iPad Pro 2020 11" iPad Pro, 2020 iPad Air, or Apple Certified Refurbished 2018 11" iPad Pro?

[jb1280]

Not specific to OPs specific requirements of 256GB, but the worst value of the three is the iPad Air.

Most users probably need more that 64GB of storage to be comfortable, but also don’t necessarily need 256GB. It would have been fine if they kept the price points the same, but the extra $100 base seems punitive practically considering the more expensive peripherals.

Even though I lose 128GB in storage, for $50 more I’d want the A12Z over A14, ProMotion for Pencil, and FaceID

 

[MacPoulet]

One thing to keep in mind for the Air’s Touch ID is if you’re left handed, that might be a bit of a pain as the power button is on the top right in portrait mode.

Or top left in landscape, and if you use it like that that might be a pain if you’re right handed...

 

[gregohb]

there is an article on medium which indicates new ipad is a great deal compared to smaller ipad pro

 

[0279317]

I'm not a fan of refurbished Apple devices. Depending upon where a person lives, it is often possible to buy a new unit for the price that Apple charges for refurbs.

You don't like refurbs. I infer that's because you are concerned about a problems/issues with refurbs? It's true people have had problems but I 've purchased an iMac and two iPads refurb, all fine (hardly a valid sample size I'll grant you that). But, Apple still treats them as new for return and AppleCare so there is no risk in that way. I agree a new device is a better choice for the same price but I'm wary of buying from resellers.

 

[Shanghaichica]

My vote is for 2018 iPP. Just got one from Amazon renewed not too long ago. Saved roughly $500 off the same model retail. Looks/operates like new. 12X/Z are the same processors. The latter just has an extra gpu core enabled. With the money saved I bought the Magic Keyboard and don’t feel as bad for its eye-watering price. It also came with 4 months of AppleCare+ left. So, that was a bonus.

I also got my iPad Pro 2018 from amazon renewed. I was very impressed. The condition was the same as brand new and the battery health was 100% so it seems to be a new or near to new battery. As you said the A12 X/Z are very similar. 4GB of ram is more than enough for me. I had the previous 10.5 inch pro and I never came close to slowing it down. I prefer the quad speakers and pro motion display but otherwise I’m not really a heavy users so the 2020 pro would have been a bit of a waste for me. I was able to get insurance through amazon.

 

[Hadron]

One thing to keep in mind for the Air’s Touch ID is if you’re left handed, that might be a bit of a pain as the power button is on the top right in portrait mode.

Or top left in landscape, and if you use it like that that might be a pain if you’re right handed...

Like my MBP's touch ID is a pain because I'm left-handed and the button's on the far right of my keyboard?

I guess I find it weird that some people are so lateralised that they'd struggle to just use whichever hand was more convenient for something as simple as touching a button. But surely if you are one of them you just turn it into landscape the other way so the touch button is on the bottom-right?

 

[Hadron]

I guess the only reservation I'd have about Amazon Renewed is that they only promise that the battery will have > 80% capacity. You may get an extremely lightly-used one, in which case that's great, but they don't promise that.

(Unfortunately the Apple certified 2018 11" hasn't shown up in the UK store in the last week, just Minis and the older generation 12.4").

 

[Act3]

One thing to keep in mind for the Air’s Touch ID is if you’re left handed, that might be a bit of a pain as the power button is on the top right in portrait mode.

Or top left in landscape, and if you use it like that that might be a pain if you’re right handed...

I would find that hard to believe that would cause a pain. I don’t use my right hand to do all my typing or to activate my turn signal. And I’m right handed.

 

[Shanghaichica]

I guess the only reservation I'd have about Amazon Renewed is that they only promise that the battery will have > 80% capacity. You may get an extremely lightly-used one, in which case that's great, but they don't promise that.

(Unfortunately the Apple certified 2018 11" hasn't shown up in the UK store in the last week, just Minis and the older generation 12.4").

Mine had 100% capacity.

 

[HuRR]

I have an iPad Pro 9.7" 32GB WiFi + Celluar and am considering upgrading. I don't really need the cellular version but can't decide if I want to get the 2018 11" iPad Pro or the iPad Air. I think the iPad Air would be perfectly fine for me since I don't really use hardware intensive apps plus the A14 Bionic would be more powerful than the A9X that's in my current one. Anyone in the same boat? Did I just convince myself to get the iPad Air?

 

[MacPoulet]

I would find that hard to believe that would cause a pain. I don’t use my right hand to do all my typing or to activate my turn signal. And I’m right handed.

Not cause a pain, be a pain. If you're a lefty who wears a watch on the right hand, it's a pain in the neck to use.

 

[MacPoulet]

Like my MBP's touch ID is a pain because I'm left-handed and the button's on the far right of my keyboard?

I guess I find it weird that some people are so lateralised that they'd struggle to just use whichever hand was more convenient for something as simple as touching a button. But surely if you are one of them you just turn it into landscape the other way so the touch button is on the bottom-right?

I guess I'm just weird then.

 

[millydog]

One thing to keep in mind for the Air’s Touch ID is if you’re left handed, that might be a bit of a pain as the power button is on the top right in portrait mode.

Or top left in landscape, and if you use it like that that might be a pain if you’re right handed...

You can solve this by registering multiple finger prints. Just register your pointer finger on each hand and it will work then in either orientation.

Also, I have a 2018 iPP and even though it has Face ID, I still have to double click the on-off button for purchases anyway, while with the Air 4 it's likely to be a case of just sitting your finger on the button, but it's a similar action.

 

[Hadron]

I guess I'm just weird then.

Or I might be.

(Actually I know I'm more ambi than many, and occasionally surprise people who don't know me by swapping the hand I use tools in. It just seems to me that touching a button doesn't require a lot of dexterity - a word that ironically comes from the latin for "right" - so I find it surprising that that would be an issue).

 

[MacPoulet]

Or I might be.

(Actually I know I'm more ambi than many, and occasionally surprise people who don't know me by swapping the hand I use tools in. It just seems to me that touching a button doesn't require a lot of dexterity - a word that ironically comes from the latin for "right" - so I find it surprising that that would be an issue).

There are probably cases where people with disabilities have limited dexterity, or might be missing a limb. It might be a little harder for people with arthritis if the new Touch ID button is smaller and trickier to access than the old home button.

 

[MacPoulet]

You can solve this by registering multiple finger prints. Just register your pointer finger on each hand and it will work then in either orientation.

Also, I have a 2018 iPP and even though it has Face ID, I still have to double click the on-off button for purchases anyway, while with the Air 4 it's likely to be a case of just sitting your finger on the button, but it's a similar action.

Interesting. I didn’t know you had to double click the power button with Face ID.

 

[Mogfrog]

I'm looking for an iPad but it feels like a really awkward time to buy. I like the Air 4, but 64gb isn't enough. So 256gb brings it to £729 (UK). Now I'm just £40 from the 2020 Pro with 128gb, which is also enough storage. So I guess I'm now in the market for an iPad Pro... But it feels like it's coming to the end of its cycle and noticeably big update (compared to 18 to 20) is on the way. So should I bother waiting or just pull the trigger? Can't say I desperately need one right now, but I hate to wait to. Hmmm...

 

[Hadron]

There are probably cases where people with disabilities have limited dexterity, or might be missing a limb. It might be a little harder for people with arthritis if the new Touch ID button is smaller and trickier to access than the old home button.

Very good point.

 

[Fred Zed]

Mine had 100% capacity.

where you pulling those figure from ?

 

[Shanghaichica]

where you pulling those figure from ?

Coconut battery

 

[Fred Zed]

Coconut battery

Yep. Tried all three 3utools, iMazing and coconut all about the same readings.

 

[satchmo]

I'm looking for an iPad but it feels like a really awkward time to buy. I like the Air 4, but 64gb isn't enough. So 256gb brings it to £729 (UK). Now I'm just £40 from the 2020 Pro with 128gb, which is also enough storage. So I guess I'm now in the market for an iPad Pro... But it feels like it's coming to the end of its cycle and noticeably big update (compared to 18 to 20) is on the way. So should I bother waiting or just pull the trigger? Can't say I desperately need one right now, but I hate to wait to. Hmmm...

I'm in a similar spot, but I need one right now.

For me, it's to take advantage of the free iPod promo. Adding $200 (Airpods) to an iPad Air 4 (64gb) brings it to only within $60 of an iPad Pro 11" with 128gb.

So as much as the 2020 iPP's seem to be at the end of their cycle, they're still very powerful tablets that will last for a good 5 years. Maybe I won't have the fastest single task processor, but you can't play that game or you'll be broke very quickly.

Would I love to get an iPP with an A14x chip? Sure. But if it comes with the rumoured mini-LED display, you can be sure it'll be even more expensive. In most cases where you don't need one, you should wait.

 

[Savannah Terry]

If you’re thinking of getting the 2020 IPP, just get it. It’s a beast, you won’t regret it.
I seen the “BendGate” thing was mentioned. There was reports of the 2018 models coming bent, but there really hasn’t been reports of the 2020 doing that. There really wasn’t that many of the 2018. Yes there’s videos on YouTube of people using their hands and bending them. But are you really going to take your new $800-$1,400 iPad and try to bend it? No. Any slim piece of aluminum tech will bend with pressure. Just take care of your device, put it in a case for travel and you’ll be fine.

 

[limesmoothie]

There are probably cases where people with disabilities have limited dexterity, or might be missing a limb. It might be a little harder for people with arthritis if the new Touch ID button is smaller and trickier to access than the old home button.

Yeah, I’ve got limited right arm mobility and use an iPad Pro - the Touch ID on the new Air (whilst theoretically useful) would be a nightmare for me.

Face ID on the Pro is great for me (I don’t tend to use it in places where I’d be wearing a mask at the moment). I’ve hung onto my old Air, as the home button Touch ID is fairly easy to use, even with loss of fine motor skills in my hand.

 

[darngooddesign]

I seriously doubt Touch ID will cause any issues with your left hand because Apple has pretty stringent accessibility and human-interface guidelines they adhere to. Activating it isn‘t a precision task, you just put your finger on it and press. Should be no harder than controlling a dimmer wall switch with your left hand.