iPad purchase considerations (lower/entry level)

[CardinalRule]

I'm in the market for a replacement, partly because of diminishing battery life.

Current:

6th generation - https://support.apple.com/kb/sp774?locale=en_US

Considering:

9th generation - https://support.apple.com/kb/SP849?locale=en_US, or
10th generation - https://support.apple.com/kb/SP884?locale=en_US

My current iPad has 128GB capacity, and I wish Apple hadn't removed that sweet spot (for me) from recent iPad lineups. I will need to "buy up" to 256GB with either model.

The 9th generation is currently about $160 cheaper, and my wife and I recently purchased iPhone 14s, and so we'll be with the Lightning connector for a while. As a result, I'm leaning at the moment toward the 9th generation. I don't use a pen, and I'm basically a consumer of content (video apps, Safari web browsing, Kindle app books) on my iPad. I am not interested in cellular connectivity.

I'll may wait to see what the sale prices are during Amazon's October "Prime Day" event before deciding. The other thing I need to think about is the practice my wife and I have of buying the same electronics, kinda like a household IT department. We got twin iPhone 14s recently, and our desktop computers are exactly the same, as are our 6th generation iPads. Possibly because of lighter use over time, her iPad continues to have decent battery life and is quite functional for her needs. So I guess I could try to delay the purchase until the next product cycle. Any recent experiences with iPad purchases and analyses?

[WonderWander]

I recently upgraded my old iPad Air (originally bought 6-7 years ago) to an 8th generation. The older iPad still works great but was constantly running out of memory + battery life was getting pretty bad. The new one is faster and has more memory and works well for browsing, email, Netflix, etc,

Instead of buying a new 9th gen, I bought a certified Refurbished directly from Apple (you can find the link at the bottom of the main page). If you are just looking for something that does the basics and and don’t need the latest model or extra memory, you can currently get a 128GB 8th gen for $349 (vs. 256 GB 9th gen for $479).

This is the 3rd refurbished product I’ve bought from Apple and overall very happy with it. Looks new and works like new - I’ve never had any issues.

[02nz]

I find the upgrade to the Air or Pro from the budget 9th/10th gens worthwhile, as the budget iPads have non-laminated displays (with an "air gap" and noticeably worse glare). It's one of those things I can't unsee anymore.

If you find that 128GB is the "sweet spot" of storage, then look out for deals on the iPad Pro. Or a refurb directly from Apple, which are indistinguishable from new. You can get the 2020 model (still more than powerful enough) with 128GB for $549: https://www.apple.com/shop/product/FY23 ... Space-Grey. That's a much better buy than either the 9th or 10th gen entry-level iPad, with a fantastic display and speakers and great performance.

[bligh]

Compare the price with that of the last generation M1 iPad Pro. Certified refurbished from Apple if available.

I think that is the price /performance / storage capacity sweet spot at the moment.

[LifeIsGood]

Another vote for refurbished Apple products. They carry the same 1 yr warranty as new stuff but are usually marked down 10% off list price. If you happen to be a veteran you can get another ~ 10% discount on top of the refurbished price. Another veteran option is using one of the armed forces exchanges. I like AAFES.com. They often have Apple products on sale AND they don't charge sales tax. That give me an almost 8% discount right there.

[dukeblue219]

Here's a vote against refurbished - a refurbished 8th Gen iPad with 128GB is $349. 9th Gen 256Gb refurbished is $409.

Brand new 9th Gen 64GB have been as low as $250 and are today $279 at Amazon. 256 is 399 and sometimes gets to 379ish.

So, while refurbished iPads used to be a great deal when you could never ever find a new one on sale, the value isn't there anymore.

[Wading Ashore]

I'm about to trade in my iPad Mini for a 10th Gen. I'll use it for travel, and so far it seems to be working out. Trade in = $260.

[pawtucket]

I recently bought a 9th Generation/64GB at BJ's for $280. (I don't have any need for extra storage.) I also saw some deals at Staples over the summer. It's replacing a very old iPad 2 that eventually only functioned as my checkbook. And then when the checkbook app went on the fritz, I had to make a move. I'm going to enjoy having a iPad again. And plan to use it for more than the checkbook app.

[hudson]

Any recent experiences with iPad purchases and analyses?

I had a 2019 iPad pro...normal size. I didn't use it much so I passed it over to my wife.
I bought an Apple iPad Mini (6th Generation): with A15 Bionic chip, 8.3-inch Liquid Retina Display, 64GB,...wifi only.
I've had it now for several months and like it better than the normal sized iPad. Why? I like the small size and light weight; it'll even fit in some of my pockets. It's more suitable for reading Kindle books...because of it's light weight.
I don't care about the GBs (capacity) as I have lots of online storage (iCloud+...2TB). So far, no problems with space. I probably should check.
UPDATE: I just checked to see how much space I have left on my 64 MB iPad mini after owning it for 4 months.
Under Settings, General, and About I have 26 of 64 GB remaining even though I have over 25,000 images and over 600 videos.
This is how I put photos and videos into iCloud:
Under Settings, Photos, I selected iCloud Photos which stores pics and videos in iCloud and shares all with other Apple devices.
Under Settings, Photos, I selected Optimize iPad Storage which saves the full sized image in iCloud and saves a smaller version to the iPad.

Bottom Line: If you buy a low capacity iPad, iCloud storage can take up the slack.

My Mini is the latest mini... released in 2021 and the newest model available. Maybe a newer one will be available in October? Sep. 12th article: https://www.macworld.com/article/678361 ... lease.html

[j9j]

Here's a vote against refurbished - a refurbished 8th Gen iPad with 128GB is $349. 9th Gen 256Gb refurbished is $409.

Brand new 9th Gen 64GB have been as low as $250 and are today $279 at Amazon. 256 is 399 and sometimes gets to 379ish.

So, while refurbished iPads used to be a great deal when you could never ever find a new one on sale, the value isn't there anymore.

Agree with this post.

OP use case sounds similar to mine. I have the 9th gen iPad 64gb and I think I did get it for $250. I upgraded from air 2 16gb which was no longer supported by Apple.

[02nz]

Here's a vote against refurbished - a refurbished 8th Gen iPad with 128GB is $349. 9th Gen 256Gb refurbished is $409.

Brand new 9th Gen 64GB have been as low as $250 and are today $279 at Amazon. 256 is 399 and sometimes gets to 379ish.

So, while refurbished iPads used to be a great deal when you could never ever find a new one on sale, the value isn't there anymore.

(OP stated 64 GB is not enough, they need 128 or 256 GB.) I wouldn't buy the budget iPad (256 GB) for $400 when an Apple-refurbished Pro (128 GB) is $550.

[02nz]

Bottom Line: If you buy a low capacity iPad, iCloud storage can take up the slack.

If you're downloading media for offline viewing, then iCloud cannot take up the slack.

[hudson]

Bottom Line: If you buy a low capacity iPad, iCloud storage can take up the slack.

If you're downloading media for offline viewing, then iCloud cannot take up the slack.

Thanks!
What's an example of media for offline viewing?

[02nz]

Bottom Line: If you buy a low capacity iPad, iCloud storage can take up the slack.

If you're downloading media for offline viewing, then iCloud cannot take up the slack.

Thanks!
What's an example of media for offline viewing?

In addition to movies from iTunes, lots of streaming apps allow you to download media to the device so you can stream even where there's no internet (e.g., on the plane).

[dukeblue219]

Here's a vote against refurbished - a refurbished 8th Gen iPad with 128GB is $349. 9th Gen 256Gb refurbished is $409.

Brand new 9th Gen 64GB have been as low as $250 and are today $279 at Amazon. 256 is 399 and sometimes gets to 379ish.

So, while refurbished iPads used to be a great deal when you could never ever find a new one on sale, the value isn't there anymore.

(OP stated 64 GB is not enough, they need 128 or 256 GB.) I wouldn't buy the budget iPad (256 GB) for $400 when an Apple-refurbished Pro (128 GB) is $550.

Yeah, I get it. But now you're stretching from a $279 64GB device to a $550 device solely to move to 128GB since it doesn't sound like the other Pro features will be used.

I'd still rec the 256GB iPad for 399 over a 128GB pro for 550 for users who will mainly consume content with it. Storage is something many people will use while the powerful M1 is really unnecessary unless it's more of a laptop replacement use case.

[02nz]

Here's a vote against refurbished - a refurbished 8th Gen iPad with 128GB is $349. 9th Gen 256Gb refurbished is $409.

Brand new 9th Gen 64GB have been as low as $250 and are today $279 at Amazon. 256 is 399 and sometimes gets to 379ish.

So, while refurbished iPads used to be a great deal when you could never ever find a new one on sale, the value isn't there anymore.

(OP stated 64 GB is not enough, they need 128 or 256 GB.) I wouldn't buy the budget iPad (256 GB) for $400 when an Apple-refurbished Pro (128 GB) is $550.

Yeah, I get it. But now you're stretching from a $279 64GB device to a $550 device solely to move to 128GB since it doesn't sound like the other Pro features will be used.

I'd still rec the 256GB iPad for 399 over a 128GB pro for 550 for users who will mainly consume content with it. Storage is something many people will use while the powerful M1 is really unnecessary unless it's more of a laptop replacement use case.

To each their own. I don't need the iPad Pro's extra performance either, but to me its other improvements are well worth the $150 premium. It's just a MUCH nicer tablet to use.

[mrb09]

Not sure if you're interested in a keyboard, but the new (5th gen) iPad Airs will use the same Magic Keyboard as the Pros, but the 10th gen iPads will only take the smart folios.

Both the 5th gen Air and 10th gen iPad have USB-C connectors, which means you can plug in a standard USB-C hub to hook up things like external monitors.

[cmr79]

It seems crazy to me that it costs $150 to upgrade from 64 to 256 GB of memory in the current generation iPad when a 1TB flash drive costs under $20. The profit margins on upgrading integrated storage on any of these devices must be huge.

[Nicolas]

Why not go to your Apple Store and have a new battery installed? My wife and I got both of our iPhone batteries replaced which will give us more years of life.

[dukeblue219]

Why not go to your Apple Store and have a new battery installed? My wife and I got both of our iPhone batteries replaced which will give us more years of life.

This is a $99 option that isn't a bad suggestion if battery life is the only issue.

I personally would rather sell the old iPad for about $180 on Swappa or eBay and buy a 9th Gen 256GB for $399 to end up with a much better device for $219 net (plus some fees on the sale) than spend $99 on a 5.5 year old (but perfectly usable) iPad.

But I'll grant that just getting a new battery at an Apple store is easier.

[Cecelio]

10th gen has no headphone hole. I bought a boatload of them for a school district's kindergarten program. Kids used to break off their 3.5mm regularly, but it was usually repairable. I had to buy the $9 USBC to 3.5 dongles. Now if they break it they can't charge it. No way to charge bluetooth for that many kids.

For a single purchase for an adult, it's probably fine. If you plan to keep this ipad for 6+ years, I would buy a new one.

[CardinalRule]

Thanks for all the knowledgeable insight, everyone.

On the capacity front (and thinking about whether the economical 64GB option might be sufficient), my 6th generation iPad is showing 77.5GB (of 128GB) used. Apps seem to often be 1GB in size or more, and that quickly consumes space, although more offloading could provide some relief. Listening to birds in my backyard is currently taking 5% of my storage. I'm using my iCloud subscription to store photos, and that helps, to hudson's point. I suspect I will always be juggling storage to stay under the 64GB, though, and so that is why I wish I could opt for 128GB.



My main complaint with my current device - poor battery life - is kinda interesting. It definitely runs down faster than it did a couple of years ago, but when I went into the Apple Genius Bar a few months ago, seeking a new battery, I was told that my battery health (87%, as I recall) was too high and that a replacement was thus not permitted - even though I wanted to pay the $99.

I'll have to think a little more about how bad the battery life really is at the moment, but a newer iPad is appealing, nonetheless. I'll add refurbs (from Apple) to my considerations, although at first glance I'm not seeing a big price advantage, similar to what dukeblue219 noted.

[Dottie57]

I bought the 9th generation of plain old iPad. Works great. I use it at home for browsing an email. Nothing fancy. I wanted the lowest cost. I have an old oPad air and iPad pto butthey have about 1 hour battery life. My iPad Air is the favorite because it is the lightest.

[hudson]

Bottom Line: If you buy a low capacity iPad, iCloud storage can take up the slack.

If you're downloading media for offline viewing, then iCloud cannot take up the slack.

Thanks!
What's an example of media for offline viewing?

In addition to movies from iTunes, lots of streaming apps allow you to download media to the device so you can stream even where there's no internet (e.g., on the plane).

Thanks 02nz!
Useful skill that I need to learn.
My iPad Mini has 64GB, but my iPhone has 256GB; I just changed my photos storage from on-the-phone to on-iCloud.
Can I download movies from Netflix or Amazon?

[02nz]

Bottom Line: If you buy a low capacity iPad, iCloud storage can take up the slack.

If you're downloading media for offline viewing, then iCloud cannot take up the slack.

Thanks!
What's an example of media for offline viewing?

In addition to movies from iTunes, lots of streaming apps allow you to download media to the device so you can stream even where there's no internet (e.g., on the plane).

Thanks 02nz!
Useful skill that I need to learn.
My iPad Mini has 64GB, but my iPhone has 256GB; I just changed my photos storage from on-the-phone to on-iCloud.
Can I download movies from Netflix or Amazon?

Yes both of those allow you to download for offline viewing.

For Amazon, if you want to purchase a movie/TV show, you have to do that with a browser and then access the video on the Prime Video app. (Amazon makes you go through these hoops because if they allowed purchasing in the app, they'd have to pay Apple a large cut of the revenue.)

[CardinalRule]

I have 7 episodes of GLOW that I downloaded on Netflix for a recent long flight. The total usage is 1.06GB for this particular content. Not all titles are available, due to licensing terms, but most seem to be. Definitely a nice feature for a tablet or phone.

https://help.netflix.com/en/node/54816
https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer ... FMY3GTZVX7

[02nz]

I have 7 episodes of GLOW that I downloaded on Netflix for a recent long flight. The total usage is 1.06GB for this particular content. Not all titles are available, due to licensing terms, but most seem to be. Definitely a nice feature for a tablet or phone.

https://help.netflix.com/en/node/54816
https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer ... FMY3GTZVX7

Some apps (like Amazon, not sure about Netflix) also let you choose the quality of downloads to save space.

[dukeblue219]

Can I download movies from Netflix or Amazon?

Just be aware that you aren't downloading a standalone video file that you can copy, share, backup, or anything like that. The download function basically just caches the streaming video on your device so you can watch with the app when you have no Internet access.

Works well, but occasionally people expect it to be more than it is