Apple iPad Pro Apple iPad Pro Tablet MM192LL/A 128GB WiFi Review

The 2016 iPad Pro 9.7-inch is a renewed tablet that offers a premium Apple display and Pencil support for under $250. However, its 2GB of RAM and outdated iPadOS 9 make it feel obsolete for anything beyond basic tasks. It's a niche pick only for those who need Apple hardware at the absolute lowest cost.

If you're hunting for a premium tablet experience on a tight budget, the 2016 Apple iPad Pro 9.7-inch is a name that still pops up. This first-gen iPad Pro, especially in its renewed form, offers that classic Apple design and a sharp Retina display for under $250. It's powered by Apple's A9X chip, has 128GB of storage, and supports the original Apple Pencil and a keyboard connector, making it a surprisingly capable device for its age. People often search for 'renewed iPad Pro' or 'cheap iPad for drawing,' and this model fits squarely in that niche.

Performance is a mixed bag, which is exactly what you'd expect from an 8-year-old tablet. The A9X chip was a beast in 2016, and it still handles basic tasks like web browsing, note-taking, and streaming video without much fuss. Our database shows its CPU performance lands in the 43rd percentile compared to modern tablets, so it's definitely not fast by today's standards. The real bottleneck is the RAM—at just 2GB, it's in the 3rd percentile. That means you'll see apps reload frequently if you try to multitask, and newer, more demanding apps might struggle or not run at all.

At around $209 for a renewed model, the value proposition is clear: you're getting Apple's premium tablet design and display for a fraction of the cost of a new iPad. The catch is you're buying into a platform that's largely obsolete. For the same money, you could get a brand-new budget Android tablet with more RAM and a newer OS, but it wouldn't have the Apple Pencil support or the same polished ecosystem. This is a value play strictly for those who want Apple hardware on a shoestring budget.

Let's name names. Compared to a modern base iPad (10th gen), this old Pro loses in every performance metric and software update, but it still has a better screen and Pencil support than the cheapest new iPad. Against a Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE, you're trading Apple's ecosystem for Android's flexibility, a much newer processor, and quadruple the RAM. Even compared to other renewed tablets, the 2GB RAM here is a major red flag. The Microsoft Surface Go series, for instance, offers full Windows at a similar renewed price, which is better for real productivity work.

Skip this iPad Pro if you need a primary device for school, work, or serious creativity. Students will hit app compatibility walls, business users will find it lacking in power, and artists will be frustrated by outdated software. If you're a power user, multitasker, or need access to modern apps, look at a renewed newer iPad, a base model iPad 10th gen, or even a capable Android tablet like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE.

Should you buy this? Only in a very specific scenario. If your needs are incredibly basic—think web browsing, reading, watching videos, and very light note-taking with an Apple Pencil—and you absolutely must have an iPad, this can work as a stopgap. But for anyone else, the 2GB of RAM and ancient OS are dealbreakers. It's not good for students who need modern apps, it's terrible for business use, and it's a poor choice as a primary device. We'd only recommend it as a secondary screen for an artist on a brutal budget or a very casual user who understands the limitations.