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iPad Is there any point in getting a base ipad?

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Superman041

macrumors 6502
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Jul 16, 2011
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I've been using an old iPad primarily to stream films through safari/Netflix/Youtube etc when cooking. It's practically dead battery wise now so trying to figure out which iPad to buy. I'll also use it when travelling


Initially I was going to get the base iPad but noticed it won't support any Apple Intelligence features and subsequently questioning the longevity.

I have a Macbook Pro for heavy intensive tasks and esseintally do not want to use it to watch things with the potential of it being damaged/dirty while about the kitchen

Which iPad should I go for?
 
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What they said.

And since the iPad was just released, should see about five years of support. So, it’ll fit your needs.

I will probably buy this as base iPads have worked well for me. Current iPad (6) is seven years old (previous one was 6 yo when I moved to current), needs a new battery, and has been showing it’s age re web pages at times beach balling. Will fit my use pattern and won’t cost an arm (Pros, need to add the leg as well).
 
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Superman041 said:
I've been using an old iPad primarily to stream films through safari/Netflix/Youtube etc when cooking. It's practically dead battery wise now so trying to figure out which iPad to buy. I'll also use it when travelling


Initially I was going to get the base iPad but noticed it won't support any Apple Intelligence features and subsequently questioning the longevity.

I have a Macbook Pro for heavy intensive tasks and esseintally do not want to use it to watch things with the potential of it being damaged/dirty while about the kitchen

Which iPad should I go for?
Click to expand...
Why do you need Apple Intelligence to stream videos when cooking?
 
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Total Respray said:
The question is - in my view - is there any point in getting a higher spec iPad?

Other than better screen anti-reflectivity in the Air and Pro (which may or may not bother you), I see few major differences in daily use.
Click to expand...

This is a more appropriate perspective imo. If the base model suits your needs, I don’t think there’s any reason to spend more.
 
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For Christmas we got our 10yo daughter an iPad 10 and bought a £25 keyboard folio case off Amazon for it. I have to say it’s a cracking little thing, the keyboard is really good believe it or not.

It feels much smoother than my 2019 iPad Air 3. I’ll probably replace that and my wife’s iPad 2018 model with a new base model each. Not bothered with Apple Intelligence in the slightest.
 
Total Respray said:
The question is - in my view - is there any point in getting a higher spec iPad?

Other than better screen anti-reflectivity in the Air and Pro (which may or may not bother you), I see few major differences in daily use.
Click to expand...
I guess for me, it's if you use your iPad often enough that you grow very sensitive to the slightest change in performance.

For example, back when I was still using the 2018 iPad Pro (with 4gb ram), I also bought the iPad 9 for my mom (who was recovering at home after an illness) to play games on. Performance-wise, it was okay, and I even liked the form factor (the curved back and home button). Then when my iPad Pro was sent to the workshop for a few days to have its battery replaced, I brought the iPad 9 to school to use for that 2 days.

The experience was more or less the same (mirroring to Apple TV, annotating on notability, watching YouTube, playing slay the spire), but you do notice that apps take a little longer to load, shortcuts take longer to run, and multitasking just feels a bit more sluggish overall. Nothing I can't live with, and boy do I miss that OG iPad form factor. 😛

Just as after upgrading to the M4 iPad Pro, you find that everything is just a little spiffier, even though you didn't think the 2018 iPad Pro was slow by any means. It also supports the latest Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil (with the squeeze feature), and everything is just nicer.

They all do the same basic stuff well enough. It comes down to whether you are wiling to pay more for "niceness". I guess it's like asking whether you should fly business class or economy, when both get you to your destination in the same amount of time.
 
Another vote for the base iPad 11 if one is going to use it for watching videos, general email, texting and web browsing. If you think there’s a chance you might be using the new iPad for anything more, there’s always the 11-inch Air for not that much more money. But don’t even think about the iPad Pro, as nice as it is. As I have written elsewhere, while in my local Apple Store to buy my M2 iPad Air, I told the Apple Geek that I didn’t need the M4 iPad Pro. His response: “No one needs the M4 iPad Pro.”
 
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Biro said:
Another vote for the base iPad 11 if one is going to use it for watching videos, general email, texting and web browsing. If you think there’s a chance you might be using the new iPad for anything more, there’s always the 11-inch Air for not that much more money. But don’t even think about the iPad Pro, as nice as it is. As I have written elsewhere, while in my local Apple Store to buy my M2 iPad Air, I told the Apple Geek that I didn’t need the M4 iPad Pro. His response: “No one needs the M4 iPad Pro.”
Click to expand...

"Need" is subjective but it's very nice to have when doing 4K video processing. And Apple rams it down your throat if you want the OLED display.
 
Personally I would go with a minimum of the iPad Air. I went with a normal iPad and regretted it. It's fine, but it was surprisingly limiting. The normal iPad would have to be the specs of the mini I think to be truly useful, and really the mini is a confusing option as well.
 
XboxEvolved said:
Personally I would go with a minimum of the iPad Air. I went with a normal iPad and regretted it. It's fine, but it was surprisingly limiting. The normal iPad would have to be the specs of the mini I think to be truly useful, and really the mini is a confusing option as well.
Click to expand...

I actually think the mini is the least confusing.

There’s only one iPad model in the 8” size range. If one wants a small iPad, then they go for the iPad mini.
 
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sparksd said:
"Need" is subjective but it's very nice to have when doing 4K video processing. And Apple rams it down your throat if you want the OLED display.
Click to expand...
I'd argue need is objective, want is subjective. I think it's pretty reasonable to say no one needs an ipad pro.
 
For content consumption (the usage you describe) you can pretty much get any decent iPad that hasn’t been obliterated by iOS updates and you will be okay.

The 11th-gen is perfect for that; in fact, I use my iPads just like you and I got one. Great battery life, and I got software compatibility as it is updated to iPadOS 18 unlike every other iOS device I have.

For content consumption you can probably get a 9th-gen and you’ll be fine.
 
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rui no onna said:
I actually think the mini is the least confusing.

There’s only one iPad model in the 8” size range. If one wants a small iPad, then they go for the iPad mini.
Click to expand...
Naw it is pretty confusing to me for several reasons. Mainly it's a smaller screen with more power than the iPad. IMO I feel like if you want to sell the mini and the iPad, then give the mini the specs and price of the current iPad, and then give the iPad the price and specs of the mini. I just don't see how the mini sells very well at all, but it must be selling to someone I guess...
 
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XboxEvolved said:
Naw it is pretty confusing to me for several reasons. Mainly it's a smaller screen with more power than the iPad. IMO I feel like if you want to sell the mini and the iPad, then give the mini the specs and price of the current iPad, and then give the iPad the price and specs of the mini. I just don't see how the mini sells very well at all, but it must be selling to someone I guess...
Click to expand...
Whilst this is true, I think that the most important factor here is size: if you want a small iPad, the Mini is all you have.

If you want a larger screen, the debate is between the regular iPad and the Air, and in my opinion, the Mini doesn’t factor in that internal debate.

If you don’t want to spend as much as the Air costs I don’t think you’ll choose the Mini. You’ll go for the regular iPad, due to size.

But the Mini has no other iteration and so it is the most straightforward choice for those who want a smaller iPad.
 
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XboxEvolved said:
Naw it is pretty confusing to me for several reasons. Mainly it's a smaller screen with more power than the iPad. IMO I feel like if you want to sell the mini and the iPad, then give the mini the specs and price of the current iPad, and then give the iPad the price and specs of the mini. I just don't see how the mini sells very well at all, but it must be selling to someone I guess...
Click to expand...

Apple can’t really give the iPad higher specs as I guess they want some clear delineation between the iPad and iPad Air.

The iPad mini is mid-range. It’s like a smaller iPad Air except its small size likely can’t handle the heat and power consumption of the M-series chipset so it’s given the iPhone Pro chipset instead. It’s also not refreshed as often so the specs can lag the Air series.

iPad Air - A7/1GB
iPad mini 2 - A7/1GB

iPad Air 2 - A8X/2GB
iPad mini 4 - A8/2GB

iPad Air 3 - A12/3GB
iPad mini 5 - A12/3GB

iPad Air 4 - A14/4GB
iPad mini 6 - A15/4GB

iPad Air 5 - M1/8GB
(no new mini for a couple of years)

iPad Air 6 - M2/8GB
iPad mini 7 - A17 Pro/8GB
iPad Air 7 - M3/8GB

As @FeliApple has said, the mini sells because it’s the only small iPad. If one wants a small iPad, the mini is the only option.
 
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Okay guys as someone with an MacBook Air M1 I am highly tempted to pickup the new iPad as a couch/bed device but conflicted because I feel like the MacBook already serves the purpose well enough and it seems unnecessary to add in the iPad. Thoughts? I have a studio display that the MacBook could essentially become a "desktop" device as needed and the iPad takeover as the around the home device.
 
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AppleFeller said:
Okay guys as someone with an MacBook Air M1 I am highly tempted to pickup the new iPad as a couch/bed device but conflicted because I feel like the MacBook already serves the purpose well enough and it seems unnecessary to add in the iPad. Thoughts? I have a studio display that the MacBook could essentially become a "desktop" device as needed and the iPad takeover as the around the home device.
Click to expand...

What form factor do you prefer?

Around the house, I use the iPad purely in tablet mode, no external keyboard. When I need to type, I just use the onscreen keyboard. Works very well for me ~95% of the time for personal use.
 
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AppleFeller said:
Okay guys as someone with an MacBook Air M1 I am highly tempted to pickup the new iPad as a couch/bed device but conflicted because I feel like the MacBook already serves the purpose well enough and it seems unnecessary to add in the iPad. Thoughts? I have a studio display that the MacBook could essentially become a "desktop" device as needed and the iPad takeover as the around the home device.
Click to expand...

The iPad makes a great couch/bed device. You could give it a good tryout during the return period to see if it works for you - you won't get much don't-do-it advice on this forum.
 
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