Apple Apple - Geek Squad Certified Refurbished 12.9-Inch iPad Pro (2nd generation) with Wi-Fi - 64GB - Space Gray Review

The Geek Squad Refurbished 12.9-inch iPad Pro (2nd Gen) is a budget big-screen tablet with a major catch: it runs ancient iOS 10 software. Its beautiful display is great for media, but the old A10X chip and lack of updates make it a poor choice for anything beyond basic consumption.

Looking for a big-screen tablet on a tight budget? This refurbished 12.9-inch iPad Pro from 2017 might be on your radar. It's a certified refurb from Geek Squad, which means it's been tested and cleaned up, and at around $250, it's a fraction of the cost of a new Pro model. You're getting that massive 12.9-inch Retina display, Apple's A10X Fusion chip, and 64GB of storage. It's an older device running an old version of iOS, but for basic tasks and media, it can still hold its own.

The A10X chip was a beast in its day, but our data shows it now lands in the 41st percentile for CPU performance. That means it's fine for web browsing, streaming video, and light apps, but don't expect it to handle intensive creative work or modern games smoothly. The GPU is in a similar boat at the 42nd percentile. The real star is the screen, which scores in the 87th percentile. That 2732x2048 resolution still looks fantastic for movies and reading. Battery life is middle-of-the-pack at the 49th percentile, so you'll likely get close to the advertised 10 hours for light use.

At $250, the value proposition is simple: you're paying for the big screen and the iPad Pro name. You're not getting modern performance or software. For the same money, you could look at newer base-model iPads or Android tablets that will run current software much faster, but they won't have this specific large, high-quality display. It's a niche pick for someone who values screen size over everything else.

This is where things get interesting. The most direct competitor is a newer base-model iPad, like a 10th gen, which you can often find on sale for not much more. You'll get a worse screen but a much faster chip and years of software updates. If you need a big screen for productivity, the Microsoft Surface Pro (even older models) or a Samsung Galaxy Tab S series tablet are better hybrids that run full desktop-class apps. The Lenovo Idea Tab Pro offers a similar large screen for less, with more modern Android software. This iPad Pro is for people who are explicitly okay with an outdated iOS experience in exchange for that specific 12.9-inch canvas.

Skip this if you need a tablet for anything resembling modern productivity, schoolwork, or creative apps. Students, digital artists, and anyone who relies on current software should look at a newer base-model iPad or an Android tablet like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE. If you want a device that feels fast and secure, this isn't it. Its best use is as a dedicated, stationary media viewer.

Should you buy this? Only in a very specific scenario. If your entire use case is watching movies, reading digital magazines, and light web browsing on a gorgeous, large screen, and you absolutely cannot spend more than $250, this could work. For literally anyone else—students, note-takers, people who need current apps, or anyone doing real work—this is an easy skip. The outdated software is a deal-breaker for most. We'd recommend stretching your budget for a newer standard iPad or looking at the Android alternatives.