I was very undecided to buy an ipad mini, I needed a portable, comfortable, lightweight and fast device.
I did not want to buy a laptop, I already own one, a macbook pro mid 2010, which although it has a few years it's still able to meet my needs ..
I must point out that I'm not new in the world of tablet, I purchased an iPad 2 years ago but the experience was not entirely positive, the applications were not yet at the levels of the iPhone counterpart, the real advantage resided only in the increased screen (too much) and in the battery.
Well yes, the screen of the iPad 2 (3.4, air) is too big for my taste, I find it awkward to use without a support, such as a table or on your own legs when you are on the couch.
I find the size of the iPad mini perfect, the screen is suitable to perform any task, it is very lightweight and its blunt design facilitates handling.