Pro, mini, air or normal – which iPad should you buy? A comprehensive guide to the Apple universe.
Tablets are practical all-rounders for at home and on the go. Lighter in weight than a laptop need iPad
Switch to Android makes sense?
An iPad is usually only worthwhile for people who are already at home in the Apple world and use an iPhone, for example. You will immediately cope with the operation of the Apple tablet, because the user interface is similar to the already familiar smartphone. In addition, Safari passwords, pictures, music, apps and contacts automatically sync if you use iCloud – Apple’s cloud storage.
On the other hand, if you are used to Android, you should also use the Google operating system for the tablet. Switching between the operating systems is not advisable, because that involves frustration in the application and requires some willpower to deal with the new system.
Which iPad to buy? Four models to choose from
If you have decided on an Apple tablet, the manufacturer offers four current models to choose from: iPad Mini, iPad, iPad Air and iPad Pro. They differ mainly in size and performance and are therefore aimed at different users. For example, an iPad Pro may be oversized for humanities students, while a graphic artist does worse with the normal iPad. For whom is which device worthwhile?
The iPad Mini is the smallest representative of its kind. The retina display measures just 8.3 inches (about 21 centimeters) diagonally. This allows the iPad to be held comfortably in most hands. Including the second-generation Apple Pencil, the iPad Mini mutates into a digital drawing and notepad. However, Apple does not offer a keyboard for its smallest iPad – the display is too tiny for that.
The iPad Mini is far from being a laptop replacement. The tablet is not suitable for typing an essay or homework because of its manageable size. However, you can use the Apple Pencil (sold separately) to take handwritten notes. The iPad Mini is suitable for anyone who likes to draw or takes notes by hand on the go and values that the tablet does not take up too much space.
Typical users: Doctors, journalists or other professionals who want to retrieve or record notes by hand.
In the “normal” iPad the Apple A13 Bionic works, which still provides enough power for the next few years. However, the regular iPad is larger than the mini version. The vast majority of users are therefore happier than the mini version.
Thanks to the Smart Keyboard (sold separately), even longer texts can be typed comfortably on the iPad. Of course, the first generation Apple Pencil also works with the tablet. However, the 10.2-inch display with a diagonal of a good 25 centimeters is too large to write down notes from one hand.
Typical users: Pupils, students or teachers – people who work with a tablet at a table or on their lap. The regular iPad doesn’t have a USB-C port. However, Apple offers Lightning to USB-C adapters.
The iPad Air joins – how could it be otherwise – between the Pro version and the normal iPad. In the latest version, it offers the M1 chip, which also works in the Pro. The other differences can be listed with one hand:
What does that say about the iPad Air? It is the Apple tablet for professional and ambitious photographers or videographers who want to do more with the tablet than just surfing or typing. The performance of the iPad Air is easily sufficient to edit pictures with apps like “Affinity Photo” or cut videos with “Luma Fusion”. The tablet is a bit oversized for pure office use, but is more suitable than the normal iPad thanks to the USB-C connection. With the Magic Keyboard from Apple, the iPad Air becomes a veritable laptop replacement.
Typical users: Photographers and videographers, students, teachers, graphic designers and anyone looking for a tablet as a laptop replacement. Nice: Both the iPad Air and the iPad Pro 2020 have a USB-C port, which you can use to connect a mouse, keyboard or external storage.
The iPad Pro is the most powerful and most expensive Apple tablet. It is aimed at absolute professional users. Apple sells it in 11 and 12.9 inch sizes. One reason for the Pro version of the tablet can therefore be the slightly larger screen. Apple is also installing up to 2 terabytes of memory in the iPad Pro 2021. The versions with 1 and 2 terabytes of memory also have 16 gigabytes of RAM. The smaller versions offer “only” 8 gigabytes of RAM. If you need a lot of memory, you can also use Apple’s most expensive tablet.
Otherwise, the iPad Pro is aimed at special users. What makes it unique is its LiDAR sensor, which scans objects and people, for example, and creates digital 3D models of them. It is particularly interesting and important for programmers who develop software for augmented reality – i.e. extended reality via smartphone and tablet. The sensor is also used by apps such as “Previs Pro”, which directors use to create storyboards for their film in no time at all.
Typical users: The iPad Pro 2021 is aimed at professional photographers and videographers, directors and programmers who have a special use for the LiDAR sensor. It comes closest to the classic laptop with Magic Keyboard.
Which iPad to buy: The right accessories
Unfortunately, Apple makes it unnecessarily complicated which pencil and which type cover (keyboard) harmonize with the respective models. The following table provides clarity:
Compared to the Keyboard Folio, the Magic Keyboard has a trackpad that many users are already familiar with from their laptops. If you want to control your iPad Air or iPad Pro like a notebook, you should think about the Magic Keyboard. If you prefer to work with the touchscreen, you can use the folio.
Note: The article was first published in March 2021.
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