All iPads iPad Mini 6 (256GB) or iPad Pro 11" M1 (128GB) for $85 more?

[GradSchool2021]

64GB in the base Mini model is not enough for me. If I bump it up to 256GB (which is overkill for me, my sweet spot is 128GB), then due to the weird pricing in my country, the difference between that iPad Mini model vs base iPad Pro 11" M1 is just $85 after tax.

Which one should I buy? Will mostly use it to play games, watch videos, and read eBooks. iPad Mini is obviously more portable and lighter to hold on the bed, but for $85 more, I'll get 120Hz & brighter screen, stronger chip, 8GB RAM etc.

 

[mark34]

There is a right size for everyone’s use case. I think you can only answer your own question by finding both and playing with them for a while. There is a big difference in size. Personally I use a Mini and a 12.9. Love them both. The 11” is either the perfect compromise or neither fish nor fowl. Depends on you.

 

[FattiesGoneWild]

64GB in the base Mini model is not enough for me. If I bump it up to 256GB (which is overkill for me, my sweet spot is 128GB), then due to the weird pricing in my country, the difference between that iPad Mini model vs base iPad Pro 11" M1 is just $85 after tax.

Which one should I buy? Will mostly use it to play games, watch videos, and read eBooks. iPad Mini is obviously more portable and lighter to hold on the bed, but for $85 more, I'll get 120Hz & brighter screen, stronger chip, 8GB RAM etc.

You answered your own question. It just comes down to the size you want. Mini is going to be more portable sure sure. 120Hz makes a big difference as well.

 

[rkuo]

If you aren’t choosing based on size, the iPad Pro probably comes out on top. You’ll have to figure out how much the form factor means to you.

 

[MandiMac]

If there is the slightest off chance that you use the iPad for gaming and want to hold on to it, go for the M1 one. Did you decide yet?

 

[Shanghaichica]

For the things listed , with particular reference to doing it on a bed maybe an iPad mini would be better as it is easier to hold for long periods of time. However, the 11 inch pro is more versatile and can do more overall. You might find that you want to do other things that would be better suited to a larger screen. Also with the price difference being only £80 I think if you only have one device it’s better to have the 11 inch pro. I have both and use both for different things but if I could only have one it would be the 11 inch pro without a doubt.

 

[1BadManVan]

iPad Pro, for such a small price difference it seems like a no brainer to me. Better quality and faster screen, quad speakers, double the Ram, faster storage, M1 chip etc. You get quite a lot for that $85

 

[spraycansoul]

I'm in the same boat , trying to decide between 11" iPad Pro (2021) and iPad Mini 6.

The 11" is obviously the better spec'd iPad , but its hard to ignore the mini's form factor.

If going with the mini , id need to stretch to the 256GB as 64GB is not enough storage for me.

Apple also has the back to school promotion still on where you get a free set of airpods with the Pro model.

I was initially leaning towards the mini but im not so sure now.

 

[MandiMac]

The 11" is obviously the better spec'd iPad , but its hard to ignore the mini's form factor.

If you like the form factor so much, go for the mini. The 11 inch is better in every other way - that's the shortest way to put it.

 

[benobi]

I have a M1 MacBook Air and an 11” iPP. Just spent the past week trying out the Mini. As much as I want to like it, the mini is going back to Apple. The physical size is wonderful but the UI is an absolute disaster. Apple took no time to try to optimize iPadOS for the mini and it shows. Everything is too small with no system wide tools to change it. You may have heard people complaining about wasted space on the home screen but the poor optimization extends much further- to practically every app. Touch targets are comically small, the dock can become hilariously overcrowded, even Google results in safari render incorrectly.

THEN you think about the 60hz vs 120hz, 4gb RAM vs 8, better starting storage, more accessories and the much better Apple Pencil experience you get from a larger canvas… I just think the 11” is the best combination of portability/usability and price/performance. IMO, the iPad mini is more fun to carry but the 11” is just so much more fun to actually use.

 

[leperry]

It really depends on what you’re using your ipad for. I use the 12.9 and Mini for very specific purposes. If you’re going with one iPad, I would go for the 11-inch. You may miss out on the full iPad experience with the Mini, unless you’re 100% sure the Mini is the perfect fit.

 

[spraycansoul]

I would be planning on just getting the one iPad , which would mainly be used for content consumption and photo editing. Currently have an iPhone 13 mini and may look to purchase a 14" MacBook Pro at some point in the future.

The only thing that draws me to the mini over the 11" iPad Pro is the portability factor. But its a BIG factor. However, the amount of issues reported with the screen on the iPad mini 6 is concerning. Its a difficult choice.

 

[alels]

Gaming with external controller? pro, if not then mini might be more natural. What other devices do you have? i loved my 11 pro but after getting an m1 mba it became redundant and was inherited out. Now i'm waiting for the mini to get here.
As an eBook reader, the 11 pro is fine but not great. I re-read the first Dune book on it and it was ok but you can tell there are pixels. The mini should be better (though i ended up getting a kindle oasis for reading, much better)

 

[eneisch]

It's only $85 difference in your country? It is a $154 difference in the US. Seems like the mini is overpriced in your country. I would probably go with the 11" iPad Pro or maybe the iPad Air depending on the pricing for that in your country.

 

[turbineseaplane]

The question with the Mini is always - always...
Do you need/want the super small form factor and ultimate portability?

If not...

Basically every other iPad is either a better quality product and/or experience -- or is simply a way better value (base iPad)

 

[GradSchool2021]

If there is the slightest off chance that you use the iPad for gaming and want to hold on to it, go for the M1 one. Did you decide yet?

Yes I'll use the iPad to play lots of games. From YouTube reviews it seems that the Mini is capable on its own, even for intensive games like Genshin Impact (plus it's much more comfortable to hold on, like a Nintendo Switch). Most gaming reviews of the iPad Pro I've seen involve the use of controllers, suggesting that it's a bit heavy & cumbersome to hold for long gaming sessions.

On the other hand, M1 is more powerful and should theoretically last longer. There's talks about how M1 is currently too overpowered, but seeing how Apple is so focused on mobile gaming nowadays, we'll expect more GPU-intensive games in the future.

About reading: I'm a bit on the fence. Casual reading (i.e. ePUB files) is nicer on iPad Mini because its form factor is kind of like the Kindle. On the other hand, serious reading (academic textbooks) should be better on iPad Pro - PDF textbooks usually have 8.5" x 11" size so the 11" screen is better due to less zooming & more screen real estate for multitasking (reading & taking notes at the same time).

In a perfect world, I'd have 2 machines for 2 use cases. However, I have too many devices already (a desktop PC, a MBP, a work laptop, iPhone XS Max), and having 2 iPads don't make sense to me. I haven't finalized on my decision yet (the Mini has not arrived in our country yet) but I'm 90% positive I'll go with the Pro. There's also a minor point which helps sway in the way of the Pro: it has Silver color which matches with my MBP. It's a shame that Apple doesn't have that as an option for iPad Mini this year!

 

[GradSchool2021]

It's only $85 difference in your country? It is a $154 difference in the US. Seems like the mini is overpriced in your country. I would probably go with the 11" iPad Pro or maybe the iPad Air depending on the pricing for that in your country.

Yeah it's very weird. iPad Pro 11" 128GB is $785 pre tax here (so slightly cheaper than it is in the US) but the Mini 256GB is $700. At this price point it's very hard for me to justify the Mini unless I really, really need the smaller form factor.

Same thing when I purchased my MBP a few months ago. MBP was $1245 (again, cheaper than US prices) but MBA was $1085. Made me feel like a made a steal haha. Our Apple resellers tend to overprice hyped machines.

 

[GradSchool2021]

Gaming with external controller? pro, if not then mini might be more natural. What other devices do you have? i loved my 11 pro but after getting an m1 mba it became redundant and was inherited out. Now i'm waiting for the mini to get here.
As an eBook reader, the 11 pro is fine but not great. I re-read the first Dune book on it and it was ok but you can tell there are pixels. The mini should be better (though i ended up getting a kindle oasis for reading, much better)

I have a gaming desktop PC, MBP M1 13", iPhone XS Max, and a work laptop.

I prefer just holding the iPad for casual gaming, so yes, Mini is more natural. For more serious gaming (that involves a controller or mouse/keyboard) -> I might as well use the gaming desktop PC or MBP.

I'm looking to read academic textbooks on the iPad to prepare for grad school, so I'm afraid fhe Mini is a bit too small (but it would have been sweet to hold on bed and read a couple of pages before sleeping at night haha). The Pro is better for reading and note taking at the same time due to larger screen estate, as I've been told.

 

[MandiMac]

Yes I'll use the iPad to play lots of games.

This sentence alone shouts iPad Pro for you And for the holding issue: If you're sitting on a couch and resting your hands on a thigh or knee, the weight absolutely is no problem. My wife has the 11-inch iPad Pro and plays for hours like this, things get different if you hold it in mid-air for a longer time. But in your case I'd go with the Pro, and if you really, really find it unwieldy, switch it for the Mini (you have 14 days time to send it back to Apple, no?). But the Pro is THE beast.

 

[mikemj23]

I'm in the same boat , trying to decide between 11" iPad Pro (2021) and iPad Mini 6.

The 11" is obviously the better spec'd iPad , but its hard to ignore the mini's form factor.

If going with the mini , id need to stretch to the 256GB as 64GB is not enough storage for me.

Apple also has the back to school promotion still on where you get a free set of airpods with the Pro model.

I was initially leaning towards the mini but im not so sure now.

I was sort of in the same boat. Had the 2021 12.9 Pro and absolutely loved it, but it was just too big for my use case (around the house tablet - browsing, reading, gaming, some netflix etc). Sold the 12.9 and bought the Mini 6 and honestly, as much as I love the portability, it was just too small for me. I know, one extreme to the other, but after using for a bit, just too small and didn't feel a substantial enough difference to my 13 Pro Max. Plus, I will say the lack of 120hz screen was very noticeable for me. So, in a very roundabout way, I've landed on the 11" 2021 IPP. I'd say for $85 more, go with the Pro.

 

[chrisclover]

For me a big iPad is not that useful. I have one 2019 iPad (entry-level version), but could only use it for watching videos, reading pdf files and browsing webpages, which are what the laptop can do. What it cannot do, obviously, is letting you type comfortably and conveniently.

The iPad mini 6 solves the problem, except that its size is not big enough for pdf files, which could be done on the laptop, if you ask me.

So if you go for portability and typing comfort,buy an iPad mini.

 

[sonstar]

M1 for sure.

 

[MandiMac]

Yeah it's very weird. iPad Pro 11" 128GB is $785 pre tax here (so slightly cheaper than it is in the US) but the Mini 256GB is $700. At this price point it's very hard for me to justify the Mini unless I really, really need the smaller form factor.

Did you go forward with your decision yet?

 

[GradSchool2021]

Did you go forward with your decision yet?

Yup! Pulled the trigger yesterday and brought back the iPad Pro 11". Couldn't be happier!

1. NOTE TAKING: I also bought an Apple Pencil. I'm prepping for grad school, so the larger screen real estate is very welcomed. I could also read textbooks on one side and write my notes on the other, which I imagine would be difficult to do on the Mini. I watched a couple of YouTube review videos on the best note-taking app and eventually settled for GoodNotes 5.

2. CASUAL READING: The text is very big but that also means that I don't need my glasses. Heh.

3. WEIGHT & SIZE: It doesn't feel heavy at all! I don't know what happened, but I had an iPad Gen 8 for a few months and it felt quite heavy for on the bed use. Not sure if it's due to the aluminum casing?

4. SCREEN: The whole experience has been extremely smooth. 120Hz screen, M1 chip etc. My iPhone feels laggy in comparison.

5. BATTERY: Too soon to conclude but it's been great so far. Many Mini 6 users complained about average battery life.

Happy with my decision and current lineup. My iPhone will be my main communications / social media / Uber ride hailing device; iPad Pro will be my 24/7 daily driver (will also bring it to work) + casual gaming device + study/reading device; MBP for heavier personal tasks; and gaming desktop PC is strictly for gaming.

 

[MandiMac]

Great, let us know more about your experience in the next week or so. Thank you