All iPads I use my iPad Pro 12.9 differently coming from a 10.5” iPad Air 3

[Woodcrest64]

When I went to the larger size I now hold my iPad in landscape orientation for the majority of the time. I’m using split screen more with the larger screen space. The size does take some getting use to for sure.

Reading and writing contracts and legal documents on this is way nicer vs the 10.5”. Both sizes have their advantages. I will also say I’m using my iPad more on a table and desk than I did compared to the iPad Air 3.

In terms of speed, yes, it does feel snappier going from the A12 to the M2 though my iPad Air 3 never felt slow if that makes sense. The extra ram/ memory does help with running multiple apps.

I own the original iPad and also have the iPad Air 2. The original iPad can’t really do much anymore in terms of web browsing. It’s slow, buggy and often crashes. The iPad Air 2 still runs okay but I am seeing it age though nowhere near as quickly as the original iPad did.

I imagine these iPads with the M1 and M2 processors will last quite a long time, especially if you replace the battery at some point. These processors seem like overkill for right now but I imagine more software will take advantage of them.

 

[BB1970]

I imagine these iPads with the M1 and M2 processors will last quite a long time,

I keep saying that about every new device I bought. I end up forking over more and more money. I think I’m done with iPads for a while (and trust me when I say I love them and owned many). My 10.5 is showing it’s age and I’m tired of being caught in the cycle. Glad you’re enjoying your new device!

 

[rui no onna]

I keep saying that about every new device I bought. I end up forking over more and more money. I think I’m done with iPads for a while (and trust me when I say I love them and owned many). My 10.5 is showing it’s age and I’m tired of being caught in the cycle. Glad you’re enjoying your new device!

I still upgrade iPads but the cycle in between has been getting longer:

• 2011 iPad 2 64GB WiFi
• 2012 iPad 3 64GB LTE
• 2013 iPad 4 128GB LTE (desperately needed the storage upgrade)
• 2013 iPad Air 16GB LTE (EDC)
• 2014 iPad Air 2 128GB WiFi
• 2016 iPad Pro 9.7 256GB LTE
• 2017 iPad Pro 12.9 512GB LTE (used in conjunction with the Pro 9.7)
• 2021 iPad Pro 11 & 12.9 1TB 5G

I was tempted to get the 2015 12.9 but 128GB storage was too low and at the time, I didn’t have a use for the larger size.

 

[GMShadow]

Yeah, the 12.9 is much more of a desk device, but the extra screen real estate makes it quite usable for that.

The Air 2 was the first 'overkill' iPad (with the requisite "can't use all this power" grumbling at the time), so while it's definitely getting old it held up far better than the predecessors. Apple was still shipping 2GB RAM iOS devices until 2022, and still supports 2GB RAM iPads today.

 

[goldpin]

I made this same leap (iPad Air 3 to 12.9 M2 iPad Pro). I have fully transitioned to using Stage Manager and I have stages with 2-3 apps each that I commonly use together. I find that handheld, I still tend to use it vertically, but it’s resting on my torso to support the weight. I have been using it with an external display and that works really quite well. I don’t buy iPads often (3-4 years between) so each jump is a pretty significant one. So far, I’m happy with this. I use the Logitech keyboard case with the removable keyboard. It’s not light, but very protective and I like the kickstand feature of the case without the keyboard. Makes it more comfortable in the kitchen and when at the desk, I use a full size bluetooth keyboard and Magic Trackpad with it.

 

[BigMcGuire]

I left iPads because I didn’t want to pay $1600 (1TB iPad Pro 11) for something that I used as a glorified e-reader. So I tried to go without one for most of this year. What did I find out? IPads are the best ways for me to read and I love reading. So I got an iPad Air 5 recently on $150 discount and I’m using it a lot (Apple Pencil, reading, and —- via stage manager with an external monitor at my wife’s work right now). Useful devices.

I do think these M1 / M2 processor 8 GB ram devices are going to last a long time. The batteries will probably be the cause of upgrading.

 

[escargot3]

I left iPads because I didn’t want to pay $1600 (1TB iPad Pro 11) for something that I used as a glorified e-reader.

If it’s just a glorified ereader, why on earth would you need 1TB and 16GB RAM? Surely 128GB and 8GB would already be overkill for your ebooks, PDFs, magazines, comics etc.

 

[BigMcGuire]

If it’s just a glorified ereader, why on earth would you need 1TB and 16GB RAM? Surely 128GB and 8GB would already be overkill for your ebooks, PDFs, magazines, comics etc.

Longevity. It would last a bit longer. I usually try to get the higher end specs because of longevity and keep it for as long as I can.

But yeah that's exactly the problem I had. While I read every day for hours - $1600 was way too much for me. I got an Air 5 for less than half that and have been very happy with that choice - and I still plan on using it for a handful of years or more.

 

[Woodcrest64]

I made this same leap (iPad Air 3 to 12.9 M2 iPad Pro). I have fully transitioned to using Stage Manager and I have stages with 2-3 apps each that I commonly use together. I find that handheld, I still tend to use it vertically, but it’s resting on my torso to support the weight. I have been using it with an external display and that works really quite well. I don’t buy iPads often (3-4 years between) so each jump is a pretty significant one. So far, I’m happy with this. I use the Logitech keyboard case with the removable keyboard. It’s not light, but very protective and I like the kickstand feature of the case without the keyboard. Makes it more comfortable in the kitchen and when at the desk, I use a full size bluetooth keyboard and Magic Trackpad with it.

Have you tried using the Logitech keyboard with the kickstand on your lap? Curious to know if it’s stable Like that.

 

[Alex Cai]

I went from iPad Pro 10.5 to M1 11’.
The older one couldn’t handle the games that I play (asphalt 9, standoff 2, cod, etc), the frame rate gets low and the back is super hot so I feel like upgrading when the M1 came to the iPad.
Some people say that iPads can’t handle with M1’s heat because it’s passive cooling, but I have to say that under same tasks(such as 2k 60fps), M1 is a lot cooler.

Stage manager for iPad is generally useless, the only thing I likes is to vertically split screen and more freedom in placing apps on the screen

 

[rui no onna]

If it’s just a glorified ereader, why on earth would you need 1TB and 16GB RAM? Surely 128GB and 8GB would already be overkill for your ebooks, PDFs, magazines, comics etc.

While ebooks are usually small, locally stored comics can easily take up a lot of space. I normally just download my favorite comics and TBR pile and those clock in at ~300GB already.

Local storage for comics is one of the reasons I upgraded iPads so frequently (64GB iPad 3 -> 128GB iPad 4 -> 256GB Pro 9.7 -> 512GB Pro 12.9).

 

[goldpin]

Have you tried using the Logitech keyboard with the kickstand on your lap? Curious to know if it’s stable Like that.

I have a few times but honestly I do my typing at a desk. The Logitech setup is long front to back and while stable may not fit on laps well.

 

[BanjoDudeAhoy]

I do think these M1 / M2 processor 8 GB ram devices are going to last a long time. The batteries will probably be the cause of upgrading.

I think so, too. But a battery replacement directly from Apple doesn’t seem super expensive. So, if a new device struck me as too pricy or it just didn’t offer anything new I wanted/needed, I think I’d go with a new battery instead.

 

[Danfango]

I imagine these iPads with the M1 and M2 processors will last quite a long time, especially if you replace the battery at some point. These processors seem like overkill for right now but I imagine more software will take advantage of them.

These processors are so so so so so overkill. It's great.

I use my 11" as a synthesizer at the moment. Can't wait to see what glory I can extract from it in the next few years. It just eats up every little bit of work I throw at it.

 

[KPOM]

Longevity. It would last a bit longer. I usually try to get the higher end specs because of longevity and keep it for as long as I can.

But yeah that's exactly the problem I had. While I read every day for hours - $1600 was way too much for me. I got an Air 5 for less than half that and have been very happy with that choice - and I still plan on using it for a handful of years or more.

Who cares about longevity at those prices? A base iPad is $329 or $449 for the 10th gen. Use it until it is obsolete and then replace it with the new base model and you are still spending less than the Pro model you got.

 

[KPOM]

I think most people grossly overestimate the storage they need with an iPad. Just save your photos to the cloud and use applications on demand. I have a 64GB iPad Air 5 and have almost half the onboard storage available even though I have Office 365 and OneDrive for Business. It’s perfect for getting work done on the road. I save the files in need for onboard storage when traveling but use the cloud for everything else.

 

[nick42983]

I keep saying that about every new device I bought. I end up forking over more and more money. I think I’m done with iPads for a while (and trust me when I say I love them and owned many). My 10.5 is showing it’s age and I’m tired of being caught in the cycle. Glad you’re enjoying your new device!

I think iPads have matured to the point where any new or recent one is going to be comfortably useful for 5+ years. As someone who owns an iPad 3, iPad Mini, iPad Mini 4 and an 2020 iPad Pro, I've come to see the device's strengths and weaknesses over the past decade. Apple's approach of limiting the iPad's usefulness to encourage multi-device ownership instead of creating a MacBook replacement is annoying but with the Magic Keyboard and ongoing software improvements, the Pro has finally begun to achieve the potential that Apple has been selling us on since 2010. To be honest though, my iPhone has always been the key iOS device and I could have gotten by fine with it and a MacBook all along but as a tech enthusiast I wanted to experience the quintessential tablet for myself.

I think so, too. But a battery replacement directly from Apple doesn’t seem super expensive. So, if a new device struck me as too pricy or it just didn’t offer anything new I wanted/needed, I think I’d go with a new battery instead.

I was shocked recently when my OG iPad Mini from 2013 that hadn't been touched for 4 years charged up and held its charge on standby for over a week. Apple's battery replacement prices aren't bad but it seems like RAM and CPU will begin to show their age sooner than the battery. It's easy to complain about prices but Apple makes durable, long-lasting and generally well-supported hardware.

I think most people grossly overestimate the storage they need with an iPad. Just save your photos to the cloud and use applications on demand. I have a 64GB iPad Air 5 and have almost half the onboard storage available even though I have Office 365 and OneDrive for Business. It’s perfect for getting work done on the road. I save the files in need for onboard storage when traveling but use the cloud for everything else.

I went with the 128GB iPad Pro and I haven't used more than about 45GB. This is mainly because I don't like how iPad OS handles files and I don't use my iPad like I use my MacBook, 64GB would still be a bit of a squeeze for me though. I'd be more inclined to use iCloud if Apple didn't force the hard upsell from 200GB ($2.99/month) to 2TB ($9.99) with nothing in between. At this point I'm going to remove all of those rarely-accessed photos and videos from iCloud and just keep local backups to stay within the lower tier. The fact that users with a half dozen or more active Apple devices get the same pathetic 5GB free is shameful. At the very least offer some more mix-and-match options for services than the very limited Apple One offering. At $11.99, YouTube Premium (with YouTube Music) is much more compelling to me than any Apple service.

 

[rui no onna]

Who cares about longevity at those prices? A base iPad is $329 or $449 for the 10th gen. Use it until it is obsolete and then replace it with the new base model and you are still spending less than the Pro model you got.

I used to think that way: buy base model and replace after 2-3 years. However, the gap is large enough (particularly RAM) that the math has changed for us so that annual cost over the useful life of the iPads is around the same or even favors the higher end iPads.

At this point in time, you could get almost double the useful life by spending just an extra ~$100 more (iPad 10th gen vs Air 5 at discounted prices). Heck, the M1 iPad Pro 11 128GB was on sale for just $549 at Target during Black Friday-Cyber Monday sales.

For us, 50-100% longer useful life at 25-35% higher cost makes going for the Air or Pro worth it. If one needs higher storage tier plus cellular, the math favors the higher end iPad models even more.

Plus you get a smoother experience during the life of the device to boot (just 4GB RAM on my mini 6 sucks). The 2022 iPad 10th gen still has 4GB RAM same as the 2017 iPad Pro. It seems likely that 3 years or so from now, the latest base iPad would only have 6-8GB RAM making it less of an upgrade over the Air 5 or M-chipset iPad Pros.

I think most people grossly overestimate the storage they need with an iPad. Just save your photos to the cloud and use applications on demand. I have a 64GB iPad Air 5 and have almost half the onboard storage available even though I have Office 365 and OneDrive for Business. It’s perfect for getting work done on the road. I save the files in need for onboard storage when traveling but use the cloud for everything else.

It's very frustrating not having the app you need installed when you're out and about while cellular is a crappy 1 Mbps because of offload apps.

I use iCloud for sync and backup but to me, the reliance on a good internet connection makes cloud services/streaming not a viable replacement to local storage.

 

[BigMcGuire]

I think most people grossly overestimate the storage they need with an iPad. Just save your photos to the cloud and use applications on demand. I have a 64GB iPad Air 5 and have almost half the onboard storage available even though I have Office 365 and OneDrive for Business. It’s perfect for getting work done on the road. I save the files in need for onboard storage when traveling but use the cloud for everything else.

I agree with what you’re saying. I’m sitting on a 256GB Air 5 only because it was $150 off (new) from Best Buy. I am only using something like 45GB and that’s not even trying to save space. I am sitting on a 500/500 FIOS.

I used to be someone who always justifying getting the top line model if I could (I couldn’t) for longevity reasons.

Like rui no onna stated - the 8GB M1 is going to be a longevity workhorse. And I hopped on that bandwagon. I easily expect to get 3-5 years out of this thing. Using it now to type this with a Bluetooth keyboard at the breakfast table (<cough>).

 

[rui no onna]

I agree with what you’re saying. I’m sitting on a 256GB Air 5 only because it was $150 off (new) from Best Buy. I am only using something like 45GB and that’s not even trying to save space. I am sitting on a 500/500 FIOS.

Alas, I’m just on 200/10 Spectrum cable (monopolies suck) and I consider that quite good already. When I visit family in the Philippines, in some areas, I could barely get my email to load.

The annoying thing is there’s no 128GB base and Air for $50 more like on iPhones. I need 512GB-1TB storage myself but for the rest of the family, 128GB is comfortable allows room to grow while 64GB is too tight and 256GB is too pricey.

We have some 32GB iPads in the household and even with iCloud optimize and a few streaming apps installed, I still have to clean those up to upgrade firmware. I remember back in the older days iOS and other system data only used 3-5GB of storage. Nowadays, iPadOS+Other uses up ~20GB.

 

[KPOM]

I used to think that way: buy base model and replace after 2-3 years. However, the gap is large enough (particularly RAM) that the math has changed for us so that annual cost over the useful life of the iPads is around the same or even favors the higher end iPads.

At this point in time, you could get almost double the useful life by spending just an extra ~$100 more (iPad 10th gen vs Air 5 at discounted prices). Heck, the M1 iPad Pro 11 128GB was on sale for just $549 at Target during Black Friday-Cyber Monday sales.

I have the iPad Air 5th Generation myself. However, my point is that for the use case of the poster to whom I replied, the base is good enough and will be so for years.

IMO, the Air is the ”sweet spot“ for those who do some content creation and have an external monitor. Stage Manager can be very useful, as are the extra RAM and M1.

 

[rui no onna]

I have the iPad Air 5th Generation myself. However, my point is that for the use case of the poster to whom I replied, the base is good enough and will be so for years.

IMO, the Air is the ”sweet spot“ for those who do some content creation and have an external monitor. Stage Manager can be very useful, as are the extra RAM and M1.

I use various iPads and don’t really do content creation nor do I use an external monitor.

Frankly, one of the reasons I upgraded to the M1 iPP last year was because I got frustrated with all the reloads and app crashes on 4GB RAM doing fairly basic stuff like web browsing and reading. Imho, even if you’re not using iPads for photo or video editing, one can still benefit from the better specs (primarily 8GB RAM).

The base iPad is cheaper but it also contains basically 2-3 year old specs upon release. To me, the price increase on the 10th gen and the $300 iPad remaining at A13/3GB is at the point where it’s worth spending more on M1+8GB to get a much bigger jump from, say, Pro 9.7 or iPad 6th gen for double the useful life.