I’m looking to replace my 5th generation ipad. It’s been a great device, but I’m finding it’s terribly slow of late and I can’t update it past IOS 16.
So I looked at Apple’s refurb area (where I get most of my devices) and I’m mostly seeing 5th generation devices starting at $379. Really? Are these the same that I have now (dating to 2017)? I checked other refurb outlets and I see newer generations (up to 9th at one location, for a little over $200).
Apple does have newer ipads with the silicon chips but they are crazy expensive.
Fifth generation iPad Airs were released in 2022 with M1 chips. All the iPads I’m seeing on the refurb site are currently from 2022 with silicon chips.
An important difference between official Apple refurbs and most other refurbs is that Apple refurbs are eligible for AppleCare. This is a clear indication, even if a buyer doesn’t sign up for AppleCare, that Apple has high standards for its refurb process.
For iPad refurbs specficially, Apple replaces the battery and the outer shell and does OEM-level testing of its work. You also get the correct and high quality Apple charger for the iPad.
So, my view is that Apple refurbs are not directly comparable to third-party refurbs. I also think it is important to have high quality batteries and chargers for fire safety reasons.
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A personal experience note: I’ve bought Apple refurbs for decades. Macs, iPods, and iPads. I haven’t ever regretted buying any of them.
They are not. When I look, Apple has no standard refurbished iPad models for sale. What you are seeing is the 5th generation iPad Air, not the standard iPad. It has an M1 chip, not the A series iPhone chips that were in standard iPads until just recently. It’s a great iPad; I had the 4th generation (with an A series chip) until I traded it in for the new iPad Air M3 this past May.