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Apple doesn’t make things easy when it comes to buying an iPad.
The lineup – while gently maturing – is still rather tricky to navigate. At the bottom of the rung there’s the tenth-generation iPad, which has rightfully taken on the role of entry-level device, thanks to the overdue culling of the 9th generation version. That’s a brilliantly priced and incredibly capable tablet, but if you decide you’d like to spend more, that’s where the confusion starts.
The iPad mini remains Apple’s best ever iPad, hands down. But it’s coming on for three years old and there’s no guarantee it’s going to see an update.
iPad mini too small for you? Well, you have no choice but to consider either the iPad Air or the iPad Pro. This used to be a simple choice – most people would go for the iPad Air due to the sheer value it delivers and the fact that there was only one screen size available.
Now, Apple has thrown a 13-inch version of the iPad Air into the mix, and to make matters worse, it’s absolutely brilliant. So brilliant that it makes spending at least £400 more on an iPad Pro highly questionable.
Good news – I’ve thought about this (way too much) and I’ve worked out the ideal customer profiles for the M4 iPad Pro and the M2 iPad Air.
The ideal M4 iPad Pro owner
The iPad Pro has always represented the pinnacle of what Apple has achieved with mobile computing. Nothing else in the lineup comes close when it comes to the combination of power-per-pound and a modern touch interface.
The problem is that the considerable horsepower that has been encased within every iPad Pro since the first generation is almost impossible to harness. I’m fully aware that there are businesses and creatives out there who do maximise the power of the iPad Pro, but it is such a small audience, and I have absolutely no idea what they’re doing with their iPads.
This means it’s tricky to nail down the ideal M4 iPad Pro owner because I think it’s split into two personalities. The first is the person I’ve just mentioned; they know how to push the limits of the iPad Pro. Whether it’s graphical, computational, or creative work, it requires the absolute best chip Apple can stuff into its flagship iPad.
The second is the person who just wants the most powerful iPad on the market. As I’ve always said, that’s absolutely fine and completely justifiable; there’s nothing wrong with wanting nice, fancy, powerful things, even if you’re not going to come close to touching whatever that thing is capable of. I buy cars whose power and performance capabilities I’ll probably never experience. I still love them. iPad Pro ownership can be like that, too.
There’s one thing that ties both of these M4 iPad Pro buyers together, though – budget. Once you decide you need an iPad Pro, you need deep pockets and a strong stomach. Increase the storage (because, obviously, you need the 16GB of RAM that comes with the 1TB or 2TB version) and add both the Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro, and you’re looking at a device that will cost you well over £2,000.
Once again, the number of people who are up for that kind of outlay are few and far between.
The ideal M2 iPad Air owner
If you’re reading this guide and the last section left you feeling slightly queasy, confused, and tired, I have some good news.
You’re an M2 iPad Air owner-in-waiting.
And, you know what? You were aware of this all along – you just had your attention momentarily snapped away by that bloody M4 iPad Pro and its fancy tandem OLED display.
The iPad Air is one of Apple’s greatest triumphs. They know this. During the iPad launch event a few weeks ago, they noted that the iPad Air is designed to offer iPad Pro-level functionality to a much wider audience. It does this brilliantly.
There are some caveats. The iPad Air still has a 60Hz display, which can be jarring if you’re used to ProMotion. It’s not compatible with the new Magic Keyboard, either, which means you don’t benefit from that bigger trackpad and function key row. You’ll also need to get used to resting your finger on the power button to unlock your iPad Air due to the absence of FaceID.
Those compromises are fine, though. Once again, as the ideal M2 iPad Air owner, you know that – you know, deep down, that you’ll quickly get used to FaceID and, as for the 60Hz display, it will become the norm. Worrying about how fast your tablet’s display refreshes is, after all, the mother of all first world problems.
The ideal M2 iPad Air owner doesn’t settle for second best – they settle for the iPad which makes the most sense for most people. For that, they should be proud.
Final thought
The above advice can be applied to both sizes across both editions; the choice of 11 inch or 13 inch is entirely a personal one and I won’t interfere there.
I hope I’ve guided you to the best iPad for your needs today, but I’d love to know which one you’re going for – and why. Get involved in the comments!
1 Comment
You’re completely right and also the reason I purchased a second hand M1 Air was because you said . I do not regret it at all one of the nicest portable computing devices I have owned , light , battery lasts all day and I dont use the magic keyboard I use the logi tec one and the logi pen makes way more fianancial sense to me . The logi gives you a cover for the ipad even with the keyboard removed ,which I do in the evenings when consuming content . I cannot say enough about the operating system in my humble opinion it’s great . I am a road/office warrior and this marvellous machine does it all all day long every day , In a backpack on the seat of my ute on an office desk connected to a monitor or not . I actually find the 11 inch screen is better to look at than my work supplied cheap monitor