11” vs 13” iPad Pro if you already own a 13” MacBook Air – looking for real-world experiences
I’m driving myself mad trying to decide between the 11” and 13” iPad Pro.
I already own a 13” MacBook Air M5, and that will always be my work machine. It has software I need for work that I can’t use on an iPad, so the MacBook isn’t going anywhere.
The iPad would become my main personal device.
My typical uses would be:
Browsing
YouTube/Netflix/sport
Reddit/social media
Journaling
Apple Pencil (notes and maybe some drawing)
Kindle app
Planning trips
Researching purchases
The odd game
I also have a camper van, so I’d use it in bed, outside under the awning, or as a Sidecar display during the workday. Outside of work, though, I’d want to put the MacBook away and just use the iPad.
My biggest concern with the 13” is that it’s in a bit of a middle ground. Is it so big that, for quick browsing or relaxing on the sofa/in bed, you end up just picking up your phone instead? Or if you need to do something more involved, do you end up reaching for the MacBook because it’s the better laptop?
In other words, does the 13” overlap too much with a 13” MacBook, whereas the 11” feels like a genuinely different device that you naturally reach for?
I’m currently leaning towards the 11” because I want it to complement the MacBook rather than compete with it, and I’d probably pair it with something like a Zugu 360 case and maybe add a detachable keyboard later if I felt I needed one.
One final question: because I’d be saving money by going with the 11”, would you put some of that saving towards nano-texture glass, or is the standard display still the better buy?
I’d especially love to hear from people who own a 13” MacBook and an 11” or 13” iPad Pro and how that combination has worked out over time.