iPad sweet spot - 2021
Discussion
Even the basic iPad has an A12, and can use the Apple pencil and keyboard. £329 for a rather limiting 32GB, although really you want the 128GB at £429. It's all the iPad 99.9% of people need.
Air gets a slightly bigger screen, but it's fully laminated (hard to convey in words, but it looks like the screen is up at the surface rather than under a sheet of glass), nice bump to the A14 chip, latest Apple pencil / keyboard, better back back camera but a way better front camera (if you do a lot of video calling). If you can live with 64GB storage then it's easy to justify the extra £150 over the higher storage base iPad, at £579. If you did want loads and loads of storage then you can get the 256GB for £729.
Pro is even better cameras, even better performance, Face ID, etc and another couple of hundred on the price. Only for those with lots of spare cash who want the best, or if you use one for your work and do heavier things like edit video on it.
Air gets a slightly bigger screen, but it's fully laminated (hard to convey in words, but it looks like the screen is up at the surface rather than under a sheet of glass), nice bump to the A14 chip, latest Apple pencil / keyboard, better back back camera but a way better front camera (if you do a lot of video calling). If you can live with 64GB storage then it's easy to justify the extra £150 over the higher storage base iPad, at £579. If you did want loads and loads of storage then you can get the 256GB for £729.
Pro is even better cameras, even better performance, Face ID, etc and another couple of hundred on the price. Only for those with lots of spare cash who want the best, or if you use one for your work and do heavier things like edit video on it.
I’ll try and talk you up. :-). Face ID is utterly wonderful, its an incredibly clever stunt by Apple because once you’ve used it for a day, anything without it just seems broken. All the password bobbins just fades into the background,
On the talking you down side, I have recently replaced my Pro 12” (oo-er) with a Gen 4 one. The old one (Gen 1) has a massive, good quality screen, and still works perfectly well, I really can’t fault it, and I only replaced it because I needed 2 devices for a while and work was effectively paying me for it. I have found no modern app or compute task where the Gen 4 is any better than the Gen 1. They pop up on eBay for not a lot of money quite regularly. TouchID, so feels a bit Steampunk..... :-)
On the talking you down side, I have recently replaced my Pro 12” (oo-er) with a Gen 4 one. The old one (Gen 1) has a massive, good quality screen, and still works perfectly well, I really can’t fault it, and I only replaced it because I needed 2 devices for a while and work was effectively paying me for it. I have found no modern app or compute task where the Gen 4 is any better than the Gen 1. They pop up on eBay for not a lot of money quite regularly. TouchID, so feels a bit Steampunk..... :-)
There will probably be an Apple event soon, iPads may be in line for updates, especially the Pro. The mini and regular iPad may get updates too. It's all grapevine stuff to what the updates would be, but processor and storage updates would be a given, maybe USB-C and the buttonless front like the Air and Pro.
An Apple event happens a few times a year, so there's always something around the corner if you want the latest and greatest.
An Apple event happens a few times a year, so there's always something around the corner if you want the latest and greatest.
I’m desperately hanging on for the next Apple Event, as I want to know about the new iPad Mini and indeed, if there is even going to be one anytime soon.
Was rumoured to be tomorow but doesn’t look like that bis going to happen.
I might have to bite the bullet and get a normal one or even an Air, even though they are bigger than I’d ideally like.
Was rumoured to be tomorow but doesn’t look like that bis going to happen.
I might have to bite the bullet and get a normal one or even an Air, even though they are bigger than I’d ideally like.
Pertinant thread, myself and the family have chipped in to get my Dad a new Ipad for his birthday, his old one being so obselete even simple apps aren't working...
His birthday is next week though and I doubt he'd want to wait until Q3 for the apple event for the shiny new toy. I know zero about Apple (android fanboy here) but don't want him to buy incorrectly, as mentioned above he'd get his mileage out of this one so something not obselete by next year would be great.
His birthday is next week though and I doubt he'd want to wait until Q3 for the apple event for the shiny new toy. I know zero about Apple (android fanboy here) but don't want him to buy incorrectly, as mentioned above he'd get his mileage out of this one so something not obselete by next year would be great.
Either the normal iPad or the iPad Air will be fine. Both are fairly recent (I.e. within last 6 months).
https://buyersguide.macrumors.com/
https://buyersguide.macrumors.com/
ajprice said:
There will probably be an Apple event soon, iPads may be in line for updates, especially the Pro. The mini and regular iPad may get updates too. It's all grapevine stuff to what the updates would be, but processor and storage updates would be a given, maybe USB-C and the buttonless front like the Air and Pro.
An Apple event happens a few times a year, so there's always something around the corner if you want the latest and greatest.
It's coming in April with some iPad updates-wait a few weeks An Apple event happens a few times a year, so there's always something around the corner if you want the latest and greatest.
sjg said:
Even the basic iPad has an A12, and can use the Apple pencil and keyboard. £329 for a rather limiting 32GB, although really you want the 128GB at £429. It's all the iPad 99.9% of people need.
Air gets a slightly bigger screen, but it's fully laminated (hard to convey in words, but it looks like the screen is up at the surface rather than under a sheet of glass), nice bump to the A14 chip, latest Apple pencil / keyboard, better back back camera but a way better front camera (if you do a lot of video calling). If you can live with 64GB storage then it's easy to justify the extra £150 over the higher storage base iPad, at £579. If you did want loads and loads of storage then you can get the 256GB for £729.
Thanks for that - I had to buy another iPad recently and I assumed the couple we had kicking around were just iPads, but it seems they were iPad Airs, but I don't recall any thought of paying extra for them.Air gets a slightly bigger screen, but it's fully laminated (hard to convey in words, but it looks like the screen is up at the surface rather than under a sheet of glass), nice bump to the A14 chip, latest Apple pencil / keyboard, better back back camera but a way better front camera (if you do a lot of video calling). If you can live with 64GB storage then it's easy to justify the extra £150 over the higher storage base iPad, at £579. If you did want loads and loads of storage then you can get the 256GB for £729.
There's a bewildering array of iPads on the timeline over the last few years!
This time, the cost difference stood out and I didn't seem to be getting anything obvious. So I just bought iPad 2020.
Edited by Sheepshanks on Wednesday 24th March 20:19
The Mrs surprised me with a 12.9 Pro at Christmas to replace my 10.5. As others have said pretty much everything runs exactly the same as it did on the 10.5 apart from Grid which is better.
The screen however !! I'm not sure I could go back all the other iPad just feel a bit .... Small...
The screen however !! I'm not sure I could go back all the other iPad just feel a bit .... Small...
Narcisus said:
The Mrs surprised me with a 12.9 Pro at Christmas to replace my 10.5. As others have said pretty much everything runs exactly the same as it did on the 10.5 apart from Grid which is better.
The screen however !! I'm not sure I could go back all the other iPad just feel a bit .... Small...
Agreed. The pro screen is awesomeThe screen however !! I'm not sure I could go back all the other iPad just feel a bit .... Small...
rxe said:
I’ll try and talk you up. :-). Face ID is utterly wonderful, its an incredibly clever stunt by Apple because once you’ve used it for a day, anything without it just seems broken. All the password bobbins just fades into the background,
On the talking you down side, I have recently replaced my Pro 12” (oo-er) with a Gen 4 one. The old one (Gen 1) has a massive, good quality screen, and still works perfectly well, I really can’t fault it, and I only replaced it because I needed 2 devices for a while and work was effectively paying me for it. I have found no modern app or compute task where the Gen 4 is any better than the Gen 1. They pop up on eBay for not a lot of money quite regularly. TouchID, so feels a bit Steampunk..... :-)
Thanks. I’ve Face ID on my iPhone which is great but the iPad will be used by the kids too so not so great given it will be pin most of the time. On the talking you down side, I have recently replaced my Pro 12” (oo-er) with a Gen 4 one. The old one (Gen 1) has a massive, good quality screen, and still works perfectly well, I really can’t fault it, and I only replaced it because I needed 2 devices for a while and work was effectively paying me for it. I have found no modern app or compute task where the Gen 4 is any better than the Gen 1. They pop up on eBay for not a lot of money quite regularly. TouchID, so feels a bit Steampunk..... :-)
Going to aim for a standard iPad or air if a deal
Comes along.
beko1987 said:
Pertinant thread, myself and the family have chipped in to get my Dad a new Ipad for his birthday, his old one being so obselete even simple apps aren't working...
His birthday is next week though and I doubt he'd want to wait until Q3 for the apple event for the shiny new toy. I know zero about Apple (android fanboy here) but don't want him to buy incorrectly, as mentioned above he'd get his mileage out of this one so something not obselete by next year would be great.
I’d be keen to know which iPad he currently has. We are finding with an iPad Air 1st gen various apps are no longer working, stuck on iOS 12 too. His birthday is next week though and I doubt he'd want to wait until Q3 for the apple event for the shiny new toy. I know zero about Apple (android fanboy here) but don't want him to buy incorrectly, as mentioned above he'd get his mileage out of this one so something not obselete by next year would be great.
carteruk said:
beko1987 said:
Pertinant thread, myself and the family have chipped in to get my Dad a new Ipad for his birthday, his old one being so obselete even simple apps aren't working...
His birthday is next week though and I doubt he'd want to wait until Q3 for the apple event for the shiny new toy. I know zero about Apple (android fanboy here) but don't want him to buy incorrectly, as mentioned above he'd get his mileage out of this one so something not obselete by next year would be great.
I’d be keen to know which iPad he currently has. We are finding with an iPad Air 1st gen various apps are no longer working, stuck on iOS 12 too. His birthday is next week though and I doubt he'd want to wait until Q3 for the apple event for the shiny new toy. I know zero about Apple (android fanboy here) but don't want him to buy incorrectly, as mentioned above he'd get his mileage out of this one so something not obselete by next year would be great.
All iPad Pro models.
iPad (7th generation)
iPad (6th generation)
iPad (5th generation)
iPad mini 4 and 5.
iPad Air (3rd & 4th generation)
iPad Air 2.
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