iPad Received €500 Amazon Gift Card: iPad 9 256GB or add €500 myself & get an 11 Pro 128GB?

[shuffles]

Work gave me a €500 Amazon voucher as a Christmas bonus. Haven’t owned an iPad since 2016. I’m not a pro but want to keep the device for min 5 years and will be using it for media consumption, drawing (my general device outside work) and would like to get into/learn to use Procreate etc.

What do you think, get an iPad 9 256GB or add an extra €500 on top and get an 11” Pro 128GB? (Spain pricing).

Thought process for jumping straight to the Pro: If I’m going to add money on top I may as well add enough to get the latest and greatest.

Thought process for getting the iPad 9: use the voucher to its max without adding anything on top.

I wonder, without having iPads side by side, would the old design bother me?

Worried about longevity though.

 

[BigMcGuire]

5 years? Drawing? I’d highly recommend the Pro or the Air 5 on discount if you can find it (I got one for $150 off - BestBuy).

iPads have some of the best longevity when it comes to Apple’s devices. I know professors still using the iPad Pro 10.5 today.

Ram is going to be your best friend for longevity and the Air 5 and the Pro 11 have 8GB of it - that’s going to be the best thing supporting longevity and usability going forward.

 

[shuffles]

Pricing in Europe is crazy!! For example, the iPad 10 256GB costs €727 (and that’s before any accessories). The Air with 256GB costs €899. When I looked at the entire lineup that’s why I thought to myself, iPad 9 256GB for €555 or iPad Pro 11 128GB for €999.

Just wasn’t sure if dropping an additional €500 (before accessories) was worth it.

 

[Shirasaki]

Apple Pencil 1, while not bad, is not great either. Apple Pencil 2 makes so much more sense with iPad Pro.
Also for longevity with light-medium use, iPad Pro can last more comfortably than iPad 9.
Ultimately it is up to you, but for me, I’m going to spend a bit more now to make sure down the line I spend less.

 

[Johnny365]

I'd go iPad Pro minimum on the Pencil 2 alone. It was annoying as all heck to have to worry about keeping the Pencil 1 in a spot where I can store it and have it charged/ready to go. I don't draw or use it extensively, but just the idea of having the Pencil 2 able to sit at the top and be all charged up was a no-brainer decision for me.

 

[ericwn]

For the compatibility with the pencil 2 I’d pick either an iPad Air or the current iPad Pro.

 

[Stoianski]

Pricing in Europe is crazy!! For example, the iPad 10 256GB costs €727 (and that’s before any accessories). The Air with 256GB costs €899. When I looked at the entire lineup that’s why I thought to myself, iPad 9 256GB for €555 or iPad Pro 11 128GB for €999.

Just wasn’t sure if dropping an additional €500 (before accessories) was worth it.

Order from amazon.de. In Germany now Pro 128GB is 939€.

 

[JPack]

iPad 9 is out of the question for drawing.

The contenders should be iPad Air M1 or iPad Pro M2. Unless you’re very serious about drawing, the Air should be sufficient. You also have an extended return period through January 20 to try things out.