I bought a refurbished iPad Pro – and likely won’t buy a new gadget again
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I’ve made sure to favor second-hand products in my time at Ditching; Buying beloved gadgets is a great way to save money and the environment all at once. But since all the gadgets I use are review loans, I haven’t actually had to buy any technology for four years.
But since I’ll be leaving TechRadar soon, the situation is different. I have now reached a point where I have to start buying my own technology again. I have to spend my own money on devices that I will own – and since I haven’t been in this position in a while, this is indeed a very scary change.
A recent purchase I’ve had to make is an iPad. While I’m not a big fan of Apple products, some of the apps I use in my professional life are only available on iOS, excluding Android tablets for work.
I’ve been offering tech buying advice as part of the TechRadar team for years, but having to put my money where my mouth is felt like a huge test of what I’ve written. But now that I’ve finally picked and received a refurbished iPad Pro 12.9 (model 2021) with 256GB storage and Wi-Fi connectivity last night, I feel justified in recommending refurbished gadgets.
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Buying a new iPad was quite an intimidating proposition, as Apple gadgets are ridiculously expensive – but I was left open to which device to buy.
That attitude lasted exactly a second, and that’s when I ruled out buying an iPad Mini — because who the hell would consider buying a tablet comparable in size to some Android phones? I certainly don’t.
I briefly considered buying a new iPad (2022) when I heard rumors of a redesign, and I might have gone ahead with the purchase had the new generation launched alongside the iPhone 14. Of course this didn’t happen, and I can’t wait for the rumored launch event in October. Plus, I’m not a fan of the outdated design of the current-gen models, so the entry-level iPad line was checked off the list as well.
The iPad Air became my first choice; not the iPad Air (2022), as it’s quite a duff upgrade over its predecessor, but the iPad Air (2020). This tablet offers a premium design that I love, plenty of computing power and a compact body. However, as you already know from the headline of this article, this was not the device I ended up going for, for one simple reason: storage. While the iPad Air is a mid-range price, it’s for a punchy 64GB of storage. Opting for the next size, with 256 GB, raises the price quite a bit.
So where to? The iPad Pro range, of course – it’s the line I’m most familiar with, having used every model since 2018. While the iPad Pro range is also incredibly expensive, I like the more spacious dimensions of the 12.9-inch model, and there are many more storage options.
And while I looked around, I discovered that there are also plenty of options in the form of refurbished models. You see, while I was checking prices for new iPad Pro tablets, I had also kept an eye on the cost of refurbished models, from the likes of BackMarket, Amazon, and Apple’s own stores, noting the cost differences between the two. .
My research revealed that the iPad Pro models were available at the best prices compared to new and pre-owned. In addition, there was also a wider choice of quality classes; some revamped websites let you choose the quality of the unit, with pristine models costing more than slightly scuffed ones.
This is why I ended up with an iPad Pro instead of an iPad Air, and a 12.9-inch model instead of a cheaper 11-inch device, one with 256 GB of storage instead of 128 GB. The generous number of refurbished models of iPad Pro on the market meant that I could effectively get more tablets for the same amount of money, saving me quite a bit of money.
I ended up saving about £250 on the iPad I picked up, compared to buying a new iPad a year ago. Since even Black Friday often sees a price cut of just around £100, this felt like a significant saving, one I was very happy about.
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After clicking “Buy” on Apple’s website (which surprisingly offered the model at a better price than Amazon or BackMarket), I immediately had my doubts: I’d agreed to spend a large sum of money on a used car. tablet I had never seen before. Had I made a huge mistake?
I was full of apprehension when I reached the Apple Store, something that got worse upon entering; it felt like I was in a street bazaar. Why were there so many people just hanging out, not really looking to buy anything? Why were all the employees yelling at each other all over the floor? Why did all the show products look like they had served in a war? By trying to make Apple Stores more like hubs where you spend time, and less like retail stores, Apple had created a rather confusing visitor experience.
What caused even more confusion was that when I received the iPad I ordered, it was in a box covered with plastic wrap. Did the employee accidentally give me a brand new tablet?
But when I got home, I saw that the box said this was a refurbished product; Apple had simply put a surprising amount of effort into making this refurbished tablet feel like a new one. This was apparent when I opened the box as well and found the plug and cable nicely wrapped inside.
In fact, if it weren’t for the word “refurbished” on the box, no one would ever know this was a second-hand device — and the actual tablet is as much an indicator of this as the packaging. It was intact, with no wear or stains. Even the charging port, which can get scratched quickly, looked like it had never seen a USB-C cable before.
Annoyingly, iPads don’t come with the Battery Health feature seen on the iPhones, so I can’t say for sure how well the battery will hold up. However, after the day I use this tablet, it feels identical to the brand new test unit I’ve been using for months.
I’m pleasantly surprised at how new this “refurbished” device feels, and it has made me rethink all my future buying plans. Sure, Apple is a big company and can be trusted because it has a top-notch process for refurbishing its products, but that also means its closest competitors (including Amazon’s revamped service and popular website BackMarket) are likely to keep pace. have to keep up with speed to stay competitive.
My iPad Pro basically feels new, the only difference being that I paid a lot less than I would have paid for a new model. So if I can save a similar amount of money by buying other products of the same quality (something that seems like a no-brainer given the cost of living crisis), then I don’t really see the need to ever buy new ones again.