I think this is honestly based on your personal preference. Both devices have a screen size that would be helpful for any of the tasks you listed. It's basically which size YOU prefer for those options. You won't go wrong with either choice. The 10.5 may have the advantage simply because it will be easier to hold than the larger one.
Which ipad pro is best for reading books,magazines,newspapers,pdfs and note taking?
I've gotten to my 12.9". At first i thought it was too big but I'm really appreciating the bigger screen real estate. I never got used to the plus sized iPhones, but am loving the bigger iPad.
Hmm.. that's very interesting.
I still find the 12.9" to be rather big but the screen real estate is worth it if you are multitasking. It's like having two iPad!
I have both, the 12.9 is at home that I use for everything. My 10.5 stays at work for note taking and such. I found the 12.9 to be too bulky to cart back and forth.
I think a big consideration is the time it takes to charge. The 12.9 takes a very long time.
Totally. I love split screen on the 12.9".
I'm on the verge of upgrading my iPad Air 2 - possibly this week after ios11 lands on Tuesday. I've been debating this all summer and right now I'm leaning towards the new 12.9 because it will have the best multi tasking experience of all. I'm also excited about the larger screen being a more novel experience along with the new features. Just trying to convince myself that it's worth sacrificing some portability. I would likely lean on my iPhone 7 more as a result. But the way I see it is the bigger iPad brings some new functionality that I'm not getting on the Air 2.
Multitasking is definitely better on the 12.9”.
It’s like having two screens that’s 9.7” for each app.
If you’re looking for portability and ease of use, I’d recommend the 10.5”.
The 12.9” is a little too big IMO.
I’ve used it for almost two years, and I would love a 10.5”.
Thanks for your input. When did you come to the realization that the 12.9 is too big for your use case? Two years is a long time with a device you're not happy with. If the smaller Pro remained at 9.7 would you still want it over the 12.9?
I'm considering doing a two week trial before deciding.
I just swapped from 10.5 to Gen 2 12.9, it’s a way better iPad for my uses, my wife has the 10.5.
For video,browsing,news it’s much better. For novels I use a Kindle. When I travel for work it’s in a car so I am not carrying it around all day, if I go out for a day the IPX covers my uses anyway.
I can’t see myself going down in size. The X with 12.9 iPad and my 27” 5K iMac is my best setup yet.