1st and 2nd gen with the A12X and A12Z right? How are those holding up? Reason I’m asking if I get the M1 I should get support for a long time and it shouldn’t slow down as fast?
I would not buy an older generation. They will not support new features in iOS 16 so to save a few bucks you will lose out on features. The M1 pros are going to be discounted for a while most likely and even when the new model is released you will still be able to buy the older M1 on sale probably for an even better price.
Buying a Pro model ipad right now is not dumb but it depends what kind of user you are? If you are in the market for a "Pro" device then it tells me either you need the special features for a specific use case like content creation or art/drawing or just like certain features of the Pro like Promotion screen or quad speakers or thunderbolt or all of them. Most people who are willing to buy a Pro device want all the latest features and you might regret your decision to save a few bucks in a couple months when the new one's are released and have that one new feature or design you want and now don't have.
As you stated you could buy a pro on sale now and sell it later losing a couple hundred but then you are adding that onto the cost of a new device if you get the new model and you could have gotten a larger ssd or larger size for that money. If you are looking at deals then it tells me that cost is at least a factor in your decision.
So the best advice would be to wait. If you really need an iPad maybe it would be better to get a base model air on sale and then sell it when it is time for the Pro. That way you won't take as big a hit as the air already got it's update. Either way if you buy now you are going to lose money if you decide to get the newer model and tha5 is money you could have put toward the newer model.
If I were in the market for a Pro iPad and I could wait I would wait. I would want the M2 and any other potential features or design changes and $150 less on an already expensive device wouldn't matter to me. If you keep the device a while the extra cost is a wash and you will have the latest and greatest at least for a year.
No matter what you decide I strongly recommend that you don't buy anything but an M1 or better chip inside.
Good luck whatever you choose!
As a long-time 12.9 Pro user since 1st gen as my main device, all of this post seems like well thought out and balanced advice.
Will add that I'm on my second, 2nd-gen IPP after the first was replaced in warranty with the screen light burst issue on one edge. If you only want a kick-ass media consumption device, you could get away with a 2nd gen. Pro-motion is super and I routinely run 350+ open tabs and heavy use of 3-4 open apps with absolutely no hiccups. But you take on the risk of the 2nd gen screen issue appearing anytime, usu after about 2-3 years of steady use, which trashes the pro experience.
I say that because my 2nd unit just had that screen issue develop again in the last month. Really pissed. So started looking at options for a future replacement, was really gunning for M1 or M2. But after reading about the screen banding issue with M1 getting warm, the shine is really off iPad Pro for me. At these extortionate prices, I expect a pro device to be really robust with years of sustained performance. Hardware wise, the screens seem to be the weak link. I'm skeptical that the heat distortion will be better with the more powerful M2 trying to get future versions of Stage Manager to lift-off.
Now I'm starting to look at 4th gen, but feel like I would be dumb buying a pre-M1 version since Apple has so clearly marked a line in the sand linking new features to the M-class chips.
