iPad recommendations?

[Joeli]

Best thing is to go to the store to touch and hold it. My wife loves her mini with keyboard cover. Funny story..it’s at PVB now getting shipped back to us as she left it in her nightstand when we left yesterday. Lol

I love the large size of my iPad Air…best to be sure as you will have it for a while!

[carolina_yankee]

Originally Posted by ermindy1133

I’m always happy to help other people spend money!

I don’t think I want a mini. I’m debating air vs pro? Decisions, decisions…

If you are debating Air v Pro, then that can be a tough decision, but if you can hone down what you want/need, that can help. The pro is going to have a better chip, better camera, be a little brighter, and have more fluid motion. The Air is going to cost a little less by using a slightly older chip, not being as bright, not having quite as fluid motion (which you won't notice), and a single camera.

Both use Apple Pencil 2.0, which I think is a must given the capacity of what tablets can do.

For your needs, you will likely be very happy with an Air. If you want the cellular version, then you might consider the Pro because the cellular Pro has 5g while the cellular Air only has 4g.

Also, if you want the Air, wait a month or so. They may announce an update.

Here is Apple's comparison page:

https://www.apple.com/ipad/compare/?...d-mini-6th-gen


It should be auto-selected to compare the iPad Pro 11" 3rd generation with the iPad Air 4th Gen (the current ones). If you want larger and don't mind spending money, you can get the larger pro. For me, it's too large, and I'm a heavy iPad Pro user. If I did more with graphics, I might think differently.

Dirk

[kzrooster]

Originally Posted by carolina_yankee

If you are debating Air v Pro, then that can be a tough decision, but if you can hone down what you want/need, that can help. The pro is going to have a better chip, better camera, be a little brighter, and have more fluid motion. The Air is going to cost a little less by using a slightly older chip, not being as bright, not having quite as fluid motion (which you won't notice), and a single camera.

Both use Apple Pencil 2.0, which I think is a must given the capacity of what tablets can do.

For your needs, you will likely be very happy with an Air. If you want the cellular version, then you might consider the Pro because the cellular Pro has 5g while the cellular Air only has 4g.

Also, if you want the Air, wait a month or so. They may announce an update.

Here is Apple's comparison page:

https://www.apple.com/ipad/compare/?...d-mini-6th-gen


It should be auto-selected to compare the iPad Pro 11" 3rd generation with the iPad Air 4th Gen (the current ones). If you want larger and don't mind spending money, you can get the larger pro. For me, it's too large, and I'm a heavy iPad Pro user. If I did more with graphics, I might think differently.

Dirk

The key comment you made is to hone down what you want/need….. I have an iPad. No idea what kind etc. We bought it for my mother, and I kept it when she died. It’s perfect for Mouseowners, e-mail, FB, weather, sports, news, and general light web surfing. When I need to replace it, I’ll hope for one without a camera. That seems to me to be a waste.

[bubster]

Originally Posted by kzrooster

The key comment you made is to hone down what you want/need….. I have an iPad. No idea what kind etc. We bought it for my mother, and I kept it when she died. It’s perfect for Mouseowners, e-mail, FB, weather, sports, news, and general light web surfing. When I need to replace it, I’ll hope for one without a camera. That seems to me to be a waste.

I agree. Our old iPad is no better than a doorstop because it can’t be updated past something like iOS 9.8.2. I don’t do work with the newer one, purely recreational and it does everything I would ever want it to. Kindle App works great. My only “want” for the future is maybe cellular service but not necessary.

[ermindy1133]

Originally Posted by bubster

I agree. Our old iPad is no better than a doorstop because it can’t be updated past something like iOS 9.8.2. I don’t do work with the newer one, purely recreational and it does everything I would ever want it to. Kindle App works great. My only “want” for the future is maybe cellular service but not necessary.

Sounds suspiciously like the one I have. Can’t even use the SW app on it anymore because the technology is too old.

[ermindy1133]

I never thought about it making any difference re:recommendations, but yes. Whatever I buy will need to be WiFi +cellular.

[Mickeyfan0805]

Originally Posted by ermindy1133

I never thought about it making any difference re:recommendations, but yes. Whatever I buy will need to be WiFi +cellular.

I have always actually done the opposite. If I need a remote signal, I use my cell as a hotspot for the iPad. I surf, do emails, and stream video this way. No need, in my case, to carry two service costs.

[ermindy1133]

Originally Posted by Mickeyfan0805

I have always actually done the opposite. If I need a remote signal, I use my cell as a hotspot for the iPad. I surf, do emails, and stream video this way. No need, in my case, to carry two service costs.

I live on 40th and Plumb. 40 miles from nowhere and “plumb back in the sticks.” And often, our WiFi in our ancient hospital building isn’t adequate either. So I would be paying a ton of overage if I didn’t carry a separate account for my tablet.

[carolina_yankee]

Originally Posted by ermindy1133

I live on 40th and Plumb. 40 miles from nowhere and “plumb back in the sticks.” And often, our WiFi in our ancient hospital building isn’t adequate either. So I would be paying a ton of overage if I didn’t carry a separate account for my tablet.

I was thinking of your rural setting when I brought up Wifi or Cellular. It can be tricky! Fortunately, you can add a device for just a few device to most cellular plans.

In that case, I would recommend getting a device that is 5G capable. That will be so beneficial down the road and any device without it will be disappointing.

The current iPad Air doesn't have 5G, but Apple is announcing new upgrades to some devices on the 18th so the Air may be in that cycle. It's the only iPad to not get an update this fall.

My bet is the Air gets 5G, but Apple may hold off another year to keep the Pro "special" as the only model with 5G.

Now, if you don't have 5G in your area, that may be pointless, but again, you will have it eventually and that will be the norm. It sounds like you aren't a big replacer so it could make sense to buy the most forward looking model you can to avoid wanting to upgrade earlier down the road than you want.

Any iPad is going to have around 5 year life expectancy in terms of tech gains. New tech always requires new hardware advances (like chips) that older models just don't have.

Dirk

[carolina_yankee]

Originally Posted by kzrooster

The key comment you made is to hone down what you want/need….. I have an iPad. No idea what kind etc. We bought it for my mother, and I kept it when she died. It’s perfect for Mouseowners, e-mail, FB, weather, sports, news, and general light web surfing. When I need to replace it, I’ll hope for one without a camera. That seems to me to be a waste.

Before the pandemic I had zero use for a camera on my iPad. Since then, I've used it for Zoom. I like the flexibility for streaming that it gives me - not chained to a desk and don't have to dig out the laptop.

I still wouldn't use it for photography but it's getting better. It will never be as good as the iPhone camera, though.

I have to say, though, the camera on my iPad saved my "rump-uh-rumpus-room" the other night when Facebook's iPhone App wigged out and I couldn't go live for night prayer on our churches FB page! I quickly switched to the iPad and used the web version of FB. Fortunately, that problem seems to have corrected itself!

Yeah, I"m a heavy iPad user!

Dirk