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

[rui no onna]

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.

64GB Air 4 has gone as low as $499 on sale so more like $110 difference vs refurb 128GB 2020 Pro 11.

Mind, I'm more inclined to get the 2021 Pro than either Air 4 or 2020 Pro. Only reason I still got the Air 4 is because face masks make TouchID far more convenient.

 

[Significant1]

64GB Air 4 has gone as low as $499 on sale so more like $110 difference vs refurb 128GB 2020 Pro 11.

Mind, I'm more inclined to get the 2021 Pro than either Air 4 or 2020 Pro. Only reason I still got the Air 4 is because face masks make TouchID far more convenient.

110$ is not much for what you get and if 64gb is not enough the 256gb price is almost the same price as 2020 11" pro ("new" not refurb, we don't have that). So air 4 is in a tough spoy and only makes sense in my country if 64gb is enough and you prefer its design over the normal ipad, which is much cheaper with 32gb or just cheaper (approx 100$) with 128gb.

 

[rui no onna]

110$ is not much for what you get and if 64gb is not enough the 256gb price is almost the same price as 2020 11" pro ("new" not refurb, we don't have that). So air 4 is in a tough spoy and only makes sense in my country if 64gb is enough and you prefer its design over the normal ipad, which is much cheaper with 32gb or just cheaper (approx 100$) with 128gb.

As mentioned, it depends on pricing and the value you place on the Pro's features.

Personally, the only thing attractive to me about the 2020 Pro 11 over the Air 4 is the 6GB RAM. Storage is kind of a wash. CPU, Air 4 can be a tiny bit snappier due to faster single core and multi-core is more or less a draw (the 10% diff is negligible).

In the US, frequent sale prices are clustered close enough that if I were going for Pro, I'd rather just grab the 2021 model.

64GB Air 4 $500
256GB Air 4 $640-650

128GB 2020 Pro 11 $610 refurb
256GB 2020 Pro 11 $690 refurb

128GB 2021 Pro 11 $750 (can be $650-700 with Costco coupons)

 

[boak]

64GB Air 4 $500
256GB Air 4 $640-650

128GB 2020 Pro 11 $610 refurb
256GB 2020 Pro 11 $690 refurb

128GB 2021 Pro 11 $750 (can be $650-700 with Costco coupons)

The Air 4 has a really poor value proposition if one needs more than 64 GB of storage

 

[rui no onna]

The Air 4 has a really poor value proposition if one needs more than 64 GB of storage

In your opinion, sure.

I don't really care about many of the Pro features so to me, it's more or less a draw between the Air 4 and 2020 Pro.

The 2020 Pro has the RAM advantage. The Air 4 has the newer, more efficient A14 chipset with noticeably faster single-core. Battery life is also likely better with the Air 4.

Like I mentioned though, prices here are close enough that I'd much rather get the 2021 Pro.

A12X/Z vs A10X:
single-core: ~133%
multi-core: ~200%

A14 vs A10X:
single-core: ~190%
multi-core: ~190%

M1 vs A10X:
single-core: ~200%
multi-core: ~300%

 

[Significant1]

As mentioned, it depends on pricing and the value you place on the Pro's features.

Personally, the only thing attractive to me about the 2020 Pro 11 over the Air 4 is the 6GB RAM. Storage is kind of a wash. CPU, Air 4 can be a tiny bit snappier due to faster single core and multi-core is more or less a draw (the 10% diff is negligible).

In the US, frequent sale prices are clustered close enough that if I were going for Pro, I'd rather just grab the 2021 model.

64GB Air 4 $500
256GB Air 4 $640-650

128GB 2020 Pro 11 $610 refurb
256GB 2020 Pro 11 $690 refurb

128GB 2021 Pro 11 $750 (can be $650-700 with Costco coupons)

Prices here in Denmark are:
64GB Air 4 4000kr => 630$ (discount this week otherwise 4400kr => 693$)
256GB air 4 5500kr => 867$

256GB 2020 11 Pro 5731kr => 903$

128GB 2021 11 Pro 6300kr => 993$
256GB 20201 11 Pro 7050kr => 1111$

Should I choose those, I would choose the 128GB 2021 11 Pro. But too expensive for not being a full computer replacement for my taste, so I stuck to my M1 MBA while waiting for something special to show up. Therefore I ended up with a factory sealed 256GB 2020 11" Pro swap-model for 5000kr=>788$.

I think Mactech did a gaming comparison between Air 4 and 2020 11" and while geekbench gpu benchmark is a bit better for Air 4, it was true in actual gaming. On the contary, it skipped frames where the pro did not. Battery use was also a wash after 1 hour of gaming. For the puzzle games I play though, that hardly matter.