iPad Pro v Mac mini

Just curious to know if you've considered a MacBook Air? Seems to me to be a more logical move than the Mac Mini, as you mentioned sitting at your desk for any length of time is uncomfortable. The MacBook Air has the keyboard, trackpad and display all right there in one piece.

You'll find the Photos app on the MacBook Air (or Mac Mini, for that matter) easier to use for organizing than the Photos app on your iPad Pro.

I honestly don't think you'd have a huge problem getting comfortable with the Mac. Sure, there are differences between Macs and Windows, but there are plenty of resources (Apple Support discussions like this one, for example) to help when you get stuck. A good place to start is here: Switched from Windows to Mac? - Apple Support

If you do elect to go with a Mac, I always recommend 16GB RAM and minimum 512GB SSD storage. Regarding storage, it sounds as if you may have quite a few photos, so I advise getting as much storage as you can afford. I mention this because neither RAM or storage can be upgraded after the fact. If this is something you'd want to explore, feel free to let us know which apps you'd be using on your Mac, along with the peripherals you may want to connect with...and we'd be able to offer more specific suggestions.

Just my $0.02 worth.

fjordkarp42U wrote:

I started using an iPad Pro around 5 years ago, which I like a lot for its portability in using it while sitting comfortably in my family room in a comfortable chair. In the process, I have learned a lot ...

Most of everything you have learned on the iPad is similar on a Mac.

I am concerned that the learning curve for using a Mac could be steep.

Learning how to use a Mac is not difficult, imho the most confusing thing for a newcomer is just remembering that the "close, minimimze & maximize" buttons are in the upper left of the screen, not the upper right! I went from Windows to Mac over 20 years ago and have never looked back. They just work ... and work well.

One big weakness for me too is my ability to organize photos on my ipad ... Frankly, I find the organizing of photos extremely difficult on my ipad, ... I have heard photo organizing is easier on Mac’s but I don’t trust anything I read on the internet unless it’s well sourced research.

The Photos app is included with all Macs. It's a pretty decent photo organizer. You can read about it here -> Photos User Guide for Mac - Apple Support You can organize your photos pretty much any way you want to, you do not have to rely on the AI features that you found useless.

If Photos isn't your thing, there are other good photo organizing apps. Adobe Bridge, for example, and it's free. There are quite a few others that are also very good; and you can always ask other users here in the Apple Community (Photos - Apple Community)

purchase a Mac mini, either the latest with the M3 chip, or save some money buying the previous M2 chip model?

Regarding choice of Mac, all of them are very good machines. Keep in mind that if you purchase a mini you also need to purchase a monitor, keyboard & mouse. An iMac comes with everything included and is a more compact unit on your desk. (Also keep in mind that you cannot upgrade RAM or disk after purchase, as it's all built in. Consider future needs when you configure.)

Despite the technical differences & marketing, there isn't all that much everyday difference between an M2 and an M3 other than that the M3 is a further generation of the chip. Like the previous responder, I also encourage you to at least consider Apple Refurbished Macs to save a bit of money. I have purchased both new & refurbished from Apple and you can't tell the difference! In fact, I'm still using an Apple refurbished 15" i7 MacBook Pro that I purchased 9 years ago and it's still going strong.

I would keep the iPad and get https://www.apple.com/shop/product/FMFJ3LL/A/refurbished-mac-mini-apple-m2-chip-with-8%E2%80%91core-cpu-and-10%E2%80%91core-gpu?fnode=56e1a6f8a63355af17e6b83d373c9596cdcc6ba58eb58b6177e2a9699a514e92f53ef95253e1b8e0145c453e272e7645d747e5cb8ea5d2e6db18afd9d62901a0351aecd81404427228b8f10536eb8b77.

Re-learning a Mac after a lifetime of Windows can be frustrating the first few months but once you get the hang of it, it’s addictive i.e. irreversible IMO. Which is why you should not replace - takes the pressure off and gives you the luxury of learning leisurely. If it doesn’t work out, you can always gift the mini to a younger relative/friend and go back to same ol’ same ol’.

All the best!

I second considering a laptop.

I have an iPad for light use and when traveling, but if there is anything more demanding (writing, managing photos and videos etc), I reach for my Mac mini 2018. I don't have an external keyboard for the iPad but I guess that would not much affect my workflow.

And now when I "inherited" my daughter's MacBook Pro 2017, I find myself doing lots of things with it anywhere I like.

My daughter got MacBook Air 2022 and a cheap (129 €) Dell 27" S2721HN display that she occasionally uses when more display area is needed. Best of both worlds.

It helps to understand the processor naming. There have been three generations of Apple Silicon chips: M1, M2, M3. Within each generation, chips get more powerful as you go from the 'base' chip, to the Pro chip, to the Max chip to the Ultra. The processor level affects a lot of things – not just the number of CPU and GPU cores you get, but also how many expansion ports and displays a machine can support.

It even affects the RAM options for the machine. You can order a machine that has a base M2 or M3 chip with 16 GB or 24 GB of RAM – but you can order a machine that has a Max chip with a lot more than that.

Macs that use entry-level chips

13" M2 MacBook Airs (price-point models)

13" and 15" M3 MacBook Airs

Some 14" MacBook Pros that use the 'base' M3 chip

24" M3 iMacs

M2 Mac minis

Macs that use Pro and Max chips

14" MacBook Pros that use M3 Pro and M3 Max chips

16" MacBook Pros that use M3 Pro and M3 Max chips

M2 Pro Mac minis

M2 Max Mac Studios

fjordkarp42U wrote:

Replace with another iPad with Apple’s keyboard or purchase a Mac mini, either the latest with the M3 chip, or save some money buying the previous M2 chip model?

The Mac minis don't have M3-series chips yet … they're still using M2s and M2 Pros. Likewise the Mac Studios are still using M2 Maxes and M2 Ultras.

Apple just released new MacBook Airs that have the M3 chip. Aside from some CPU/GPU speedups, these M3 Airs are similar to the M2 ones. One upgrade of note: M2 MacBook Airs can only drive one external display. It doesn't matter whether the lid Is open or closed. M3 MacBook Airs can drive one external monitor when the lid is open, or two when it is closed.

Previously the only Apple-Silicon-based Mac notebooks that could drive two (or more) external monitors were the 14" and 16" MacBook Pros based on {M1, M2, M3} Pro and Max chips.