I just picked up an M1 MacBook Air and would like to get another iPad to use with Sidecar. I'm wondering how the 5th-gen Mini would be for this purpose. The second screen would be used to display spreadsheets, PDFs, and for streaming audio/video (not all at the same time, obviously). My 10.5-inch Pro works nicely for Sidecar, but if I can get away with a smaller, cheaper iPad, that would be ideal.
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iPad Using an iPad Mini for Sidecar?
- Thread starter saturnotaku
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Spreadsheets and PDFs don’t like small screen imo. I personally prefer bigger screen so I could see more in a glance.
I think you'll find the jump from a 10.5" to a 7.9" more drastic than you realize, especially for spreadsheets. Unless you have great vision, you'll be leaning and adjusting the display constantly on a Mini
I went to the local Best Buy to compare, and the Mini is smaller than YouTube videos make it look so that's out of the question. I'll wait and see if Apple announces a 9th-gen base iPad next month. If it has slimmer bezels and USB-C, I'll grab one. Otherwise, I'll look at a refurbished 4th-gen Air or 2020 11-inch Pro.
absolutely zero chances of a 9th gen with USB C, that's for the new mini, but still way too small for sidecar. The bezel of the 9th will either stay the same or be like the 10.5 pro