iPad Pro I have an iPad Pro 2018... the iPad Pro M1 doesn't seem better at all, it might even be worse!

[Digitalguy]

As an private owner of a 2017 and a company issued 2020, I can point at several advantages for both and numerous ties. The single most important advantage of 2020 is the pencil and how it charges. The rest is not obvious to me. Performance is sufficient for both, finger print button is easier (no bring your face closer), the 2017 is easier to hold because the bezels are larger, the 2020 is sleeker because it lacks bezels, cameras is better on the 2020 but I have an iPhone. Not a single feature in 2020 is a deal breaker.

As a owner of the 2017 and 2018 for me the 2 big advantages are
1. USB C (huge since my phone is USB C, so can charge with the same cable and can use external storage without power or even adapter, which is a big deal when you don't have airdrop and need to move large files from phone to iPad)
2. pencil 2 (just like you said)

Other smaller but still relatively significant advantages for me are Bluetooth 5 (much more range with airpods around the house) and Magic keyboard support (better than the logitech one I got for my 10.5) and more screen for roughly the same size.
And last but not least, no white spot on the 11 pro (I know not everyone has one...)

Other than that, performance on the 10.5 is still sufficient, I don't care about cameras, touch id is better than face id for me too (I kind of hate face id, wish it was like Windows hello, but it isn't...)

 

[iPadified]

Yeah. Bottom line is that "value" is subjective and user-dependent. Valuable to one person can readily be valueless to another.

So it is. However "value" is only a nicer word for not being able to afford a device because you rather use money on something else. We all do it all the time.

 

[iPadified]

As a owner of the 2017 and 2018 for me the 2 big advantages are
1. USB C (huge since my phone is USB C, so can charge with the same cable and can use external storage without power or even adapter, which is a big deal when you don't have airdrop and need to move large files from phone to iPad)
2. pencil 2 (just like you said)

Other smaller but still relatively significant advantages for me are Bluetooth 5 (much more range with airpods around the house) and Magic keyboard support (better than the logitech one I got for my 10.5) and more screen for roughly the same size.
And last but not least, no white spot on the 11 pro (I know not everyone has one...)

Other than that, performance on the 10.5 is still sufficient, I don't care about cameras, touch id is better than face id for me too (I kind of hate face id, wish it was like Windows hello, but it isn't...)

Now compare our comparisons with the OPs in the opening post. Yours and mine are nearly without emotions while the OP clearly is not.

2018/2020 are great devices and the 2021 is better but not so much better to warrant an upgrade from 2018/2020 or even 2017 for most people.

 

[Digitalguy]

So it is. However "value" is only a nicer word for not being able to afford a device because you rather use money on something else. We all do it all the time.

That's not the meaning of "being able to afford", unless I don't know English well enough... Being able to afford means having the money to buy something or, in a more extreme meaning, being able to buy without too many troubles (like excessive debt etc.). Choosing to put money somewhere else because something doesn't offer enough value for money (something you would have bought if it offered enough value) is not "not being able to afford something"....

 

[Jim Lahey]

Not everyone buying a new Apple device is upgrading from the previous model. Or even any model. Tech continues to iterate, sometimes innovate. You buy when you feel the time is right. People buying just because something is new should expect a degree of buyer’s remorse.

 

[ericwn]

So it is. However "value" is only a nicer word for not being able to afford a device because you rather use money on something else. We all do it all the time.

I can afford lots of things but don’t get them as they are not of value to me. Most iPad update years fall in that ballpark easily.

 

[VaruLV]

I can afford lots of things but don’t get them as they are not of value to me. Most iPad update years fall in that ballpark easily.

I do get this sometimes tho, been there done that, when I couldnt/wouldnt want to spend extra 200-300 euros for getting, say, iPP 11 2018 instead of 10.5 that was on sale(Im all for good deal!) and then people tend to try to rationalise their choices in favour of cheaper product. Ive done this in past few times, not saying its a bad or wrong thing, because, in the end of the day, if theres a valid reason why one should not "overspend" on a shiny new gadget, why not saving bunch of $$$ and just get what fits ones needs for the price that one is feeling comfortable to pay for an iPad/whatevergadget?
Sometimes people go all crazy and just get the latest, greatest, much more expensive things just to realise in the mid/long term that they could have done without many of the "bells and whistles". However, IMHO theres less of a chance to get sour buyers remorse compared to when one buys something of lesser "value and specs" and then realises that, you know, those couple of hundred $$$ would give one more up to date design, hw and longer sw support and better accessories.