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NVDA

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 20, 2024
172
370
The 11 inch is starting at $599 and the 12.9 inch is starting at $799. I will be upgrading from the 11 inch 2018 iPad Pro that I bought as a refurb from Apple in May 2020. I already tried the 12.9 inch M2 Pro last time it was $799 but it was too large for my use case. Also tried (and still using) the 11 inch M4 Pro but I don’t like the speakers and OLED isn’t a must. I will be returning it. Even with the $899 student discount and $100 gift card, the M2 Pro is still $200 less at $599. I also don’t need 256gb, 128 is more than enough.

Had some rewards with Best Buy so I snagged the 11 inch M2 Pro for $565 after taxes. I’ll be trading in my 2018 Pro to Apple for a gift card that I’ll use to upgrade my 13 Pro Max either this fall or next. Wanted to share this deal with those who aren’t interested in the M4. Note that the silver 11 inch only has open box options.

Here’s the link: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/apple-...i-fi-512gb-space-gray/5498803.p?skuId=5498803
 
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NVDA

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 20, 2024
172
370
$599 for the 11" is a killer deal, same price as the M2 iPad Air. If you can live with the odd front camera placement, it's a pretty good upgrade over the Air (ProMotion specifically).
Absolutely in my opinion a much better buy than the M2 Air for the same price. iPad isn’t my first choice for FaceTime (I prefer iPhone) so the front facing camera orientation doesn’t matter to me. I tried to like the M2 Air at the Apple Store given the price difference, but the lack of ProMotion really is a deal breaker once you have it for a few years. The bezels are also bigger on the Air, which made it feel like more of a kid device to me.
 

Student of Life

macrumors 6502a
Oct 13, 2020
788
897
So tempted to get one, and they do trade in's on older iPads. I dont need it but my old Air 4 is getting long on the tooth when it comes to battery life and 64 gb is so little vs 128 gb here. So tempted.
 

NVDA

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 20, 2024
172
370
So tempted to get one, and they do trade in's on older iPads. I dont need it but my old Air 4 is getting long on the tooth when it comes to battery life and 64 gb is so little vs 128 gb here. So tempted.
I would say do it. My 2018 Pro has 64gb too and I have to delete photos/videos from messages time to time because it fills up. Won’t have to worry about that with 128gb and the device will have a new battery. A lot of people paid hundreds more making the jump to the M4, so I would say treat yourself!
 
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Student of Life

macrumors 6502a
Oct 13, 2020
788
897
I would say do it. My 2018 Pro has 64gb too and I have to delete photos/videos from messages time to time because it fills up. Won’t have to worry about that with 128gb and the device will have a new battery. A lot of people paid hundreds more making the jump to the M4, so I would say treat yourself!
Yeah and I have the Magic Keyboard so it would be an easy transition, I dont need it but so tempted. Never again anything with 64, also the Face ID is a huge plus.
 
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CharlesShaw

macrumors 68000
May 8, 2015
1,724
2,854
This deal is good and also bittersweet, as it's likely the last model with the pro features (FaceID, ProMotion, quad speakers) that will be sold in new condition for $600. Someday we'll see the M4 "record low sale price" at $799.

The M2 in the new Air is good, since that means the M2 will be supported a long time. Getting this M2 Pro over the M2 Air seems like a no brainer, unless someone really wants the landscape camera and a Pencil Pro.
 

CharlesShaw

macrumors 68000
May 8, 2015
1,724
2,854
Yeah and I have the Magic Keyboard so it would be an easy transition,
Yes, there is economic value in sticking with the "2018" form factor, and there are good and great deals on eBay for new old stock genuine Apple accessories that fit so many generations. The Electric Orange Smart Folio I paid $40 after tax for on eBay last year was needing a time out, so I found a Deep Navy, brand new, on eBay for $20 (!) and it's perfect.
 

Populus

macrumors 603
Aug 24, 2012
5,928
8,404
Spain, Europe
Damn! It’s a pity I don’t have Best Buy here in Europe (or they ship here), because I’d probably buy a 1TB (16GB of RAM) at a cheaper price in a heartbeat.

Really great machine! Although I have the 128GB model so it is a bit tight if you start loading it with big files.
 
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NVDA

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 20, 2024
172
370
Yes, there is economic value in sticking with the "2018" form factor, and there are good and great deals on eBay for new old stock genuine Apple accessories that fit so many generations. The Electric Orange Smart Folio I paid $40 after tax for on eBay last year was needing a time out, so I found a Deep Navy, brand new, on eBay for $20 (!) and it's perfect.
I was looking at those on eBay too! Which seller did you go with because it’s hard try differentiate between genuine and fake on eBay. I really like the Cyprus green!
 

snipr125

macrumors 68020
Oct 17, 2015
2,006
3,123
UK
Damn! It’s a pity I don’t have Best Buy here in Europe (or they ship here), because I’d probably buy a 1TB (16GB of RAM) at a cheaper price in a heartbeat.

Really great machine! Although I have the 128GB model so it is a bit tight if you start loading it with big files.
I know right, i wish we could get these prices in the UK, but no, an iPad Pro M2 (if you can find one), is generally about £700+. I would have definitely brought one at $599, maybe even another one for the wife.
 
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CharlesShaw

macrumors 68000
May 8, 2015
1,724
2,854
I was looking at those on eBay too! Which seller did you go with because it’s hard try differentiate between genuine and fake on eBay. I really like the Cyprus green!
The Deep Navy was purchased from a seller called Loop-mobile, with 98.7 positive feedback from 60k sales, so I figured it was a good bet and it was.
 
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NVDA

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 20, 2024
172
370
The Deep Navy was purchased from a seller called Loop-mobile, with 98.7 positive feedback from 60k sales, so I figured it was a good bet and it was.
Nice, that’s one of the two sellers I had favorited. Definitely genuine you think? How long have you had the folio and how has it held up?
 
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CharlesShaw

macrumors 68000
May 8, 2015
1,724
2,854
Nice, that’s one of the two sellers I had favorited. Definitely genuine you think? How long have you had the folio and how has it held up?
I haven't even had it a week. It's mildly embarrassing to explain how I know, but I ended up buying and returning a couple iPad Pro's in the past couple years, directly from Apple, with Smart Folios directly from Apple, so I'm certain that this one from eBay is genuine. And if it's a perfect copy (including the packaging) that is fooling me for $20, then so be it, hehe.
 
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NVDA

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 20, 2024
172
370
I haven't even had it a week. It's mildly embarrassing to explain how I know, but I ended up buying and returning a couple iPad Pro's in the past couple years, directly from Apple, with Smart Folios directly from Apple, so I'm certain that this one from eBay is genuine. And if it's a perfect copy (including the packaging) that is fooling me for $20, then so be it, hehe.
Haha nice! Just ordered the Cyprus green, $565 for an M2 Pro and $20 for a Smart Folio case ain’t bad!
 

Parowdy

macrumors regular
Mar 16, 2024
149
98
Europe
For 200 bucks off, you chose a 2 gen. old chip instead of the newest, a worse screen (in low light environments), no support for future Apple pencils, more weight and half the storage. Half.
Not to be rude but I would reconsider my choices if I were you.
I wouldn’t care too much about the speakers, they are something you get used to.
 
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candyapplekid

macrumors newbie
Feb 2, 2009
15
14
Phoenix
For 200 bucks off, you chose a 2 gen. old chip instead of the newest, a worse screen (in low light environments), no support for future Apple pencils, more weight and half the storage. Half.
Not to be rude but I would reconsider my choices if I were you.
I wouldn’t care too much about the speakers, they are something you get used to.
It’s $400 less than a 11” M4. That’s a big difference.

I wouldn’t care much about the speakers either.

And for what it’s worth, the M4 iPad supports one additional (better) pencil than the M2, but it doesn’t promise support for any future pencils after that.
 

NVDA

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 20, 2024
172
370
For 200 bucks off, you chose a 2 gen. old chip instead of the newest, a worse screen (in low light environments), no support for future Apple pencils, more weight and half the storage. Half.
Not to be rude but I would reconsider my choices if I were you.
I wouldn’t care too much about the speakers, they are something you get used to.
It’s $400 off, buddy. You also act like the M2 isn’t already overkill for the iPad, won’t support AI features in iPadOS 18, and isn’t in the current gen iPad Air. I don’t use my iPad outside, I never used or care about Apple Pencils, my previous iPads have all been 64gb or lower so 128gb is more than enough, and weight wise there’s a WHOPPING 22 gram (0.05 lb) difference. Speakers do matter and the M4 ones sound tinny and a major downgrade from the 2018 Pro. Don’t go into sales, that was a poor attempt at trying to convince me otherwise.
 

Parowdy

macrumors regular
Mar 16, 2024
149
98
Europe
It’s $400 off, buddy. You also act like the M2 isn’t already overkill for the iPad, won’t support AI features in iPadOS 18, and isn’t in the current gen iPad Air. I don’t use my iPad outside, I never used or care about Apple Pencils, my previous iPads have all been 64gb or lower so 128gb is more than enough, and weight wise there’s a WHOPPING 22 gram (0.05 lb) difference. Speakers do matter and the M4 ones sound tinny and a major downgrade from the 2018 Pro. Don’t go into sales, that was a poor attempt at trying to convince me otherwise.
Guess I got lost in your wording, buddy.

„Also tried (and still using) the 11 inch M4 Pro but I don’t like the speakers and OLED isn’t a must. I will be returning it. Even with the $899 student discount and $100 gift card, the M2 Pro is still $200 less at $599. I also don’t need 256gb, 128 is more than enough.“

It wasn’t clear to me that you were talking about the other iPad, maybe you couldve understood that if you kept your derogatory talk for yourself. I’m not your buddy, pal.

How am I supposed to know you don’t take it outside and don’t care about Apple Pencil support, care to tell me that? You’re acting all offended for what and why?
 

NVDA

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 20, 2024
172
370
Guess I got lost in your wording, buddy.

„Also tried (and still using) the 11 inch M4 Pro but I don’t like the speakers and OLED isn’t a must. I will be returning it. Even with the $899 student discount and $100 gift card, the M2 Pro is still $200 less at $599. I also don’t need 256gb, 128 is more than enough.“

It wasn’t clear to me that you were talking about the other iPad, maybe you couldve understood that if you kept your derogatory talk for yourself. I’m not your buddy, pal.

How am I supposed to know you don’t take it outside and don’t care about Apple Pencil support, care to tell me that? You’re acting all offended for what and why?
Derogatory talk? Where? Lmao! Do you understand what MSRP is? I also said I don't need 256gb but that flew over your head. As for your second to last question, maybe stop making assumptions, bud. If that stuff was important to me, maybe, just maybe, I would have kept the M4!! 😱
 
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