Apple iPad Pro 11" TI-GSRF MHQT3LL/A 2021, M1, 8GB, 128GB, Silver

The 2021 iPad Pro 11 with the M1 chip is still a fantastic tablet in 2024, especially at refurbished prices between $470 and $550. The 120Hz ProMotion display, Thunderbolt port, and top-tier battery life make it feel far newer than its age. Buyers consistently praise the performance and display quality, with refurbished units often arriving in like-new condition. Just watch out for the occasional screen defect and remember the Apple Pencil costs extra.

The M1 in this thing is the same 8-core chip Apple put in the MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro. In a tablet, that's still absurd. The 3.20 GHz clock speed means app launches are instant, and the 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM keeps things smooth even when you're bouncing between Procreate, Photoshop, and a dozen browser tabs. Our database puts the CPU at a solid middle-of-the-pack position among current tablets, which sounds unimpressive until you remember this is a 2021 device competing against 2024 hardware. It's not the fastest tablet anymore, but it's nowhere near feeling slow.

The display is where this iPad really earns its keep. The 11-inch Liquid Retina panel runs at 2388x1668 with ProMotion, so you get that 120Hz refresh rate that makes scrolling feel like butter. True Tone and P3 wide color mean photos and videos look accurate, not just punchy. Screen quality lands well above average in our rankings, and for artists the combination of ProMotion and Apple Pencil 2 support is still one of the best drawing experiences you can get on any tablet. The 128GB NVMe SSD is fast, though storage capacity itself is just average for the category. If you're planning to load up on 4K video or huge Procreate files, you'll feel that 128GB ceiling sooner than you'd like.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is the obvious Android alternative, and it's a beast in its own right. You get a bigger AMOLED screen and Samsung's excellent S Pen included in the box, which is a real advantage over Apple's $129 Pencil add-on. But Samsung's software update track record and the general state of Android tablet apps still lag behind iPadOS. If you're deep in the Samsung ecosystem, it's worth a look. If you want apps that actually use the screen real estate, the iPad wins.

The Microsoft Surface Pro 11 is the other serious competitor, and it's a fundamentally different proposition. It runs full Windows 11, so you get real desktop apps, a proper file system, and the ability to run anything from Excel to Steam. But it's heavier, the battery life doesn't match the iPad, and the tablet experience is clunkier. The Surface is a laptop that can pretend to be a tablet. The iPad Pro is a tablet that can pretend to be a laptop. Which one you want depends entirely on whether you need full desktop software. For most people who already have a laptop, the iPad makes more sense as a second device.

Here's where things get interesting. The refurbished market has this iPad Pro 11 priced between $470 and $550 in the US, and that's a spread worth paying attention to. Newegg has listings at the lower end of that range, while Best Buy's Geek Squad Certified units tend to sit higher. That $80 difference might buy you a better warranty or a cleaner unit, so it's not purely about finding the cheapest listing. In Canada, the spread is even wider at $746 to $953 CAD, so Canadian buyers should shop around carefully.

For context, a brand new iPad Air with the M2 chip starts around $599, and it doesn't have ProMotion or Thunderbolt. The iPad Pro 11 M4 starts at $999. So this refurbished M1 Pro slots into a weirdly perfect position: you get the Pro features that matter most, the 120Hz screen and Thunderbolt, for less than a new mid-tier iPad. The trade-off is warranty coverage and the inherent risk of buying refurbished. If you get a clean unit, this is one of the best tablet values on the market right now.

The 2021 iPad Pro 11 is one of those devices that quietly refuses to age. Apple dropped their desktop-class M1 chip into a tablet, and three years later it still feels like overkill for most things people actually do on an iPad. This is the 3rd generation model, the one that first brought Thunderbolt and the M1 to the smaller Pro, and it's now hitting the refurbished market at prices that make it genuinely interesting again.

Who's this for? Students who want a note-taking machine that won't choke on a hundred Safari tabs. Artists who need Procreate to feel instant. Anyone who edits photos or video on the go and doesn'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 light enough at 465 grams to hold in one hand while you read, but the M1 means it can handle DaVinci Resolve when you need to get real work done.

What makes this particular listing interesting is the refurbished angle. You're getting a tablet that launched at $799 for somewhere between $470 and $550 depending on the vendor. That's a lot of performance per dollar, assuming you get a clean unit. And that's the gamble with refurbished, which we'll get into.

If you need a true laptop replacement, skip this. The iPad Pro runs iPadOS, not macOS, and that distinction matters more than the M1 chip would suggest. You can't run full desktop versions of apps like Final Cut Pro, full Photoshop, or any Windows software. File management is better than it used to be, but it's still not the same as a real file system. If your work depends on specific desktop applications, look at the Microsoft Surface Pro 11 or a MacBook Air instead.

Also skip this if you're buying new at full price. The M4 iPad Pro exists now, and while this M1 model is still great, paying $799 for it in 2024 makes no sense when the refurbished market has it for $470 to $550. The whole appeal here is the value proposition. If you're not getting the refurbished discount, you're leaving money on the table.

If you're a student or creative who wants a fast, portable tablet for notes, drawing, and media consumption, this refurbished iPad Pro 11 is an easy recommendation. The M1 chip means it'll stay relevant for years, the display is still one of the best on any tablet, and the battery life is genuinely excellent. At $470 to $550, you're getting Pro-level hardware for less than a new iPad Air. Just budget for the Apple Pencil if you plan to draw or take handwritten notes, because it's not in the box.

If you need a laptop replacement, think carefully. iPadOS has come a long way with Stage Manager and external display support, but it's still not macOS. File management is better than it used to be, but it's not the same as a real desktop OS. If your workflow depends on specific desktop apps or you need to run virtual machines, get a Surface Pro or a MacBook Air instead. The iPad Pro is a phenomenal tablet, but it's still a tablet.