Apple iPad Pro 11 Space Gray 2021

The 2021 iPad Pro 11 is still a fantastic tablet in 2025, especially at renewed prices around USD 434. The M1 chip, 120Hz display, and Thunderbolt port make it a powerhouse for creative work and note-taking. Battery life is excellent, ranking in the 93rd percentile. Just be aware of the 128GB storage limit and the fact that refurbished units can have quality issues. If you're a student or artist on a budget, this is one of the best tablet deals out there.

The M1 chip in this thing is no joke. It's an 8-core CPU paired with 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM, and in our database it lands around the 58th percentile for CPU performance among tablets. That sounds middling until you remember this is a 2021 chip competing against 2024 and 2025 hardware. For real-world tasks like photo editing in Lightroom, drawing in Procreate with dozens of layers, or cutting 4K video in DaVinci Resolve, it still flies. The GPU sits at the 68th percentile, which means it handles graphics-heavy apps better than most current tablets, even if it's not topping the charts anymore.

The 120Hz ProMotion display makes everything feel snappy, and that's a spec you notice every single time you scroll or swipe. The 2388x1668 resolution on the 11-inch panel is sharp, and P3 wide color plus True Tone keep colors accurate whether you're editing photos or just watching YouTube. Storage is the one spec that feels tight. 128GB is fine for most people, but it lands at the 69th percentile in our database, and if you're editing video or hoarding games, you'll feel that ceiling fast. The Thunderbolt port helps, since you can plug in fast external drives, but that's an extra purchase.

The Microsoft Surface Pro 11 is the most direct competitor if you need a real laptop replacement. It runs full Windows, which means actual desktop apps, a proper file system, and better multitasking. But it's pricier, and the iPad Pro's display and battery life are better. The Surface wins for productivity and software flexibility, the iPad wins for creative apps and portability.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is the spec monster of the group. Bigger screen, newer chip, and Samsung's S Pen included in the box. But it's also huge and expensive, and Android tablet apps still lag behind iPadOS in polish. The Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus and Xiaomi Pad 7 are budget-friendly alternatives, but they don't come close to the iPad Pro's display quality or app ecosystem. If you're deep in the Apple ecosystem, none of these are real competition. If you're not, the Surface Pro 11 is the one to cross-shop.

Here's where things get interesting. New iPad Pros are expensive, but this 2021 model is showing up renewed for USD 434 to USD 550 across five US listings. That's a spread of USD 116 for the same tablet, so shopping around actually matters. The best deal we're seeing is on the lower end of that range, and at USD 434 this thing is a steal for what you get. In Canada, prices range from CAD 792 to CAD 953, a CAD 161 gap between the cheapest and most expensive listing. Again, the lower end is where the value lives.

Compare that to a new iPad Pro or even a current iPad Air, and the math gets compelling. You're giving up the newest chip and some camera tricks, but you're keeping the ProMotion display, Thunderbolt, and M1 performance. For students and artists on a budget, this is one of the best price-to-performance ratios in the tablet world right now. Just make sure you're buying from a seller with a solid return policy, because refurbished quality can vary.

The 2021 iPad Pro 11 is one of those devices that quietly refuses to age. Apple stuffed the same M1 chip found in their laptops into a tablet that weighs 465 grams, and three years later it still feels like overkill in the best way. This is the 3rd generation model, the one that introduced the M1 to the iPad line, and it remains a genuinely compelling buy if you can find it at a good price. We're looking at the Wi-Fi only, 128GB version here, often sold as renewed or refurbished.

Who is this for? Students who want a note-taking machine that won't choke on anything they throw at it. Artists who live in Procreate. People who edit photos and video on the go and don't want to lug a laptop. The 11-inch size hits a sweet spot between the cramped iPad mini and the unwieldy 12.9-inch Pro. It's big enough for real work, small enough to hold in one hand while you're standing on a train.

What makes it interesting in 2025 is the value angle. New iPad Pros cost a fortune, but renewed units are floating around for a fraction of that. You get the M1, a 120Hz Liquid Retina display, Thunderbolt, and Apple Pencil 2 support. That's a lot of tablet for the money, assuming you're okay with buying refurbished and living without the newest bells and whistles.

If you're a business user who lives in spreadsheets, email, and video calls all day, this probably isn't your device. Our database scores it at 72.2 out of 100 for business use, the weakest area for this tablet. iPadOS multitasking is better than it used to be, but it's still clunky compared to a real laptop. You can't run full desktop versions of Office apps, and file management remains frustrating. Look at a Surface Pro 11 or a MacBook Air instead.

Also skip this if you need lots of local storage. 128GB is the base model, and there's no way to expand it. If you're a video editor who works with large files, or someone who likes to keep their entire game library installed, you'll be constantly juggling storage. The Thunderbolt port helps with external drives, but that's an extra cost and an extra thing to carry. In that case, look for a higher-capacity iPad Pro or consider a laptop with more built-in storage.

For students and artists, this is an easy recommendation. The Apple Pencil 2 experience is still best-in-class, the 120Hz display makes writing and drawing feel natural, and the M1 chip means you won't hit performance walls for years. The 128GB storage is the main constraint, but cloud storage and external drives via Thunderbolt soften that blow. If you're taking notes, sketching, or editing photos, buy it and don't look back.

For business users, this is a harder sell. Our database scores it at 72.2 out of 100 for business use, the weakest area for this tablet. iPadOS multitasking is better than it used to be, but it's still not a laptop. If you need to run Excel with macros, manage complex file structures, or use specialized Windows software, get a Surface Pro or a MacBook Air instead. The iPad Pro is a fantastic tablet, but it's not a laptop replacement for everyone.