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All iPads Need Help Deciding What IPad

Which one

  • iPad Mini

    Votes: 4 14.8%

  • iPad Air

    Votes: 10 37.0%

  • iPad Pro m4

    Votes: 4 14.8%

  • iPad Pro m5

    Votes: 9 33.3%

  • Other

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    27
W

will16promax

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 17, 2026
12
0
Hello ,
I am looking at buying a iPad around the end of January/ February this year .
But I cannot figure out which one to go for ,
For reference I have a iPhone 16 pro max for my personal phone and I used to have a m1 MacBook Air before my cat killed it .
So I am thinking maybe the iPad mini ? But then the display won’t be as good and it’s not much bigger then my iPhone so then I thought the iPad Pro but then which one ?
So yeah pretty confusing so if anyone could give any insight or any advice that would be appreciated .
Thanks
 
I think it depends on what you plan to use it for. I find the basic iPad being a good product and excellent value for the money. That might work for you if you don’t have any particular processing requirements. If you’re going for the Pro, I’d suggest considering what those extra features do for you personally. Apple’s site has an excellent Compare tool where you can pull up different combinations of iPads to see the differences.
 
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fatTribble said:
I think it depends on what you plan to use it for. I find the basic iPad being a good product and excellent value for the money. That might work for you if you don’t have any particular processing requirements. If you’re going for the Pro, I’d suggest considering what those extra features do for you personally. Apple’s site has an excellent Compare tool where you can pull up different combinations of iPads to see the differences.
Click to expand...
Basically it will be YouTube , general browsing etc
Maybe some Netflix etc
Just want something that’s bigger then my current phone has a similar screen tech like the phone has and has some sort of biometrics.
I have tried to the online comparison but it’s still confusing to me because it’s not clear what is what if that makes sense .
So for instance I am thinking pro because of the Mac chip and screen but thinking the air because of the cheaper price but then I get no Mac chip and a lcd display .
 
will16promax said:
Basically it will be YouTube , general browsing etc
Maybe some Netflix etc
Just want something that’s bigger then my current phone has a similar screen tech like the phone has and has some sort of biometrics.
I have tried to the online comparison but it’s still confusing to me because it’s not clear what is what if that makes sense .
So for instance I am thinking pro because of the Mac chip and screen but thinking the air because of the cheaper price but then I get no Mac chip and a lcd display .
Click to expand...
I have the Pro with the M1 chip. Honestly it’s overkill for my web browsing and photo viewing even today. But I got the Pro for the large screen.

If you’re planning to use it for browsing and watching shows, their most basic processor will be fine.

Are you near an Apple Store or Best Buy where you could look at the screens to see if the upgrade is noticeable to you?
 
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I have an old 2018 iPad Pro and a mini 6th gen.

I would strongly advise against the mini. The "Jelly Scrolling" issue that you can read all about in the forums is very much real. I didn't think I would mind much, but it's made me very much dislike my iPad mini to the point I no longer use it.

How often do you plan to upgrade? Basically you could:

a) Go for the cheapest 11th gen you can find, and upgrade again in 2-3 years time and benefit from the trickle-down of new technology.

b) Go all in on the iPad Pro and expect it to last many years (if history is anything to go by). iPad Pros are quite overpowered for the software they run and you can expect a Pro model to last for a long time, except for battery perhaps.

I opted for a Pro last time but will probably just go with a more basic model next.

Edit: If you're used to Face ID and 120hz ProMotion displays on the iPhone, those are only available on the iPad Pro.
 
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MacRazySwe said:
I have an old 2018 iPad Pro and a mini 6th gen.

I would strongly advise against the mini. The "Jelly Scrolling" issue that you can read all about in the forums is very much real. I didn't think I would mind much, but it's made me very much dislike my iPad mini to the point I no longer use it.

How often do you plan to upgrade? Basically you could:

a) Go for the cheapest 11th gen you can find, and upgrade again in 2-3 years time and benefit from the trickle-down of new technology.

b) Go all in on the iPad Pro and expect it to last many, many years (if history is anything to go by). iPad Pros are way overpowered for the software they run and you can expect a Pro model to last for a long time, except for battery perhaps.

I opted for a Pro last time but will probably just go with a more basic model next.
Click to expand...
Oh yeah the jelly scroll not seen a iPad mini in person so completely forgot about that,
Basically got a 1000 budget with a little extra if needed .
Like I said before I went for a pro iPhone to last me a while so that’s why I am leaning to a pro iPad but don’t know about the different chips etc
 
will16promax said:
Hello ,
I am looking at buying a iPad around the end of January/ February this year .
But I cannot figure out which one to go for ,
For reference I have a iPhone 16 pro max for my personal phone and I used to have a m1 MacBook Air before my cat killed it .
So I am thinking maybe the iPad mini ? But then the display won’t be as good and it’s not much bigger then my iPhone so then I thought the iPad Pro but then which one ?
So yeah pretty confusing so if anyone could give any insight or any advice that would be appreciated .
Thanks
Click to expand...

Where are you located? Because Costco (US) has some awesome clearance deals on the M4 iPad Pros right now. I believe that's the first iPad model with OLED display.

All the older and lower end models have either LCD or Mini-LED.
 
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rui no onna said:
Where are you located? Because Costco (US) has some awesome clearance deals on the M4 iPad Pros right now. I believe that's the first iPad model with OLED display.

All the older and lower end models have either LCD or Mini-LED.
Click to expand...
Completely second this. If you are in the US, Costco has the 11” M4 pro 256 GB with WiFi + cellular for $799. Or you could choose either a 512 GB WiFi only or a 1 TB nano texture display with WiFi only for another $100. All of those are significant discounts over the original prices (the 1 TB model is by far the biggest discount, but you have to want the nano texture screen). The M4 will be a perfectly good chip for many years to come, especially for your uses.
 
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When shopping for my 2022 M2 11" iPad Pro, the convenience of Face I.D. was key, and I'm told some find 120-Hz Promotion refresh rate more comfortable for their eyes (I don't know that I can tell, but I have some eye issues so figured I'd be of the safe side with the Pro). I historically haven't had as good an experience with finger print readers, and as often as it goes to sleep if I don't touch the screen frequently, Face I.D. was a big deal.
 
MacDevil7334 said:
Completely second this. If you are in the US, Costco has the 11” M4 pro 256 GB with WiFi + cellular for $799. Or you could choose either a 512 GB WiFi only or a 1 TB nano texture display with WiFi only for another $100. All of those are significant discounts over the original prices (the 1 TB model is by far the biggest discount, but you have to want the nano texture screen). The M4 will be a perfectly good chip for many years to come, especially for your uses.
Click to expand...
Wow that’s incredible deal that ,
From my research m4 is probably fine enough as my Mac which this iPad is replacing was a m1 so anything newer then that is perfect .
Will check out my local Costco store as that’s a great option
 
will16promax said:
Wow that’s incredible deal that ,
From my research m4 is probably fine enough as my Mac which this iPad is replacing was a m1 so anything newer then that is perfect .
Will check out my local Costco store as that’s a great option
Click to expand...
I think these deals are only available via the Costco website/app.
 
will16promax said:
Basically it will be YouTube , general browsing etc
Maybe some Netflix etc
Just want something that’s bigger then my current phone has a similar screen tech like the phone has and has some sort of biometrics.
I have tried to the online comparison but it’s still confusing to me because it’s not clear what is what if that makes sense .
So for instance I am thinking pro because of the Mac chip and screen but thinking the air because of the cheaper price but then I get no Mac chip and a lcd display .
Click to expand...
Go to the store and try them out. I bought an M1 iPad Pro, but honestly a normal iPad or Air would have sufficed. My original goal was to get a Mini, but I skipped due to jelly scroll.

If you'll mostly watch videos without headphones then also check out the audio. I think the Pros are generally the best in that regard. But as it's very unlikely you'll need the power of the iPP for apps I'd recommend to skip it and buy something cheaper. You can get an iPad and Air for the price of one iPP.
 
Regarding size, you have to try them out. Of course a larger display is nicer, but the device then also gets heavier and bulkier. Personally I use all three sizes in different contexts. Though for the mini size I’m still on the mini 5 due to its aspect ratio and lack of jelly scrolling. A new mini is rumored to come out this year with an OLED screen.

Regarding Pro vs. Air, OLED vs. IPS and Face ID vs. Touch ID are the main concerns. OLED has better text contrast, better blacks if you use it under low-light conditions, and better HDR. The Pro is also thinner and lighter if you care about that. The regular iPad has no fully laminated display and no AR coating (stronger reflections), and no wide color (less important).

IMO you have to try them out under actual usage conditions, to see which you prefer and which is worth your money. If you don’t want to do that and don’t have any strong preferences or particular needs, the 11” Air is a good place to start. You can save money by getting a refurbished M2 Air, it’s virtually indistinguishable from the current M3. Likewise for the M4 Pro against the M5.
 
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will16promax said:
Hello ,
I am looking at buying a iPad around the end of January/ February this year .
But I cannot figure out which one to go for ,
For reference I have a iPhone 16 pro max for my personal phone and I used to have a m1 MacBook Air before my cat killed it .
So I am thinking maybe the iPad mini ? But then the display won’t be as good and it’s not much bigger then my iPhone so then I thought the iPad Pro but then which one ?
So yeah pretty confusing so if anyone could give any insight or any advice that would be appreciated .
Thanks
Click to expand...

Based on all the posts you have made, I would suggest the iPad Pro 11” base model with some type of case. Or a second hand one, literally any model from the M1 and up will be perfect for you. Or you can wait for the new rumoured iPad Mini with OLED screen as that will be very good too and more portable. But the OLED screen from the iPad Pro M4 and on is just simply stunning, and excellent for media consumption.
 
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