Apple iPad Pro Apple iPad Pro (32GB, Wi-Fi, Space Gray) 12.9in Review

This renewed 2015 iPad Pro 12.9 is a one-trick pony, but it does that trick brilliantly. Its massive, high-resolution screen is still best-in-class and perfect for artists on a budget. Just be ready for tiny 32GB storage, an outdated OS, and potential battery issues. At $249, it's a steal for a dedicated drawing slate or media machine, but a poor choice for a general-purpose tablet.

Let's be real upfront: we're looking at a 2015 iPad Pro here. It's the original 12.9-inch model, rocking the A9X chip and running iPadOS 9. This isn't a modern powerhouse, but at $249 for a renewed unit, it's a fascinating proposition. It's for someone who wants that gorgeous, massive 12.9-inch Retina screen for drawing, reading, or watching movies, but doesn't need to run the latest iPadOS 18 apps or have a ton of storage.

What makes it interesting is the sheer value of that display. It scores in the 87th percentile for screens in our database, which is wild for a nearly decade-old tablet. The fully laminated panel with a 264ppi pixel density still looks fantastic. This is a device where the core experience—looking at the thing—is still top-tier, even if the internals are showing their age.

So who is this for? It's perfect for a digital artist on a tight budget who wants a big canvas for the Apple Pencil (1st gen). It's great as a dedicated Netflix machine for the kitchen or bedroom. It's a solid reader for PDFs and comics. But if you're looking for a do-everything tablet that feels fast in 2025, you'll need to look elsewhere.

Performance is a mixed bag, and the benchmarks tell the story. The dual-core A9X chip and its quad-core graphics both land in the 69th percentile. That means it's still faster than a lot of budget Android tablets out there, but it's well behind modern iPad Pros or even recent base-model iPads. For basic tasks like web browsing, streaming video, and note-taking, it's perfectly adequate. You'll notice some lag when switching between a bunch of apps or trying to do heavy multi-layer artwork in Procreate.

The real-world implication is that this iPad lives in a specific performance tier. It can handle the drawing and light productivity tasks it was built for, especially if you're disciplined about not having 20 Safari tabs open. But that 4GB of RAM (33rd percentile) is the main bottleneck. Once you push past its limits, things will start to stutter and apps will reload more often. Think of it as a capable specialist, not a generalist.

The value argument here is entirely about the screen and the Apple Pencil ecosystem. For $249, you cannot buy a new tablet with a display this good. You're trading modern performance, storage, and software support for that one exceptional component. Compared to a new $250 Android tablet, this iPad Pro's build quality and screen clarity are in a different league.

But you have to be okay with the compromises. This is a renewed unit, not new, and battery health is a known variable. You're also buying into a platform that can't run the latest software. If your needs align perfectly with its strengths—big screen drawing, media consumption—the value is incredible. If you need more flexibility, it's a tough sell.

The most direct competitor is a modern base-model iPad (10th gen). For about $350 new, you get a faster chip, modern iPadOS, better cameras, and USB-C. But you lose the 12.9-inch screen and the premium build. For artists, the smaller screen is a real downgrade.

If you're looking at Android, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2024) often goes on sale around $300. It includes an S-Pen, has expandable storage, and runs modern Android. Its screen isn't as sharp or large as this iPad Pro's, but the overall package is more balanced and up-to-date.

Then there's the used market itself. For a bit more money, you might find a newer used iPad Air or a 2018 iPad Pro with more storage and a better chip. It's worth checking prices, as the jump to an A12X or M1 chip is significant. This 2015 Pro wins on screen size and price, but loses on almost everything else compared to slightly newer used models.

Skip this iPad if you need a tablet for school or general productivity. The old OS means many educational and work apps won't be compatible, and the 32GB storage is a nightmare for documents and presentations. Also skip it if you want a future-proof device; this is a dead-end in terms of software updates.

Instead, students should look at a newer base-model iPad or a Chromebook. If you need more storage and modern apps but still want a big screen for media, a renewed Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ or a later iPad Air might be a better fit, though they'll cost more. This 2015 Pro is a specialist tool, not a daily driver.

We recommend buying this renewed iPad Pro 12.9 if you have a single, clear purpose: drawing with the Apple Pencil on a big, beautiful screen, and your budget is absolutely capped at $250. It's also a great buy as a dedicated media hub for a room where its software limitations won't matter.

We do not recommend this as your primary, do-everything tablet. The storage is too small, the OS is too old, and the battery is a question mark. If you need to install a variety of modern apps, do video calls, or store lots of files locally, you'll run into walls quickly. In that case, save up a little more for a newer base iPad or look for a used model with at least 128GB of storage and a newer OS.