Poll and Your opinion: iPad mini or full size iPad when already own iPhone 6

[gerlof92]

Hi Guys,

Opened a topic because I am doubting very much and I just want your opinions on the matter.
After summer I wil start studying at the university. I own a 2011 MBP 15" and an iPhone 6.
The last years I have used my Macbook extensively for all sort of stuff (writing papers, FCP, browsing, etc)
My iPhone I use for all the phone stuff including reading on web, social media, emailing etc.

The downside of always carrying around my Macbook is the weight. Therefore I am thinking of getting an iPad to replace notebooks and books and in some/many cases my Macbook for that day.

The use of the iPad will mostly be for a lot of reading of PDF's which I am going to do during my program at the university. Other then that I think of taking notes, watching slides, using it next to my Macbook and using it for fun (movies, web browsing).

Where I want your guys opinion on is the fact which of the iPad models you advice is this situation.
An iPad Air is sufficient for the things I think of doing with it. The iPad Air 2 is, of course, a step up because of the splitscreen function in the future and the other improved specs.

On the other hand I am also considering an iPad mini 2. Much "cheaper" and I really like the portability of the iPad mini, as well as just holding it in one hand. But what about reading on it and taking notes? And what about the use of an iPad mini when I already own an iPhone 6?

I also doubting about the storage, my iPhone is 64GB with 15 free. Ofcourse the iPad will not have 10GB of photos and 10GB of music on it. So will 32GB do on the iPad?
What is your opinion and what would you advice guys?

Thanks in advande,

Gerlof

 

[motulist]

Why not get an MBA?

 

[Little Endian]

I use a 4.7 inch iphone 6 which is perfect for me as it is very portable. When I do need a bigger screen on the go I use my iPad air 2 which is much more immersive, powerful and easier on the eyes than using an iPhone 6 Plus or iPad mini. When I need something more than an iOS device I use my MacBook Pro 15".

I would get the air 2 hands down. The iPad mini will tire your eyes with a lot of reading. The iPad Air 2 is also only about $100 more than an air 2 yet so much more powerful.

 

[gerlof92]

Why not get an MBA?

Thanks for the reply! I considerd that, but the thing about an MBA is that I dont like the reading on a MacBook. Besides that it is more expensive and I want to keep my MacBook for editing and maybe other heavy programs I need to run at the university.

I use a 4.7 inch iphone 6 which is perfect for me as it is very portable. When I do need a bigger screen on the go I use my iPad air 2 which is much more immersive, powerful and easier on the eyes than using an iPhone 6 Plus or iPad mini. When I need something more than an iOS device I use my MacBook Pro 15".

I would get the air 2 hands down. The iPad mini will tire your eyes with a lot of reading. The iPad Air 2 is also only about $100 more than an air 2 yet so much more powerful.

Thanks for the reply! My first choise went out to a full sized iPad, but I doubted the portability and the prize difference is tempting in advantage of the mini. Do you also keep notes and write papers a lot? How does your iPad come in handy in these cases?

 

[nitromac]

The iPad mini is literally the full size iPad, just shrunk down. The real estate is exactly the same, everything is just smaller in size. So if you're comfortable with not having maximum performance (ie the A8X in the Air 2) then the mini is fine as long as you're okay with everything being smaller.

 

[Badrottie]

MBA is not very expensive I think it costs less than 1,000 before tax..that is for 13" base model MBA....also don't forgot it has a best battery!

 

[Jessica Lares]

For PDFs, get any of the Airs. The screen size makes a huge difference. The Mini is so much smaller than a standard piece of printer paper, and PDFs vary in content.

 

[IrishVixen]

For PDFs, get any of the Airs. The screen size makes a huge difference. The Mini is so much smaller than a standard piece of printer paper, and PDFs vary in content.

Agreed, a dozen times over. Most people can get away with a Mini rather than an Air, but PDFs just plain suck on the Mini. If that's why you want a tablet, don't go with the smaller size. If cost is the main reason you want a Mini, get a refurbished Air straight from Apple.

Either size is fine for notes. (Air's a bit better because as nitromac mentioned, everything on the Mini is scaled down, including fonts.) Either size is good for reading books, where the font size is typically easily changed in the app settings. But for PDFs, the Mini is barely better than the iPhone 6. I've used all of these devices for these functions, and though I love the size of the Mini, the Air or Air 2 works best for these kinds of tasks.

If you don't plan to put music or photos on it, 32 GB is probably fine unless you play a lot of games or plan to load it full of movies and shows.

 

[gerlof92]

Thanks for the reply's guys. I think I am leaning towards the Air/air 2. It is better/ more convenient in almost every situation. I guess I jut love the idea of taking the Mini everywhere I go like into bed, around the house, on the bus even when not having my bag with me. But the most use will be at home, behind a desk and at the university.

Any guys have any tips for a pdf reading app where I can save the pdf's by subject and make annotations? As well als saving these to my MacBook? And also mayby a tip for a note taking stylus?

Thanks!

 

[ron7624]

Hi Guys,

Opened a topic because I am doubting very much and I just want your opinions on the matter.

On the other hand I am also considering an iPad mini 2. Much "cheaper" and I really like the portability of the iPad mini, as well as just holding it in one hand. But what about reading on it and taking notes? And what about the use of an iPad mini when I already own an iPhone 6?

I also doubting about the storage, my iPhone is 64GB with 15 free. Ofcourse the iPad will not have 10GB of photos and 10GB of music on it. So will 32GB do on the iPad?
What is your opinion and what would you advice guys?

Thanks in advande,

Gerlof

Size is the thing... I am using an iPad Air to reply here. It is very uncomfortable to hold and type on. Too heavy!
I use an iPad rMini 99% of the time. It's comfortable to hold for extended periods of time. Reading on it is great, lots of people use it instead of the Kendall. I use it at work for taking hand written or typed notes in meetings.
My iPhone Six is great but not useable for that, the Mini is the iPad experience. Do not buy 32gb though,I have that and am out of room. My next will be at least 64gb.
This is just me.

 

[Traverse]

Here's a quote of what I just typed in a similar thread. I have an iPhone 6, iPad 3, and 15" rMBP.

To be honest, I've been going back and forth on this for months, but I think I've decided on the iPad Air 3.

I have an iPad 3 and briefly an Air 2 before I returned it because I wasn't happy with the build quality. The Mini seemed like the perfect size for games (easier in landscape to hold and use your thumbs) and it could fit in my side pocket so it could go everywhere with me. I've spent several hours over a numerous visits using each in an Apple Store and even loaded some of my PDFs on a display unit via Air Drop to test it's usability and I was pleasantly surprised how readable it was.

But when I really sat down and logically thought about the Air 3 wins for a few reasons (for me):

• I rarely hold my iPad. It's either in my lap as I ride in a car, sit on the couch, or on a stand when I'm on the treadmill. I doubt I would hold the iPad Mini all the time; I'm much more likely to set it down too. Therefore, I will be looking at a smaller screen from roughly the same distance.
• More and more websites (including The Verge and MacRumors) are using dynamic layouts now. A few years ago, if a webpage was too small in portrait, you could rotate it into landscape and you'd see the same image as in portrait, but larger so you could read it better. Now, more websites keep the font the same size in either orientation and just alter the layout. For instance, viewing posts on MacRumors: in portrait there are fewer words per line, but more lines, whereas in landscape there are more words per line and fewer lines. This gets rid of the whole "rotate it into landscape for readability" thing.
• I really don't take my iPad with me out that much. I use it around the house, to school every time I go (but I have a backpack), when I ride in the car, and occasionally when I go out for the day I'll bring it along. During the last option I have a small messenger bag that I use. The advantage of the Mini would be the ability to slip it into my side pocket and take it everywhere, but (1) I don't really like large things in my pocket banging against my leg when I walk and knocking into things when I walk by, and (2) a messenger bag isn't that big of deal. I may just buy a nicer one in the future. I live in Florida, so I don't get to wear winter coats that much and that seems to be the big selling point of portability. "It fits in my jacket pocket."
• I annotate a lot of PDFs, PowerPoints, and Word documents and I'll do even more of that when I go for my Ph.D since that's all research based. I was pleasantly surprised how usable the Mini was with PDFs, but the Air will still give a better experience with that.

There's no doubt that the Mini's portability would be advantageous in some situations, but I think as a whole the larger iPad Air would be a better experience for me. The biggest draw to the iPad Mini was a better form factor for games, but I don't really play games that often so it's not like I can't live with that first-world problem.

 

[gerlof92]

Here's a quote of what I just typed in a similar thread. I have an iPhone 6, iPad 3, and 15" rMBP.

To be honest, I've been going back and forth on this for months, but I think I've decided on the iPad Air 3.

I have an iPad 3 and briefly an Air 2 before I returned it because I wasn't happy with the build quality. The Mini seemed like the perfect size for games (easier in landscape to hold and use your thumbs) and it could fit in my side pocket so it could go everywhere with me. I've spent several hours over a numerous visits using each in an Apple Store and even loaded some of my PDFs on a display unit via Air Drop to test it's usability and I was pleasantly surprised how readable it was.

But when I really sat down and logically thought about the Air 3 wins for a few reasons (for me):

• I rarely hold my iPad. It's either in my lap as I ride in a car, sit on the couch, or on a stand when I'm on the treadmill. I doubt I would hold the iPad all the time; I'm much more likely to set it down too. Therefore, I will be looking at a smaller screen from roughly the same distance.
• More and more websites (including The Verge and MacRumors) are using dynamic layouts now. A few years ago, if a webpage was too small in portrait, you could rotate it into landscape and you'd see the same image as in portrait, but larger so you could read it better. Now, more websites keep the font the same size in either orientation and just alter the layout. For instance, viewing posts on MacRumors: in portrait there are fewer words per line, but more lines, whereas in landscape there are more words per line and fewer lines. This gets rid of the whole "rotate it into landscape for readability" thing.
• I really don't take my iPad with me out that much. I use it around the house, to school every time I go (but I have a backpack), when I ride in the car, and occasionally when I go out for the day I'll bring it along. During the last option I have a small messenger bag that I use. The advantage of the Mini would be the ability to slip it into my side pocket and take it everywhere, but (1) I don't really like large things in my pocket banging against my leg when I walk and knocking into things when I walk by, and (2) a messenger bag isn't that big of deal. I may just buy a nicer one in the future. I live in Florida, so I don't get to wear winter coats that much and that seems to be the big selling point of portability. "It fits in my jacket pocket."
• I annotate a lot of PDFs, PowerPoints, and Word documents and I'll do even more of that when I go for my Ph.D since that's all research based. I was pleasantly surprised how usable the Mini was with PDFs, but the Air will still give a better experience with that.

There's no doubt that the Mini's portability would be advantageous in some situations, but I think as a whole the larger iPad Air would be a better experience for me. The biggest draw to the iPad Mini was a better form factor for games, but I don't really play games that often so it's not like I can't live with that first-world problem.

Wow, thanks. This really helps me. I was also thinking of waiting till the next iPad. I am starting in September so I could wait a bit. For taking notes, which app and pen do you use?

Thanks in advance

 

[Traverse]

Wow, thanks. This really helps me. I was also thinking of waiting till the next iPad. I am starting in September so I could wait a bit. For taking notes, which app and pen do you use?

Thanks in advance

Well, without an active digitizer I don't love handwriting. I use Noteshelf occasionally.

My most used school app is PDF Expert 5. I love it and it syncs with Dropbox and OneDrive. I highlight PDFs, write on them, stamp them. And it allows for free hand highlights for when a PDF reads as a scanned image with unselectable text.

When I type notes I usually use Word with a keyboard, but I'm trying to get better at the on screen keyboard.

Until there is an active digitizer I won't spend too much on a stylus. I use a $10 Targus one.

 

[gerlof92]

Thanks you guys for your responses and filling in the poll. This really helps me.

 

[newellj]

Not going to be much help here - I have the iPhone 6 and use both a Mini 2 and an Air 2. The Mini 2 gets carried daily back and forth to work because it's just a little smaller and lighter. At home, though, the better display, speed and sound of the Air 2 rule.

Hi Guys,

Opened a topic because I am doubting very much and I just want your opinions on the matter.
After summer I wil start studying at the university. I own a 2011 MBP 15" and an iPhone 6.
The last years I have used my Macbook extensively for all sort of stuff (writing papers, FCP, browsing, etc)
My iPhone I use for all the phone stuff including reading on web, social media, emailing etc.

The downside of always carrying around my Macbook is the weight. Therefore I am thinking of getting an iPad to replace notebooks and books and in some/many cases my Macbook for that day.

The use of the iPad will mostly be for a lot of reading of PDF's which I am going to do during my program at the university. Other then that I think of taking notes, watching slides, using it next to my Macbook and using it for fun (movies, web browsing).

Where I want your guys opinion on is the fact which of the iPad models you advice is this situation.
An iPad Air is sufficient for the things I think of doing with it. The iPad Air 2 is, of course, a step up because of the splitscreen function in the future and the other improved specs.

On the other hand I am also considering an iPad mini 2. Much "cheaper" and I really like the portability of the iPad mini, as well as just holding it in one hand. But what about reading on it and taking notes? And what about the use of an iPad mini when I already own an iPhone 6?

I also doubting about the storage, my iPhone is 64GB with 15 free. Ofcourse the iPad will not have 10GB of photos and 10GB of music on it. So will 32GB do on the iPad?
What is your opinion and what would you advice guys?

Thanks in advande,

Gerlof