The m1 IPad Pro is a widely known premium product, especially the price gap for the 12.9 inch. And most people would stray away from refurbished devices of this caliber. The question is: Was buying a 2 year old (refurbished) model the right choice? Well, yes and no. I come from the brilliant iPad Air 4; which I would Reccomend to just about anyone. I am a supporter of the m2 IPad Pro, and I believe that if you have a device older than that iPad Air 4, that is the one you should spring for. However, for those I’m my boat. The m1 iPad Pro is the way to go!
Let’s start with the negatives; The packaging had me a bit worried, though there was no shipping damage. The cable and charger included are not apple products, though I half expected this. And though the power brick is nice. (((EDIT: the brick was broken, as a person who has plenty of chargers and cablesI, I do not mind this))) The cable was very cheap, I am not docking points, but I have to consider that this is an expensive product and the included cable feels like it came with an alcatel flip phone. Upon inspection, there is 2 toothpick sized blemishes on the chassis. Though one of these wiped clean with a bit of force.
The positives are that this product feels like a brand new machine, once I took it out I tested it for any flaws, the screen is like new, no issue with HDR content … no speaker or port damage was noticeable, no issue with the Apple Pencil charger or the Magic Keyboard connector either. Face ID works great. Cameras (both front and back) worked fine.
Performance is Great, My model scored 1% under average for single core performance and about the same for multi-core. Of course I also tested the battery, by using a software called coconut battery; you can plug your device into a computer and it can tell you the full charge capacity it has. Amazon states that its renewed products have a battery health score of 80% or more, so you outta test that. My model scored a 96.4% put simply, my model has lost about 14.5 minutes of possible screen on time.
To end this off, I do reccomend this product, my model was in tip top shape and an excellent bargain, that is the thing however; MY model was in tip top shape, there is always risk with refurbished products, and you have to go into it with some acceptance that something might be wrong. But if you are willing to accept that, this is an excellent deal and based off of my experience: if you are looking for an m1 iPad Pro, this is the spot.
(Apple has a refurbished website too! They completely replace the battery and chassis of all devices (note: these certified refurbished ones are more expensive, a model like the one I bought would run me another 200$ more from their store). I would reccomend looking there as well for future apple products you may buy. Say, a new phone or a Mac.)
Long term check in.
Things are running smoothly as of October 16th, 2023. And no major errors have peaked their head, so not much else to add;
The only thing I will add is a plethora of low battery Warnings, I will get multiple “20% battery remaining from 20%-11%, and 3-4 “battery at 10% warnings from the range of 10-8%, its like the battery or the device cannot tell or flip flops between it being above or below 20%,10%, etc.
—errors I have encountered—
The battery indicator does not jump from 19-21, and then give the the warning again once it goes back down to 20, it just gives the the 20% warning at 20,19, and 18%
—long term ownership “understandings”—
I still believe that this is a great deal and a great buy, but after living with the 12.9 inch I would have to advise going for the smaller one unless you get a keyboard case or the Magic Keyboard, I also feel like the 10.9 inch is more attuned for the usage of the magic pencil or any stylus. That doesn’t mean the pencil is bad for the 12.9, but that its a bit cumbersome in some areas.
I heard people complaining about the weight of the device (with the Magic Keyboard especially) and I mean yea… but it is something you get used to, and when you do just use it as a handheld, it is lighter than you would expect.
I’m not doing a review of the Magic Keyboard here; but any keyboard (especially the Magic Keyboard) completely transforms the experience of this device, and it is 100% worth it to get a keyboard with the 12.9 inch, doesn’t have to be the Magic Keyboard, but a keyboard none the less. The Logitech folio touch is a great option. I’ll let you do your own research about it but I’ll just jot down some things if you’re curious.
Magic Keyboard: magnetic attachment, great typing feel, and completely detaches. Has passthrough charging — 349 (get open box at best buy, I got mine for 260, make sure to ask to test the device and just make sure all the buttons work, along with the SHIFT + KEY combos, feel for actuation discrepancies)
Folio touch: removable keyboard but case stays on, ok typing feel, and has a stand for drawing angles. — 170
Both have touchpad, but Magic Keyboards is way better
Now for the only thing I think I could’ve saved money on:
The Cellular connection.
I. Love the cellular connection! . . . . . . Hey wait a minute….
Cellular connectivity on an iPad is way cooler than a phone, and is so worth it and I’m totally hooked to a parasitic exchange.
I don’t use the cellular connectivity enough to justify getting the cellular model, I thought I was going to a lot.
When the internet goes out, its awesome, when you’re travelling, its great, when you’re internet is slow, it’s convenient, for streaming, its good.
All in all, I would recommend the cellular model, but ask yourself if you will use it, not in the term of ‘future proofing’ which is a phrase i don’t agree with to an extent. But its a lot like that 49” monitor i got, I Love it, and I will get 49” monitors again, but I’ve locked myself into a more expensive chain, that is kinda how i can describe what going for the cellular model is.
I love this iPad, and i love how i got it for such a good price, usually when i get a new tech thing, I end up semi regretting or wishing i got something more, or something newer, that something could’ve been better. But i have not once said or thought: “i wish I would’ve gone for a 10.9 inch, i wish i sprung for a newer model, i wish i got more storage. The cellular thing is something I could’ve saved money on, but i have not regretted it.
I think the m1 iPad Pro is the best value tablet you can get right now, and I don’t know if the next iPad Air will change that, (because of the rumoured larger screen size option)
If you use the magic pencil a lot, you should consider the 10.9 inch, its more portable, its easier to use as a stand-alone tablet (without a keyboard case) its cheaper (obviously) and with the money you can save or put towards a higher capacity storage, or towards cellular, or a peripheral. And slightly more battery because of the lower screen spec, it’s a budget powerhouse.
But the 12.9 inch is fantastic!
And now to loosely connect this to this product.
This good deal for fantastic device, i approve.
| Standing screen display size | 12.9 Inches |
|---|---|
| Screen Resolution | 2732x2048 |
| Max Screen Resolution | 2732-by-2048-pixel resolution at 264 pixels per inch (ppi) |
| RAM | 8 GB |
| Hard Drive | 256 GB |
| Card Description | Integrated |
| Wireless Type | Bluetooth, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, 802.11ax |
| Number of USB 2.0 Ports | 1 |
| Average Battery Life (in hours) | 10 Hours |
