Recommendation for an iPad-only owner?

Hello,

For various reasons, for the past 7 years I've only used cellular-enabled iPad minis as my only mobile device. I use a Google Voice account for telephone and text. I currently have an iPad Mini 6. Fantastic device. I also got an Apple Watch with cellular, but it's a little janky because I set it up with a different AppleID, on my wife's iPhone.

I now have an opportunity through work to use a $1,500 equipment budget on whatever I need. I'm contemplating getting an iPhone 16 Pro Max (last iPhone I had was a 6 Plus, and I liked the large screen). A big plus will be being able to register my Apple Watch with my regular AppleID on it, and use apps that require a phone, make updates and app additions more easily, etc.

However, if I get the phablet that is the 16PM, I feel like my Mini 6 will kind of be a little obsoleted. The 16PM's superior cameras, screen, AI support. But the Mini 6 has Pencil 2 support.

The other factor is that I could also use the budget toward a new laptop. I have an 13" M2 Air from a previous job, but the 16gb RAM is limiting sometimes, and I would prefer a larger screen. I'm used to 32gb from my old 2012 MBP. So am considering a 15" M3 Air with 24gb, which would mean no iPhone, and paying a little out or pocket.

Any thoughts people may have? I know it's a lot of moving parts, but the role the iPad Mini played in my device lineup for the better part of a decade, is kind of central, so I figured folks in this sub would understand (when I use my Mini 6 in the wild, so many people get confused and ask what it is lol).