Apple iPad Pro Apple iPad Pro 12.9 64GB WiFi (2017) MQDD2LL/A Review

This $299 renewed iPad Pro offers a top-tier 120Hz display and full Apple Pencil support, making it a surprisingly capable art tool. But you're trading modern speed and software updates for that premium screen, and the 64GB storage fills up fast. Buy it almost exclusively for drawing.

At $299, this 2017 iPad Pro 12.9-inch is a renewed tablet that punches way above its price tag in a few key areas. Its 64GB of RAM lands in the 98th percentile, which is frankly wild for a seven-year-old device, and its feature score hits the 94th percentile thanks to stylus and keyboard support. That combination makes it a surprisingly capable tool for specific creative work right out of the gate.

But this is a story of trade-offs. While the RAM and feature set are top-tier, the 64GB of storage sits at a lowly 30th percentile, and connectivity like WiFi 5 is in the 44th. It's a device built around a brilliant 12.9-inch ProMotion display (88th percentile) that's powered by aging, albeit still decent, internals. You're buying the screen and the Apple Pencil experience on a budget.

Performance is a mixed bag, but the highs are legitimately high. That 98th percentile RAM score isn't a typo—it means this thing can handle more layers in Procreate or more browser tabs than almost any other tablet in our database. The A10X chip's CPU and GPU both land in the 72nd percentile, which is respectable for the price and means general navigation and older games will feel smooth. The real star is the 120Hz ProMotion display. With 600 nits brightness and P3 color, it's a visual treat that still holds up incredibly well for drawing and media consumption.

For $299, you're getting a pro-grade screen and pro-grade accessory support that newer budget tablets simply can't match. The value is entirely in that 88th percentile display and 94th percentile feature set. You're sacrificing modern speed, storage, and connectivity for that premium drawing experience at a third of the original price. Compared to a new base iPad without ProMotion or a new Samsung tablet, this is the cheap path to a true 'pro' visual workspace.

Stacked against a modern base iPad, you lose the faster chip and longer software support but gain a vastly better screen and Apple Pencil 2 support. Versus a Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+, you're getting a worse chip and slower WiFi, but the Apple Pencil experience and app ecosystem for artists is still a strong pull. The real comparison is against other renewed iPads: a newer 2020 iPad Pro will cost significantly more but offer a much faster chip and more storage; this 2017 model is the budget play for artists who prioritize screen quality and accessory support above all else.

Skip this if you need a general-purpose tablet or a business device—it scores a weak 61.6 in that category. The 30th percentile storage is a deal-breaker if you hoard media or apps locally. Also, avoid it if you want modern WiFi speeds (44th percentile) or long-term iOS updates. This is a specialist tool, not a daily driver for most people.

We recommend this renewed 2017 iPad Pro 12.9 only if you're an artist or note-taker on a strict budget who values that excellent 120Hz display and Apple Pencil support above everything else—modern performance, storage space, and future software updates. The data is clear: it excels as a creative canvas (86.6 score) but falters as a general-purpose tablet (61.6 for business). If your main goal is sketching, illustrating, or marking up PDFs, this $299 deal makes sense. For anything else, the aging chip and tiny storage are hard to overlook.