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dms_91

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 23, 2016
390
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I need some advice to either purchase the iPad mini 5 or get the iPad Pro 11" or even get the 10.5" for a good deal? I currently own a 2015 MacBook Pro and an iPhone X but have always wanted an iPad for easy portability but the Pro I feel like is overkill price wise and worried about its hardware issues.
 
Well what are your intended uses for it? There are a lot of pros and cons to each model, and of course a huge price difference. The 11” pro is terrific but not worth the price for everyone. Depends on why you want/need it.
 
Well what are your intended uses for it? There are a lot of pros and cons to each model, and of course a huge price difference. The 11” pro is terrific but not worth the price for everyone. Depends on why you want/need it.
Just want something I can use to complement my older MacBook Pro for like schoolwork and media consumption besides my phone. Just don’t know if the new iPad Pro is worth that much money. With apple care plus it’s almost double the amount of the new mini 5 with apple care.
 
If you already have a MacBook Pro and an iPhone, get yourself the Mini. It's affordable, is silky smooth, and incredibly portable. It is the perfect "in-between" device. Anything else such as the Pro and you may feel the sense to replace one with the other and have buyers remorse imo.
 
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If you already have a MacBook Pro and an iPhone, get yourself the Mini. It's affordable, is silky smooth, and incredibly portable. It is the perfect "in-between" device. Anything else such as the Pro and you may feel the sense to replace one with the other and have buyers remorse imo.
Makes sense. Wish I didn’t return the mini I bought earlier last week. Gonna get another today now.
 
Out of curiosity, why did you return it?
Because I purchased an iPhone XR but now I’m returning that cuz of issues and getting the mini again cuz I’ve always wanted an iPad. Also is the pencil worth it if I’m not an artist or anything?
 
Because I purchased an iPhone XR but now I’m returning that cuz of issues and getting the mini again cuz I’ve always wanted an iPad. Also is the pencil worth it if I’m not an artist or anything?
So what phone are you going back to? The pencil is absolutely worth it...if you have a creative need to use it. Unless your drawing, or have an interest in drawing, or legitimately taking notes through something other than the basic notes app, all you're doing is using the pencil to browse the user interface.
I'm using the pencil on the daily, but I do not draw with it. I use it with notability. I love it!
 
So what phone are you going back to? The pencil is absolutely worth it...if you have a creative need to use it. Unless your drawing, or have an interest in drawing, or legitimately taking notes through something other than the basic notes app, all you're doing is using the pencil to browse the user interface.
I'm using the pencil on the daily, but I do not draw with it. I use it with notability. I love it!
I currently have the iPhone X and decided on keeping it until the new iPhones later this year.
 
Yeah, that's a good idea. The Xʀ is a great phone, but if you have a X I would hold onto that unless you're very into SmartHDR.
Yes the XR is great and so is the X but I’ve tried multiple XS Maxes and XRs and out of the box with cosmetic issues. Gave up. Lol
 
Sorry I’m not much help with this issue, but it’s exactly the same sort of dilemma I find myself in.

I loved my iPad mini while I had it, but it was too slow so I sold it and am currently using a 9.7 pro as an interim solution while I figure this out.

The 11 Pro is a modern iPad which I can charge using my MacBook Pro’s charger. It’s also got a nice big screen which will let me edit photos using Lightroom CC (my primary use case). And it’s just generally a nicer device I feel.

The Mini is really portable though and fits in the hand perfectly. I think I’ll probably end up using it more as I’ll carry it more?

Money is not an issue, which one would you guys recommend?
I really wish they’d updated the Mini design with the modern design and given it a USB C port.
 
Owner of latest gen 12.9 and Mini here.

I just finished exporting a 4GB video from LumaFusion. I did the same task simultaneously on my iPad Mini 5, my iPhone XS Max and my 12.9 512GB latest gen IPad Pro.

iPad Pro was 11% faster than Mini and XS Max that finished the task simultaneously.

Therefore the iPad Mini 5 is crazy fast. I don’t think that the performance difference between the iPad Pro and iPad mini is noticeable in the vast majority of tasks and even in challenging tasks it is only a 11% difference.

What is important is that the smaller form factor allows you to have a much better and faster access with your thumbs on the whole screen compared with the iPad Pro. That allows you to work faster and more comfortable.

The screen of XS Max is bigger than XS’s and allows you to do some work but the screen size is still too small for any kind of prolonged work, the eyes get tired having to focus on the small details. On the contrary the iPad Mini’s screen has a size that allows for prolonged work. I am sure that has to do with each specific user and how “good” their eyes might be. Older users might have trouble focusing on smaller distances from the yes. The iPad Mini sometimes is held relatively close to the eyes in order to be able to discern all the details. This is not an issue for me, but it might be for other users.

On the other hand, the iPad mini is light enough to allow one handed use and also to hold it in a comfortable position for the neck. The iPad Pro is used on the desk or in a stand and most of the times the neck ergonomics end up being bad.

I believe the iPad mini is the best size for me.
[doublepost=1554676749][/doublepost]I definitely don’t want a USB-C for the iPad mini. I have that for my iPad Pro and I still haven’t found a single good use for it. The only thing it added is the hassle to carry around a USB-C charger wehn I travel in addition to my iphone’s Lighting connector.

In regards to the modern design, I kind of disagree. the bezels on the Mini have really proved useful in holding it. They could have been trimmed a little (especially the side ones) but I don’t think I would prefer to see them gone.

Of note, the current design of iPad Mini is a very sturdy one and it can take a lot of beating. the modern design by comparison seems much more delicate.
 
Owner of latest gen 12.9 and Mini here.

I just finished exporting a 4GB video from LumaFusion. I did the same task simultaneously on my iPad Mini 5, my iPhone XS Max and my 12.9 512GB latest gen IPad Pro.

iPad Pro was 11% faster than Mini and XS Max that finished the task simultaneously.

Therefore the iPad Mini 5 is crazy fast. I don’t think that the performance difference between the iPad Pro and iPad mini is noticeable in the vast majority of tasks and even in challenging tasks it is only a 11% difference.

What is important is that the smaller form factor allows you to have a much better and faster access with your thumbs on the whole screen compared with the iPad Pro. That allows you to work faster and more comfortable.

The screen of XS Max is bigger than XS’s and allows you to do some work but the screen size is still too small for any kind of prolonged work, the eyes get tired having to focus on the small details. On the contrary the iPad Mini’s screen has a size that allows for prolonged work. I am sure that has to do with each specific user and how “good” their eyes might be. Older users might have trouble focusing on smaller distances from the yes. The iPad Mini sometimes is held relatively close to the eyes in order to be able to discern all the details. This is not an issue for me, but it might be for other users.

On the other hand, the iPad mini is light enough to allow one handed use and also to hold it in a comfortable position for the neck. The iPad Pro is used on the desk or in a stand and most of the times the neck ergonomics end up being bad.

I believe the iPad mini is the best size for me.
[doublepost=1554676749][/doublepost]I definitely don’t want a USB-C for the iPad mini. I have that for my iPad Pro and I still haven’t found a single good use for it. The only thing it added is the hassle to carry around a USB-C charger wehn I travel in addition to my iphone’s Lighting connector.

In regards to the modern design, I kind of disagree. the bezels on the Mini have really proved useful in holding it. They could have been trimmed a little (especially the side ones) but I don’t think I would prefer to see them gone.

Of note, the current design of iPad Mini is a very sturdy one and it can take a lot of beating. the modern design by comparison seems much more delicate.

great post...makes complete sense...glad I stuck with the new mini
 
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