Replaced iPad Mini with iPad, and ....

[sleepngbear]

My old iPad Mini 4 was starting to show signs of getting ready to quit (battery life shrinking, ‘phantom’ screen touches), so I set to finding a replacement. I don’t have craploads of apps or music or images, so I can easily get away with the lower-end storage. Looking to save a few $$$, and thinking it would be better for my aging eyeballs, I opted for an iPad 8. First thing, after years of using Mini’s, and years before that using a Blackberry Playbook, the 10.2” screen felt huge. In fact, even after two weeks it still feels huge. I mostly use mine for gaming; any really serious chores I mostly do on the Mac desktop. Holding and handling the iPad, I find the added size and weight to be more of a detriment than a benefit.

So I bit the bullet and ordered me a new Mini 5, and the wife wins an early Christmas present in the form of my mostly new iPad 8 and a very nice leather-look smart case. The new Mini case already arrived, and just holding it feels oh so much nicer than this brick. Should be getting here Tubesday, hopefully the setup and restore goes as smoothly as the last one.

Just wondering if there are any other Mini users who tried going full-size and went back ... or just never left the Mini format at all?

 

[o4liberty]

I had the 12.5 pro and went to the mini and didn’t look back love the size when I am in bed. Also I use it in the car as I have a LTE model.

 

[Annie_M]

My old iPad Mini 4 was starting to show signs of getting ready to quit (battery life shrinking, ‘phantom’ screen touches), so I set to finding a replacement. I don’t have craploads of apps or music or images, so I can easily get away with the lower-end storage. Looking to save a few $$$, and thinking it would be better for my aging eyeballs, I opted for an iPad 8. First thing, after years of using Mini’s, and years before that using a Blackberry Playbook, the 10.2” screen felt huge. In fact, even after two weeks it still feels huge. I mostly use mine for gaming; any really serious chores I mostly do on the Mac desktop. Holding and handling the iPad, I find the added size and weight to be more of a detriment than a benefit.

So I bit the bullet and ordered me a new Mini 5, and the wife wins an early Christmas present in the form of my mostly new iPad 8 and a very nice leather-look smart case. The new Mini case already arrived, and just holding it feels oh so much nicer than this brick. Should be getting here Tubesday, hopefully the setup and restore goes as smoothly as the last one.

Just wondering if there are any other Mini users who tried going full-size and went back ... or just never left the Mini format at all?

Congratulations on your purchase! I’ve never used a mini, but I can appreciate their appeal!

 

[ksassy]

Congrats on your new iPad 8 and iPad Mini 5! My kids are iPad diehards and my daughter’s previous tablet was the size of a mini but once she got a taste of the iPad she wouldn’t even consider the mini again. I myself have a MacBook Pro and Surface Pro that I toggle between for various tasks. I’ve toyed with the idea of a mini just for the size and portability but that would mean something in my tech collection wouldn’t get much love so it gives me pause. The mini serves a nice niche market. Enjoy your new iPad Mini 5!!

 

[doogald]

Just wondering if there are any other Mini users who tried going full-size and went back ... or just never left the Mini format at all?

The battery on my wife's 4 year old Mini 4 was so unreliable that we just upgraded her to a Mini 5. She simply won't get a full-size - it's too big for her.

I also have a Mini 4 because I was tired of the larger iPad I originally had, but I'm going to upgrade this spring to a larger one myself. I think that the Mini is just too small for some of the things I want to do with it (mostly reading).

 

[sleepngbear]

Well guess what just showed up a day early. OS is updating to 14.2 now (took about an hour last time, as I recall), then another good while restoring apps and data from the new-old one, then I get back to my productive gaming! Oh yeah, but first I get to do this all over again for the wife.

 

[Mr.Willie]

I tried a mini once, too hard to see. Went back to 9.7”.

I’ve now been using a 12.5” Pro for a year and half or so. Took a couple of days to adjust to the size, now even the 10.2 “ models seem small.

 

[imwjl]

First XS Max phone and now 12 Pro Max phone have taken away my interest in the Mini.

 

[jlarkins08]

The iPad mini was the first iPad I ever purchased back in 2013. Since then I have only ever purchased minis. My daily driver now is the mini 5 I purchased in 2019. I love this little machine, I take it with me most of the time because it’s so portable. The convenience of having a full iPad experience in little form factor beats any big “phablet” phone in my opinion. At least with iPad OS you get some multitasking gestures like opening two apps side by side. I much rather watch YouTube and movies on the iPad vs my iPhone.

My girlfriend has an 11” iPad Pro (2018) and that thing is so huge to me. Definitely can’t hold it in the hands comfortably for very long.

 

[o4liberty]

Congrats still rocking my mini 5.

 

[axllebeer]

First thing, after years of using Mini’s, and years before that using a Blackberry Playbook, the 10.2” screen felt huge. ?

Wow a PlayBook callback. I have also had the original iPad 2 and the BlackBerry PlayBook (still works) and then the original iPad mini. (Later even a MacBook in 2017) I have since gotten away from iOS in its entirety sticking with Windows on Surface devices for my main machine (and some Ubuntu on my other machines) I have been a Google Pixel series user for some time but looking to get back with iOS using iPad only. I think going small and light is where I want to go with it so seriously considering the iPad Mini 5th gen.

The iPad has pretty much come so much further than every other mobile OS that there is nothing out there that rivals it any more. Some would say there never was and I wouldn't agree with that but there is a clear winner now. For my needs, the iPad Mini would fit the bill nicely.

Is there anyone out there that prefers the size and weight of the Air line rather then going small with the mini line of iPads? I really think I would prefer mini.

 

[sleepngbear]

The iPad mini was the first iPad I ever purchased back in 2013. Since then I have only ever purchased minis. My daily driver now is the mini 5 I purchased in 2019. I love this little machine, I take it with me most of the time because it’s so portable. The convenience of having a full iPad experience in little form factor beats any big “phablet” phone in my opinion. At least with iPad OS you get some multitasking gestures like opening two apps side by side. I much rather watch YouTube and movies on the iPad vs my iPhone.

My girlfriend has an 11” iPad Pro (2018) and that thing is so huge to me. Definitely can’t hold it in the hands comfortably for very long.

I think the larger sized iPads are best for pseudo-desktop work, sitting at a table, or use with a bt keyboard as a super-portable laptop, and occasional handheld use. I’m usually using mine while flopped on the couch, and even though the smaller display can be harder to read at times, the size is just so much more comfortable. And I need glasses to read pretty much anything on any sized screen anyway, so the regular iPad doesn’t make any difference there to me. I feel right at home again now with my new Mini. Noticeable performance boost from the 4 to the 5 isn’t hard to take, either.

 

[o4liberty]

I love my mini great for in bed at night plus small enough to carry around