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iPad My iPhone is my Mini

M

Markgnyc2

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 17, 2013
409
743
I have been reading these forums for quite some time and I thought it was time to chime in.

Here is my thinking in choosing an iPad Air over the mini. I already own an iphone 5. It's got a beautiful display. That is my mini, my portable device that goes everywhere I go.

The Air is the perfect compliment when I need or want the larger screen. It's small enough to bring anywhere if I want to bring it. It's large enough to do work.

Those are my thoughts on the subject.....
 
I think that's about right. There just isn't a big enough difference in experience between the iPhone and the mini. The mini still feels a little cramped.
 
So true .. iPad is supposed to be an "mid sized device" between a smartphone (very portable but screen size can be too limiting) and a real computer (desktop, laptop to do real work but portability can be a problem)

The 9.7" display is the right answer to me. Not too big, not too small. Just right. I admit I cringed my eyes a little when iPad Mini released although I admit I love the design.

In my book iPad Mini is just another confusing option. What is it? In between for an in between device?
The Mini is between smartphone and iPad. In which case that iPad is another in between smartphone and computer. Doh.
 
I already own an iphone 5. It's got a beautiful display... my portable device that goes everywhere I go.

The Air is the perfect compliment when I need or want the larger screen. It's small enough to bring anywhere if I want to bring it. It's large enough to do work.
Click to expand...
Replace Air with Mini and you still get the same issue everyone is debating over.

EDIT: What I'm saying is that it just depends on what you plan to use your iPad for and what interests you the most. No one on these boards can particularly tell you what you want or what you need. I, myself, have a 13in MBA and iPhone 5S. I think the Air would be too redundant in already owning an MBA, so the rMini fits the bill.
 
Exactly, everyone has different needs. For example i got an iPad mini for work, there is a lot of downtime on productions, I feel like an ******* pulling out a9.7 inch ipad and a lot more comfortable with the ipad mini, it sucks to sit there and use your phone for entertainment for hours on end, iPad mini is a much better experience. The air is just too big for my needs and I also don't need everyone who walks by being able to see better what I'm doing.
 
Though you point is well taken and I agree - somewhat.

My wife and I have the 5 and 5s.
Just replaced our one and only ipad from Ipad1 to Ipad Air.

Decided to get her an Ipad Mini-r. Love it.

Now she has a reader, better device for email, facebook etc vs phone screen. Maybe more than we need, but we love it. And it was a great choice.

Again, different people want/need different things.
 
My iPhone is my Mini

Markgnyc2 said:
I have been reading these forums for quite some time and I thought it was time to chime in.

Here is my thinking in choosing an iPad Air over the mini. I already own an iphone 5. It's got a beautiful display. That is my mini, my portable device that goes everywhere I go.

The Air is the perfect compliment when I need or want the larger screen. It's small enough to bring anywhere if I want to bring it. It's large enough to do work.

Those are my thoughts on the subject.....
Click to expand...

I don't know man, every time I pick up my iPhone the screen looks so small. It's crazy that would I do all my web browsing on it. But no longer. :)
 
Last edited:
Counterpoint: a mini does everything an Air does, at the same speed, at greater DPI, for $100 less and in a lighter device

Neither is a bad choice. If you're going out and about, a mini holds some advantages. If you're staying home, an Air holds some advantages. If you're doing both, choose whichever you like better!

Since I need it to fit in my coat pocket, it's down to choices like the mini, nexus 7, kindle fire, etc.
 
Markgnyc2 said:
I have been reading these forums for quite some time and I thought it was time to chime in.

Here is my thinking in choosing an iPad Air over the mini. I already own an iphone 5. It's got a beautiful display. That is my mini, my portable device that goes everywhere I go.



The Air is the perfect compliment when I need or want the larger screen. It's small enough to bring anywhere if I want to bring it. It's large enough to do work.

Those are my thoughts on the subject.....
Click to expand...

Thank you for this post. I realize that there really isn't that much of a drastic leap from iPhone 5 to rMini as it is from 5 to Air. I do my on the go with iPhone and then tether and follow up and/or watch vids and play games at home on wifi Air.
 
mcdj said:
Someone should make a thread about which they chose; Mini or Air.

:rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Right. And I don't understand why someone would buy both and return one over the other when the iPad mini has been out for a year already. The screen size has been there as a choice all along. Just saying.
 
I actually returned my air for the mini retina. I felt that holding it up while reading books or browsing and even playing games it was still too big and heavy. It's also a great size for meetings and church. 9.7 inch screen seems too big and distracting for my uses.
 
chasemac said:
Right. And I don't understand why someone would buy both and return one over the other when the iPad mini has been out for a year already. The screen size has been there as a choice all along. Just saying.
Click to expand...

Well to be fair, retina changes the game quite a bit.
 
Especially with the 1st gen Mini there were much cheaper options on the market and if one wanted something light and portable one could go that route unless IOS was an absolute necessity. With retina available now and the upgraded processor, not so much.

IMHO and with my experiences as I have been through plenty, no tablets on the market the size or thereabouts of the larger ipads even come close.
 
I'd like to add that typing on my mini with the split keyboard feels great. It was a stretch on the air. Now I only use my iPhone for regular SMS and phone calls. But who even uses those anymore anyway? ;-)
 
not quite... well, at least not until appe releases that phablet iPhone next year :rolleyes:
 
The mini is different enough from my 5s for me.

Basically it comes to:
-I can soon out all the way on macrumors in portrait mode and read everything
-I can read a full page in a textbook without zooming
-I can use iPad apps that I cannot use on my phone

It's also a great size for me and cheaper than the air, so no reason to buy the air personally.
 
Why is it incredibly difficult to utterly impossible for people to understand that not everyone has the same criteria with these devices, and more importantly, that it's okay to have different criteria, possessing one set doesn't make you any better than anyone else and other people's decisions aren't stupid and don't make them stupid because of what they wanted and how they chose their device?!
 
Markgnyc2 said:
I have been reading these forums for quite some time and I thought it was time to chime in.

Here is my thinking in choosing an iPad Air over the mini. I already own an iphone 5. It's got a beautiful display. That is my mini, my portable device that goes everywhere I go.

The Air is the perfect compliment when I need or want the larger screen. It's small enough to bring anywhere if I want to bring it. It's large enough to do work.

Those are my thoughts on the subject.....
Click to expand...

I agree, this becomes even more the case when we get a 4.7"-5.0" iPhone next year.
 
WilliamLondon said:
Why is it incredibly difficult to utterly impossible for people to understand that not everyone has the same criteria with these devices, and more importantly, that it's okay to have different criteria, possessing one set doesn't make you any better than anyone else and other people's decisions aren't stupid and don't make them stupid because of what they wanted and how they chose their device?!
Click to expand...

You're dealing with emotional and not rational responses, that's why. It'll never change so long as we remain as human as we are.
 
iPad Mini has a much bigger screen than the iPhone one. It's like night and day when it comes to browsing, reading, watching movies and gaming. Yet it's light enough to take it almost everywhere without too much effort (of course I wouldn't take it with me everywhere, that's what the phone is for, but you get the point, commuting, traveling etc).
 
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