3 ms·

Apple's newest full form-factor iPad is only $300, and often is available on sale for ~$270. I think that's made a big difference.

the_snooze 8y ago
I picked up one of those iPads at ~$270 with an academic discount, and it's a solid machine. Great battery life, good screen, enough space for a couple Netflix movies on flights. It doesn't feel cheap or compromised at all.
- snuxoll 8y ago
  I just bought one for my five year old, it's a pretty damned impressive device - she loves drawing on my 12.9" iPad Pro and having Apple Pencil support across the whole product line means she can do so on a less expensive device (the 12.9" Pro is already beastly enough, I cannot bear to put a case on it). With some fairly large games loaded up we've still got roughly 40% of the storage free, and with app offloading in iOS 11 I don't really have to worry about space like I do on her now defunct Fire HD 7. With that being said, I couldn't downgrade to the 9.7" iPad from the Pro models, I didn't think the non-laminated screen would be too much of a deal but it really does make a huge difference.
  - ghaff 8y ago
    The 12.9"iPad Pro is one of the few pricey electronic devices I've found myself buying and then not really using. I had a lot of ambitions for using it for instructional-type drawing but I didn't really get that going. And it's just too big and heavy to use generally. And I say this as someone who really likes its smaller sibling, especially when I'm traveling. But the big iPad now just sits on a stand in the kitchen where I use it for recipes and the odd video. It's pretty underutilized.
    - snuxoll 8y ago
      The 12.9” is rather large, I certainly use it less than I anticipated because of it since it’s not particularly friendly to hold for expected periods. When I eventually upgrade I might consider getting the 10.5” model as a result - though I enjoy the larger screen still for certain activities like reading replica newspaper and magazine subscriptions.
      - ghaff 8y ago
        I like the 10.5" more for most purposes although, as you say, every now and then the larger screen is useful. If it's just flowing text I'm reading, I actually prefer the Kindle Paperwhite but the iPad is sufficiently more versatile that that's what I almost always bring when traveling.
wishinghand 8y ago
When you say full form factor, do you mean something other than the 13”? That model is $800 at the cheapest.
- drak0n1c 8y ago
  I mean non-mini. The traditional 9.7 inch screen.
IkmoIkmo 8y ago
This, plus the effect the second hand market has. You can pick up older-gen iPad Air's for $180. The top brand tablets (e.g. Apple) will keep their performance really well. They don't struggle from laptop's getting filled with crap and slowing down, which used to happen for most computer users, or struggled to keep battery life as much as many laptops. And they never struggled with the phone upgrade path of 2 years due to a better camera, new battery and fashion. The second hand market allows you to pick up pretty cheap tablets which are useful for all intents and purposes of most people owning a tablet. (bigger-than-phone consumption device of netflix, news, magazines, books and a spotify remote).
diffeomorphism 8y ago
Adding the keyboard and pen this adds up to $500 but you are still stuck with a 10 inch screen and the lowest storage config. The price is fair but not great.

the_snooze 8y ago

I picked up one of those iPads at ~$270 with an academic discount, and it's a solid machine. Great battery life, good screen, enough space for a couple Netflix movies on flights. It doesn't feel cheap or compromised at all.

snuxoll 8y ago
I just bought one for my five year old, it's a pretty damned impressive device - she loves drawing on my 12.9" iPad Pro and having Apple Pencil support across the whole product line means she can do so on a less expensive device (the 12.9" Pro is already beastly enough, I cannot bear to put a case on it). With some fairly large games loaded up we've still got roughly 40% of the storage free, and with app offloading in iOS 11 I don't really have to worry about space like I do on her now defunct Fire HD 7. With that being said, I couldn't downgrade to the 9.7" iPad from the Pro models, I didn't think the non-laminated screen would be too much of a deal but it really does make a huge difference.
- ghaff 8y ago
  The 12.9"iPad Pro is one of the few pricey electronic devices I've found myself buying and then not really using. I had a lot of ambitions for using it for instructional-type drawing but I didn't really get that going. And it's just too big and heavy to use generally. And I say this as someone who really likes its smaller sibling, especially when I'm traveling. But the big iPad now just sits on a stand in the kitchen where I use it for recipes and the odd video. It's pretty underutilized.
  - snuxoll 8y ago
    The 12.9” is rather large, I certainly use it less than I anticipated because of it since it’s not particularly friendly to hold for expected periods. When I eventually upgrade I might consider getting the 10.5” model as a result - though I enjoy the larger screen still for certain activities like reading replica newspaper and magazine subscriptions.
    - ghaff 8y ago
      I like the 10.5" more for most purposes although, as you say, every now and then the larger screen is useful. If it's just flowing text I'm reading, I actually prefer the Kindle Paperwhite but the iPad is sufficiently more versatile that that's what I almost always bring when traveling.

wishinghand 8y ago

When you say full form factor, do you mean something other than the 13”? That model is $800 at the cheapest.

drak0n1c 8y ago
I mean non-mini. The traditional 9.7 inch screen.

IkmoIkmo 8y ago

This, plus the effect the second hand market has. You can pick up older-gen iPad Air's for $180. The top brand tablets (e.g. Apple) will keep their performance really well. They don't struggle from laptop's getting filled with crap and slowing down, which used to happen for most computer users, or struggled to keep battery life as much as many laptops. And they never struggled with the phone upgrade path of 2 years due to a better camera, new battery and fashion. The second hand market allows you to pick up pretty cheap tablets which are useful for all intents and purposes of most people owning a tablet. (bigger-than-phone consumption device of netflix, news, magazines, books and a spotify remote).

diffeomorphism 8y ago

Adding the keyboard and pen this adds up to $500 but you are still stuck with a 10 inch screen and the lowest storage config. The price is fair but not great.