Justifying buying an iPad

[dalthicks]

Hello, have a quick question - just looking for some outside input. I currently have an iPhone 6s 128GB. I love the phone, and I am even contemplating upgrading to a 6s+ for the added screen real estate, battery,and OIS. With that said, I am in a position where I can add a cellular iPad (Mini 4 or Air 2) to my plan for a low cost. While I love the idea of having an iPad, will it really be necessary to have when I have the phone at my disposal? What all do you guys use your iPads for? If I were to get one, it would most likely be a media consumption device predominately. Just looking for some outside info. Thanks

 

[Traverse]

Well, you'd really need to evaluate your usage to see if you can fit one into your life. For some reason, I've always tried justifying getting rid of an iPad for a 6 Plus, but that just leaves me with a large phone, not a tablet. The iPad is a good media consumption device, but it's also a great work tool. If you're happy with your phone for web browsing and video watching, an iPad may have little to offer, but I could never go phone-only because of battery life. If you're going to be out all day, you can't game on your phone, stream hours of video, etc or you run of juice long before you get home and I don't want that battery anxiety.

I use my iPad as a gaming device, both casual and intensive. I use it as an email device, web browser, email client, drawing pad, and as a tool for studying and research. My biggest justification is using the iPad for documents. I read thousands of pages of research papers, class notes, journal articles, etc. on my iPad. I can keep these pages in one compact device. It's natural like a piece of paper and allows me to annotate, search, and jump between them far easier than printing them all out and keeping them in 4" binders. I am teaching a lot right now in grad school. I work the problems (accounting) by hand, scan the pages, and then highlight and add notes to them. I teach by referencing my iPad instead of trying to juggle a textbook, binder, flimsy paper, and a marker. Everything I do on my iPad, I could do on the Plus, but the larger screen of the iPad makes it nicer. Really, the convenience of one device is really the only benefit to consolidating. The Plus is pretty much a compromise in every way when compared to an iPad, but it's a really fund device.

Also, society views a tablet different than a smartphone. Like I said, I often toy with the idea of using a Plus in place of an iPad, but I can't teach from an iPhone or take notes on an iPhone, it's just not professional. Many professors forbade the use of phones, but didn't care less about tablets.

---
Still, if none of those things apply to you, a Plus may be sufficient. You can buy an iPad and give it a week or two and see how you enjoy it; that's how I realized I didn't care for the Mini. If I didn't have a work-related use for it...I might be content having just an iPhone and a rMB, but it's e-reader/document annotator abilities are just too good to be ignored...man I sound boring!

 

[dalthicks]

Thank you so much for your thoughtful reply! I will be paying attention to how I use my phone throughout the day to see if it will be of use to me. I do play a lot of games throughout the day, and I read a lot of articles between Reddit, MacRumors, MMOChampion etc. After I figure out if an iPad would be of use in my everyday life, the next decision will be deciding which one!

 

[RickTaylor]

My main motivation for buying an iPad mini was for reading, particularly pdf documents. I find the iPad mini is just barely big enough to read them comfortably; I wouldn't want to use anything smaller.Also, I don't know if an iPhone would have all the software I want for that task.

 

[Traverse]

Thank you so much for your thoughtful reply! I will be paying attention to how I use my phone throughout the day to see if it will be of use to me. I do play a lot of games throughout the day, and I read a lot of articles between Reddit, MacRumors, MMOChampion etc. After I figure out if an iPad would be of use in my everyday life, the next decision will be deciding which one!

Since MacRumors got a facelift this year, I find it a pleasant iPhone experience. Reddit, however, can be painful to view on an iPhone! Plus (pun intended), I just ascribe to the "best of both worlds" idea where I get a compact iPhone 6 (perfect phone size IMO) and the large viewing area and benefits of a tablet when wanted.

However, this is entirely subjective.

My main motivation for buying an iPad mini was for reading, particularly pdf documents. I find the iPad mini is just barely big enough to read them comfortably; I wouldn't want to use anything smaller.Also, I don't know if an iPhone would have all the software I want for that task.

I think it's good for the OP to give told try it out. I found the mini too small for PDFs for long periods, but that is entirely subjective.

 

[wchigo]

I find my iPad indispensable, but primarily from a content consumption standpoint. I have a rMB that I do most of my work on when I'm not in my office and my phone is mostly for messaging, browsing, Twitter and the occasion game, but I would not want to browse or watch videos on it long-term.

The iPad is great to bring around and use to browse websites and forums while in bed with a lot more real estate. Sure, I've also used my phone for the same purposes and it is more than capable in that respect. However, as I'm not hard up financially, I can justify the extra expenditure for myself in order to gain a bit more convenience.

 

[maxsix]

I don't need an iPad. Period.

Yet I own two mini 4 and two Air 2 models. They're replacements for older models I shared with the family till it was time to replace them.

The only reason I bought any of them is the convenience of content consumption.

Scattered around the house whenever any of us needs to DDG.GG anything , an iPad is handy.

 

[v0lume4]

I'll simply tell you what I use my iPad for every day, and perhaps it can better help you with your decision.

I have an iPad 2. Nothing fancy, no retina display. Yet, I use it every day. Every evening, I browse the web in front of my TV and catch up on things I missed throughout the day. My iPad is brilliant for that. On the weekends, I wake up, make a cup of coffee, and watch YouTube videos at the kitchen table to start my day off (I have a smart cover to use as a stand). Again, my iPad is brilliant for that. Sometimes when around the house, I use my iPad to play music since it has a decent set of speakers. And lastly, before bed, the iPad is great for web browsing, since using a Macbook while lying down is a bit of a hassle. It's all of those in-between moments where you need a large device, but don't need the power of a MacBook, where the iPad fits in perfectly.

As some of the other posters have pointed out, pay attention to your usage habits and start asking yourself throughout the day, "Would I use an iPad in this situation?" The iPad isn't for everyone. And frankly, if I didn't have mine, it wouldn't be that big a deal, as I would use my MacBook in its place. But my iPad's convenient and easy. And that's why I like it.

 

[sjleworthy]

for me personally i love a large screen. the larger the screen the easier the app usage is. this is why i cant wait for ipp. i'd never purchase a mini, i dont own a mobile phone, and a regular ipad is really beginning to grate. and as for a laptop, well, no need or want for my personal life.

 

[CaptMarvel]

Using an iPad mini 3 eliminated a few things I was doing on my iPhone 6 Plus: web browsing, reading (emails, news, etc), gaming and more. I now tend to think the Plus screen size is a bit small, imagine that! But then I remember it's just a phone which is good for the on the go day to day tasks. When you have free time, of course it's better to sit down and enjoy everything on a larger screen. Handoff makes an iPad even better as everything is seamlessly connected with your iPhone (or other compatible Apple product) right down to phone calls. If it's in your budget and you're in the market for one, why not?

Maybe a wifi only iPad though.

 

[pika2000]

I had a similar justification process when deciding in buying the first iPad. Since then, I bought the original, 2, 3, 4, and finally mini 2.
When I had the regular sized iPad, I usually use them as a browsing/email machine. The form factor makes it more convenient that going to my desktop or even taking my laptop. But then came the 11" Macbook Air, thus I want an iPad that is even more portable, which is the mini. So I sold my iPad 4 and bought the retina mini the moment it came out. Fast forward, I use my retina mini for those things I mentioned above, and also checking out social networks and reading documents. I also use it for movies when Im on a flight. It is also useful to check some Office documents on-the-go when I don't want to take out my laptop. I bought the cellular version since I know I want a truly portable device (and not having to waste my phone's battery life).

If you will only use the iPad at home, then I would get the wifi version.

 

[philipyoungg]

If you have the money, buy secondhand iPad and use it for several weeks. If you like it, you can keep it / sell it to get a new one. If you don't like it, you can sell the iPad without any meaningful loss (or you can even profit from it)

 

[mtneer]

I do have an iPhone 6S+ and an older iPad Mini 2. I find that my use niches for both of these devices have very heavy overlap. I only have the Mini with cellular to tether since my phone is on AT&T's UDP, which does not allow for tethering.

If I were in a position to choose between these two devices today - I would not go for the iPad. Instead I would save that money for something else, or try to fill in a different use niche (with a new MBP etc.) There sure is a difference in the size of the display's and the form factor. But, for me, that delta is not big enough to justify splurging hundreds of dollars - especially the Mini 4 being packaged with last years SOC's.

 

[dalthicks]

Thank you all for your posts. I currently have a Toshiba Chromebook 2 that I have enjoyed for light school works and web browsing. Granted, it does not have the ability to be used over a cellular network (excluding mobile hotspot) and it is simply not as portable as an iPad. I am going to actually borrow an old iPad of a family member and try it out to see if I actually use it. Thanks again!

 

[AJsAWiz]

Whether or not you need, or just want, an iPad even though you have an iPhone 6, 6s, 6 Plus or 6s Plus depends on each individual. You have to ask yourself if you really do want both and consider the cost as well.

I, personally, have an iPhone 6s Plus and had the iPad Mini before I got the iPhone. I still have a use for both an iPhone and iPad. I use my (ULDP) iPhone when away from home. The size/screen is perfect for mobile use. I use the iPad WiFi model, at home as it often serves the need to do tasks I do on my iMac. Some times, I'm either in another part of my home or just prefer to use it in a more relaxed fashion (as opposed to sitting at a desk with the iMac). Since the sizes of both devices are so similar now. I plan on disposing of the iPad Mini and buying an iPad Pro when it's released. That will be (very close) to having a second computer.

 

[powerbook911]

I don't use my iPad a lot right now because it is an iPad 3, so it's only good at some things. I use it for live timing during F1 events. It works beautifully for that.

See, the thing is, my Mac desktop and iPhone covers me 99 percent of the time. At my desk, nothing beats a desktop, in my opinion, and away from my desk, iPhone is terrific.

However, this fall I will add either an iPad Pro or iPad Air 2, I have to see how big the Pro is. I want to use it for some light, casual gaming, etc.

I plan to primarily use the iPad at home though, I won't take it out very often.

I upgraded to the Plus this year, and it is nice for videos but it's no tablet. Furthermore, if you are watching video on the Plus, you can't do anything else, so you sorta need an additional device at times around the house.

It's notebooks that I truly have a hard time justifying anymore. Since I don't have a job that requires work away from my desk (the desk either at work or home), notebook is something I just can't justify despite always being in awe of the latest ones. I haven't bought one since late 2010.

 

[DakotaGuy]

I have an iMac, an LG G4, and an iPad Air 2. On the go I use my G4, but at home the phone sits while I use my iPad. Why? Because the bigger screen is just so much nicer. I also use my iMac from time to time for certain tasks, but my go to device if I'm sitting in my chair or laying in my bed is my iPad.

 

[powerbook911]

I think one reason a desktop computer is still my favorite for just about anything is I type 120+ WPM. Speed of input, I feel so contained on an iPad.

 

[mtneer]

I think one reason a desktop computer is still my favorite for just about anything is I type 120+ WPM. Speed of input, I feel so contained on an iPad.

How do you feel about the new magic keyboard, with the reduced key travel? I am afraid long term, Apple will trend all its keyboards towards reduced travel...

 

[Infinitewisdom]

I think it's really tough to justify an iPad unless you have a very specific and frequent usage for it. Otherwise it becomes totally a nice-to-have but not a must-have.

 

[GaryNoine]

To me, the Mini is the only way to go. This has to do with your need for a screen bigger than the iPhone, yet smaller than the MacBook. Just evaluate your schedule and see how the iPad would benefit you. Here's mine:

Each morning, I check social media on my phone and at the same time listen to radio programming via my bluetooth speaker system from the Sirius XM app on my iPad Mini. While working, I'm almost constantly looking both at my computer for business and at my phone for personal text conversations and/or email. Back home after work, the iPad becomes a MacBook alternative while watching TV, for social media and light web browsing. (If I need to work on a heavy business-related project at home, I'll reach for the MacBook; otherwise, I only use the iPad) When traveling for work, I like to use the iPad (with Logitech keyboard case) for document writing, as well as movie watching on longer flights. It's also perfect for meetings when I need to take notes, yet don't feel like taking the MacBook or typing on my phone.

Point being, see where having an iPad would benefit you before committing.

 

[The Game 161]

All depends on your usage. I do alot of heavy web browsing which even with a 6S plus isn’t big enough for general web browsing. Which is why I do alot of this on my air 2 but when i’m settled i will also grab my macbook to browse.


All depends if you are a heavy user or not. I post here alot along with NBA and football forums for example

 

[Algus]

99% of the time, mine is an overpriced eReader. Being able to read and stream music from the same device is lovely. I used to be big on the kindle (e-ink!) but Apple has from time to time secured some exclusives (atm I am diving through the Harry Potter books...though those were sold in a kindle format on Rowling's website at one point) so now I have some books from both Apple and Amazon, reading both on the iPad is a snap since there's a kindle app. I also do digital comics.

For everything else I am comfortable doing from my phone but often find I'd rather have the larger screen of the iPad since it is an option. My job involves long hours away from an outlet so I have to be pretty conservative with what I do on my phone since I usually run it to 10-15% by the end of the day.

 

[Macalway]

zero justification

I just want it. I probably need it like a hole in the head.

 

[RickTaylor]

99% of the time, mine is an overpriced eReader. . .

That's my most important application for my iPad mini as well. In addition to the advantages you listed, it's able to handle diverse formats such as pdf and djvu much more easily than the eink devices.