Is it just me or does Mini make more sense when you own a MacBook?

[JerTheGeek]

I'm really liking the idea of upgrading my air 1 to the mini 4 (instead of the air 2) this Christmas. My main reasoning here is, I already have the bigger screen of my 13 inch MacBook Air. So doesn't it make more sense to have the mini 4 instead of the air? I have an iPhone 6 which I obviously take with me everywhere, but I have found myself not taking the air as many places as I did the mini, and the places I do take it, it feels more like a chore to carry around, simply because of that larger for, factor, (I liked being able to slip my old mini 1 into my pockets!); also the typing experience is not as comfortable on the air.
I use my iPad for school as I have my textbooks on them; I'm homeschooled and like to do school outside and often do my reading sitting on a swing outside. I like the iPad to be versatile so I can use it for school in many different situations.
So I was wondering what others thought about using the iPad alongside a MacBook. I can easily use my MBA 13 for anything when I want a big screen; thus does it make more sense to be more portable, with the mini?

 

[RickTaylor]

Of course different things make sense for different people, but I do share your view here. Originally when the iPad came out, I didn't see the point of it. It was a little more portable than my Macbook, but not that much, and it didn't have a keyboard or some of the software I used. That was when the iPad 4 was the current model.

Then I saw the original mini and I fell in love. The size just felt right. Unlike my Macbook, it fit into my suit jacket pocket, and it felt much more natural reading books on it. As you say, I use my Macbook Air when I'm able to sit down at a table and I want to use a keyboard, and my mini for everything else. For me the form factor of the mini is close to perfect: any larger and it wouldn't fit in my suit jacket pocket, and smaller and it wouldn't be practical for reading pdfs.

One thing I would recommend if you plan to use the mini for reading pdfs is to load a document you need to read onto a mini, and seeing how it looks to you (I was able to do that in an Apple store using dropbox). It can be admittedly a bit cramped. Sometimes I'll adjust he margins of a document or read in landscape view. For me its a small matter, and the portability is well worth this compromise, but as always your mileage may vary.

 

[JerTheGeek]

Of course different things make sense for different people, but I do share your view here. Originally when the iPad came out, I didn't see the point of it. It was a little more portable than my Macbook, but not that much, and it didn't have a keyboard or some of the software I used. That was when the iPad 4 was the current model.

Then I saw the original mini and I fell in love. The size just felt right. Unlike my Macbook, it fit into my suit jacket pocket, and it felt much more natural reading books on it. As you say, I use my Macbook Air when I'm able to sit down at a table and I want to use a keyboard, and my mini for everything else. For me the form factor of the mini is close to perfect: any larger and it wouldn't fit in my suit jacket pocket, and smaller and it wouldn't be practical for reading pdfs.

One thing I would recommend if you plan to use the mini for reading pdfs is to load a document you need to read onto a mini, and seeing how it looks to you (I was able to do that in an Apple store using dropbox). It can be admittedly a bit cramped. Sometimes I'll adjust he margins of a document or read in landscape view. For me its a small matter, and the portability is well worth this compromise, but as always your mileage may vary.

Yeah I will definitely check it out in store. I'm really thinking it'll work good, here's hoping.

 

[Mivo]

To me, a Mini doesn't make all that much sense if you have a 6+ (and I'd get a 6+ if I used an iPhone). As for the MacBook Air and an iPad Air 2, well, it depends on what you'd do with it. It's still a tablet with a touch screen, and without the actual keyboard/"body", so it's far more portable, and suitable for other usage scenarios, than the MBA. For PDFs, I find the 9.7" iPads better suited than the Mini or the MBA (but for epub books, I'd prefer the Mini/6+).

But: The best tablet for you is the one that you'll actually use. If in your case that's the Mini, get one. It doesn't need to make the most sense on an objective level. What matters is that it works for you.

 

[sracer]

I'm really liking the idea of upgrading my air 1 to the mini 4 (instead of the air 2) this Christmas. My main reasoning here is, I already have the bigger screen of my 13 inch MacBook Air. So doesn't it make more sense to have the mini 4 instead of the air? I have an iPhone 6 which I obviously take with me everywhere, but I have found myself not taking the air as many places as I did the mini, and the places I do take it, it feels more like a chore to carry around, simply because of that larger for, factor, (I liked being able to slip my old mini 1 into my pockets!); also the typing experience is not as comfortable on the air.
I use my iPad for school as I have my textbooks on them; I'm homeschooled and like to do school outside and often do my reading sitting on a swing outside. I like the iPad to be versatile so I can use it for school in many different situations.
So I was wondering what others thought about using the iPad alongside a MacBook. I can easily use my MBA 13 for anything when I want a big screen; thus does it make more sense to be more portable, with the mini?

My thinking is the opposite.

Having an iPhone 6 makes the iPad mini more redundant than the 13" MBA makes the Air 2 redundant. (if that makes sense)

Both iPhone and iPad mini are iOS-based devices. The types of things that you can do on each are virtually identical. The difference between the 13" MBA (OSX) and Air 2 (iOS) is dramatically different.

I have an 11" MBA and an Air 2. Until Apple produces their version of a Surface Pro, this is the closest thing that I can get to that. They are nearly the same size so they're equally portable. I can take either one or both, depending upon my needs for the day.

It's like what the Mounds and Almond Joy commercials say... sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't.

 

[JerTheGeek]

To me, a Mini doesn't make all that much sense if you have a 6+ (and I'd get a 6+ if I used an iPhone). As for the MacBook Air and an iPad Air 2, well, it depends on what you'd do with it. It's still a tablet with a touch screen, and without the actual keyboard/"body", so it's far more portable, and suitable for other usage scenarios, than the MBA. For PDFs, I find the 9.7" iPads better suited than the Mini or the MBA (but for epub books, I'd prefer the Mini/6+).

But: The best tablet for you is the one that you'll actually use. If in your case that's the Mini, get one. It doesn't need to make the most sense on an objective level. What matters is that it works for you.

Actually I have an iPhone 6. I think the mini still is different enough in screen size and function to not be redundant alongside the 6, IMO at least.

 

[ZBoater]

I don't buy the 6+ vs Mini arguments. I mean, I have both. There is no comparison. I mean, there is, but they are nowhere that similar. I mean, I can TALK on my phone. Which is what I usually use my phones for. I can't talk on my Mini. I mean, I could, but that would be silly.

 

[JerTheGeek]

I don't buy the 6+ vs Mini arguments. I mean, I have both. There is no comparison. I mean, there is, but they are nowhere that similar. I mean, I can TALK on my phone. Which is what I usually use my phones for. I can't talk on my Mini. I mean, I could, but that would be silly.

I have the iPhone 6, but even if I had the 6 plus, I still think the mini would be nice. They serve 2 separate functions; ones a tablet, one's a phone.

 

[RickTaylor]

To me, a Mini doesn't make all that much sense if you have a 6+ (and I'd get a 6+ if I used an iPhone).

The way I'd put it is, the 6+ doesn't make that much sense if you have a mini.

For me, the 6+ would too small to be an acceptable PDF reader; I wouldn't want to go any smaller or narrower than the mini for that purpose. Additionally, the iPhone is missing support for some of the iPad optized apps. Since I wear a suit jacket, the mini is almost as portable as a phone for me; it goes everywhere with me and is always within easy reach. So since I have the mini, I have no use for a big phone, as anything that benefits from screen size I'd do on the mini anyway.

But again everyone's different; I've read posts from people who enjoy owning both the 6+ and the mini.

 

[RickTaylor]

I don't buy the 6+ vs Mini arguments. I mean, I have both. There is no comparison. I mean, there is, but they are nowhere that similar. I mean, I can TALK on my phone. Which is what I usually use my phones for. I can't talk on my Mini. I mean, I could, but that would be silly.

I think there's something to the argument. I've seen posts from people who say now that they have a 6+ they hardly use their iPad mini anymore. Probably the 6+ reduced demand for the mini to some degree, I just don't buy it will destroy the market for them. Of course that's just my opinion, and probably biased by how much I like the device.

And yes, this was typed in a cafe on a mini.

 

[erasr]

I have the same as you. MBA 13", iPhone, now Mini 4. Just given my Air to my gf.

Reason I've done this is because I prefer the form factor of the Mini over Air. I've just been trying the Air again after two days of Mini 4 and I literally laughed at its size. The Air feels clunky.

I love typing on the Mini and it's so light that I feel I'm using it more than the Air - even though I used the Air everyday.

I never use the MBA in the house. That's for work only.

 

[sracer]

I don't buy the 6+ vs Mini arguments. I mean, I have both. There is no comparison. I mean, there is, but they are nowhere that similar. I mean, I can TALK on my phone. Which is what I usually use my phones for. I can't talk on my Mini. I mean, I could, but that would be silly.

The 6+ is far more similar to the iPad Mini than the Air 2 is to a Macbook Air which is what the OP is dealing with.

The only differences between the 6+ and IPad Mini are: screen size, ability to make phone calls... and if you get a Mini with LTE then calls could be made with that.

So how exactly is an iPhone 6+ nowhere that similar to an iPad Mini?

 

[RickTaylor]

The only differences between the 6+ and IPad Mini are: screen size, ability to make phone calls... and if you get a Mini with LTE then calls could be made with that.

Also, the mini is able to run software specifically designed for an iPad.

 

[lmitch6]

I have a 13" MacBook Pro, iPhone 6, and just upgraded to the iPad Air 2 from the iPad Mini 2. My first iPad was an iPad 2. I traded that for my the first generation iPad Mini. I like the form factor of the Mini, but I find the full size much more usable. With the Mini, I zoomed in and out of text a lot more, and reading things like magazines wasn't as enjoyable on the smaller screen. The Air's are so light in comparison to the earlier iPads that they're a joy to use.

 

[east85]

Uh, I love my MacBook + iPad Mini combination. When I'm out I'll usually use it like this:

I use Duet to add an extra screen occasionally. I type on the iPad with 1Keyboard easily using the MacBook keyboard.

Often I just lounge with the iPad by itself though. I probably won't update my iPad Mini until 3D touch gets into the iPad line.

 

[Dlanod]

I have MB Pro, Air 2, Mini 2 (just acquired in preference to Mini 4) and had a 6 Plus - now sold and waiting on a 6s Plus. Mini 2 is a media consuming device. Air 2 has cellular and is for out and about productivity. And MB Pro for more serious work at home. And the iPhone is well, a phone.

 

[southerndoc]

I just received my Mini 4. Only thing that bugs me about it is there is no smart case available for it (the one where the cover is attached to the case). I'm going to sell my Air 3 and just use the Mini and MacBook. I'm wishing I didn't have my Air 3 engraved now!

 

[JerTheGeek]

I have the same as you. MBA 13", iPhone, now Mini 4. Just given my Air to my gf.

Reason I've done this is because I prefer the form factor of the Mini over Air. I've just been trying the Air again after two days of Mini 4 and I literally laughed at its size. The Air feels clunky.

I love typing on the Mini and it's so light that I feel I'm using it more than the Air - even though I used the Air everyday.

I never use the MBA in the house. That's for work only.

I think I will plan on getting the mini; as long as my school books look good and are readable on it.

 

[Noble Actual]

iPad mini doesn't really make sense to me.

For the iPhone, most people I know and just see around have the iPhone 6.

I just received my Mini 4. Only thing that bugs me about it is there is no smart case available for it (the one where the cover is attached to the case). I'm going to sell my Air 3 and just use the Mini and MacBook. I'm wishing I didn't have my Air 3 engraved now!

iPad Air 3?

wut?