iPad Get an iPad now or wait til 22'?

[SR 7]

How different are the iPad's now that Cook has complicated the hell out of iPad's product line.

I read Apple is releasing new iPads next year but any idea which model is expected to get the change? and is it a significant change similar to the MacBook Pro or is it like the iPhone 13 being an S of the iPhone 12?

I am assuming the Pro is great but what is the strength of it compared to say the iPad Air? And the regular iPad is about $300 but is it good for games like Call of Duty or is it like using a very low end phone where the game lags and it is poor quality?

 

[wilberforce]

Mini-LED screen on the 11" would be worth waiting for. Movies look way better on a mini-LED screen (deeper blacks, HDR)

 

[SR 7]

are we talking $1000 price range though? or will this be on all models?

 

[wilberforce]

are we talking $1000 price range though? or will this be on all models?

I have not been following all the rumors on all the iPad models.
But I expect mini-LED will come to the 11" next year, as the 12.9" got it this year. So my point is: I suggest don't buy an 11" now, if you can wait.
I think the remaining models are unlikely to get mini-LED anytime soon.
I would think the Air is due for a processor refresh soon (from A14 to A15).

I don't game, but I am told the new Mini 6 is good for gaming (easily held, and A15)

MacRumors Buying Guide is probably a better source of likely upcoming changes, rather than some random guy on a forum, like me

 

[osx'r]

I would wait until next year, then ask yourself if you should buy in ‘22 or wait until 2023.

Seriously, though…there’s always going to be something new around the corner; basing your purchases on what’s around the corner could be a never ending conundrum.

 

[Moeller_sasa]

when will the new i pad pro models arrive? march or april?

 

[SR 7]

I would wait until next year, then ask yourself if you should buy in ‘22 or wait until 2023.

Seriously, though…there’s always going to be something new around the corner; basing your purchases on what’s around the corner could be a never ending conundrum.

Not really. With the price of an iPad not everyone is looking to upgrade every. single. year. like people on this forum. If I plan on using it for more then 3-4 years then I don't mind waiting 3 months for the better version. It is after all like $800 for a luxury item, an iPad.

 

[osx'r]

Not really. With the price of an iPad not everyone is looking to upgrade every. single. year. like people on this forum. If I plan on using it for more then 3-4 years then I don't mind waiting 3 months for the better version. It is after all like $800 for a luxury item, an iPad.

You missed the point. It’s not about always upgrading to the latest every year (I agree, that’s a bit insane). Rather, I suggested that holding out for a model that isn’t even available yet might not be the best strategy. What’s the expression; a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush?

Have a great day!

 

[Wando64]

Not really. With the price of an iPad not everyone is looking to upgrade every. single. year. like people on this forum. If I plan on using it for more then 3-4 years then I don't mind waiting 3 months for the better version. It is after all like $800 for a luxury item, an iPad.

iPads hardware is so far ahead of the game that if I needed to buy one now I would look for the right specs on the Apple refurb store and buy without hesitation about a newer model becoming available (that is always going to be the case).
That’s how I bought my current 2018 11” pro and frankly there is nothing that you can do with the M1 that I can’t do with the 2018 with pretty much exactly the same user experience.
Hell, when I bought the 11” pro I gave my old 9.7” pro to my wife and (with iOS 15) it is still performing to the same standards as it did when I bought it.

 

[SR 7]

iPads hardware is so far ahead of the game that if I needed to buy one now I would look for the right specs on the Apple refurb store and buy without hesitation about a newer model becoming available (that is always going to be the case).
That’s how I bought my current 2018 11” pro and frankly there is nothing that you can do with the M1 that I can’t do with the 2018 with pretty much exactly the same user experience.
Hell, when I bought the 11” pro I gave my old 9.7” pro to my wife and (with iOS 15) it is still performing to the same standards as it did when I bought it.

I'm not too worried about the processor as I am with the display. OLED vs the Retina is the main reason for the wait. The new processor also is nice to have obviously.

 

[1BadManVan]

How different are the iPad's now that Cook has complicated the hell out of iPad's product line.

I read Apple is releasing new iPads next year but any idea which model is expected to get the change? and is it a significant change similar to the MacBook Pro or is it like the iPhone 13 being an S of the iPhone 12?

I am assuming the Pro is great but what is the strength of it compared to say the iPad Air? And the regular iPad is about $300 but is it good for games like Call of Duty or is it like using a very low end phone where the game lags and it is poor quality?

The 9th gen iPad with the A13 chip will run any game very well. No issues with games like call of duty at all.

The biggest difference for fast pace games where you will notice a difference is with the pros and their high refresh screens.

 

[SR 7]

The 9th gen iPad with the A13 chip will run any game very well. No issues with games like call of duty at all.

The biggest difference for fast pace games where you will notice a difference is with the pros and their high refresh screens.

Might just go with that one then

 

[sparksd]

I'm not too worried about the processor as I am with the display. OLED vs the Retina is the main reason for the wait. The new processor also is nice to have obviously.

You won't see OLED on the iPad next year.

 

[LogicalApex]

The best answer is always the classic answer…

Buy when you need it.

If you can wait then you don’t yet need it…

It is even more important now since the list of unknowns are long in the tooth. The chip shortage and component shortage continues. Apple is now moving to allow self service repairs even in a world where they announced depressed earnings on their investor call years ago for offering free battery upgrades on iPhones. If they are forecasting slower sales due to a combination of these factors we may see price bumps…

They already predicted a $6B hit to revenue since they can’t make enough iPhones to meet demand. And the iPhone 13 enjoyed a price bump over the iPhone 12.

The 2022 iPad may offer new features, but depending on what you are buying, like the 12.9” M1 would anything added be worth a $200 price bump?

I genuinely draw a blank of what Apple could add to make it worthy of a price bump at that level.

 

[SoYoung]

There's absolutely no guarantee if the next 11' iPad pro will get mini-LED display or when the next iPad pros will release. It could be just at the end of next year so you could end up waiting a full year.

That was the gap between the first iPad pro and the second and the 2018-20 ones. Also, its been a year we expect the new iMac 27' models to be released and we are still waiting so at this point its just pure speculation. I'd just say if you really want one, buy it now and enjoy. The next iPad Pro models is not there for a good minimum of 5-6 months anyway for sure.

 

[TheRealAlex]

Mini-LED
LPDDR5 RAM
3nm M2 CPU
WiFi 6e

yeah that’s definitely worth an upgrade in June 2022

 

[FattiesGoneWild]

Mini-LED
LPDDR5 RAM
3nm M2 CPU
WiFi 6e

yeah that’s definitely worth an upgrade in June 2022

No it’s not. Not only will it be more. It will be over powered just like the current one but, even worse. Can’t even take advantage of it now because of the crippled iPad os software. Apple will keep it like this to.

 

[mrLucas]

depends..
i got zir in 2021, so I am getting the 256 pro in 2022, but in case 256 becomes entry level.
dont wanna pay apple memory tax

 

[1BadManVan]

I honestly wouldn’t keep waiting. Once the 2022 models are released, I’m sure they’ll be missing some key feature that will be immediately rumoured for the 2023 models and around we go again.

If there’s one to fit your needs now, get one now. They’ll all be good for several years to come. Even the base model will go for atleast 5 years.

 

[LogicalApex]

Mini-LED
LPDDR5 RAM
3nm M2 CPU
WiFi 6e

yeah that’s definitely worth an upgrade in June 2022

Would it get an M2?

There are no current Macs shipping with an M2 yet. I don't see the iPad getting the M2 before the Macs that could be used to highlights its unique features. If they launch a new IPP with an MX chip it will be the M1 Pro. You'd likely see an M2 powered IPP in 2023 after an M2 Mac Pro or other Mac gets it in 2022.

Does an M1 Pro add anything meaningful to the iPad experience? Not really as iPadOS hampers things too much. But improvements are always a good thing. The concern I would have though is the price bump to account for inflation and increased component costs. I don't think an M1 Pro IPP would be worthy of a price premium over a 2021 M1 IPP.

 

[mrLucas]

Does an M1 Pro add anything meaningful to the iPad experience? Not really as iPadOS hampers things too much

M1 is great for multitasking on ipads

 

[mrLucas]

I also doubt that M1 pro will ever get to ipad. that will be reserver for stronger macs I predict.

Also the Mac Pro needs to get M1 Pro Max , and that will be in June 2022, since in March 2022 they need to get the 27” iMac out of the door. That mesns, they will have to postpone iPad for
september 2022 at least, and that would mean iPad would lead with a new M2 chip. Not sure if they go that way, and let the iPad lead. If they make some big software changeps in iPadOS in 2022, and maybe port something like finalcut to ipad, I can see iPad Pro also leading with the new M2, since that would bring him closer to the “whatacomomputer ad“.

In fact, theese are my predictions

 

[LogicalApex]

M1 is great for multitasking on ipads

It is, but iPadOS still cripples it in many ways.

Like is doesn’t allow multiple safari windows to stay around too long. Open a Window with a tab or two and swap to another Safari window then come back to the old window. A few minutes later and the old window will reload. Annoying if you used a private session in the old one as it will close all tabs and start you with a blank window.

On my M1 1TB 16GB IPP where it should be able to handle 4 safari tabs across two windows…

 

[SoYoung]

It is, but iPadOS still cripples it in many ways.

Like is doesn’t allow multiple safari windows to stay around too long. Open a Window with a tab or two and swap to another Safari window then come back to the old window. A few minutes later and the old window will reload. Annoying if you used a private session in the old one as it will close all tabs and start you with a blank window.

On my M1 1TB 16GB IPP where it should be able to handle 4 safari tabs across two windows…

Other than that, is 16GB of RAM really make the difference? Like app reloads, with 16GB of RAM I'm expecting to don't have any, or very, very rarely.

 

[LogicalApex]

Other than that, is 16GB of RAM really make the difference? Like app reloads, with 16GB of RAM I'm expecting to don't have any, or very, very rarely.

That's one area where reloads happen, but there are others.

16GB of RAM doesn't guarantee iPadOS won't decide to nuke an app running in the background. RAM isn't its only rationale for doing so. I often can go back to apps in the app switcher and see a reload scenario. Maps is another app that ends up in that reality a fair bit.