Why the iPad mini is the only device I need

Why the iPad Mini Is Back as My Go-To Device (and Favorite Thing I Own)

So what took me so long to get back on the iPad mini love? Well, it had to catch up to what its potential is. I was an original mini user back when the first one debuted in November 2012. Loved it. Used it religiously for a few years. The thing tragically cracked its screen in a terrible treadmill accident while running one morning, and despite showing its versatility, it wasn’t replaced. I went back to the old reliable laptop and the muscle memory built up over decades.

The iPad mini was always on my mind, especially as it jumped a few revisions. I even had the pleasure of using an iPad Pro (2018 model) for a few years, but its size wasn’t my style. I like something minimal. I want to carry my tech with me, on my body, in a backpack, and the smaller I can pack with the most capable system is what I desire.

The latest iPad mini (the 7th generation with the A17 Pro chip) is by far my favorite device that I own. The performance boost, Apple Intelligence integration, and Apple Pencil Pro support finally sold me. Without those, I might not have pulled the trigger. It feels future-proof enough for what I do, and while a true Pro version of this little bad mamma-jamma would be amazing, this one is pro enough at this point.

Now, it’s the center of my digital universe. I do drawing and sketching layouts for graphics and print projects right on it with the Pencil Pro. Audio production is next-level: I record from my Zoom Podtrak P4, edit in Ferrite, and handle a complete podcast, from audio tweaks to image creation, all from this tiny piece of glass. It’s a serious game changer. I’ve ditched paper notes too; Freeform and the Notes app have replaced my old pen-and-paper system for reminders, calendars, and brainstorming.

The real magic is how it replaces bigger setups without compromise. Pair it with my Logitech Pebble keyboard, Apple Trackpad, a Moft case, and Bluetooth headphones, and it becomes a little beast for editing audio, knocking out newsletters, flyers, or posters while I listen to podcasts. The form factor is everything: I can slip it in my back pocket, throw a jacket over it, and forget it’s there until I need it. No laptop can do that.

Breaking the laptop habit isn’t easy. After 30 years of muscle memory on desktops and laptops, I still fall back on the old ways when speed feels critical, those hard deadlines from my newspaper designer days die hard. But I’m forcing the transition: slow down, build new habits, and realize it’ll save time long-term. The convenience of having the mini always ready can’t be beat. The real test will be designing a full multi-page layout entirely on it (Affinity’s page layout tools should handle it), with the desktop as a safety net if needed.

Simply put, it can do everything I need it to do in the most convenient form factor. It’s the perfect size for everything, portable, powerful, and just good all around. My only gripe? External display support still mirrors instead of extending (why, Apple?). That’d push me to upgrade someday, but for now, I’m riding with this one.

If you’re a creative who wants minimal setup for pro-level work, drawing, audio, graphics, this little banger is unbeatable. The iPad mini, Apple Pencil Pro, and Moft case are my essentials. Highly recommend grabbing a sling for it too. Welcome back, mini, you were worth the wait.