I’d agree that Air 3 is overkill, but the value of a Refurb Air 2 at the price the poster could get one at vs the entry level iPad is a matter for debate.
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Which iPad to Buy My Grandma Who Currently Has iPad 3rd Generation?
- Thread starter HappyDude20
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iPad 2018 for sure, and don’t worry about the lamination. And I say that as someone who owns the iPad Pro 10.5” with laminated screen.
iPad Air 2 is a fine iPad and we have two of them, but I would not recommend it as a new/refurb purchase in 2019. The Air 2 is missing video format support that the iPad 2018 has. Also, the iPad 2018 will get updated for longer.
As for the iPad Air 1, it is effectively obsolete now. Not even remotely recommended. It’s not laminated either.
If you’re really set on getting her a laminated screen then get the Air 3/iPad Pro 10.5”. Very nice but likely overkill.
tl;dr:
iPad Air <— No! It’s obsolete.
iPad Air 2 <— Not recommended in 2019.
iPad 2018 <— Get this one!
iPad Air 3 <— Overkill, but a nice machine.
iPad Air 2 is a fine iPad and we have two of them, but I would not recommend it as a new/refurb purchase in 2019. The Air 2 is missing video format support that the iPad 2018 has. Also, the iPad 2018 will get updated for longer.
As for the iPad Air 1, it is effectively obsolete now. Not even remotely recommended. It’s not laminated either.
If you’re really set on getting her a laminated screen then get the Air 3/iPad Pro 10.5”. Very nice but likely overkill.
tl;dr:
iPad Air <— No! It’s obsolete.
iPad Air 2 <— Not recommended in 2019.
iPad 2018 <— Get this one!
iPad Air 3 <— Overkill, but a nice machine.
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Just a thought I had if she is only using the iPad for YouTube - would the Now TV stick (if you can get these where you are) suffice? It’s a stick that plugs into the HDMI port on the TV to effectively turn it into a smart TV. The YouTube app is free to use and I believe it came preinstalled. The sticks cost £15.
Perhaps unpopular on a forum of Apple fans but I figured it was worth mentioning if it might save the OP/their Grandma some money.
Perhaps unpopular on a forum of Apple fans but I figured it was worth mentioning if it might save the OP/their Grandma some money.
Get this iPad: https://www.apple.com/ipad-9.7/
It doesn’t have a laminated display, but does your grandma really care? Is it a requirement?
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All the things a grandma doesn’t need!
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You’re going from mono on the iPad 3 to stereo on the iPad Mini 5.
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They do.
Honestly, that's a terrible idea as a *replacement* for an iPad.
I have to admit, the quad speakers on the iPad Pro 10.5" are pretty nice. Not an absolute requirement, but it's a feature anyone who uses iPad speakers can appreciate. Unfortunately, the iPad Air 3 doesn't include this feature.
In fact, if given a choice, I think many people would take quad speakers over a laminated display. (That's never an option though, since all quad speaker iPads are Pros with laminated displays.)
One of my friends has an iPad Air 1. He plays a few games on it/browses the web and I’ve never seen him complain...
I’ve tried persuading him to get a new iPad. Unfortunately, he says he’ll get a new one in 2020. I don’t have patience and I’ve tried everything.
I have one myself. It’s no longer in use though.
On topic though, I agree that it’s mostly obsolete.
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Get her a MacRumors account so she can join the discussion!
I don't disagree with your friend's logic. For basic usage it still functions well enough if he doesn't use many Safari tabs or whatever. It that context, it will last fine to 2020.One of my friends has an iPad Air 1. He plays a few games on it/browses the web and I’ve never seen him complain...
I’ve tried persuading him to get a new iPad. Unfortunately, he says he’ll get a new one in 2020. I don’t have patience and I’ve tried everything.
I have one myself. It’s no longer in use though.
On topic though, I agree that it’s mostly obsolete.
The only question is whether or not Apple will update the entry level iPad in 2020. There is no guarantee that Apple will. Apple kept the iPad Air 2 as the main consumer model from 2014 to 2017, or three years.
If you have the budget then i would recommend you to go with the latest version of iPad. It is now a lot more better and faster.
Excellent advice. The iPad is a pretty personal experience and she sounds as if her requirements for a tablet are rather on the entry level side. Why not let her pick up the standard iPad and the air/ pro and see what she prefers.
Thank you. In fact, my grandma called me this morning mentioning she loves her iPad. I’m not exaggerating. She tells me at least once a month since 2013 (when I gifted her the iPad 3rd agent) that it’s the best computer ever and she never thought she’s be youtubing and googling. She doesn’t know I’m looking to get her a new one, so I’m sure either way she’s be happy. Admittedly when I present to her a new iPad I’ll want to let her know what the new features are so she can appreciate them. Going from 1.57lbs to 0.97lbs is gonna seem like a brand new world to her.
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Having slept on it, you’re right. It seems like the standard iPad would be the best. Especially since we knit she’s gonna be using it for years to come. But is it really a big difference between the 17’ iPad vs. the 18’ iPad?
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I’m not adverse to the idea but honestly when I first gifted her the iPad I truly believed she wasn’t even going to use it and I was convinced it was going to become a paperweight in her home. But to my amazement she uses it every day. With Apple it just works. So if this attachment to a TV can help her and is easy to use then I can get it for her too. However to this day she still
Uses one of those box televisions from the 90s. Definitely no hdmi port.
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Nope. Can’t. It’s a surprise.
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Get her a MacRumors account so she can join the discussion!
LMAO.
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I’ve been to the Apple store with her before and shown her all the iPads the store has had to offer and every time she always tells me that she loves her iPad 3. She says it’s perfect for her and wouldn’t need anything new. She is fascinated by seeing how packed the Apple store is and how everyone uses their own iPad for a variety of things. Also, she never takes the iPad out of the house for fear it’ll get stolen. Only ever uses it at home around the house and backyard.
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Definitely go for the 2018 iPad. It has 1st generation Touch ID in case she ever forgets her passcode or for pure convenience.
Besides Apple Pencil support and a faster SoC in the 6th gen, they are very similar. However, the '18 is what's available for sale now, and Apple also sells it for $50 less on their refurb store, at $279. Plus you can sometimes find the '18 new for $249 to $300. In fact, Amazon.com in the US has it priced right now at $249.99, but backordered for 10 days. You can pre-order though:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-lis...0?ie=UTF8&condition=all&qid=1555172902&sr=8-2
At that $250 price, there is no reason to get the 5th generation iPad. BTW, in terms of the SoC comparison, the A10 of the 6th gen is actually a pretty significant upgrade over the A9 of the 5th gen. (The A9 in the 5th gen is not much faster than the A8X in the iPad Air 2.) I'd say by some grandma standards, the 5th gen is good, but the 6th is very good. The 5th gen gets around 4550 in Geekbench 4, and the 6th gen gets about 6100, meaning the 6th gen is over one-third faster.
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I agree with this mostly. Coming from an iPad 3, the 2018 iPad 9.7 is an upgrade in every way. It's much faster and lighter. Pencil support, too, if she cares for that. Heck, I upgraded my dad from iPad 3 to a 2017 iPad 9.7 when it first came out and even that was a major improvement already. I wouldn't say the Air 3/Pro 10.5 are overkill, though. They're still fairly reasonable upgrades from the basic iPad. I'd reserve overkill status for the 2018 Pro models.
You can regularly find the iPad 2018 32GB for $250 on sale while the iPad Air 3/Pro 10.5 64GB is ~$500. Whether the Pro 10.5/Air 3 are worth double the cost is an entirely subjective decision.
Heh. The iPad Pro 2018 is overkill even for me.I agree with this mostly. Coming from an iPad 3, the 2018 iPad 9.7 is an upgrade in every way. It's much faster and lighter. Pencil support, too, if she cares for that. Heck, I upgraded my dad from iPad 3 to a 2017 iPad 9.7 when it first came out and even that was a major improvement already. I wouldn't say the Air 3/Pro 10.5 are overkill, though. They're still fairly reasonable upgrades from the basic iPad. I'd reserve overkill status for the 2018 Pro models.
You can regularly find the iPad 2018 32GB for $250 on sale while the iPad Air 3/Pro 10.5 64GB is ~$500. Whether the Pro 10.5/Air 3 are worth double the cost is an entirely subjective decision.
I was tempted, but in the end couldn't justify spending over 50% more for it and its accessories here. Basically the only things I really wanted from the 2018 Pro 11" were Face ID and wider screen, but it would have cost me over CAD$500 more to do it, after factoring in the real-world pricing of the iPad Pro, the Smart Keyboard, and Pencil. (Neither the iPad Pro 11" nor its Pencil 2 are on the Canadian refurb store, and for some reason the Smart Keyboard is much, much cheaper via Amazon sellers for the 10.5".)
Sparingly on her current iPad 3. Either way whateveripad I get her is going to be an upgrade so am glad that’s pretty much taken care of.
Edit: I don’t know if she’s ever used the front facing camera but the back camera I know she’s used from time to time since she can send me photos easily as oppose to her android phone. (Don’t worry I’m looking to get her a new phone eventually too)
I think we've finally ruled out which iPad is best for her.
She's going from a 5MP rear camera to an 8MP rear camera then. Better camera quality.
The front camera is also significantly better.
If you want a truly big upgrade in rear camera quality, that would be the iPad Pro 10.5". That also has much, much better speakers. But as mentioned, I think it's probably overkill. It's also twice as expensive. The iPad 2018 is $250 at Amazon, and the iPad Pro 10.5" is $500 at Best Buy.
Unless you want to really splurge, get the iPad 2018.
