencil; e.g., for drawing or note taking; or
2. You are absolutely sure you prefer the 12.9" after being warned that it is cumbersome to hold and carry around.

By the way, it is still an iPad running iOS. It won't cook your dinner or cure cancer like the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 does.