iPad Air Trade 2018 11” IPP and IPM6 for new 13” Air?

[ejfontenot]

I have both of these devices and was considering taking advantage of the apple bonus trade for a new iPad. It’s mostly for playing games, watching movies on the plane/travel. Thoughts? Worth the trade? I don’t need both iPads, I like both size for different reasons, always been a fan of the mini for travel but also love the screen size on the 11 for games and media consumption.

 

[CharlesShaw]

Unless you have experience using the larger size, and are certain that you would be happy with it for your use case, I would advise against swapping your smaller sizes for the larger size. I've had all three sizes over the years, but always came back to the 11" especially since I prefer to only own one iPad.

 

[macfacts]

What's a IPM6?

 

[russell_314]

I have both of these devices and was considering taking advantage of the apple bonus trade for a new iPad. It’s mostly for playing games, watching movies on the plane/travel. Thoughts? Worth the trade? I don’t need both iPads, I like both size for different reasons, always been a fan of the mini for travel but also love the screen size on the 11 for games and media consumption.

What would be the advantages/ disadvantages for what you’re doing? That’s the main question.

You mentioned playing games. The iPad has a touchscreen and I suspect you’re playing mobile games so this would be a big advantage. Also even with the folio case it’s going to be lighter and smaller so more convenient while traveling.

The MacBook has a keyboard, but for media consumption and playing mobile games it isn’t very useful. Maybe the MacBook would have a longer battery life, but you could bring portable power bank.

I know for media consumption I always prefer an iPad, but if I have to do something like type out documents, then the MacBook

 

[RLRabb]

What would be the advantages/ disadvantages for what you’re doing? That’s the main question.

You mentioned playing games. The iPad has a touchscreen and I suspect you’re playing mobile games so this would be a big advantage. Also even with the folio case it’s going to be lighter and smaller so more convenient while traveling.

The MacBook has a keyboard, but for media consumption and playing mobile games it isn’t very useful. Maybe the MacBook would have a longer battery life, but you could bring portable power bank.

I know for media consumption I always prefer an iPad, but if I have to do something like type out documents, then the MacBook

I believe his trade would be for an IPAD Air 13”, not a MacBook Air.

OP, it really depends on how you feel about holding a larger device when you need to do so. I personally love and prefer the 13” size over the smaller screens, as I love the added functionality that the larger screen provides. But I don’t have a laptop, as my Mac is a desktop Mini, so it serves as my “laptop replacement.”

 

[ejfontenot]

I believe his trade would be for an IPAD Air 13”, not a MacBook Air.

OP, it really depends on how you feel about holding a larger device when you need to do so. I personally love and prefer the 13” size over the smaller screens, as I love the added functionality that the larger screen provides. But I don’t have a laptop, as my Mac is a desktop Mini, so it serves as my “laptop replacement.”

I have a MacBook Air for personal use and one for work, so the laptop situation really isn’t of concern.

 

[ejfontenot]

What would be the advantages/ disadvantages for what you’re doing? That’s the main question.

You mentioned playing games. The iPad has a touchscreen and I suspect you’re playing mobile games so this would be a big advantage. Also even with the folio case it’s going to be lighter and smaller so more convenient while traveling.

The MacBook has a keyboard, but for media consumption and playing mobile games it isn’t very useful. Maybe the MacBook would have a longer battery life, but you could bring portable power bank.

I know for media consumption I always prefer an iPad, but if I have to do something like type out documents, then the MacBook

I already have a MacBook Air, looking to trade for iPad Air

 

[snipr125]

Don't do it OP you have 2 very nice iPads, for me personally not worth trading them for a iPad Air M2 13”. If you’re really insistent on it, save a bit more and go the whole way and get the iPad Pro M4 13.

 

[FlyingDutch]

I have both of these devices and was considering taking advantage of the apple bonus trade for a new iPad. It’s mostly for playing games, watching movies on the plane/travel. Thoughts? Worth the trade? I don’t need both iPads, I like both size for different reasons, always been a fan of the mini for travel but also love the screen size on the 11 for games and media consumption.

I don’t think they are doing cumulative trade in 🤔

What's a IPM6?

iPad mini

Don't do it OP you have 2 very nice iPads, for me personally not worth trading them for a iPad Air M2 13”. If you’re really insistent on it, save a bit more and go the whole way and get the iPad Pro M4 13.

M4 to watch movies and game? Cmon…

 

[snipr125]

I don’t think they are doing cumulative trade in 🤔

iPad mini

M4 to watch movies and game? Cmon…

Im only saying this because OP is thinking about sacrificing 2 very good iPads for 1 larger one, so might as well get the best tech available especially the OLED screen and he/she wont have to change it again for at least 5 years. The iPad Air m2 13 is great also.

 

[FlyingDutch]

Im only saying this because OP is thinking about sacrificing 2 very good iPads for 1 larger one, so might as well get the best tech available especially the OLED screen and he/she wont have to change it again for at least 5 years. The iPad Air m2 13 is great also.

Well the M4 really is overkill for that usage IMHO.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Not worth it in my opinion, no idea why one would go from an iPad Pro down to an iPad Air.
Even the 2018 iPad Pro still has a better screen, better speakers, better microphones, better cameras, and even to this day it’s not like those 2018 iPads are slow. They are not.

Well the M4 really is overkill for that usage IMHO.

The A12X is overkill for that, the processor is basically irrelevant when it comes to iPads.
Simply dismissing the iPad Pro as “overkill” ignores several important factors, including the fact that the OP is currently using an iPad Pro, so no matter what going to an iPad Air will have downgrades.

 

[FlyingDutch]

Not worth it in my opinion, no idea why one would go from an iPad Pro down to an iPad Air.
Even the 2018 iPad Pro still has a better screen, better speakers, better microphones, better cameras, and even to this day it’s not like those 2018 iPads are slow. They are not.


The A12X is overkill for that, the processor is basically irrelevant when it comes to iPads.
Simply dismissing the iPad Pro as “overkill” ignores several important factors, including the fact that the OP is currently using an iPad Pro, so no matter what going to an iPad Air will have downgrades.

Last gen Air surely is not a downgrade from 2018 iPad Pro. SoC is much better, and it has twice the RAM (8 vs 4). RAM alone is a big deal, especially for gaming.

The downside is in the lack of ProMotion and worse speakers.

 

[RLRabb]

I don’t think they are doing cumulative trade in 🤔

You can trade in as many devices as you want with Apple. They just give you store credit, which you can spend immediately or spend later.

 

[ejfontenot]

Last gen Air surely is not a downgrade from 2018 iPad Pro. SoC is much better, and it has twice the RAM (8 vs 4). RAM alone is a big deal, especially for gaming.

The downside is in the lack of ProMotion and worse speakers.

I don’t know if I have ever used the speakers on my iPads, always wearing my APP. I am slightly concerned about losing the ProMotion, but I don’t have it on the IPM6 and never been an issue for me.

 

[FlyingDutch]

You can trade in as many devices as you want with Apple. They just give you store credit, which you can spend immediately or spend later.

Is it worldwide or US only ? I did several trade in (mainly iPhone and Apple Watch), and the automated process on Apple website only allows for ONE device 🤔

 

[FlyingDutch]

I don’t know if I have ever used the speakers on my iPads, always wearing my APP. I am slightly concerned about losing the ProMotion, but I don’t have it on the IPM6 and never been an issue for me.

That’s up to you. I have a 12.9” IPad Pro M1 and a 10” iPad 10th … and I can’t tell the difference so much, regarding refresh rate

 

[snipr125]

What kind of games do you play OP, because if you play demanding 3D first person shooters or AAA games then the processor and higher refresh rate screen (potentially up to 120 fps) will matter. The iPP M4 will be better for this, where as the M2 Air will be limited to 60 fps. But if your playing AAA games then PS5 or even a budget xbox series S will give you a better gaming experience and cheaper aswell.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Last gen Air surely is not a downgrade from 2018 iPad Pro. SoC is much better, and it has twice the RAM (8 vs 4). RAM alone is a big deal, especially for gaming.

The downside is in the lack of ProMotion and worse speakers.

Yes, exactly, less an upgrade than it is a sidegrade.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

What kind of games do you play OP, because if you play demanding 3D first person shooters or AAA games then the processor and higher refresh rate screen (potentially up to 120 fps) will matter. The M4 will be better for this, where as the M2 Air will be limited to 60 fps.

Yeah, exactly, this is what I’m trying to figure out.
OP, please explain *why* you want to upgrade your 2018 iPad Pro.
What is it your 2018 iPad Pro is not doing that a 2024 iPad Air will?
Surely it’s not just gaming, because if it was, you would go for the M4 with RT.
As it is, I’m not understanding why you’d want to upgrade. The M2 is going on three years old, the A12X is 6, but in terms of day-to-day usage, they are just about the same, at least with iPadOS.
And even if you just want to upgrade because the old one is on its last leg, battery health getting low, you would still probably be happier with a refurbished M1 or M2 iPad Pro than the half upgrade, half downgrade approach of the iPad Air.

 

[Ctrlos]

Unless iPad OS is getting sluggish on the 2018 I would leave it. If you're not looking for AI, Display output or top-spec gaming on your 11" model then will you gain anything from the 'side-grade'? I can understand wanting to perhaps eliminate the iPad Mini 6 from your setup (Mine lasted a week. The Jelly scroll was incredibly annoying) but the thing you will miss, and I say this because I've been there is ProMotion.

On a phone I can take it or leave but my word does it make an impact on the 11" iPad. I've seen my son's iPad 10 without it and I wouldn't ever go back. So best advice? Buy a used M1 iPad Pro.

 

[bk125]

If I were in your position, I would strongly consider an Apple Refurbished M1 or M2 iPad Pro 12.9" instead. The M1 is $759 with 128gb and $829 with 256gb, so, cheaper than the Air, and it comes with a mini-LED screen (in addition to ProMotion). Even an M1 processor is overkill in an iPad, and you will almost certainly miss Face ID when you switch to an Air.

Also—another thing to note is that the 12.9" iPads are squarer than their 11" brethren, so if your goal in upgrading is to have a larger movie screen, it will be larger than an 11" iPad movie, but the increase in size of the device will be greater than the increase in size of a movie. Obviously, games will take advantage of the whole iPad screen.

 

[FlyingDutch]

Unless iPad OS is getting sluggish on the 2018 I would leave it. If you're not looking for AI, Display output or top-spec gaming on your 11" model then will you gain anything from the 'side-grade'? I can understand wanting to perhaps eliminate the iPad Mini 6 from your setup (Mine lasted a week. The Jelly scroll was incredibly annoying) but the thing you will miss, and I say this because I've been there is ProMotion.

On a phone I can take it or leave but my word does it make an impact on the 11" iPad. I've seen my son's iPad 10 without it and I wouldn't ever go back. So best advice? Buy a used M1 iPad Pro.

A second handed M1 Pro would be 3 years old, so the battery could be an issue (mine is at 84% health)

 

[RLRabb]

Is it worldwide or US only ? I did several trade in (mainly iPhone and Apple Watch), and the automated process on Apple website only allows for ONE device 🤔

I was talking about in-store trading. If you are doing the trade-in as part of an online order of a specific product from Apple, the web form is probably only designed to handle one trade-in item.

 

[FlyingDutch]

I was talking about in-store trading. If you are doing the trade-in as part of an online order of a specific product from Apple, the web form is probably only designed to handle one trade-in item.

I never tried in store… I will ask next time