iPad Pro iPad 2020 11” Refurb vs New iPad 11” M1

[laurieballard]

As per the title really.
Looking at the specs, the processor seems to be the biggest upgrade but in reality, it’s unlikely to be noticeable in real world use?

Currently use a 2017 10.5” Pro so looking to upgrade

Refurb store has the 2020 Pro for £549 where as the new one is £750 so it’s £200 saving.

I won’t be getting cellular so the 5G is a non issue and if the screen is the same, the only differences seem to be the processor, slight bump in RAM and TB port?

Am I missing something?

I like the idea of the 12.9 but something tells me getting it out on my train commute would make me realise it’s the wrong decision ?

 

[Shirasaki]

What do you use iPad most? Watching video and surfing the internet? Shopping? No or very few photo and video editing? Don't play games? Then 2020 iPad is enough.
Otherwise, M1 might offer longer-term support than the 2020 iPad's A12Z processor.

 

[bniu]

For my uses, I'm interested in reading books, surfing web, and watching tv on a light and easy to carry device, with the one requirement that it has a usb-c port so I can share a common charger with my MacBook.

2020 A12Z vs M1, they both do the job, can't think of any advantage the M1's TB port would offer. I suppose it could output full 5K or 6K to a display, but I don't have those displays and I can't even think of when I'd want to output my ipad to my 4K display other than to see that it actually works.

So for me, I'd save the quid/bucks and go for the A12Z model. Now if it was between the 12.9" models, I'd go for the M1, but solely for the mini-LED display.

 

[laurieballard]

For my uses, I'm interested in reading books, surfing web, and watching tv on a light and easy to carry device, with the one requirement that it has a usb-c port so I can share a common charger with my MacBook.

2020 A12Z vs M1, they both do the job, can't think of any advantage the M1's TB port would offer. I suppose it could output full 5K or 6K to a display, but I don't have those displays and I can't even think of when I'd want to output my ipad to my 4K display other than to see that it actually works.

So for me, I'd save the quid/bucks and go for the A12Z model. Now if it was between the 12.9" models, I'd go for the M1, but solely for the mini-LED display.

12.9 M1 is £1000 so more than I wanted to spend, I just can’t justify that amount on something which I won’t be using as my main computer.

I’m leaning towards the Refurb 11” considering it’s a £200 saving.
I tend to use the IPad for movies on my commute, reading books, annotating PDFs for studying, replying to emails etc.

No processor intensive stuff

 

[Digitalguy]

As much as I consider that the M1 offers much more value than the Air 4, compared to the 2020 11in I'd say save the £200 and get the 2020, it has more value than the M1 at that price

 

[LeonPro]

In terms of longevity, I’d hedge the additional 200 on that insurance. I’d be able to pass it on to my kids when I’m done with it.

 

[Digitalguy]

In terms of longevity, I’d hedge the additional 200 on that insurance. I’d be able to pass it on to my kids when I’m done with it.

given the longevity of the air 2, it's reasonable to expect the 2020 pro to be updated at least until 2028 and the M1 until 2030. I am generally someone that plans ahead, but 2028 vs 2030? I personally couldn't care less... and would certainly not pay 200 more just for that...

 

[Lerten]

Well, it looks like your mind is made up - main reasons to upgrade to the 2021 version are performance/longevity and 5g. There is not much more, other than the improved face ID camera. If none of that seems to be a worthy upgrade to you, get the refurb and enjoy it.

 

[LeonPro]

given the longevity of the air 2, it's reasonable to expect the 2020 pro to be updated at least until 2028 and the M1 until 2030. I am generally someone that plans ahead, but 2028 vs 2030? I personally couldn't care less... and would certainly not pay 200 more just for that...

Yes, that may be true but I was thinking more of Apple protecting the M1 chip above all else. And that depends on what 200 means in terms of spending power of an individual.

 

[Digitalguy]

Yes, that may be true but I was thinking more of Apple protecting the M1 chip above all else. And that depends on what 200 means in terms of spending power of an individual.

I guess spending power is there, otherwise it wouldn't be an option. I have been saying over and over to all the many supporters of the air 4, who say it's the best iPad for most people, that it's a terrible value, when compared to the M1 11in for a $200 difference... But if you can get the 2020 11in for 200 less the value proposition changes completely...More storage, more RAM, promotion, quad speakers...
And again I have stopped worrying about longevity when it comes to OS updates, at this point I am even actively not updating the oldest devices, like the mini 4, which has become much slower on iPadOS 14, and will probably leave my 9.7 pro on 13.
I don't think the M1 will receive any special treatment on iPads, maybe on Macs, but only compared to Intel Macs. Other than that we'll probably have new M chips every 12-18 months from now on...

 

[Username-already-in-use]

Sounds like the 2020 refurb is the right choice for you, especially since the price difference matters to you more than the jump in RAM/CPU.

 

[Natzoo]

The 2018/20/21 are all the same at heart, all the chips are overpowered for the OS. and 2020 has 6GB of ram so it's definitely "future proof". Get the refurb and wait until something wows you, M1 is cool but that's all it is.

 

[GuruZac]

Pick up the 2020 refurb. The M1 and extra 2GB of RAM are pretty much the only differences. The 2018/2020 iPad Pros aren’t lacking in performance at all.

 

[rui no onna]

given the longevity of the air 2, it's reasonable to expect the 2020 pro to be updated at least until 2028 and the M1 until 2030. I am generally someone that plans ahead, but 2028 vs 2030? I personally couldn't care less... and would certainly not pay 200 more just for that...

The Air 2 may have been supported for very long but the user experience has kinda suffered for a while now. Honestly, kinda wish I'd just kept it on iOS 10 or 12.

In 3 years time, I expect I'll already be replacing the 2020 Pro which essentially has a 3 year old chipset at this time (granted, the extra RAM helps on <1TB). Meanwhile I'd probably still be content with the 2021 Pro. If Apple retains the slow pace of iPad updates, what will be the options in 2024 anyway? Refurb M1 for ~$600 or latest model for ~$800? If so, might as well just get the M1 now.

 

[snipr125]

12.9 M1 is £1000 so more than I wanted to spend, I just can’t justify that amount on something which I won’t be using as my main computer.

I’m leaning towards the Refurb 11” considering it’s a £200 saving.
I tend to use the IPad for movies on my commute, reading books, annotating PDFs for studying, replying to emails etc.

No processor intensive stuff

If that's the case then get a brand new Ipad Air 4 with the current up to date 5 nm A14 chip which will feel fast and snappy with day to day tasks due to its faster single core performance, rather than a refurb 2020 ipad pro which has a 3 year old processor (still powerful, but not as efficient or snappy compared to the A14). If you really want the Pro-motion screen etc, then get the M1 IPP. Stick to current tech in my opinion, Amazon UK has deals on both.

2020 Apple iPad Air (10.9-inch, Wi-Fi, 64GB) - Space Grey (4th Generation)

The all-new iPad Air. It’s more versatile than ever. The stunning 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display with wide colour lets you see photos, videos and games in vivid, true-to-life detail. It features the A14 Bionic chip with Neural Engine, delivering power and advanced machine learning capabilities t...

www.amazon.co.uk

2021 Apple iPad Pro (11-inch, Wi-Fi, 128GB) - Space Grey (3rd Generation)

iPad Pro features the powerful Apple M1 chip with next-level performance and all-day battery life. The Liquid Retina display on the 11-inch iPad Pro is not only gorgeous, but super portable. 5G cellular models give you blazing speeds away from Wi-Fi. And a front camera with Center Stage keeps you...

www.amazon.co.uk

 

[laurieballard]

Thanks for all the replies.

Ended up buying the 11" M1 Pro with Logitech Combo Touch and Apple Pencil for a shade over what the Gift Card had on it. Pick it all up today at an Apple Store.

I just figured for £200, I would future proof the device as long as possible. I tend to keep them 3-4 years at least and my 18 month old son would likely start to use it in a few years time as he seemed very interested in the current iPad I have.

 

[Significant1]

The Air 2 may have been supported for very long but the user experience has kinda suffered for a while now. Honestly, kinda wish I'd just kept it on iOS 10 or 12.

Then Apps cannot use newer api's and at a certain point decide not to support the ios version.

If that's the case then get a brand new Ipad Air 4 with the current up to date 5 nm A14 chip which will feel fast and snappy with day to day tasks due to its faster single core performance, rather than a refurb 2020 ipad pro which has a 3 year old processor (still powerful, but not as efficient or snappy compared to the A14). If you really want the Pro-motion screen etc, then get the M1 IPP. Stick to current tech in my opinion, Amazon UK has deals on both.

2020 Apple iPad Air (10.9-inch, Wi-Fi, 64GB) - Space Grey (4th Generation)

The all-new iPad Air. It’s more versatile than ever. The stunning 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display with wide colour lets you see photos, videos and games in vivid, true-to-life detail. It features the A14 Bionic chip with Neural Engine, delivering power and advanced machine learning capabilities t...

www.amazon.co.uk

2021 Apple iPad Pro (11-inch, Wi-Fi, 128GB) - Space Grey (3rd Generation)

iPad Pro features the powerful Apple M1 chip with next-level performance and all-day battery life. The Liquid Retina display on the 11-inch iPad Pro is not only gorgeous, but super portable. 5G cellular models give you blazing speeds away from Wi-Fi. And a front camera with Center Stage keeps you...

www.amazon.co.uk

Single performance is not everything. The 2020 11" ipp is overall a better device. I got a 256GB 2020 11" ipp cheaper than air 4 256gb. Don't feel it is any slower than my iPhone 12 pro and alone the extra 2gb ram makes it a more future proff buy for me.

 

[rui no onna]

Then Apps cannot use newer api's and at a certain point decide not to support the ios version.

As long as the older app versions continue to work, I'm not really all that bothered. I like having smooth performance so I prefer to just replace my device with a newer, faster model when app compatibility starts becoming an issue.

 

[ericwn]

12.9 M1 is £1000 so more than I wanted to spend, I just can’t justify that amount on something which I won’t be using as my main computer.

I’m leaning towards the Refurb 11” considering it’s a £200 saving.
I tend to use the IPad for movies on my commute, reading books, annotating PDFs for studying, replying to emails etc.

No processor intensive stuff

Those tasks can be accomplished on any current iPad easily, I’d focus on getting the screen size you like most at the lowest price point possible.

 

[Booji]

Thanks for all the replies.

Ended up buying the 11" M1 Pro with Logitech Combo Touch and Apple Pencil for a shade over what the Gift Card had on it. Pick it all up today at an Apple Store.

I just figured for £200, I would future proof the device as long as possible. I tend to keep them 3-4 years at least and my 18 month old son would likely start to use it in a few years time as he seemed very interested in the current iPad I have.

Even though last year's model is always a better value from a purely rational view, I just can't stomach buying older technology. There is something very nice about having the latest and greatest if you can afford it, even if you don't plan to use all of the capabilities.

 

[Digitalguy]

Even though last year's model is always a better value from a purely rational view, I just can't stomach buying older technology. There is something very nice about having the latest and greatest if you can afford it, even if you don't plan to use all of the capabilities.

I don't always see it that way. If I have to choose between A14 with 4GB RAM and A12Z with 6GB, I'll take the older chip with more RAM any day (plus all the other additional features). Now if we are talking M1 vs A12Z that's a different story.... And it also depends if it's the only or main iPad (like for most people), or if it's a piece of the puzzle for one of those people (like me) that have multiple iPads of different sizes

 

[boak]

Refurb 11-inch Pro 2020 over Air 4 is a no-brainer.

2GB more RAM, 64GB more storage (assuming base models)
ProMotion
Quad speaker
Better camera
Better graphics and multi-core performance

 

[saudor]

12.9 M1 is £1000 so more than I wanted to spend, I just can’t justify that amount on something which I won’t be using as my main computer.

I’m leaning towards the Refurb 11” considering it’s a £200 saving.
I tend to use the IPad for movies on my commute, reading books, annotating PDFs for studying, replying to emails etc.

No processor intensive stuff

For those purposes, your 2017 pro is more than enough. I would just wait and buy the M1 when it goes cheaper next year as it’s substantially better than the 2020 which is basically a 2018.

I came from a 2014 iPad Air 2 and it did all that fine too. Only upgraded to M1 11” with logi combo touch since i decided to sell off my laptop and use the ipad as a laptop replacement

 

[rui no onna]

Refurb 11-inch Pro 2020 over Air 4 is a no-brainer.

2GB more RAM, 64GB more storage (assuming base models)
ProMotion
Quad speaker
Better camera
Better graphics and multi-core performance

Depends on pricing and the value one puts in those extra features. I've seen the Air 4 256GB go on sale at Amazon for $639 versus $609 for the Apple certified refurb 2020 Pro 11.

The difference in multi-core performance is just 10%. That's pretty negligible. Granted, the extra 2GB RAM on the Pro is a definite plus.

I've had ProMotion iPads since 2017. Personally, doesn't matter much to me. Same goes for quad speakers and camera.

TouchID vs FaceID is personal preference. iPad Air 4 has a lower power iPhone chipset so likely better battery longevity, too.

 

[boak]

Depends on pricing and the value one puts in those extra features. I've seen the Air 4 256GB go on sale at Amazon for $639 versus $609 for the Apple certified refurb 2020 Pro 11.

The difference in multi-core performance is just 10%. That's pretty negligible. Granted, the extra 2GB RAM on the Pro is a definite plus.

I've had ProMotion iPads since 2017. Personally, doesn't matter much to me. Same goes for quad speakers and camera.

TouchID vs FaceID is personal preference. iPad Air 4 has a lower power iPhone chipset so likely better battery longevity, too.

The refurbished 256GB Pro is only $50 more (only $10 more if comparing base models). Pretty much worth the extra 2GB RAM tbh, especially since RAM is the limiting factor in iOS/iPadOS support nowadays.

ProMotion, quad speakers and camera are just extra bonuses. Personally don't care much about ProMotion, since I don't really use the Pencil but quad speakers are really nice when watching movies.