It feels like 8GB could be a new baseline - like 4GB on the 2018 pro, or however much the iPhone 6s has. So potentially it’ll be supported like the 6s - as later models continue to have 8GB that’ll be the limiting factor
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iPad Pro Light user: Will 2021 12.9 make a noticeable difference over a 2020 12.9 five years from now?
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I would be very happy with the 2021 12.9 if it serves as well as the iphone 6s. My wife still uses it, and we've had it since the 6s was released, though this is probably the last year.
To be perfectly honest, five years from now, I think both 2020 and 2021 iPad Pro will deliver at least the same level of performance you're seeing from the 6s right now. Perhaps the 2020 might have occasional hiccups but I expect it to be quite usable.
The iPad experience is determined by the entry level so when that needs 8Gb Ram, the 2021 iPP starts to loose the relevance.
I buy rarely and only when devices cannot be used anymore. So when I buy, I buy top of the line so I do not need to buy too often. I use the A9X 12.9 inch at work for reading large pdf, taking notes etc and it still works flawlessly. The new 2021 though is interesting because of the screen.
I buy rarely and only when devices cannot be used anymore. So when I buy, I buy top of the line so I do not need to buy too often. I use the A9X 12.9 inch at work for reading large pdf, taking notes etc and it still works flawlessly. The new 2021 though is interesting because of the screen.
This light user finally settled on a 12.9" 2020 128GB from Costco for $799 plus state sales tax. I don't think that I've ever bought the least amount of storage before, but after checking and realizing that I've used 61GB of my 256GB 2017 10.5" iPP, I decided not to pay the extra $100 for storage that in all probability I won't use.
I actually ordered twice and cancelled twice the 12.9" 2021 256GB from Costco. I simply couldn't justify that much money for how I use an iPad. I even considered a 128GB 2021, but that would have been at least $250 more for upgrades that I probably would not notice. Maybe in a few years iPadOS will enable me to ditch my MBP, but until then, the MBP is my primary device, and the iPad is more of a support device.
I actually ordered twice and cancelled twice the 12.9" 2021 256GB from Costco. I simply couldn't justify that much money for how I use an iPad. I even considered a 128GB 2021, but that would have been at least $250 more for upgrades that I probably would not notice. Maybe in a few years iPadOS will enable me to ditch my MBP, but until then, the MBP is my primary device, and the iPad is more of a support device.
50% CPU and 40% GPU increase in the 2021 model compared to the 2020 model is a no brainer. If you're looking to use the device for 5 years I'd personally go for the 2021 without hesitation.
Edit: I believe next 5 years *if* Apple announces a new & improved iPadOS to take advantage of the M1 chip, it will support 2021+ models
Edit: I believe next 5 years *if* Apple announces a new & improved iPadOS to take advantage of the M1 chip, it will support 2021+ models
You’re not wrong. I agree that that is pretty exciting stuff, but I have to reel my excitement in a bit. I rarely do anything that creates a high demand on CPU and graphics. So if something takes .8 seconds on a 2020 will now do that in .4 seconds on a 2021, what would I really notice? Were I into video editing or some such, that would be different.
And if the software will get to the place to take advantage of that speed, it will take a few years for apps to transition, in my opinion. If, say, three years shows that an iPP can replace my MBP, I can pass along this this 2020 iPP to a relative and then feel justified in spending the cash required for the proverbial latest and greatest.
Looking back, are you still 100% happy with your choice?
In a similar situation now. $829 for a refurb 256gb 2020 12.9 IPP, or a few hundred more for the 2021 256gb 12.9 IPP. I hold on to this fantasy that there will be some tangible benefit to having an M1 IPP, similar to how the M1 mac’s can run iOS apps, which I’ve found to be helpful.
Saving $250-300 is nothing to sneeze at, nor is it something to lose sleep over for most people shopping for a 12.9 IPP. Buying ahead to get into the M1 processing family in the hopes of some functional benefit offered only to M1 iPads may turn out to be a smart thing in 2 years, or may wind up being a wasted hope, who knows. Just like Porsche who throttles back the non-S Boxster engine so as to not compete closer to the S Boxster, clearly the operating system on the 12.9 IPP is gimped on purpose, with no good guess as to whether Apple will open it up and make shooting for an M1 here worth it.
Very curious to hear your perspective.
As I said, I'm a light user when it comes to an iPad (most of my computing--research and writing--is done on a 2018 15" MBP). The screen size and clarity of an iPad are the most important criteria to me. I really wanted the M1 12.9" but never could justify the cost.
I actually settled on an Apple-refurbished 2018 12.9 256GB, along with a smart keyboard folio that was discounted 50%. It suits my reading/sheet music/social media desires and does not leave me wanting for anything else. I really don't see that changing over the next four years or so. It's funny, but I had not recently even thought about the fact that I'm using a 2018 instead of a 2021 until I received an email notification with your post.
I remembered having bought new devices in the past and, after I had used them for a bit of time wondering whether anything about the new one had actually improved my experience. I appreciated the new device but could have continued with my old one and missed little. That memory affected my purchase decision this time.
I could afford the 2021 M1 12.9 and doubtlessly would have enjoyed it, but I simply could not justify the price difference to my satisfaction based on my needs or desires. That's something that everyone has to determine for himself.
Hope you the best in your decision.
Thanks, I was solely looking for your thoughts a few weeks/months later, given your personal usage patterns only. Was just curious!
Don’t underestimate how Apple can make older devices lag, especially in 5 years. Things that are smooth now, might not be in 5 years.
True but this also depends on usage and expectations. Personally, I don't like using the Pro 9.7 at this time and find even the 2017 Pro 10.5/12.9 (A10X/4GB) have been getting too many hiccups for my liking. Meanwhile, my mom has no complaints with her Pro 9.7.
It really depends on your use as to whether your will notice it or not, and if you do, does it affect your experience? I viewed real-time comparisons on YouTube and, for what I use an iPad, could not see a noticeable difference between the speed of a 2021 and 2018, much less a 2020.
If you're doing intensive applications, then sure you will notice a difference. For me, if a sheet of music opens in 1/5 of a second or twice as fast at 1/10 of a second, I would never know the difference.
In fairness, the 2018 and 2020 iPad Pro models have practically identical CPU performance anyway. Hence, performance difference between 2018-2021 and 2020-2021 would be quite similar.
If it weren’t for the (very unlikely) possibility of Apple putting customers first ahead of annual revenue growth by making the M1 iPads either capable of running Mac OS (dual boot), or capable of running some Mac OS apps (like the M1 macs can run some iOS apps), I think a large group of users would go for the 2020/2018 since there’s marginal benefit for most use cases. Protecting for that possibility is one of the main reasons to keep going back & forth between an $829 rerfub’d 2020 and a $1100+ 2021. I’m more likely to go the 2020 path. You can all thank me if I do that and it ups the odds that Apple makes the M1 iPads run Mac OS apps.