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iPad Should I sell my 12.9 for an 11?

O

operakala

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 25, 2023
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For context, I really love my 12.9 inch IPad when I study for exams as it's like a mini TV screen. I can review transes and my typewritten notes very easily. The thing is, it's only enjoyable for me when I put it on a desk... I don't really use it to right notes, nor to draw (that's the main reason I boguht 12.9), cause I use it mainly for highlighting pdfs...
I thought bigger multitasking screen in 12.9 would be the dealbreaker, but I rarely even use it... The thing is, I became sometimes tired of bringing it into school cause it is easier to type my notes on my Iphone than in my heavy IPad... It became a hassle for me to bring since it is very heavy and I can barely even hold it with 1 hand... I never thought that portability would be that important... Also, I have a Macbook and I really don't like to buy a keyboard for my 12.9 since it would be repetitive tho I would love my IPad to have it but I'm confused if I should trade my 12.9 all together...
Can I hear your thoughts on this to help me decide... For those who traded or sized down their 12.9 to 11... how was the adjustment... did you regret it or did it made you happier?
Thank you!
 
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Only you can decide. Apple has a generous return policy in most countries. Get the 11” and compare it in school for note taking against your other devices. If you don’t like it, send it back.

Personally I don’t have a use case for a phone, a Mac and an iPad in my private life, but we are all different and life is short. Get what inspires you.
 
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Back it up and do the reset as if you‘re going to rid of it. Box it up, put it away for a number of days and see how you feel about it.

We all have very different use cases and strong opinions about which size works for what, what number of iPads, what age, to infinity, but it takes experience to know if you really love something or if you’re justifying something.
 
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I’m on my 4th iPad and I have not purchased the 12.9 for the reasons that you mentioned. For my use cases it’s too big and inconvenient to handle one handed or to fit in small spaces.

Even with the Logi Combo touch keyboard case, I can fit my 11 inch M1 ipad almost anywhere, airport table, busy kitchen counter, on the treadmill at gym. And I can comfortable hold it in with one or two hands without getting fatigued.

This is not me dismissing the 12.9. I’m glad that it exist just like the iPad Mini does.
 
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It’s difficult to say. I’ve never purchased the 12.9 inch pro for all the reasons you’ve mentioned. I have an 11 inch pro and find that to be a nice size. I don’t take it out with me because I have an iPad mini for that but I could if I needed to. I would not take a 12.9 inch iPad Pro out ever.
 
I think the iPad is a really good device but finding a place for it in daily life could be a bit of a challenge for some. For example I do have an iPad but the usage is so limited that I may as well not have it.

Most of my day goes on the phone for convenience and on the mac for work related flexibility.

The new MacBook Pros are not really that heavy to actually be a problem if one is willing to carry the 12.9” iPad anyway.

The only benefit is that the iPad does have some unique apps if you really use / need them. In my case it’s just a simple consumption device when I’m travelling and that’s pretty much it.
 
I actually just recently did this and sold my 12.9 and went with the 11". I like having the smaller size and I mainly decided that I want the 11" because I want to use my iPad as an iPad instead of a laptop/desktop replacement. That said, there are times that I wish I had my 12.9 iPad Pro back. I think the key to remember in this situation is that you will miss having the 12.9 at times just as you look at the 11" and kinda want to have that instead. There isn't a perfect solution because depending on what we are doing with the iPad, we sometimes want a bigger or smaller screen. I think its why we have so many MacRumor threads of iPad users debating on if they selected the right size for themselves.

Some people solve this by buying both sizes but then you have to deal with the guilt of having two iPads and feeling like it is wasteful. :) I recommend you select the size that best works for you most of the time.
 
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Another option would be to get a used iPad mini 5 for around $250. That way you have a very mobile and light-weight iPad easily held in one hand, and can still mark up PDFs on the 12.9". I find those two screen sizes complement each other very well. Both have qualities the 11" doesn’t provide.
 
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I've switched from 12.9 to 11 and never been happier

yeah that's hyperbolic, but seriously, the 12.9 is not only bigger and heavier , it's also way more squared, which makes it a pain to hold

do it , you won't regret it

I gotta be honest though, I wished there was a 9-10" pro, cuz even 11" is still too big for me
 
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It sounds like portability has become pretty important to you which would indicate you'd be better off with the 11". As you said, you're choosing your iPhone to type notes on over the iPad, have a MacBook if you need a keyboard, and haven't even been using the iPad to draw like you wanted to. You also rarely use multitasking which is what I would think you would most miss out on by going to the smaller model. You can still do it, it's just a lot more cramped.

You will notice the smaller screen when watching media, but it might not be as big of a difference as you're expecting due to the wider aspect ratio on the 11". Assuming you have an XDR display on your 12.9" (2021 M1 models or later), the 11" screen won't be as high contrast, have as dark of blacks, or be as bright (for HDR content) . Some people don't notice this though.

Personally, I very much value inky blacks on my displays, so I wouldn't switch to the 11" size until Apple gives it a mini-LED or preferably an OLED screen. As a 12.9" owner, I also miss the portability of the 11" size, but I think I've gotten spoiled with the larger display. It might be hard to give up. I also own a 16" MacBook Pro, so as ridiculous as it sounds, I like having the 12.9" iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard as a smaller more portable laptop alternative to my MBP. Honestly though, I think once my iPad needs replaced, I probably will go for the 11" model and never use a keyboard with it. I originally bought this iPad trying to replace my laptop with it and that failed. I had a 10.5" iPad Pro before this one, and I do feel like that size iPad is pretty much the perfect tablet size.
 
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PowerMac5500 said:
I have an M2 11 but I find myself using my Mini 6 way more often. Currently using it to browse the forum. The power and screen size of the 11 is nice, and shines with photo/video editing, but if I could only have one it would be the Mini 6. (and I handed of a 12.9 in favor of the 11 … but it was the original 12.9. So, not really a fair comparison to an M2 11.)
Click to expand...
While I agree , I find the size and long aspect ratio not versatile enough for note taking and work , that's why I said I'd rather a 9-10" with an aspect ratio similar to the 11 pro

Despite of that, i would have bought a mini, if its price wasn't actually MORE expensive than a 11 pro for me lol
 
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My wife has the 11 (2018) and I have the 12.9 (2021), both with a magic keyboard. So I have an experience of both of them. Tho noticeably heavier than the 11, I enjoy using the 12.9 more. Taking the 12.9 out would probably have felt a bit cumbersome, but I never have to do that, I use the device only at home, only on my lap. For my use, the bigger screen is wonderful. Looking at the 12.9 and the 11 next to each other, a difference between XDR and non-XDR is there but to me not shocking at all. The 11 definitely allows for a beautiful experience of visual perception too. Good luck with your decision.
 
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I had the 11 inch then got the 12.9 inch, but went back to the 11 inch. Just found it too cumbersome and you might as well just get a laptop at that point because it’s probably going to spend most of its time on the keyboard.

I love my 11 inch, it’s the perfect size and portable. But the good thing is Apple makes enough sizes and devices that suits every bodies needs so for some people the 12.9 is perfect.

For your individual circumstances, given you also have a MacBook, I would recommend going with the 11 inch. It seems like you have that extra bulk without much benefit for your use case. The 12.9 felt like too much compromise for me, too big to be a great tablet and an inferior laptop replacement for the bigger model with an awkward aspect ratio and top heavy design.
 
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operakala said:
For context, I really love my 12.9 inch IPad when I study for exams as it's like a mini TV screen. I can review transes and my typewritten notes very easily. The thing is, it's only enjoyable for me when I put it on a desk... I don't really use it to right notes, nor to draw (that's the main reason I boguht 12.9), cause I use it mainly for highlighting pdfs...
I thought bigger multitasking screen in 12.9 would be the dealbreaker, but I rarely even use it... The thing is, I became sometimes tired of bringing it into school cause it is easier to type my notes on my Iphone than in my heavy IPad... It became a hassle for me to bring since it is very heavy and I can barely even hold it with 1 hand... I never thought that portability would be that important... Also, I have a Macbook and I really don't like to buy a keyboard for my 12.9 since it would be repetitive tho I would love my IPad to have it but I'm confused if I should trade my 12.9 all together...
Can I hear your thoughts on this to help me decide... For those who traded or sized down their 12.9 to 11... how was the adjustment... did you regret it or did it made you happier?
Thank you!
Click to expand...
I have an academic and on-the-go usage of my 11” iPad Pro, and I can tell you it is the best size available for portability. Actually I‘m writing this on my iPad seated in the bus, with the iPad on my lap, so ideal size for commute (unless you have a giant Pro Max iPhone, because handling an iPhone will be more confortable while commuting but doesn’t offer the same space as an iPad).

So, if what you want is more/better portability, I can tell you that you won’t regret getting the 11” iPad Pro/Air.
 
It's a bit of an overkill - I have both - the Pro and the 9th Generation. If I had to choose one, at this point I would choose an 11" iPad Pro or Air. Those versions give you all of the power you need in a more portable format.
 
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