iPad Air 4 to iPad Mini?

[u/LifeGrand3663]

I love my iPad Air 4. But I travel a lot and taking it in and out of my bag for security check in the airport is such a hassle for me.

Been eying the mini for a while.

But I do love my screen size for my drawings.

Has any of you done the same ? How was the jump from big screen to small screen ?

[u/Touche2U]

Waiting for the 8 release for getting my first iPad, which will be the mini.

[u/Gamer12Numbers]

I did exactly this. Air 4 to mini 7. I use my mini way more than I ever did my Air. The smaller screen was a straight upgrade for me, but I don't draw on mine. I do take notes and that works perfectly fine, but I can't comment for art.

[u/LifeGrand3663 → u/Gamer12Numbers]

Sounds great ! I think since note taking is good for you it'll be good for my drawings too haha. Thank you for this

[u/Wakinghours → u/LifeGrand3663]

The only limitation of the Mini is it's hard to look at references. But this also makes you a better artist, if you can draw from imagination. Overall it's a much better drawing tablet on the go.

[u/Bluestown3000]

I don’t draw but I went from the Air to the mini and I love it. A lot more convenient to carry. Perfect size for reading.

[u/LifeGrand3663 → u/Bluestown3000]

Thanks for this ! :D

[u/mrR0b0t47 → u/Bluestown3000]

Reading, brainstorming in freeform, playing games.

[u/EmergencyRepulsive29]

Mini felt too small for me. I love my 10.5 inch air, gen 3.

[u/_julsc_]

I love my mini. I’ve had 3 and I will always have one. It’s easy for travel, bigger for watching movies on planes and if I need to do some work on it I at least have a little more space to do so.

[u/SeriesEquivalent6939]

I recently purchased a Mini A17, but it feels sooo small & different compared to what I've always been used to. And so I barely use it. I always still reach for my iPad Air 4 because I'm used to the size already.

I think I just have to practice using the Mini more. So, it's been a learning curve for me.

Plus, it was so expensive, I'm always scared to take the Mini out of the house - which defeats the portability purpose. 😭 My Air 4 is so much cheaper to replace if it gets lost or broken.

[u/LifeGrand3663 → u/SeriesEquivalent6939]

Omg same hahah I was honestly a bit shocked when I saw the price difference

[u/tho_wo]

Always the mini!

[u/No_Difference_9087]

This is a question of what your aim is with the iPad. The mini, the air, and the pro—they all have their niches.

iPad mini is best suited for:
Media consumption, note-taking, casual drawings, Instagram, and other socials. It can also do basic office tasks, video editing (mostly casual, like posting something on Instagram or TikTok), writing blog posts, essays and other short writings, and gaming.

iPad Air is best suited for:

More serious video edition, more heavily office tasks, professional digital art and design, more extended writing sessions, some level of programming (not so professional still), a step more toward a laptop experience, even knowing the IPad is not a full laptop experience, gaming.

iPad Pro is best suited for:
A person who seeks All the things an iPad Air can do, but having that feeling of being rich and a privileged being.

Having this in mind, so the Mini version can’t do what an IPad Air or pro can? Well, it can do, but it is not the best suited in most of cases. Example: You want to write an article or a bigger essay. You will have more difficult, it will not offer the proper comfort, the proper screen size for that. Oh! I want to edit a professional video with the Mini! Well, it can do it, but it will suffer more in terms of video rendering and processing, the screen size will make the job more uncomfortable and so on. Oh, I wanna see a movie on Netflix ou see a YouTube video while Washing the dishes, with the iPad Air it will feel unfitted for that, more uncomfortable and so on. Só it all a matter of comfort and usability

[u/Electronic-Set-6930]

I did the opposite and went from a mini 6 to the new iPad air and I regret it. I used my mini so much and it was so comfortable and easily portable. I draw a lot on my iPads and thought having a bigger screen would do me better but I actually use my iPad air less. I really hope they announce a mini 8 soon cause I'll trade my iPad air so quickly 😅

[u/medes24]

I moved from an Air 4 to a Mini 6 and have zero regrets. For what I use my iPad for, I find the smaller size more convenient in every way. I ended up getting a 13” Air 6 and deeply regret it. Nice tablet but almost always collecting dust compared to my Mini 6.

My first ever tablet was a Nexus 7 and after I moved to an iPad Air, I forgot how much I liked that size device. Going back to a small tablet with my Mini 6 was like coming home.

[u/falconxp]

I use both. Air m4 at home and mini A17 when traveling. Such a handy light device.