Cheapest M1 iPad vs USED iPads: What's the difference?

With the new M1 powered iPad Air 5th generation, Apple is showing why they have a problem with their iPad lineup. With M1 chips in the iPad Air and iPad Pro, it makes you wonder: how much can Apple add to the iPad to make it a good deal? Why not buy something used?

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[ordinaryalan]

I had to say, I very much appreciate the fact that you are one of the few tech reviewers who explore the used market as much as I do. When a new iDevice comes out I am always excited but not for the new device but rather because older devices will become cheaper and in my price range. And I completely agree that the 2018 iPad Pro is a better buy than a new IPad Air 5th gen. Great video.

[Olli-Tech]

Think would rather go with an ipad pro because of Promotion. Once you got used to it, you will never want to have a 60hz screen again

[ZacHow]

One of my best purchases has been a 2020 iPad Pro from the Apple Refurbished page. $600 for the same new design, 120hz, and is still more powerful than anything I need it for. I agree with your thought process that the new ones increasingly just make 1-2 year old models the best value. Hate to see this level of poor build quality though!

[DavidRDHeath]

Yeah totally agree. The 2018 12.9” iPad Pro still amazes me. Accidentally smashed the screen a year ago. Apple down here in Australia charge AU$1096 for the screen repair. I found a refurbished with double the storage for AU$1049. Done. Just a great value device. ProMotion is the key feature that makes even the old ones seen snappy… A12X still great for 95% of tasks.

[Amedeus]

I'm the original owner of an IPad 3, I must have dropped it at least 100 times without any external rubbery protection, the edges are a bit tented, battery still good. It won't update but still works, it's priceless to me.

[Voustag]

Here with my 2018 11” iPad Pro. No regrets!!!

[GeraldBertramPhotography]

I'm still rocking my 2017 iPad with the battery still going strong. Still haven't seen anything compelling me to upgrade it.

[tuckercoffin]

If I had to choose, I’d go with the pro 11 inch from last year just because of better cameras and center stage and future proofing. Also hoping that maybe they’ll do something to the iPads that have the M1.

But if I didn’t care about any of this, I’d go for the cheapest iPad Pro 11 inch I can find or the new mini.

[zorlix]

Yeah, definitely agree. There are so few differences between the iPads that it's certainly not worth buying the new ones. And the Pro iPads are worth it just for the screens. The 2018 one is awesome, but it seems the 2020 11 inch iPad Pros are starting to get cheaper, too!

[SaiyanJin]

I still rock the ipad pro 12.9 from 2016. Still a champ for my needs aka video consumer, browsing around, skype calls, email reading, offie suite and such. All these still very fast after 5-6 years. Battery still great. I can watch netflix all day long. I see no reason to upgrade it honestly

[cartilagehead]

iPad’s biggest problem remains its software. As long as it’s hobbled by Apple’s weird restrictions and OS choices, plus the locked App Store, it’s never going to fully take advantage of any of the new hardware that Apple puts into it. Seeing M1 in the Pro last year with little to show for it hammered home how stagnant the iPad has become as a platform for software.

[sophuslytzau]

I've been using a 2018 iPad Pro 12, 9" since it came out, and I simply can't justify upgrading right now.

[garydmercer]

Agreed. My 2017 normal iPad is still working great! It does everything I need it to.

[nolancargill]

Even if Apple put MacOS on the iPad, it would still theoretically run on the 2018 Pro, because the Apple Dev Kit for M1 had an A12Z in it

[dragonballjiujitsu]

I use the same theory when buying Macs. I'm just waiting a few more months for the first gen M1 mini to drop in price and I'll snatch one of those up. M1 with a 1TB SSD and 16 GB of RAM is far more computer than 98% of the population would ever use or need anyway.

[scribsandskets]

Generally I agree with the sentiment, I just wanted to mention that I did this exact thing--got the air 4 when the air 5 came out (from Decluttr, even) with some mixed results. I got an apple pencil from them for $80 and it looked brand new, so that was great. The ipad, on the other hand, was totally messed up. It was dead out of the box so I plugged it in, did the setup and all once it revived, without thinking anything of it. But it never charged after many hours and would die if I unplugged it, making it rough just to get back into it so I could erase my account info before sending it back. Sending it back was a hassle because at first they said they would try fixing it first and issuing a refund only if they couldn't fix it, rather than simply issuing a refund on receipt of the return. Fortunately I was able to ask for that and they agreed, so it definitely could have been worse. But I ended up getting the 5 instead, partly because I didn't want any more waiting or hassle, and partly because I suspected that the M series would start getting exclusive updates and features soon. Kind of a gamble either way, but that was just my experience. In the future I would probably go apple refurb or something like an Amazon with easy returns. Or try and find something local that I can actually inspect before buying. For a moment there I thought I was going to have to wait who knows how long for either the repair or the refund.

[nigelmatthew]

Watching this video on my 2018 12.9” iPad Pro which I bought in 2019. Absolutely love it and it honestly doesn’t feel, or look outdated in any way at all. Probably the best decision I have ever made for a tech purchase.

[nuyou]

Tim : Wow! You'd think we hold a gun to your head saying you better constantly buy our latest products. 😂🤦‍♂️

[bradnelson]

I've got an 11" iPad pro from 2018 (bought in 2019 from Amazon for $714.00). Nothing I see at the moment tempts me to upgrade.

But if (as I was at the time) someone is sitting on an old big-bezel baseline model (BBBM), this new iPad Air would be a good upgrade.

And there's something to be said for buying new. I buy a lot of refurbished products so I have no problem with buying old or used. But there is something to be said for having a brand spankin' new product. And the new iPad Air is a fabulous product (my brother just bought one).

But, yes, a smart shopper can get 95% of the functionality of the newest iPads by buying an older model (new or used). Now, please give me my free gift, Luke.

[hajokerkhof]

Absolutely agreed! Love my 2018 iPad Pro.