Thinking of replacing my aging 10.5 iPad Pro with a 12.9 model. I have also been thinking of picking up a Mini 6 for on the go. Curious if anyone else runs this setup? How do you like it? Do you use one more than the other? Thanks for any advice.

I do and I like it - they complement each other quite well. The 2021 12.9 sees the most use as I use it at home while the 5G Mini 6 is my mobile device.

SteelBlueTJ said:

Thinking of replacing my aging 10.5 iPad Pro with a 12.9 model. I have also been thinking of picking up a Mini 6 for on the go. Curious if anyone else runs this setup? How do you like it? Do you use one more than the other? Thanks for any advice.

I’m in the exact same quandary. I want both but it gets pricey (especially for ios). I think I’m leaning into the mini and simply repurposing my 10.5 for only home use on a desk. When out and about, the 10.5 is just a bit too unwieldily. Besides, the mini was just released and the 12.9 will (probably) be updated in the fall. Probably get the devices in steps, unless you NEED both now.

BB1970 said:

I’m in the exact same quandary. I want both but it gets pricey (especially for ios). <snip> Probably get the devices in steps, unless you NEED both now.

+1

It gets expensive getting everything at once so I prefer to spread out my purchases. That also allows me to take advantage of sales or buying from the refurb store for devices I don’t need right away.

A couple of years ago, my wife and I went Mac-less. We found we could do everything we needed to do on our IPP 12.9s. We had our IPP 12.9s for over a year before we both added a mini 6. For our use cases the mini is the perfect complement to the IPP 12.9. Our iPads are almost exclusively home-use devices, although we both take our mini 6s with us sometimes when we go to places with Wi-Fi. My usage is 60-40 in favor of the IPP 12.9. My wife’s usage is 60-40 in favor of the mini6.

Yep…. 12.9 at Home, Mini 6 when out and about. They complement each other, being able to continue most tasks I do between the two.

I had the 1st gen 12.9 Pro. It was went a long way toward serving as an ultrabook of sorts. After taking it with me on travels, I discovered that it is just too large to travel well for me. That's when I bought a Mini 4 to supplement the 12.9 Pro for those times when I needed something more portable.

The fact that the Mini 4 didn't support the Apple Pencil, made the switching back and forth not as seamless as it could've been. (plus getting the 32GB model because I didn't think I'd use it as much made it feel cramped) But together they worked really well.

I then replaced the Mini 4 with the Mini 5... and that's all she wrote. As much as I would enjoy and can easily afford a 12.0 Pro and Mini, to upgrade to the latest generations of both would've cost me between 60-75% more (with cases, Pencil, and keyboard) than that 1st gen 12.9 Pro + Mini 4.

Not only are the devices themselves more expensive, but the accessories are more expensive as well... sometimes significantly more.

But that's me... I've got a TON of devices so making the case for this combo is a challenge for me, but for those who are iPad-centric, it could be beneficial.

sracer said:

As much as I would enjoy and can easily afford a 12.0 Pro and Mini, to upgrade to the latest generations of both would've cost me between 60-75% more (with cases, Pencil, and keyboard) than that 1st gen 12.9 Pro + Mini 4.

Not only are the devices themselves more expensive, but the accessories are more expensive as well... sometimes significantly more.

Yep, they’ve gotten expensive. 2015 Pro + mini 4 was just $1200 combined back then (so was 2015 Pro + Air 2 for that matter).

At least for me, I tend to use accessories that can be used with multiple devices so that lessens the burden a bit: Logitech K780, Logitech MX Ergo Plus, Logitech Crayon, Adonit Note.

I used to buy an iPad every year (alternating between 10/11” and 13”) and used each device for ~2 years. Now, I’m keeping devices longer to offset the much higher prices.

I’m about to. My workplace is issuing me a new 12.9” iPad Pro M1. Should arrive within a week or so. Also have a personal iPad mini 6. While there’s obviously overlap, the different sizes can serve different purposes.

I did for 2 weeks, sold the mini, good for books some apps, no so for websites, didn't like the TID, after having a M1 12.9 it's hard to use anything else, I have 13 max too so it cancels the need for a mini.
I prefer the big square iPad shape don't even like the 11" my wife has.

I have both and I think they're a great compliment if you're an iPad Pro power user. For me, I've found that I end up reaching for the mini 80% of the time even when it's a bit small for the tasks because I've found I prioritize small and light.

I plan to replace the 12.9" with an 11" and I'll continue to use the mini for books and specific contexts and when it stops working I won't replace it and consolidate down to the 11"

I have a 12.9, 11 and mini 6. I find I use them all but mainly have the 12.9 in my office and use as a monitor. The mini, the only cellular of the 3 comes with my when out and about. The 11" is for me the perfect size and if I had to choose just the one it'd be the 11".

I went with the 11, as the sweet spot.

The Mini is .66 pounds. The 11 is 1 pound and the 12.9 is 1.5 pounds. I found the 11 is close in weight and size to the Mini, but has the power and storage of the 12.9.

I have both. My mini 6 is my primary mobile device. The 12.9 is used for work. My job doesn't allow personal computers on the corporate VPN. However they do allow access with iOS and Android devices if we install profiles managed by our security team. My 12.9 is used like a personal laptop that's allowed on my work network.

Sure. I'm a math instructor. I use the 12.9" for lecturing, connecting it either to a projector or to Zoom. My handwriting is not great, and having a larger surface to write on helps. I also use the iPad for marking up PDFs, writing out answers to exams, and so forth.

I take my iPad mini 6 everywhere with me. I use it for the browser on the go, reading books, GPS, and the like.

I tried this setup for a few days. It didn't work for me.

I do almost all my work on the iPad Pro 12.9. I found it a bit superfluous having to maintain 2 iPads. All the iPad's run the same software, do the same stuff, it's just a different screen size. Equally, the biggest issue around the Mini 6 for me was scaling and the jelly scrolling.

My advise is to really think about your needs. No one iPad will offer you the perfect experience in every situation. Think about what you using this iPad for the majority of the time, and what screen size is going to work best for that.

Yep, Mini 6 for on the go (Usually with my 14" MBP) and 12.9" for around the house. The 12.9" pretty much lives in it's keyboard case, and that is the main reason I bought a mini. The mini acts more like an iPad, and the Pro as an iOS laptop.

Instead of having a 12.9 and mini 6 it would be better to have two 12.9's or two mini 6 and use them side by side, one hand each.

DeepSix said:

Instead of having a 12.9 and mini 6 it would be better to have two 12.9's or two mini 6 and use them side by side, one hand each.

Fun fact, the iPad 12.9 is exactly the same size as two Mini 6's, side by side. So, when you do split screen on the 12.9. it's like having two Minis.

Rafterman said:

Fun fact, the iPad 12.9 is exactly the same size as two Mini 6's, side by side. So, when you do split screen on the 12.9. it's like having two Minis.

Not quite. Two iPad mini 6s are smaller.

If Apple had released an iPad with the same display height as the 9.7" iPad but with 2:3 aspect ratio, then that would be exactly the same size as half the 12.9" display.

SteelBlueTJ said:

Thinking of replacing my aging 10.5 iPad Pro with a 12.9 model. I have also been thinking of picking up a Mini 6 for on the go. Curious if anyone else runs this setup? How do you like it? Do you use one more than the other? Thanks for any advice.

This is exactly my setup: 12.9 M1 + Mini 6.

My 12.9 is mostly docked to the MK. The Mini 6 is cellular and goes everywhere. I have a bluetooth mobile keyboard which I carry with it in case I need to do any work. It’s so portable that I can work on a train seat tray with ease.

However I use the Mini 6 more for consumption-on-the-go, emails, web browsing etc. I ended up down-sizing my phone from a Samsung phablet to an iPhone 13 because of it. The Mini 6 completely usurped most of my phone’s functionality (other than calls).

Sometimes I use the Mini 6 in its folio next to my 12.9. The Mini is fine to have document open and I can use copy-and-paste over handoff to paste onto my 12.9 (or vice versa). It’s sometimes good to have another screen of content to work with.

The setup is really helpful and productive to my way of working so I don’t think I can go back to one iPad.

DeepSix said:

Instead of having a 12.9 and mini 6 it would be better to have two 12.9's or two mini 6 and use them side by side, one hand each.

Don’t give me ideas.

Just an update from one of my earlier posts…

Received my M1 12.9” iPad Pro (paid for by my workplace). The thing is a monster and I love it. Super fast and smooth — seems faster than my M1 MacBook Air but part of that I’m sure is the 120Hz display. I’m not even going to be disappointed when the M2 iPads come out as this seems to have horsepower to spare.

While there’s little doubt there‘s huge overlap between it and my iPad mini 6, I will definitely enjoy using both of them. The iPad Pro will also make a nice sidecar display for my MacBook!

The mini, which I purchased on my own, is the cellular model, which suits it well since it’s the more mobile of the two iPads. I didn’t get the cellular iPad Pro from work, but that’s ok since size-wise it’s basically a MacBook Air and that doesn’t have 5G either. Any place comfortable enough to use the 12.9” iPad will likely have wifi, so I’m not too bothered. I can always hotspot off my phone if need be.

rui no onna said:

Not quite. Two iPad mini 6s are smaller.

If Apple had released an iPad with the same display height as the 9.7" iPad but with 2:3 aspect ratio, then that would be exactly the same size as half the 12.9" display.

Quirte. I have both and I actually measured them. The 12.9 is close to the same size width-wise and about 1/2 higher than a Mini.

Rafterman said:

Quirte. I have both and I actually measured them. The 12.9 is close to the same size width-wise and about 1/2 higher than a Mini.

I've used them side by side and the mini 6 is noticeably smaller. Device width wise, yes, the Pro 12.9 is a little over 2 iPad mini 6 side by side with the chassis. Actual display area of the 2 minis is smaller though due to bezels.

Mind, display-wise, the iPad Pro 11/10.5 in split view is like having two 7.9" iPad minis side by side.

Left to right: Pro 9.7, Pro 12.9, mini 6