Update: Decision Made Re: Pulled the Trigger on 11" Pro, for At Least 14 Days

Hardware Reviews
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Like many others, I have attempted to use the iPad—specifically, the 13” M4 model—as my primary computer. However, as I shared months ago in my post about my 30-day trial, while the iPad served adequately in some respects, there were too many points of friction for it to function as my main device. As a result, I have returned to using my MacBook Pro as my primary computer, with the iPad serving in a complementary role. Given this, the 13” Pro now feels unnecessarily large and heavy. Consequently, I have purchased the new 11” Pro M4 to evaluate whether it will suffice for writing while away from my Mac, for travel, and of course, for use with speaking notes, reading, and taking notes.

I don’t know if I’ll stay with the 11" as I like typing on the 13", but we’ll see.

PS, I have a Waterfield carrying case I use with the 13". Do you have a case you’d recommend for the 11"?

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No case recommendation (I use either the Apple Folio or a cheap Amazon knock off) but I did want to mention that if you like the 11" size (I love it) you may find you don’t actually need the Pro. Don’t get me wrong, I love the screen.

That said, if you don’t use the pencil much, the regular iPad has proved plenty capable of the use-cases you list above and if you do need the pencil, the Air now supports the pencil pro. I’m having a hard time justifying getting the iPad Pro again any time soon given how capable the less expensive versions have become. (My use-cases sound quite similar to yours.)

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I agree 100%, except I can’t resist that screen on the Pro! :grinning:

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I’m quite sympathetic to that.

My recent experience was moving from the MacBook Pro to MacBook Air. I was convinced that the screen change would be my biggest problem but it’s been a non-issue. That has me thinking the same would be true on iPads, but I do think the gap is wider than on the laptops.

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+1

I replaced a 2020 iPad Pro with an M2 iPad Air and can tell very little difference between the two, except the Air is a bit snappier. And I chose the USB-C pencil because all I use it for is taking notes, etc., and as a pointing device when I’m using a webpage.

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I like the ESR Shift case. It’s a little flimsy when you use the elevated height, but it’s really convenient. Can use it portrait, landscape, detachable case if you want something lighter. I think it will be my go to case from now on.

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I should have at least mentioned - I’m not a big fan of the current Apple folio case. It’s what I want (very thin, covers front and back) but the viewing angles in the two stand positions are a bit off, it wears easily, and isn’t worth the premium (IMO) vs. the Amazon knock offs. The keyboard folio thing is excellent but bulky and expensive. I carry it in my bag.

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Once you’ve used a Waterfield bag, it’s hard to be satisfied with anything else. Why not just get another sleeve for the 11"?

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I did. It arrives Sat. :slightly_smiling_face:

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I know you purchased your sleeve already, but I saw this one today. It has built in wireless charging for your phone and AirPods. It doesn’t have a battery instead drawing power from your laptop, but it looked sleek and the charging this is interesting.

I also failed in my iPad-as-only-device but not because of the iPad but my institution which severely cripples iPads. Can’t cut-and-paste, can’t use anything except Microsoft Edge, etc. No restrictions on laptops, though. I’m not sure what the difference is. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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That’s odd. I would have thought there were more security issues with a laptop than the iPad, unless the organization is able to lock down laptops more securely than iPads. I’m blessed in that because of my position, my devices are not managed, I’m free to use what I want and to install what I need.

I’ve been testing my new 11” iPad, which I’m using right now. The keyboard is functional but feels cramped compared to the 13”. However, the 11” excels in reading, annotating PDFs, taking notes in meetings, and overall portability. My main concern is handling extended writing sessions, but I’ll need to adjust by using my laptop as the primary device for that. If financial stewardship weren’t a factor, I’d splurge by having the MacBook Pro along with both the 11” and 13” iPad Pros. :rofl:

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I was seriously considering making this move as well, but now I think I have decided against it. I have a 2020 11inch iPad Pro that I love. Over the past few months I have noticed the battery life is not nearly as good as it used to be. I have invested close to $400 in accessories (magic keyboard and apple pencil) that will not work with the a new iPad Pro, so I have decided to spend about $100 on a battery replacement. I cannot justify spending upwards of $1500 for a new iPad Pro, keyboard, and pencil. Macsparky has said numerous times on the show that iPads tend to last a long, long time and become obsolete at a much slower pace than Macs. So I am keeping mine for now.

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So far, I am thoroughly enjoying the 11” iPad Pro. It is much easier to work with and is ideal for giving speeches and reading. It is not as nice to type on as the 13-inch, but it is perfectly serviceable with the Magic Keyboard. I’ve not made a final decision, but I’m getting close.

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I meant to mention that I purchased this sleeve. It is fantastic!

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Per the above, it is going well. I find the 11” to be delightful to use. It is a bit cramped for typing, but perfectly adequate.

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Ahhh the hoary chestnut of best Ipad size. I will follow your decision closely as I appreciate your informed, well reasoned decisions. It is very vexing issue. I used to run between both sizes and a MacBook Air, but lately the 13” sits in a cupboard and only gets dusted off for the odd movie.

I find having both the 11 and 13 bothersome for several reasons; firstly it causes decision fatigue which device to use, secondly, it’s yet another device to keep updated, thirdly, its bugs me that whilst I am fortunate to have bought both, owning two similar devices seems a wee bit excessive (must be my Scottish heritage playing out).

When I went from the 11” to 13”, I intended to sell the 11” but never did “just in case”, as I discovered the 13” has iOS quirks which are tolerable in an 11” but frustrating in a 13”, and I thought it was simpler to use my Mac.

Regarding the 11”, I have smaller hands so don’t seem to encounter the cramped keyboard feeling on the 11” people often mention. Also it may just be mind games but whilst I enjoy the 13” screen, I find the new 11” OLED doesn’t seem to be that much smaller, except when doing split screen for long periods. However for reading, pdfs, meetings, even movies, it is fine and of course more portable,

The weight diferential between the 11” and 13” is noticeable but not that great it bothers me but the dimensions do. As bizarre as it sounds (perhaps due to the Magic Keyboard case) the 13” just feels bulkier and more cumbersome to carry around than a MacBook Air/Pro 14. I have no reasonable explanation I can ascribe the “cumbersomeness” of the device to other than, when I carry a tablet device I expect it to be less bulky than a Mac, and the 13” doesn’t “feel” less bulky.

My above digression is no use to your case search of course. So on that point, I have a RyanLondon case (leather) which is beautiful but at $200 you really have to be dedicated…(No affiliation or benefit). ETSY also have some nice leather sleeves (Turkish origin mainly) if you’re interested. I have found their products both good quality and a fair price. Etsy also enables independent craftsman and preserves traditional skills which appeals to me, but of course, it is also an outlet for mass produced junk from East Asia so you need to thread your way past that detritus.

Anyway, apologies for the long digression. All the best with the sleeve search and your decision re the 13/11”. I note from recent MPU talks that Federico Viticci has returned to the 11” iPad as his only device, and more recently Christopher Lawley has decided to return to the Mac and downgrade his iPad to the 11”. It seems even the leading luminaries of an iPad only life have morphed their views over the last few years re IPad size and primacy.

All the best with your decision and sleeve purchase. I look forward to reading where you end up in due course if you decide to share on the forum.

Yours in IPad Size Discombobulation…

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Glad you opted for the Waterfield for the new iPad. I’m a Waterfield addict. I’ve so many of their cases and bags it’s embarrassing. (Not really :smile: ). They are very durable and well designed. Use it in good health!

Katie

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@Nick4 First, I just have to say what a wonderfully written post. I thoroughly enjoyed it! Second, thank you for the kind words.

As to my decision, I haven’t finalized it, but I’m very close to settling on the 11”. Several factors are leading me in that direction, in no particular order:

  • I read and annotate frequently on the iPad. The 13” model is bulky to hold comfortably for extended periods.

  • I already own a 14” MacBook Pro. The 13” iPad Pro is the equivalent of using two laptops. That hardly seems necessary or efficient.

  • I also use the iPad frequently when delivering speeches—and I give a great many of them. The 11” fits neatly on a podium. It’s slightly taller and narrower than a standard sheet of paper, making it ideal for keeping beside my MacBook Pro when I’m using slides. Moreover, “Screen View” with adjustable text size on the 11” provides an ideal view of my notes when giving a speech.

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  • After experimenting with using the iPad as my primary device, I concluded that it wasn’t optimal. I now use it as Apple intended—as a complementary device and when traveling.

  • Speaking of travel, the 11” is all I need for work on the road. Its size and weight make it comfortable and convenient on planes and in meetings, and it’s more than adequate when I need to type.

As to a sleeve, I purchased this Waterfield sleeve. It is fantastic!

Thanks again for the great comments!

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I have an M2 12 and 12.9 right now. The plan was to test both and sell one. Now I really can’t decide and if I sell both I can get an M4 11 with MKB and pencil. So the decision is get rid of both and get an M4 11 or just keep both and wait for the next iPad to crater the M4 prices and then maybe I’ll have decided by then.

Edit: also debating downsizing my phone and getting an iPad mini. I know I have a problem, hah.

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I’ve never owned both sizes at once. I find the 13” too heavy to hold for too long, but love the screen size. The 11” is easier to carry, but too small in many cases.

If I did own both at once, I think that I would only add apps to one or the other to remove that paralysis of choice. Give them specific jobs.

Updates aren’t that big a deal.