iPad Pro Is it worth hedging on M1 being utilized far more in the future?

[aloysiusfreeman]

Quick preface, I've been wanting to purchase an iPad Pro for a long time. As a personal device that stands in as a laptop, as well as a drawing tablet. In my imagination, I'd like to have a powerful device that has a lot of potential but I could very well be using this mostly for Procreate and Google Docs for writing. I'd like to have a model that will be hold me over for 10+ years, and I figured 3-4th gens could do that.

That said, I am curious how worth it would be to invest in an iPad Pro with an M1. Currently it doesn't seem like it will be required for my needs, but if this will be a device I will hold onto for 10+years, how likely would it be that future iPadOS releases will have multiple features that are tied to M1 chip? I think this is whats causing my dilemma of waiting for the 2022 model to release so I can get the 2021 model, or get an older model for cheap.

 

[akash.nu]

To begin with, your expectations of holding on to the portable computers such as smartphone and tablets for 10 years is a bit too high, reduce that to around 5 and you won’t be disappointed with Apple products.

 

[aloysiusfreeman]

To begin with, your expectations of holding on to the portable computers such as smartphone and tablets for 10 years is a bit too high, reduce that to around 5 and you won’t be disappointed with Apple products.

Oh for sure. I put a (admittedly very high) number on it being that I would want an iPad Pro, and that would add a lot of longevity compared to the other tablets.

 

[Bobcat32]

I had the Air 2 for 6 years. Could’ve 8 years since that’s how many updates it got. It performed remarkably well and the features Apple included and disincluded in regards to it and older iPads in general are usually pretty fair and surprising. M1 will definitely be getting more goodies in the next couple years count on it. They will probably axe off anything in the future that isn’t named “M1” just because though.. so you covered there 🤔 Id say wait get the M2 iPad at release.

 

[GMShadow]

I would say waiting for the 2022s to drop is a fine idea - you'll be able to either get a 2021 on a deeper discount, or get an Apple refurb if you want - or if the 2022 has some new whizbang feature, you can get it.

I wouldn't go older than 2020, however - they had more RAM than the 2018s did, despite 'similar' SoCs.

 

[1BadManVan]

the M1 pros are definitely the most future proof iPads they've ever released purely because of how much ram they gave them. the chip itself is already overkill, throw in 8gb of ram and 16gb for the 1tb+ models. The battery will die first lol

Just depends how long apple plans to support it software wise

 

[Madmic23]

To begin with, your expectations of holding on to the portable computers such as smartphone and tablets for 10 years is a bit too high, reduce that to around 5 and you won’t be disappointed with Apple products.

I have the original iPad Pro which came out in 2015, and it's still on the list to get iOS16, so Apple does a great job of supporting these long-term, especially when it's the higher end model.

For the OP, I would suggest waiting to see what is announced this month, and then getting that if you want it to last for 5+ years.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

Just say, "Can I future-proof by purchasing an M1 iPad?" The answer is no. The M-series chips have a whole lot of circuitry/capability in common with the A-series chips (CPU core design, secure enclave, etc., etc.). Most of the key differences have to do with matters like support for external displays, more graphics cores, more RAM (uh, Unified Memory) and USB-C. So it's not going to be a matter of longevity, but the device's capabilities while you own it.

Time will still march on, technologies will evolve, and support for new versions of iPadOS will be little different than for other models of iPad built in the same year/same generation of silicon.

Basically, as in all future-proofing discussions, my answer is going to be, "Buy based on your current and forseeable needs, don't make a bet on the future."

(All that said, my first-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro is still going strong, although I don't ask much of it.)

 

[Pezimak]

Quick preface, I've been wanting to purchase an iPad Pro for a long time. As a personal device that stands in as a laptop, as well as a drawing tablet. In my imagination, I'd like to have a powerful device that has a lot of potential but I could very well be using this mostly for Procreate and Google Docs for writing. I'd like to have a model that will be hold me over for 10+ years, and I figured 3-4th gens could do that.

That said, I am curious how worth it would be to invest in an iPad Pro with an M1. Currently it doesn't seem like it will be required for my needs, but if this will be a device I will hold onto for 10+years, how likely would it be that future iPadOS releases will have multiple features that are tied to M1 chip? I think this is whats causing my dilemma of waiting for the 2022 model to release so I can get the 2021 model, or get an older model for cheap.

I would say set its lifespan at around 7 years, wait for the M2 model, get one with the biggest ram and a storage size that will last you, and if needed 5G. Then get a decent high end screen protector and case. And you could be good to go. Maybe get a wrap for the Apple Pencil too if you buy one to give it some protection?

 

[davehb]

With my iPads (mini 2 and now air 3) I’ve gotta say I’ve been disappointed at how slow they became within about 2-3 years of release. They were supported by the OS updates, sure, but it became clear that their specs struggled to run the OS.

I’m hopeful that the newer rounds of iPads will age better with the M chips, but time will tell I guess. The chips can handle a lot more than the current OS requires, but as for ipadOS26 or whatever… 🤷‍♂️

 

[Cheffy Dave]

I bought the 5th Gen M1 with 2TB SSD,16 GB RAM,Apple Keyboard/Pencil with Cellular. This bad boy is FAST. I plan on keeping it till it needs a battery, then replacing it,(the Battery), and keeping it some more. It’s the best Apple product I own!!

 

[rui no onna]

With my iPads (mini 2 and now air 3) I’ve gotta say I’ve been disappointed at how slow they became within about 2-3 years of release. They were supported by the OS updates, sure, but it became clear that their specs struggled to run the OS.

I’m hopeful that the newer rounds of iPads will age better with the M chips, but time will tell I guess. The chips can handle a lot more than the current OS requires, but as for ipadOS26 or whatever… 🤷‍♂️

Mini 2 is A7/1GB so that’s understandable.

I’m surprised you’re having issues with the Air 3 though. I find it fast enough still but it reloads a lot.

 

[aloysiusfreeman]

Just say, "Can I future-proof by purchasing an M1 iPad?" The answer is no. The M-series chips have a whole lot of circuitry/capability in common with the A-series chips (CPU core design, secure enclave, etc., etc.). Most of the key differences have to do with matters like support for external displays, more graphics cores, more RAM (uh, Unified Memory) and USB-C. So it's not going to be a matter of longevity, but the device's capabilities while you own it.

Time will still march on, technologies will evolve, and support for new versions of iPadOS will be little different than for other models of iPad built in the same year/same generation of silicon.

Basically, as in all future-proofing discussions, my answer is going to be, "Buy based on your current and forseeable needs, don't make a bet on the future."

(All that said, my first-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro is still going strong, although I don't ask much of it.)

Thanks, I will admit the nitty gritty of hardware can get beyond me. That said, I should have been more clear - I was meaning longevity as for the device capabilities and iPadOS support, rather than the actual longevity of the hardware itself.

I guess I should have simplified by asking along the lines of "with stage manager being supported only on iPadOS w/M1 (lets pretend I wrote that a month ago), is it worth investing in an iPad Pro with an M-series chip over the gen 4 due to better iPadOS support."

 

[rui no onna]

Thanks, I will admit the nitty gritty of hardware can get beyond me. That said, I should have been more clear - I was meaning longevity as for the device capabilities and iPadOS support, rather than the actual longevity of the hardware itself.

I guess I should have simplified by asking along the lines of "with stage manager being supported only on iPadOS w/M1 (lets pretend I wrote that a month ago), is it worth investing in an iPad Pro with an M-series chip over the gen 4 due to better iPadOS support."

Apart from having 8GB+ RAM, note that the M1 with 128GB+ storage is getting support for swapfile. I expect that to make a difference in terms of software support.

 

[sracer]

Quick preface, I've been wanting to purchase an iPad Pro for a long time. As a personal device that stands in as a laptop, as well as a drawing tablet. In my imagination, I'd like to have a powerful device that has a lot of potential but I could very well be using this mostly for Procreate and Google Docs for writing. I'd like to have a model that will be hold me over for 10+ years, and I figured 3-4th gens could do that.

That said, I am curious how worth it would be to invest in an iPad Pro with an M1. Currently it doesn't seem like it will be required for my needs, but if this will be a device I will hold onto for 10+years, how likely would it be that future iPadOS releases will have multiple features that are tied to M1 chip? I think this is whats causing my dilemma of waiting for the 2022 model to release so I can get the 2021 model, or get an older model for cheap.

IMO, it is never worth buying tech for a potential future. Buy the tech that meets your needs.... today. If you need the performance of an M1 iPad today, get it. If you don't, but want an iPad, get a base iPad or iPad Air.

It is unrealistic to plan on using the same iPad for 10+ years. But if you are set on the M1 I recommend waiting to see if a new model is announced this year and then comparing the new model with the old and waiting for a sale on the model you're interested in. If you are a savvy shopper, you'll be able to find a new one on sale for LESS than Apple charges for refurbs.

I've used iPad Pros in the past as laptop replacements with surprisingly good success. The entire hardware line has improved so much over the years that I am able to do everything (and more) on a 2021 base iPad that I was doing on those earlier gen Pros.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

In your case it’s definitely worth it

 

[Digitalguy]

If you want to keep it for as long as possible, get at least 256GB of storage. Lack of storage is one of the main reasons (sometimes cellular is too) people upgrade after a couple of years an otherwise still very capable device.

 

[teh_hunterer]

Quick preface, I've been wanting to purchase an iPad Pro for a long time. As a personal device that stands in as a laptop, as well as a drawing tablet. In my imagination, I'd like to have a powerful device that has a lot of potential but I could very well be using this mostly for Procreate and Google Docs for writing. I'd like to have a model that will be hold me over for 10+ years, and I figured 3-4th gens could do that.

That said, I am curious how worth it would be to invest in an iPad Pro with an M1. Currently it doesn't seem like it will be required for my needs, but if this will be a device I will hold onto for 10+years, how likely would it be that future iPadOS releases will have multiple features that are tied to M1 chip? I think this is whats causing my dilemma of waiting for the 2022 model to release so I can get the 2021 model, or get an older model for cheap.

You'll be a completely different person in 10 years. This is quite a strange stipulation for buying a tablet.

But if you did for whatever reason decide you need a tablet that will last 10 years, an M1 based one is without a doubt the best bet.

 

[lostPod]

I would check out the Air instead. I personally moved from an iPad Pro 11” to an iPad Air. I love the Air as it fits all my needs as a “pro” tablet, comes in colors, and is cheaper. I use it with photoshop and procreate almost daily.

Unless you need the extra size.

 

[chevyboy60013]

Doesn’t seem like much of a size difference between the iPad Pro 3rd gen 11 and the iPad Air 5th gen.

 

[Greenmeenie]

I think so. I’m still using a 2018 11” iPad Pro & it works like a charm. I’m an artist who uses it to draw on but also edit photos & 4k video without a hitch. Perhaps if Apple releases a version of Final Cut Pro that ONLY works on an M2 iPad Pro THEN I will upgrade. But I just don’t feel the need to right now. I’ve had this iPad for 4 yrs & I see it running everything I need to for many more years to come. So an M1 iPad Pro should fare even better. But everyone is different. If you want that extra security, wait for the M2. I think iPad Pros have tremendous longevity. Software updates don’t seem to effect them as much as other Apple products.

 

[BhaveshUK]

If you want to keep it for as long as possible, get at least 256GB of storage. Lack of storage is one of the main reasons (sometimes cellular is too) people upgrade after a couple of years an otherwise still very capable device.

Learnt this lesson the hard way with my last iPhone. Was very happy with it outside of storage problems, hence the upgrade.

IMO, it is never worth buying tech for a potential future. Buy the tech that meets your needs.... today. If you need the performance of an M1 iPad today, get it. If you don't, but want an iPad, get a base iPad or iPad Air.

It is unrealistic to plan on using the same iPad for 10+ years. But if you are set on the M1 I recommend waiting to see if a new model is announced this year and then comparing the new model with the old and waiting for a sale on the model you're interested in. If you are a savvy shopper, you'll be able to find a new one on sale for LESS than Apple charges for refurbs.

I've used iPad Pros in the past as laptop replacements with surprisingly good success. The entire hardware line has improved so much over the years that I am able to do everything (and more) on a 2021 base iPad that I was doing on those earlier gen Pros.

This is great advice for any purchase decision ☺️

 

[chevyboy60013]

I cannot imagine the ipad getting anymore powerful, but then again never expected one like the new m1 pros either

 

[Digitalguy]

I cannot imagine the ipad getting anymore powerful, but then again never expected one like the new m1 pros either

we already know how much more powerful M2 is... and it's negligeable. We also know RAM is the same, at best they'll add a very expensive 24GB RAM variant which very few people will get. So not a big deal in terms of upgrade, juste like going from the 13in Macbook pro M1 to the M2.... I would say it will be even less than going from the 2018 to the 2020 iPad pro, since at least then the RAM increased by 50%..
And to be honest, if it weren't for RAM, even the 2018 and 2020 models would still be extremely competitive with the M1 given how fast and smooth they still are...

 

[chevyboy60013]

That’s true i have an ipad air3 i was very happy with before I found the deal on this 1 month old iPad Pro 3rd generation 11 inch. Actually its more like a month old next week according to the original receip.