11-inch vs 13-inch M4 iPad Pro: WATCH BEFORE BUYING!

This video is sponsored by MOFT.

I’ve been using the 11-inch iPad Pro for a while now, and it’s quickly become one of my favourite devices. In this video, I’ll share six reasons why this tablet stands out—from its ultra-portable design and the power of the new M4 chip to the stunning display and usability. Whether you're considering an upgrade or looking for a versatile device that can do it all, this iPad Pro might just be the perfect fit.

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00:00 Intro
03:25 Portability
04:45 Writing
06:40 The Camera
07:49 iOS 18
09:45 FaceID
10:49 M4 Chip
11:45 Conclusion

[MarkEllisReviews]

What's your iPad or choice and why?

[patrickwhitehead]

For me a mini 6 and air 13 is the ultimate combo

[Hoju]

I use my iPad pretty much exclusively for art. I’d get a 13” in a heartbeat. The extra inches make a huge difference when it comes to drawing real estate. It’s not like it’s leaving my desk anyway.

[alfig]

13” for YouTube videos, Hulu, and Movies… which is what I mostly do on my iPad because my kids hog the TV’s at home.

[wazcynemegat]

Having dilemma which to choose, stage manager is really good for 13 inch and keyboard not small while 11 inch look so easy to carry anywhere on hand

[gozikaomezi]

The plan was to get an 11 till I saw the 13. And I fell for the size. And no regrets. Mind you, this is my first iPad. I have always had Samsung tablets. And yes, I won’t be thinking about a tablet for the next four years.

[arondyte]

Been there done that sadly. I downsized from the 12.9inch Pro to the 2018 11inch Pro for the same reason but upsized back to the M4 13inch Pro after 6 years. I found that the 11inch felt too big for casual ebook reading and one handed use but felt too small and cramped for productivity work. 13inch Pro + iPad Mini 6 worked out for me a whole lot better.

[Perris-randomlyramdom]

been 11-inch loyalist since M2. i regretted weeks after purchasing the first-ever 12.9 inch years ago, and traded it for 11 inch.

[JeadilsonBezerra]

I still prefer the 13” size because of its larger keyboard. I have big hands and with always felt cramped when typing the 11” Magic Keyboard

[thomasrobinson]

I have the 11 inch iPad Pro and, like you, I love it. Your point about the lack of multi-tasking ability is spot on as well. At first, I thought IOS should be more like OS X, but as you say, the inability to have multiple things going on can be an asset, particularly for writers like you and me. Thanks for the video.

[hhoebeke]

I'm a long-time 11-inch user, and I love it. The M4 Pro is such a beast in terms of performance, and the screen is magnificent. My 12.9 inch is now glued to my desk and quite often as a second screen to my Mac - and it excels in this role. As to the Moft case, I have one for an older iPad Pro 11, and for the iPad mini, they are very nice; I use them all the time at home; flexible stand and it is magnetic, so it stands sturdy on the microwave etc. but.. to take it with me I find these very well made and durable cases very heavy... compared to the apple case for instance (granted with less flexibility) it is quite a different product.

[troyspring]

Great video Mark and love your reviews. I bought a first gen 11 inch iPad Pro then moved up to the 13 inch and that’s been sweet spot as a desk top companion. So then the M4 came out it was a no brainer to get the 13 inch and my mini was my travel companion. I did just buy an 11 inch (here Apple, take my money) and wow, I love it for all the reasons you shared. I’ll be keeping by 13 inch for now as well but may not upgrade to the new mini when it comes out.

[grantryder]

I love your videos! You also have a great textured voice for radio/podcasts. I thought you are a massive iPad Mini fan. I can't keep up! Lol!

[pieman]

I only got the 12.9 M1 because it was mini Led not lcd

[JamesBreuer]

Being a Technical Project Manager, i use the M4 iPad Pro 11” on the daily for both work and personal. It’s the perfect device to have in meetings for taking notes (Notability), Microsoft’s office suite, work chat apps, etc. When i upgraded from the 2020 iPad Pro 11” earlier this year, the only thing that would have made me get the 13” would have been if the screen technology was better like the previous version. Very happy with this device size 👍

[Zantsak]

I love the McLaren shirt! But I prefer the 13-inch. My 11-inch M1 was excellent, but the 13 works better in my workflow. Pitty, the dog, chewed my pencil pro...

[Aiii]

I think this question is quite easily answered, ngl. You’ll want the 11-inch if you want an amazing tablet. Something you can easily hold in one hand for hours on end to consume content and browse on, the somewhat wider aspect ratio also helps with video (though OLED has made the black bars on the 13-inch a bit less annoying than before as there’s no more blooming (or greys if you have a pre-miniLED model)). The 11-inch is also easier for note taking tasks with the Pencil, etc. Again, portability is key here. Smaller footprint means it takes less space on your desk, if you put it down to write on.

However, if you want a more laptop-like experience, go for the 13-inch with the magic keyboard, the extra screen is great, etc and the trackpad and keyboard size matters if that’s what you use a lot. In other words, if you want to use an iPad the majority of the time as a device in combination with the Magic Keyboard, get the 13-inch. I also understand Artists will want the bigger screen over the smaller one.

Sure, the weight of the new 13-inch is dramatically reduced, making it easier to hold as a tablet, but I do feel the size is still “too gd big” if you’re primarily using it as a tablet. You’ll want something smaller that’s not taking up all of your personal space.

Personally, I solved this issue by wasting my savings and buying both. But don’t be like me, pick the one that matches your use case most and accept the drawbacks of either when you use it for the other use-case.

[deanwilliams]

I bought the 13 inch M4 (512gb). I’ve tried the M2 MacBook Air 15 and the M3 Pro 14, but what I really wanted was bits of both of them: the Air’s keyboard (which I find nicer then the Pro, possibly due to the slightly reduced key travel of the thinner machine), and the Pro’s screen, added to the full functionality of LiquidText with my 2018 iPad Pro, and the ability to get high quality images of documents. I would not even begin to describe myself as a power user, but as an academic, my particular use case: writing, serious research, then content consumption when I have time, is better achieved with the M4 iPad than any other kit I have ever used. If Apple can improve Stage Manager, I will be like a pig in s**t. By the way, Mark, I bought my first Mac (M1 Air) on your recommendation, and it is still going strong with my son. Cheers.

[fincaton-rose]

I had a 2018 iPad Pro 12.9'" and loved it. I also had an iPad mini and wanted a magic keyboard to make that my go to note taking machine. After watching your's, and many other reviews, I went with the 11" iPad Pro M4. It's fantastic. I travel a lot and have multiple Mac and windows laptops. I use the iPad every day, the display is unbelievable and with recent updates the issues with the Apple Pencil and overheating have been resolved. Looking forward to trying iPad OS 18

[MikesVegas]

I bought a refurbished iPad Pro 11 from 2018, the first one with the current design, and am so glad I did, I absolutely love it! I’ve seen the 13 inch and can’t imagine carrying that thing around 😂 but the 11 inch, perfection! 😎👍❤️