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iPad mini My experience with the iPad Mini
- Thread starter BB1970
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It’s always a matter of perspective.
I went from pro 2018 to mini in 2021 and love the Touch ID.
I’m only contemplating the 11 pro now for other purposes (external display, journaling).
But I do like using the mini for its size.
I went from pro 2018 to mini in 2021 and love the Touch ID.
I’m only contemplating the 11 pro now for other purposes (external display, journaling).
But I do like using the mini for its size.
I'm a Mini 5 guy
Returned the 7 as I didn't find the value there and I also really prefer the traditional 4:3 aspect ratio
I didn't realize how important that was to me, particularly so on the Mini screen size, to have that extra vertical real estate/specific shape when in Landscape
It just "feels right" to me
I really really love the Mini 5
Returned the 7 as I didn't find the value there and I also really prefer the traditional 4:3 aspect ratio
I didn't realize how important that was to me, particularly so on the Mini screen size, to have that extra vertical real estate/specific shape when in Landscape
It just "feels right" to me
I really really love the Mini 5
Same here, I am not upgrading my iPad mini 5, I even bought a second one I found for cheap as a backup.
The audio jack allows me to use my music apps with high end headphones (bluetooth has latency for playing instruments).
The smart cover makes it lighter than the successors.
I still have several airpods with lightning so I need a cable anyway.
I love home button touch id.
It has a physical SIM, which is a must since some of the laptops I have can only use a physical SIM (so no eSIM for me for the foreseeable future).
I don't think I'll upgrade in this decade...
PS I am leaving mine on iPadOS 17, I have read that 18 slows it down quite a bit (and I don't see any major features for the mini 5)
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I have 5 & 6, and prefer the 6 - the 5 is more or less only a meditation timer and a backup to connect to iCloud files and such.
When I think of it, it's rather important things of planning that I actually do on the mini, on end and beginnings of days.
Using my Things - app, a lot on it - that is my planning app and adding all stuff that it's on the horizon. Reading MacRumors must count as important too, right?
Well, I'm Passing the 7, and will probably buy 8 later.
When I think of it, it's rather important things of planning that I actually do on the mini, on end and beginnings of days.
Using my Things - app, a lot on it - that is my planning app and adding all stuff that it's on the horizon. Reading MacRumors must count as important too, right?
Well, I'm Passing the 7, and will probably buy 8 later.
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It's all relative. To those who use not for certain niche things like putting it into a cockpit of a small plane or a boat, read some books, watch a few movies, send a quick email and for me taking notes with the pencil pro makes it a perfect device. For everything else it's my M4 Pro MacBook Pro all day.
To be honest, I didn't love my mini in the beginning, either. I got it primarily to replace a broken Kindle, but over time it grew on me and it's my most-used device right now. I started out using it ONLY as an e-reader, but since I used it so much for that and always pretty much had it with me, I guess I just transitioned to using it for other stuff as well. For example, I think it's the perfect size for apps like Koala.
I prefer the mini over my larger iPad. My only gripe is the text size can be a bit small on some of the apps. Its okay with all the Apple ones because the text resizer always works, but some apps don’t let you adjust it
Typing this on my iPad mini 7.
For me personally having a small iPad trumped all the things that are wrong with this device (and there are a lot). I’m the kind of person who gets the iPhone Pro Max because I want the biggest screen I can get while on the go. But Apple is never going to make a +7” iPhone. Even if they did they definitely aren’t ever going to increase the aspect ratio back to something wider and less tall. And they continue to not update iOS so you can actually do MORE on a larger screen. So having the shrunk down iPad OS on a device I can carry with me anywhere I can bring my phone is brilliant.
If the size isn’t as important to you, I can easily see not wanting to put up with all the iPad mini shortcomings.
If they could just do something about this screen sometime this decade that would be nice.
For me personally having a small iPad trumped all the things that are wrong with this device (and there are a lot). I’m the kind of person who gets the iPhone Pro Max because I want the biggest screen I can get while on the go. But Apple is never going to make a +7” iPhone. Even if they did they definitely aren’t ever going to increase the aspect ratio back to something wider and less tall. And they continue to not update iOS so you can actually do MORE on a larger screen. So having the shrunk down iPad OS on a device I can carry with me anywhere I can bring my phone is brilliant.
If the size isn’t as important to you, I can easily see not wanting to put up with all the iPad mini shortcomings.
If they could just do something about this screen sometime this decade that would be nice.
to me personally,
the mini MUST have:
- 120hz
Should have:
- UI scaling option. at least make them UIs and tabs slightly bigger. this isn't rocket science. apple should make this simple software option.
- OLED
- external monitor support (non-mirroring). as such, maybe a M-chip.
without these, i cannot justify buying an ipad mini DESPITE it having the absolute best form factor. i fly a lot and i fly economy. anything larger than a mini almost doesn't get used because it requires a backpack, which might as well be in the overhead cabin.
i want devices that fit in my sling that goes with me 100% of the time on the plane (for safety). ipad mini would have been perfect for that but alas, apple is just being insufferable.
the mini MUST have:
- 120hz
Should have:
- UI scaling option. at least make them UIs and tabs slightly bigger. this isn't rocket science. apple should make this simple software option.
- OLED
- external monitor support (non-mirroring). as such, maybe a M-chip.
without these, i cannot justify buying an ipad mini DESPITE it having the absolute best form factor. i fly a lot and i fly economy. anything larger than a mini almost doesn't get used because it requires a backpack, which might as well be in the overhead cabin.
i want devices that fit in my sling that goes with me 100% of the time on the plane (for safety). ipad mini would have been perfect for that but alas, apple is just being insufferable.
A lot of us have been dreaming of what's essentially a Mini Pro for a long time, but there's no indication that'll ever happen. The $399 deals that pop up (one is going on now) at least make it easier to swallow the Mini's shortcomings.
I’ve tried the Mini two times , because I like the portability it offers, and both times I ended up selling it after 1 year, mostly because of some the points you highlighted above (minus the camera, not a point for me since I just need it for document’s scanning).
It is just too small for a tablet.
2 years of daily usage, and I’m still using one. I wouldn’t call that minimal.
Over six months ago I tried out an iPad Pro for $900 on sale from Costco and while I loved the OLED screen and its wicked fast processor I told my wife it just wasn’t something I needed then and returned it because I wanted to think about it more and in the future I would get another tablet again.
Fast forward to today and I saw they had the mini 7 for $399 ( plus 5 percent for target card members) on sale many retailers. What I realized is that what I truly wanted was something bigger than my phone (iPhone 12 Pro Max) but smaller than the 11 inch and that was the mini. I told my wife with the cheaper price point I was pulling the trigger for it and lo and behold so far already I’m loving this device.
The portability and lightweight aspect of this device is what I love the most. I took it to work for the first time so I could use my air pods and listen to music so I can save the battery on the phone not to mention using it during my breaks and it was a great experience. I also love how my AirPods automatically switch between the iPad back to my phone if I need to step away from my desk and just take my phone. But obviously this tablet is much easier to carry around everywhere than an 11 inch one it’s really no comparison.
Yes, tradeoffs include no pro motion or OLED on this, but for me that’s fine as I think this display is still very solid and you don’t notice it as much in this smaller form factor. Also my 12 Pro Max has no PM so I wasn’t missing it either. Would I have preferred OLED? Yeah. But it’s not a deal breaker for me. The screen doesn’t feel cramped for me either when browsing and using the apps. Trying to use an 11 inch from this and it’s like you’re holding a brick in comparison. I do want to spend more days using this before I go further but my initial reaction is that the mini is a winner.
Fast forward to today and I saw they had the mini 7 for $399 ( plus 5 percent for target card members) on sale many retailers. What I realized is that what I truly wanted was something bigger than my phone (iPhone 12 Pro Max) but smaller than the 11 inch and that was the mini. I told my wife with the cheaper price point I was pulling the trigger for it and lo and behold so far already I’m loving this device.
The portability and lightweight aspect of this device is what I love the most. I took it to work for the first time so I could use my air pods and listen to music so I can save the battery on the phone not to mention using it during my breaks and it was a great experience. I also love how my AirPods automatically switch between the iPad back to my phone if I need to step away from my desk and just take my phone. But obviously this tablet is much easier to carry around everywhere than an 11 inch one it’s really no comparison.
Yes, tradeoffs include no pro motion or OLED on this, but for me that’s fine as I think this display is still very solid and you don’t notice it as much in this smaller form factor. Also my 12 Pro Max has no PM so I wasn’t missing it either. Would I have preferred OLED? Yeah. But it’s not a deal breaker for me. The screen doesn’t feel cramped for me either when browsing and using the apps. Trying to use an 11 inch from this and it’s like you’re holding a brick in comparison. I do want to spend more days using this before I go further but my initial reaction is that the mini is a winner.
I find that Siri does not work as well on my iPad mini seven as it does on my iPad Pro M2. It stops in the middle of a sentence, sometimes it doesn’t answer and when I am attempting to send a text to someone, it does not always repeat back what I said. For the most part, I do not have these problems on the iPad Pro.
I’ve had the iPad mini for 3 weeks now and can safely say this is the perfect device for me. It makes holding the iPad Pro ( which I tried over 6 months ago) so large and unwieldy despite it being so thin it simply was too big for my needs. After having an iPad Air for 3 years then giving it to my aunt, my replacement I wanted to be smaller so I could take it to work. I slide this mini into my little case and go and it’s so lightweight it’s no trouble lugging it around. Using it I love holding it in one hand and not having it as a weight when laying down as there’s no fatigue at all. And yes, for the size and portability of this I sacrifice the pro motion and Oled screen but it doesn’t bother me as I reserve movies at home for my actual oled television screen.
Typing on it can be cumbersome but again, if I want to do any major typing I just use our MacBook when I need it. For messaging and emails and quick responses using the keyboard works well enough. For this being my in-between device (12 pro max and 14 inch MacBook Pro) it gets the job done and then some. I really cannot see myself ever going to an iPad Air or Pro again as the mini is the sweet spot for me. iPad mini 7 is a winner.
Typing on it can be cumbersome but again, if I want to do any major typing I just use our MacBook when I need it. For messaging and emails and quick responses using the keyboard works well enough. For this being my in-between device (12 pro max and 14 inch MacBook Pro) it gets the job done and then some. I really cannot see myself ever going to an iPad Air or Pro again as the mini is the sweet spot for me. iPad mini 7 is a winner.
I have had a Mini in the past which I gave to a friend as I didn't quite get the use I had hoped out of it (not the fault of the mini but I miscalculated its ability). Today, I have the latest mini and it gets lots of use and I expect more this year. Presently I have it open and using HEOS app to control my Marantz M1 that is now playing 192/24 music from Amazon's Music offerings. It also controls my sprinkler system via app.
It’s portability is the main strength. I watch even more on iPad mini than on laptop or bigger iPad just because iPad mini portability. Also, it’s a “humble” device - its appearance is not like luxury device (which made me feel safer if I use it in public space). It’s always with me anywhere I go.