iPad iPad Air or rMini for intensive (academic) use?

[jojoba]

I'm an academic and prefer the larger iPad because I find it more comfortable for reading pdfs. That's a subjective issue, though, you might feel otherwise. While the iPad mini is smaller, the iPad Air isn't exactly so heavy that you won't be able to carry it around.

 

[SHKLMRE]

I'd say the iPad Air would be better. I had an iPad 2 and 3 and I loved the size of the display. It was perfect since they were portable devices, but the screen was large enough to comfortably read web pages and PDF's on. When I was between buying laptop a year ago, I exclusively used my iPad 3 as my portable computer and I didn't have a problem. When I bought the first gen mini last year I thought it would enjoy the smaller size but I found that I barely used it. I just got an iPad Air and I'm loving the bigger screen again, and now that it's a lot lighter it's a lot easier and more enjoyable to use. If you're carrying a backpack, the larger footprint shouldn't be a size.

 

[cababah]

By the time you (theoretically) get an iPad model with the appropriate storage and accessories, and applications to serve as a laptop replacement, you might as well just get a 13" MBA. It will have a lot more functionality with a much faster processor, more RAM for actual multi-tasking, and OSX which let's face it people is 1000x better than iOS7 when it comes to productivity.

I think some people just want an iPad and try to justify truly "needing" it and trying to make it work as a replacement for a laptop.